Century arms 98 Mauser

[opos]

Question on Century Mausers...Century was, like Interams, an importer of may foreign weapons during the 80's....I've owned several INterarms Mark X rifles and found them very well built and a pleasure to shoot....I'm currently looking at a Century Arms '98 Mauser in .270 caliber...nice wood...bluing nice and all the goodies that those kinds of guns offer..had the timney trigger and side position safety...also has about 300 rounds of once fired brass (that's all it's ever been shot", a set of RCBS dies and a bunch of other stuff...it has a Tasco 3x9 power which I have other scopes here that would probably be better...'

I think $300 will buy it...I don't hunt...only bust paper and I like wood and blued steel guns....any knowledge or comments on Century? I think some of the importers were ok and some not...any comments much appreciated

 

[cas6969]

Many people say that Century's guns are made by well trained monkeys.

That isn't true, they aren't that well trained.


Is this an in person thing or an online thing?

 

[Lngstrt]

Wouldn't think the Century bolt guns would be as iffy as the semis. I have a bunch of Enfields and a couple/3 Mausers with the CAI engraving. Century didn't have to "build" any of them. No questionable receivers, barrels etc.

 

[jbtardy]

You call the rifle a Century Arms 98 Mauser but Century is an importer, not a builder. They have assembled lots
of semi autos by using domestic and imported parts but by no means do they manufacture 98 Mausers. To properly
evaluate the rifle you need to know exactly what it is. I think they sold some rifles that were built by putting new
US parts on refinished 98 Mauser military actions taken from rifles with junk military barrels. The actions
may have had the original markings removed making it nearly impossible to see where they originally came from. It
would have to be drilled and tapped for scope mounts and have the bolt altered. You cannot possibly evaluate such
a rifle based on a name, Century or otherwise. The only way to really check it out would be to carefully look it over
in person. Don't expect a tack driving high quality barrel at that price and if the feed ramp and action rails were
not correctly altered it may not feed 270 ammo very well since the action was originally made for the 8mm ctg.
The scope is worth about $25 used so the whole package might be worth $300 IF it will reliably feed the 270. Since
you already have scopes there are probably better rifles out there for around $350. All depends on exactly what the
"Century" really is.

 

[opos]

And this is pretty much as expected...I've owned a lot of "commercial" built bolt actions over lot of years...back in the 50's Sears used to take rifled actions or just actions and have them barreled and stocked in the old Bishop stocks..drilled and tapped...recoil pad, cheap scope (called a Ted Williams..made by Weaver), etc...still got one and still shoot it now and then..nothing fancy but a good shooter..they did the same with Mauser actions, with some early mode. 70's and some 03/A3's...

I also have a beautiful Interarms Mark X in 7x57 mauser that is built on a 98 action....it is a tack driver and really well done...Finished in Manchester England in the old Purdy arms facility and imported by Interarms..it's about 10 times the rifle the Century imports are (or were).

I was just curious who might have owned one and to get some input..I'm hearing that many of the "98" Century are of the "mix/match" breed with the 98 large ring action and a later small ring threaded barrel...Not unusual but certainly not the same deal as even the least desirable 98's.

I'm not going ahead with it..I got no doubt it would be a decent deer rifle for someone that just wants a one trip a year shooter...but I got several "sporterized milsurps" that are the true '60's works of art and are a treat to shoot and enjoy...

Thanks all and enjoy the day

 

[jkh004]

If if looks good, buy it. You can shoot it a while and sell it later and probably make your money back on it. It should feed 270 just fine. My 8mm action'd 98's are rebarrelled to 22/250, 7mm-08, and 338-06 with no mods to the feed rails at all and they feed just fine. My Century "put together from parts" FAL shoots fine.

You might not get match grade accuracy, but it's a $300 270 deer rifle..... Give me a redone Mauser over low end rifles any day.

 

[dfletcher]

Question on Century Mausers...Century was, like Interams, an importer of may foreign weapons during the 80's....I've owned several INterarms Mark X rifles and found them very well built and a pleasure to shoot....I'm currently looking at a Century Arms '98 Mauser in .270 caliber...nice wood...bluing nice and all the goodies that those kinds of guns offer..had the timney trigger and side position safety...also has about 300 rounds of once fired brass (that's all it's ever been shot", a set of RCBS dies and a bunch of other stuff...it has a Tasco 3x9 power which I have other scopes here that would probably be better...'

I think $300 will buy it...I don't hunt...only bust paper and I like wood and blued steel guns....any knowledge or comments on Century? I think some of the importers were ok and some not...any comments much appreciated

I'm pretty sure the rifle is made by Zastava. The action is probably rough, the wood not particularly well finished and checkering done with a sharp nail. But it will probably function well and smooth out. For $300.00 - how can you go wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with the "trained monkeys" assessment of CAI's ability with guns. They do do some work on FALS and HK style rifles to make the US legal, their ability to screw up the old MAS 49/56 by turning into a 308 is legendary. But my guess is they'd be pretty hands off with a bolt rifle. It won't be like the old FN made JC Higgins bolt rifles, but I bet it will be worth the $$$ spent.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

The J.C. Higgins/Sears rifles mentioned above were made on commercial FN Model 98 actions made prior to the side/slide safety modification later used on Browning "Safaris" and other FN-based sporters. I believe Sears called them "Model 50" and they retained the original safety "flip" used on Mauser Model 98 military rifles. Not as well finished as a Browning "Mauser" but reliable rifles. Not sure I know who made their barrels, but think I remember it was Hi-Standard Manufacturing. Now mainly "cannibalized" to use their actions in custom sporters. Made only in .270 and .30-06. Sears/J.C. Higgins "Model 51s" were FN actions finished by Husqvarna in a number of calibers and finished to a much higher standard than the Model 50. Not sure who made their barrels.