I was browsing the LGS today and saw this Western Field rifle 30-06, I'm assuming circa 60's maybe. It peaked my interest and I may make an offer but wanted to run it by the forum to see if any of you guys have any input or knowledge on this rifle. I don't know much about Mauser actions but I believe this is one and the receiver may be military. This going on what the counter guy told me. It has a Simon scope. The barrel bore looks good and has tight rifling. The stock is nice and the bluing is not bad either.
The price is just shy of $300.
Thanks in advance.

Attached Images

	Western Field A.jpg (89.2 KB, 132 views)
	Western Field B.jpg (169.3 KB, 126 views)

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

Western field was the "house brand" for Montgomery Wards for firearms that they procured from other manufacturer's and put their brand " Western field" on them. Sears did the same thing using " J C Higgins" on their's. I have several shotguns and rifles that wear both Western field and J C Higgins brands, I have had them since the 60's and 70's and they have served me well. I have a 30-06 similar to your's that is a Westernfield, it is a reworked military mauser action. At one time I could have told you who Ward's contracted with to procure these rifles, but at the moment I can't. It will probably come to me around 0300 hrs this morning.
Personally, I think that is more than a fair price for the rifle and I would buy it in a heart beat if I wanted a good serviceable 30-06. I bought mine in the 60's and it was my primary hunting rifle for years. It has put several deer, and two elk in the freezer back in the 70's and 80's. I am a big fan of the mauser action, they are w/o a doubt one of the bench marks in rifle action development.

Good price in my opinion. Looks in great shape and hopefully not many rounds through it. Not sure of the original maker but that gun has features you would pay plenty for new today.

Great advise, judging from your screen name you must be a mauser man!

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

If I needed a hunting rifle, I'd pay $300 for it. But I don't - have too many already.

I have no experience with Westernfield rifles.

I do have two J.C. Higgins rifles, a 30-06 and a .270, and a buddy has another one in 30-06. These were Mauser actions with barrels by Hi Standard. All 3 of these guns shoot very poor groups. Word on the street is that the Hi Standard barrels were chrome lined back then, which really hurt accuracy. It is a shame because the Mauser actions are really nice.

I'd check the source of the barrels and avoid the rifle if it is a Hi Standard barrel.

How would I determine that? Thanks

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

$300 for a functioning bolt gun with a scope in a readily available caliber is a steal.

__________________
Release the Kraken

I have no experience with the Western Field Mauser rifle, I have
owned many Sears Mauser actions, most in 30/06, a few 270s.
Over the years Sears contacted different models. One model had
FN commercial actions, a very good rifle. I have herd the Hi-std.
barrel rumor, far as I'm concerned it's just that, a rumor. HS was
putting out their own BA in this period, of which I also owned, and was the same rifle as the Sears at the time. Fit,finish and
accuracy was comparable to any standard grade off the rack
hunting rifle. For $300 you are probably getting a better rifle
than a new $500 job. I would buy in a heart beat, might even
be the same rifle as Sears. I'm just to lazy to look it up.

Well only got one but it's a treasure. Father's 98k bringback. Yep it matches sling and all. Try to get a pic up soon. don't know how many milsurp fans we got on this forum.

That rifle looks very similar to the Mauser actioned JC Higgins rifles
that were sold back then. The action looks to be the early version of
the commercial FN action known as the "Deluxe". It is not a military
action. A later version of the FN action known as the "Supreme" had
a side safety and an adjustable Sako trigger. The action should have
small FN proof marks on it somewhere if you look close and may have
50 stamped on it as well in small numbers to designate Model 50 or
1950. If it's FN, and I believe it is, it's a very desirable action. Very
early commercial FN actions from the late 40s were converted military
actions and the give-away is the thumb slot in the left receiver wall.
Commercial actions have a solid left wall with no thumb cut. As far as
accuracy goes the proof is in the shooting. The scope would add very
little value but might be very usable. The Higgins marked rifles are
more common and are often seen on GB and sell for well above $300.
If you can find any marking that verifies that it's an FN action the
rifle is cheap at $300 and you would have no trouble getting more
than that for it on GB should you decide later that you don't want it.
Grab it before someone else does.

