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Old September 24, 2017, 06:42 AM   #1
Nunya53
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Zastava Mini Mauser

I would like to know if the Zastava mini mauser in 7.62x39 would be an appropriate action to build a custom .260. They are relatively cheap and I would like to use it for a donor action.

Thoughts?

Jerry
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Old September 24, 2017, 07:35 AM   #2
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a lot of work. bolt,magizine and action lenth. eastbank.
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Old September 24, 2017, 07:44 AM   #3
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Assuming the 260 refers to the 260 Remington, that's a midsize 2.8" max length cartridge. It won't fit into an action for 2.3" cartridges.
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Old September 24, 2017, 07:52 AM   #4
Nunya53
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Well, I have a K98 action gathering dust but was looking for a shorter action for a 260 Rem build.

Any suggestions? It has to be a CRF.

Thanks,
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Old September 24, 2017, 08:22 AM   #5
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Sell your mauser action and buy a Ruger 77 Hawkeye in 260. You'll be sending bullets downrange sooner and likely for less money.

If you want to make it unique for yourself, buy a nice stock blank and restock it.
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Old September 24, 2017, 09:58 AM   #6
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Straight up,no,a .260 Remington cartridge is not appropriate for a Zastava mini-mauser.
What a 7.62 x 39 Mini Mauser would be a natural for is a 6.5 Grendel.That would be the same caliber,different cartridge.
The 6.5 Grendel is derived from a necked down 7.62x39 case.
That would make a great mid range deer rifle.

If you are going to use a surplus 98 action...at least think about the 6.5 x 55.
It will be a little easier to build. Classic Mauser derived cases are a little easier to get to feed right.Lothar Walther,among others,can sell you a nice short or long chambered threaded barrel.

I understand having the itch to build one from an action you have.Some things just don't have to make sense to anyone else. You have your own reasons. I get that. I've built several myself.

But it doesn't really add up,these days.Especially if you are paying someone to do the work.
The Zastava in 6.5 Grendel makes sense,IMO.

Take a look at a Ruger American,maybe. Or find any good commercial used .308 length rifle and rebarrel it.

You also might look at Howa and barreled actions from Brownells.I don't know if they are crf. The CZ's are.

Action truing,drilling and tapping,bolt handle mods, how is your bolt face,firing pin hole? The locking lugs need to bear plenty of contact,and that's not always just a little lapping. You need a scope safety.
You might want the bottom metal shaped and slimmed.
Military trigger,or?? Going to have it blued?
Stocking one is a project.

And yes,a barrel . You pay a smith for all that I suppose you could buy a nice .260. And start a pretty good scope budget.

Its been a few years back,but if I had my own milsurp action already,and bought a Douglas barrel, I did all my own work, I still spent at least $500 to build a rifle,without sights.

Last edited by HiBC; September 24, 2017 at 10:13 AM.
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Old September 24, 2017, 11:53 AM   #7
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Isn't just the case and cartridge lengths. The 7.62's case head is 20 thou smaller as well. A loaded 7.62 x 39 round just fits in the receiver.
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Old September 24, 2017, 12:51 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nunya53
Any suggestions? It has to be a CRF.
Well then the Mini Mauser action isn't for you. As suggested he best 6.5mm case for that action would be the Grendel. However, the Mini is a Mauser action in name only. The Mini Mauser is a push feed action with a fake claw extractor.

My suggestion is if you have K98 action and want a CRF build a 6.5X284 and take advantage of the magazine space. If you want a short action cartridge like the .260 Rem in CRF, then try to find a Ruger M77 rifle. If you want something a little more custom then have Montana Rifle Company build you a .260 with their M70 clone CRF short action.
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Old September 24, 2017, 01:12 PM   #9
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"I would like to know if the Zastava mini mauser in 7.62x39 would be an appropriate action to build a custom .260."

NO not at all. In fact, the little 7.62x39 Minin is worth more than you can buy a new production .260.
PS, unless you have deep pockets, you need to recalculate your demand for CRF.
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Old September 24, 2017, 03:07 PM   #10
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I appreciate all the replies. I had a 6.5x55 built off of a JC Higgins M50 a while back. I'm finally at a point in my life where I can get what I want, not what I can afford. I am looking at the Ruger M77, but the only one they offer has an awful looking camo stock, but that's an easy fix.

Thanks,

Jerry
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Old September 24, 2017, 03:12 PM   #11
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If you use a mauser action, look for intermediate length like a Yugo model 1924.
If you use a longer action then only a few adjustments need to be made....but mini no
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Old September 24, 2017, 03:16 PM   #12
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Why does it have to be controlled round feed?

You can certainly use the K98, but it needs to be checked out and trued before it would be worth the expense of rebarreling.
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Old September 24, 2017, 04:26 PM   #13
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Quote:
Why does it have to be controlled round feed?
you never know when you have to hang upside down in a three and make the shot
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Old September 24, 2017, 06:11 PM   #14
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Quote:
I am looking at the Ruger M77, but the only one they offer has an awful looking camo stock,
My guess is you're looking at the new M77 Hawkeye Hunter FTW in 260. Camo stock aside, I'll bet you'd really like it.

