Custom Built .50 BMG mag fed Mauser style bolt action - By Fred Wells

[THREEDFLYER]

Holy cow!! I have never seen such a beast! Looks almost like an over-sized toy model.....look at it compared to the M500 S&W laying in front of it!

This is the real deal and fully functional, and the action is 44% larger than a standard Mauser action.

Every piece of this rifle was custom made.....ALL OF IT!

Enjoy!

[6string]

I admire that it looks great! It shouldn't be a surprise that the 50 BMG cartridge would work well in the Mauser controlled feed system of operation. After all, the proportions remind one of the 30-40 Krag, and the various Mauser family of metric cartridges.
That wood looks pretty awesome, too. If it's as well made as it looks, I'd be interested in knowing how it was inletted and bedded... That's a heck of a lot of recoil for a wood stock!

Just my grumpy guy opinion, but, too many 50 BMGs look like they were made from iron pipe offcuts, welded together in a high school metal shop, then spray painted black.

Somewhere I read about a European gunmaker who built a double barrel/double bolt hunting rifle, out of titanium yet (!), that was chambered for a Nitro Express cartridge.
The maker was Fuchs & Szecsei:.... Apparently, Joseph Szecsei was once charged by three elephants and decided that neither a double rifle nor a bolt action was quite enough gun...

Fine Guns - Fuchs Fine Guns

Thanks for the eye candy!
Jim

[federali]

I too wonder whether or not the stock will split upon firing. Even with the rifle's mass, if it isn't heavy enough, that rifle is likely to kill at both ends.

[k22fan]

It is a beautiful piece of gunsmithing art.

However, it might require unusual deer hunting strategy. Before pulling the trigger you press its recoil pad firmly against the deer. That should knock them down faster than a .30-30.

[Pisgah]

Looks like a baby next to this one:

Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr - Wikipedia

As to the .50 looking like the .30-40, actually it is a scaled-up .30-06.

[jmace57]

All I could think of was this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkgfrS9FanU

[vonn]

Sure would like to see a range report! Wonder how much it weighs?

[6string]

Originally Posted by Pisgah

Looks like a baby next to this one:

Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr - Wikipedia

As to the .50 looking like the .30-40, actually it is a scaled-up .30-06.

Yes, thanks for making that correction. For some reason, the empty BMG case sitting here looked to have a more pronounced body taper than the 30-06. Reminded me, perhaps incorrectly, of the 303 British, sans the rim.

Vonn [oops, Pisgah, another mistake!], it's interesting you posted that link to the anti-tank Mauser. On a parallel thread there's a discussion going on about favorite snubbies (M36 vs M10 vs Colt Detective). One of the posts shows a Boys anti-tank rifle being shot off of what looks to be a lake float.
Odd that two iconic anti-tank rifles should be mentioned, both somewhat of a digression from the OP topic.

Thanks!
Jim

[Bill Raby]

Originally Posted by federali

I too wonder whether or not the stock will split upon firing. Even with the rifle's mass, if it isn't heavy enough, that rifle is likely to kill at both ends.

The stock should be fine if it is built right. Barrel looks short enough that it is going to lose some muzzle velocity, and recoil. Suspect muzzle energy would be about the same as a 4 bore. Those always have wood stocks. I put a couple steel rod through the wrist when building one.

These things have more than enough recoil to break stocks. They can break bones pretty easy also. Need to use the proper technique for shooting this sort of thing.

50 BMG hunting rifle is not my sort of thing, but its always great to see this sort of work being done.

[Bakebfr480]

I have some pictures of Elmer Keith firing one of these over the roof of his car!

[Bakebfr480]

During WW II Mauser made an anti tank magazine fed bolt action with their version of the 50 BMG. Pictures and story are in Ludwig Olson's book!

[vonn]

Originally Posted by 6string

Yes, thanks for making that correction. For some reason, the empty BMG case sitting here looked to have a more pronounced body taper than the 30-06. Reminded me, perhaps incorrectly, of the 303 British, sans the rim.

Vonn, it's interesting you posted that link to the anti-tank Mauser. On a parallel thread there's a discussion going on about favorite snubbies (M36 vs M10 vs Colt Detective). One of the posts shows a Boys anti-tank rifle being shot off of what looks to be a lake float.
Odd that two iconic anti-tank rifles should be mentioned, both somewhat of a digression from the OP topic.

Thanks!
Jim

Piegan was the poster of the Mauser

[Kurusu]

Originally Posted by Bakebfr480

During WW II Mauser made an anti tank magazine fed bolt action with their version of the 50 BMG. Pictures and story are in Ludwig Olson's book!

And you can see Mae from "Small Arms of WWI Primer" firing one of them if you surf the net.

