Help identifying rifle action

richardlpalmer · Jun 5, 2015

Hi all, I could use a hand identifying the action in this custom rifle by W.T. Atkinson.

It's 250-3000 and is beautiful in every way, but I'm not familiar enough with actions to determine what it is.

Thanks in advance for looking.

Silver Hand · Jun 5, 2015

Looks like a Mauser action - If nothing is written 0n the barrel about the maker it has probably had a new barrel twisted on. It could be a Winchester rifle but Remington also produced a rifle with this same action as did Ruger and many other arms makers. Beautiful rifle and darn nice checkering.
Silver Hand

Just Jim · Jun 5, 2015

The safety is a winchester style safety.

MountainBear · Jun 5, 2015

It's a commercial short Mauser action. Note the lack of a thumb cut-out on the left receiver wall for thumb charging. It's possible that there is manufacturer information under the scope mount or on the left side of the front receiver ring, but it's also possible it was scrubbed or simply imported before certain markings were required. Several companies have imported the short commercial Mauser actions including Remington and Zastava.

All in all, a well executed little rifle.

Gunner3456 · Jun 5, 2015

What a beautiful rifle. Is that also called a .250 Savage?

That stock looks good enough to have for dinner.

richardlpalmer · Jun 6, 2015

Yeah, it's quite a rifle. Having a custom rifle made for you (dad, not me) by W.T. Atkinson is nothing to scoff at. The fact of it being a gift is engraved on the barrel.

Are there any other angles I should take to help identify it? I was thinking it was a Mauser variant but then wondered if it was a Browning or Sako...

Goosebrown · Jun 6, 2015

Take off the scope and see if there is anything on the bridge. I don't think it is a CZ, might be Yugoslavian. I do think it is post war because I don't remember any short action Mausers produced before the war. (Open to correction on that... smallest common Mauser was 7x57 and that is a long action.)

The lack of a thumb cut out means it was clearly intended to be a sporter from the git go not a conversion, but that is expected because again I don't think there was ever a military short action Mauser.

MountainBear · Jun 6, 2015

Beyond knowing that it is a custom W.T. Atkinson rifle built on a short action commercial mauser, there isn't much else to identify. You can check on the action behind the recoil lug and look for proof marks which could give you country of origin or export, but unless there is markings under the scope base, the actual manufacturer of the action itself would be hard to figure. Likely, the action came out of either Belgium (any number of makers) or Serbia (Zastava).

If this gun came into my shop, it would simply get checked in as a Mauser (or an Atkinson Mauser if he marked the barrel, which I assume he did) unless I could find manufacturer or import markings, which don't look to be present. I don't know that FN made a short (Kurtz) action. To my knowledge, Sako used FN commercial actions for their Mauser rifles. If you made me guess, I would probably say that its a Zastava.

Any way you slice it you have a nice rifle. I understand the desire to know what it is, but since Bill isn't around to ask, I'm not sure you'll know exactly what it is. Smarter people than me who know Atkinson rifles better may be able to give you a more educated guess.

richardlpalmer · Jun 7, 2015

Thanks guys. It's my birthday so am taking it easy. But I'm going to pull the scope and see what I find -- I'll take pics and share if there's anything to note.

Velzey · Jun 7, 2015

Can you tell me the length of the opening? Looks shorter to me that standard Mauser!

Rick4070 · Jun 9, 2015

For sure a Mauser '98 type action, with a two position safety, with the bolt sleeve modified for a side swing lever, possibly from a kit purchased from Jim Wisner, ( I made hundreds of these levers and kits during my time with him.)

The rifle also has an inside the bow floorplate release, and a straddle floorplate.

Looks to me like custom bottom metal.

I remember Jim making bottom metal like this, for short Kurz Mausers, custom made, and would have his name stamped on the floorplate under the magazine spring, in the recess "J L Wisner."

Of course, there were other makers of custom bottom metal also...

Also, the action MIGHT have even been shortened, eliminating the charging notch. (is there any remains of a charging slot under the rear scope base?)

I have seen gunmakers that have done this shortening, but is a LOT of work.

I'd look under the front scope base, there might be some identifying marks there.

Some makers would stamp info on the bottom of the barrel, covered by the forearm.

Very nicely done rifle, you lucky guy, you!!!

Edit:
Could it be this:

Interarms Mini Mauser
1.195 diameter receiver ring, 7.25 Receiver length, with screw spacing of 6.25"

salmonriverjohn · Jun 9, 2015

Gunner3456 said:
What a beautiful rifle. Is that also called a .250 Savage?

That stock looks good enough to have for dinner.

Yes, they're one in the same. The 3000 denotes that the speed of the projectile. The little 250/3000 came to being on the market as the first commercial cartridge to attain this velocity, although factory ammunition never quite lived up to its claim to fame. Great little round though. Many a deer hit the ground that fell prey to my little lever rifle.