I have a similar model in 6.5 Creedmoor, the M77 Hawkeye Predator FTW. I believe my Predator has a bit heavier barrel but, boy what a good shooter it is. I've yet to find a bullet that can't be used to develop a sub moa load and that includes some very, very old Nosler 125gr. Partitions.

BTW In the past, Ruger offered several different compact models that were chambered in 260 Rem. You might find one if you look long enough, but I think Ruger's most current rifles are better than a lot of their older ones.
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Old September 24, 2017, 06:41 PM   #15
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If you already have a Mauser action then why not rebarrel to 6.5 Mauser?

Contrary to popular belief it is not a wildcat.

Just neck down 7mm Mauser casings and go to town.
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Old September 24, 2017, 08:18 PM   #16
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Quote:
you never know when you have to hang upside down in a three and make the shot
I do think the "upside down" deal (I've heard it used in context with a dangerous game application, as in on your back being mauled by a Lion) is not infallible. The round isn't fully controlled by the extractor at first, when it pops free of the mag feed lips onto the boltface. The round is still low on the boltface and doesn't get fully engaged until the round is straightened out by the chamber. Partial withdraw/shaking the rifle could cause the extractor to lose control of the round here.

CRF does is eliminate the possibility of a double-feed; if the bolt is withdrawn before the round is seated another round could be stripped and rammed forward into the first one. Potentially, not a good scenario. There's no empirical evidence of which I'm aware that CRF is any more "reliable" in feeding or extraction/ejection. The Sniper platforms used by the U.S. Military (exception .50 cal ) are all Remington 700 based actions, good enough for me..

I do feel the claw extractor is more successful with a hard-to-extract case. I think both CRF and push-feed both have potential advantages and disadvantages. Run the bolt home with authority every time and issues are moot.
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Old September 24, 2017, 09:17 PM   #17
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A Mini Mauser is too short for a loaded 260 case. If you did want to try it anyway, you would be better off starting with one in 22-250 so at least the bolt face would be the correct size and the magazine rails would be a better fit.

I once fantasized about getting one in 22-250 and converting it to 250 Savage, but the magazine was too short for the longer bullets a 250 Savage uses.

And as has been pointed out, a Mini Mauser is a Mauser in name only, it is not CRF
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Old September 25, 2017, 08:09 AM   #18
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Natman,the .250 Savage would have a length issue,agreed. My fantasy was around the Rem Benchrest family. A 6.5 Benchrest....
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Old September 25, 2017, 08:49 AM   #19
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a Remington 700 SA sps in .260 with a 24" barrel can be had for under 500 dollars. I know as I have one and as out of the box with a 12x leupold shoots the 129gr hornady sst at 2900fps with a healty dose of rl-19 or rl-22. shoots groups right around .75-1.0 groups at a hundred yards.. eastbank.
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Old September 25, 2017, 09:01 AM   #20
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If I take a Mexican 98 I have already,I'd spend over $500 to buy a barrel,rent a reamer,come up with a stock,a Timney,Accraglas,buttplate,and the nickel-dime stuff.
That's doing all my own work.
And time is money.
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Old September 25, 2017, 09:23 AM   #21
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As stated earlier, the Zastava Mini-Mauser is NOT a CRF action, it is more akin to a small Sako action (only not as nice) If you are looking for a "mini" CRF rifle in 260, look at the Kimber 84M.
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Old September 25, 2017, 03:06 PM   #22
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You can shoehorn a .250 Savage into a Mini, I have one. I didn't build it, but bullet length is an issue. I can't fit spitzer style bullets over 100 grains into the magazine. However, it's a .250 Savage and if I can't get it done with an 87-100 grain bullet I'll pull a larger rifle out of the safe.
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Old September 25, 2017, 07:38 PM   #23
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What a 7.62 x 39 Mini Mauser would be a natural for is a 6.5 Grendel.That would be the same caliber,different cartridge.The 6.5 Grendel is derived from a necked down 7.62x39 case.That would make a great mid range deer rifle.
You'll love the Grendel.
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Old September 25, 2017, 08:09 PM   #24
Nunya53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by std7mag
If you already have a Mauser action then why not rebarrel to 6.5 Mauser?
Because I already have a custom 6.5x55 swede on a commercial FN action (JC Higgins M50) and a Winchester M70 classic featherweight in the same....

I'll likely go for the the Ruger and change the stock out....

Thanks for the replies,

Jerry
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Old September 25, 2017, 08:12 PM   #25
Nunya53
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Originally Posted by tobnpr
Why does it have to be controlled round feed?
Because it is what I like and I've reached a point in my life where I buy/build what I want, not what I could (could't) afford.

I do not go into debt when I buy/build a rifle. I'm blessed and have made a couple of good choices in my life.

Thanks,

Jerry
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