Did someone say Mausers, eh I can take them or leave them.

Attached Images

Mausers from 1895 to 1944.jpg (143.4 KB, 31 views)

__________________
LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Those rifles are extremely good values these days. A friend of mine recently bought a pristine J.C. Higgins (Sears) .30-06. It has an FN Mauser 98 commercial action, checkered walnut stocks, iron sights -- and cost him the grand sum of $275. I honestly think equal quality in a new rifle would easily cost $1000.

__________________
Pisgah

Thanks guys. I'm going to make this purchase! Any recommendations for things to check out or have inspected after the purchase.

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

It would be hard to say where the M98 action came from. They were made in many places at different times. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970's, Herter's (remember them?) were selling excellent bolt action rifles which used Yugoslavian M98 barreled actions. I had one, sorry I sold it.

Alwslate just said all I was going to say. I've owned the Sears FN mauser actioned guns, very nice, it morphed into the FN house brand, Browning.

It appears to be the FN commercial version. I had a friend who bought every Sears or High Standard FN gun he could. He had premium barrels installed in neat calibers, like the 338-06, 35 Whelan, 458 2.5" and others.

If a commercial FN action it is very desirable. There is one difference between the prewar actions and post war actions. There was a probable cost savings change in the action machining for the lugs. Don't remember exactly, a blind cut changed to a straight thru cut? A Mauser purist might update it but that change does not hurt nor defalue a post war action.

I've built 4 custom guns on post war mauser Actions, one was a 416 remington mag. It held up very well. I am not recoil sensitive but I would not wanted to have shot it 20 times from the bench....

And under $300 is a steal of a deal.

I will post a link to all Montgomery Ward's gun models in a separate post.

Your model 750 A lists Mauser as the manufacturer. Either Mauser or FN is nice.

Also for you Sako lovers Montgomery ward sold Westernfield rifles that were a Sako actioned gun.

Thanks again guys. I purchased it today for less than $275 OTD but can't bring it home until tomorrow. I'll break it down then and look for any stamps and markings.
I would be interested in seeing any photos of any sporter type Mauser's they may wish to share.

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

$275 was a steal. I mean like a huge steal. I have friends who have spent that much going to gun shows/lgs's in gas, food and entry fee just looking for commercial Mauser actioned guns that sold under lesser house names such as Sears or High standard and there were many others post war.

Be nice to see the marks on the action.

Herters sold rifles back in the 60s with Mauser actions made in
Yugoslavia but they were a far cry from the FN Mauser actions sold
under various names like Western Field, JC Higgins and Browning as
well as several others. The cost savings cut that model70hunter refers
to was a manufacturing expedient, not a design change. It was in the
inner receiver ring the barrel seats against. I have a couple of FN
Mauser sporters that were sold in the US back in the 50s and 60s.
One is a Browning Safari grade in 30-06. The other is an FN Mauser in
30-06 as sold in the 50s. It has the "Deluxe" version of the 98 action
with the wing type safety like the Wards rifle pictured.

Attached Images

	001.jpg (46.8 KB, 36 views)
	003.jpg (58.1 KB, 31 views)
	005.jpg (115.5 KB, 43 views)

Seems hard to believe ya can still score a gun made like that these days. Sure pays to keep one's eye open. Again we would pay a bundle for guns like above made the same way at todays prices. Sure a lot more quality than these "budget guns" of today. Heck my vintage push feed 700 seems high end today!

I see the OP already purchased the rifle. I hope he has good luck with it. It'd be nice to get a range report on it.

For those wondering about the value of the JC Higgins rifles, here is a Model 50 with a commercial FN Mauser action in 30-06 in good condition that went for $405 on Gunbroker with 2 bids:

Belgian FN JC Higgins Model 50 Bolt Rifle 30-06 : Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com


Another Model 50 in 30-06 in good condition, with scope rings that went for $360 with 16 bids:

JC Higgins Model 50 .30-06 FN Belgium Action Rifle : Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com


Another Model 50 in .270 Winchester in good condition with an old Bushnell scope and rings that went for $500 with 1 bid:

JC Higgins Model 50 FN .270 WIN Bolt Action Rifle : Bolt Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

(I couldn't find any auctions for a Westernfield rifle in a centerfire caliber for comparison)

Ok, I got it home today and I have a problem. The ammo magazine didn't seem like it was taking the ammo evenly and after carefully installing three cartridges it just didn't seem right or look right. I couldn't get the bolt to feed the cartridges into the breech and then had a heck of a time getting the, what felt like lodged, cartridges out of the magazine.
I took it back to the LGS but will not know anything until tomorrow when the gunsmith comes in.
I really like the rifle but not as a single shot.

