Answer

I would turn that job down if it came into our shop. The bolt face has to be shrunk quite a bit. The extractor would have to be rebuilt extensively. Making it feed would be a pain in the neck. He would have more money into that conversion than just going out and buying a new gun in that caliber. The other option is to build a .22-250 as the bolt face is the same as the 8mm. I have built many 98’s into .22-250’s. If he has to have the .223 on the standard 98 tell him it will take time and a lot of money. The bolt face and extractor can be welded up and made to work for the .223 size. Feeding will be VERY difficult as you will have to weld up the feed rails and rebuild them. I would try to adapt a detachable magazine to gun and not worry about the feed rails. Again you will HAVE to have the heat treat redone and the extractor tempered. The Charles Daly .223 mini Mausers sell for a great deal less than what it is going to cost him. Good luck and tell us all what happens.

Reply:

Thanks for the info Ken. From this afternoon’s conversation, he wants to just use a bolt from a Charles Daly Mini-Mauser. I suggested that he just buy the mini-Mauser and be done with the gun. I will suggest converting to the 22-250 which was going to be my next question about which caliber do you think would be the best conversion for him to use as a varmint round.

Answer:

You could also mention to him that the Mini Mauser action is a MUCH smaller action and that the bolt will not fit a 98 action any more than a Ruger 22/77 bolt will. I built a couple of .17 Remington’s on Mini Mauser actions and they are terrific for anything a .223 will do and they absolutely vaporize ground squirrels.