[2152hq]

Fred Wells built more than a few Mauser 98 rifle actions from scratch. Most were for very large cartridges. He then made them with any of the best of the Mauser Sporter frills such as square bridge(s), any length needed,etc. Even LH. His wife Rachel did most of the engraving on his projects.
These were all working guns,,not just something to display. A large portion of his customers were SCI types and the guns were built w/a purpose. He had his own Wells Express line of wildcats based on the 577N/E too. He liked those big bores!

Fred often had an assistant gunsmith, sometimes 2, working with him in his later years. Not an apprentice as such, but usually someone with the knowledge and skills already well along. I think Jim Coffy (sp?) was the one who help out on the 50BMG Mauser 98 project.

What a great experience those times must have been to work with and learn from one of the best gunsmiths and machinest around. He spanned the time of EK and O'Connor building guns for them and others and working right up to the Y2K.

Fred died about 10 or 12 years ago. His guns are very much a desirable item especially the bench made Mausers.

[Old_Cop]

Anyone have any cast bullet loads for .50?

It is a beautiful rifle, but I would not shoot it.

[THREEDFLYER]

Originally Posted by Bakebfr480

I have some pictures of Elmer Keith firing one of these over the roof of his car!

Post the photos please, we would love to see old EK with that big cannon!!

[67tempest]

Beautiful workmanship, I would be curious as to how much that rifle weighs. The recoil on an AR50 is not unpleasant but it weighs 34 pounds. Unless that thing is a lot heavier than it looks, I wouldn't care to fire it.

[Jebus35745]

The one club I belong to used to have a military/machine gun shoot once a year. Ed bought a 50 bolt action rifle, it weighed about 50 pounds. It had a big muzzle break on it and standing by it to watch someone shoot it, the percussion from the break was brutal. Anyone could shoot it, cost 2.00 a round to shoot. I took 2 shots with it, was close to shooting a 12 gauge shotgun with rifle slugs. Shooting it was better than watching someone shoot it. Had a scope on it and the target was a bowling pin at 200 yards. It was fun and would do it again.

The gun it this thread is nice. Being all custom made, the price has to be very high. He was known to make rifles for hunting in Africa. Tom, thanks for sharing this with us. Larry

[steelslaver]

I once saw a deactivated 20mm rifle, that was built as an anti tank weapon. Think from someone Scandinavian country, had a ski on the bipod. Monster gun.

Love the Mauser 50 BMG

[OFT II]

Originally Posted by steelslaver

I once saw a deactivated 20mm rifle, that was built as an anti tank weapon. Think from someone Scandinavian country, had a ski on the bipod. Monster gun.

Love the Mauser 50 BMG

That was likely a Solothurn anti-tank rifle.

[keith44spl]

Big Bore & Fancy Wood.............I'd be like all over one of those.

Having shot the 50 BMG in a rifle several times, I like it!!!

.

[loc n load]

Beautiful custom rifle, huge fan of the Mauser action. I have been shooting, competing and instructing 50 BMG rifles for 20 years. I have a lot of trigger time on the M82A1, Tac 50 and the AR 50. They are all big heavy rifles with efficient muzzle brakes, those attributes are important when shooting the big 50. Don’t know how much that custom Mauser weighs, but with that length of barrel sans a good muzzle brake, it would be brutal to shoot. And it would clear a radius around that muzzle with it’s muzzle blast.
Having said that, it is still a beautiful example of craftsmanship.

[THREEDFLYER]

The rifle was built by the famous rifle builder Fred Wells.
A client with very deep pockets ordered two identical rifles and Fred was just about done with the first one when he passed away. His kids will complete the project eventually. And yes, it is a very heavy rifle!!

[classic bob]

You know, I bet a guy could could develop a REALLY BIG flinch shooting those things!!! Not my cup of tea!

[usmc2427765]

About 50 or 60 years ago I would probably have waited in line to shoot one of those. At this point in my long life, I have learned that "discretion is the better part of valor". Also, in 1969, I got plenty of trigger time on M2[ ma duce] and loved every minute of it. Semper Fi to those who did the same.

[LoboGunLeather]

And so practical!

[SLT223]

Meh...I'll be impressed if he builds and fires one in 30x173mm.

[jtcarm]

Originally Posted by Pisgah

Looks like a baby next to this one:

Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr - Wikipedia

You beat me to it.

Probably the first anti-tank rifle.

[BigMoneyGrip]

Originally Posted by jmace57

All I could think of was this video...

Arab Gun - Orignal - YouTube

That gun will knock the turbo off their head every time! I think I remember this as being a 577 T-Rex. I'd like to shoot it.