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

Pity you didn't post some pictures of the rounds in the magazine. I wonder if the magazine follower has been fitted backwards somehow.

__________________
Release the Kraken

You know, I didn't think about that until you mentioned it. I was in a hurry to get it back to the LGS before they closed today. You might be on something there.

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

Good call, has to be follower, or follower spring problem, or
spring out of floor plate.

I really hope that is the problem. And now that you guys mention it, it was the follower that seemed to be the culprit. I'll use the term wobbly, both fore and aft as well as lateral..

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

E-gun parts has a cross reference listing. Then you can tell who manufactured it.

I had a older savage pump 22 and a western field pump 22 and both rifles were exactly the same.

I've got an update. I got it back from the LGS today and it is feeding properly. It seems to be years of neglect - sitting around without any tender loving care. As if perhaps a lot of old grease and oil causing the binding the action/follower. Brought it home took it apart. And oiled and lubed it up and it seems to be working perfectly but just a little stiff for now.

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

You might spray degreaser in the trigger safety and firing pin areas too. Once upon a time lots of WD 40 was used and it dries out, not a great protector but is good to displace water.

I've bought old ones like that and usually use degreaser gun type or plain old rubbing alcohol and a tooth brush. Sometime where the sun don't shine 4 O steel wool and alcohol to remove old dried deposits. It might behoove you to clean to bore too.

And you still got the bargain of the week with that one. I've owned a bunch of post war Mauser actions and they are hard to beat.

When you say "just a little stiff" do you mean when you work the bolt? I wonder if the bolt is full of petrified grease and needs to be disassembled and cleaned.

__________________
Release the Kraken

I think it would be a good idea to disassemble the bolt since it's been sitting for such a long period of time. I'm sure there are videos for how to, out there.
To be honest I've never had a large caliber bolt action rifle before, so I'm not sure what it should feel like. Next time I'm at Cabelas I'll try one out.

__________________
Patriots Forever!!

Bolt disassembly instructions.

https://web.archive.org/web/20100110...mauserbolt.pdf

__________________
Release the Kraken

I doubt the bolt really needs to be disassembled unless it is
misfiring due to slugish striker movement but it might be
educational for you do do so. If you've never owned a large
caliber bolt rifle before then you might not understand how
they function. The 98, like most all modern actions, "cocks
on opening". That means as you lift the bolt knob to open
the action you cock the striker and also cam the bolt back
slightly to start extraction. Actions like the 98 with fairly
long striker travel and heavy springs can feel pretty stiff
upon beginning to cycle the action but that is normal.
I would suggest that you look for information about how
centerfire bolts actions function and how the push feed
and controlled round feed actions differ and forget about
disassembly for now.

I have a beautiful and like-new FN sporter in .220 Swift. And they are certainly well proofed, and very neatly stamped, on both the barrel and receiver. Mine was made in 1950. There were, as I remember, five variations of FN commercial actions. I have determined that one of the action styles was unique to the .220 Swift. I don't shoot the FN nearly as much as I should.

Is this the one made on a small Mauser action and a pencil bbl?

I once had one that was like a minature Mauser. I think it was a Husquvarna. It worked very well but got too hot after 3 shots. It was probably a geramic Roe stalking gun.

I grew up very close to Fort Leonard Wood, MO. The biggest LGS there was close to the main gate. Lots of neat stuff GI's brought back from Europe, mostly Germany ended up at this shop. They bought them cheap in PX's.

The little 220 was probably lost in pawn or possibly traded in for a legal deer caliber for MO. I used it as a woods walker for coyotes and head shots on rabbits or squirrels.

Being independently poor in the 70's with 3 children I traded it in for a legal caliber. In retrospect I wish I had kept it. It was so darn accurate and neat.