I was gifted a German Mauser action, bolt, trigger, floorplate, and a laminated 95% inletted Monte Carlo stock.

Lot of work to do.
Figure out if receiver needs a heat treat
File, sand, polish receiver, has some light pitting.
Purchase and install new safety.
Purchase and install barrel.
Blue the steel.
Purchase and install scope mounts.
Lots of wood work on the stock.
Purchase and Install scope.

Thia rifle is going to one of my four kids.

Still considering final use, but I see it as a hunting rifle, Michigan woods hunting, so typical shots aren't going to be more than 150 yards down the longest firelane.  Want reasonable terminal ballistics to 300 yards if it is taken on an antelope hunt.  No problems reloading for a new cartridge.  Would like it to be easy shooting for a youth.

6.5x55, 270, 257 Roberts, 7x57 and a few other short chambered barrels are available from a few places I looked.  Prices differ with the most expensive options being four times the least expensive and I don't have a good feel for what that buys in terms of accuracy or other characteristics.

Thoughts on barrel quality and overall build are welcome.

I see a few threads on Arfcom and elsewhere detailing similar builds and see what we are up against.  I don't expect the final result to be a gunsmithing masterpiece, but I am confident we will have a nice rifle with some good memories attached to it.

What's the date on the receiver?

35 Whelen

yup

I really like my .257 Roberts.

I'm keeping an eye open for a Ruger tang safety long action for a custom feather weight build.

I'm leaning heavily towards 6.5x55.  Although 7x57 is still a possibility.  

I'm sure either cartridge would serve you well with how you envision its use.  Sounds similar to what l have in mind.

K04XX serial number corresponds to 1910?  It is marked DWM.  No date.




I have seen this mentioned a few places but am totally unfamiliar, off to read up.  




My sister and occasionally my dad use this cartridge for deer with great results.

I had a great time and learned a lot building my Mauser.

Here's a Link to my build thread, maybe you can avoid a few of my screw ups!

I have three sporters built from 1909 Argentine actions -- a .270, 7x57, and .308.  The .308 is 90% finished but has been on the back burner for several years.  Of the other two -- the 7x57 is my favorite. While the .270 is a decent rifle, the magazine of the 1909 trigger guard is a bit short for that cartridge and should have been cut and lengthened to optimize the seating depth for the .270 cartridge.

My 7x57 and 308 were built using Remington 798 bolt bodies and cocking pieces acquired from a dealer who parted out some 798s when Remington dropped the Serbian manufactured 98s many years ago.  The commercial bolts were reasonably priced at the time and saved the need to bend the handles.  The bolt and cocking piece are also slightly different than the military parts and supposedly result in a faster lock time.  They were assembled using the original firing pins and shrouds with a Buehler style safety as I prefer the classic 98 looks to commercial bolt shrouds and side trigger safeties.

I'm sure someone will post about their sub-MOA 98 and such rifles do exist -- my father has often claimed that his commercial FN 98 in .270 was capable of near dime sized groups with proper handloads.  My experience has been closer to 1.5-2MOA with hunting loads -- which was very typical when the 798 was being imported and reviewed in the gun rags years ago. That said a nice sporter Mauser or Springfield is a pleasure to own even if  more accurate and cost effective modern alternatives exist.

Just my two cents...

That is what mine is.  Gunsmith school project built with help from D'Arcy Echols when he was an instructor.

Would really recommend getting it heat treated. Go with Blanchard's in Utah and ask for the Tom Burgess heat treat.  It is a heat treat set up specifically for Mausers.

I would lean toward an extremely common and versatile caliber such as .30-06.

It is boring, but will be around in a lifetime or in a pinch.

I want to build a .308 on a 1898 dated Gewehr 98 receiver.  

You spelled 338/06 wrong