If you were going to have a rifle built on a mauser action, which one would you use and where would you buy it?

Really depends on what your preference is. There is no stronger action than the m98. That being said my preference would bea m96 or possibly a m91. There are quite a few sources for such actions. www.sarcoinc.com, can provide you with just about whatever heart desires. Try the gunshows or pick up a copy of shotgun news for more resources.

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The best ones are getting rare. Argentines, Mexican small rings, etc. VZ24's are really good 98's, made in the Brno plant, and are still fairly easy to find. I still have 4 sitting in boxes waiting.
I have a couple of Steyr 1912's that are great actions. Also, you can sometimes find old JC Higgins and Sears rifles that actually have commercial 98 receivers made by FN and Husqvarna. They're very nice. I've got one each left.

Unless you are going to go for one of those extra fancy custom rifles that cost thousands and are almost too pretty to take afield, I think you are generally better off to just buy a comercial Remington. I have converted a bunch of these rifles. Although the original military rifle is usually pretty reasonable, by the time you get it to the point where it is a good as a Remington, you have way more money in the thing than a Remington. And in many ways, it still isn't as good as a Remington.

The last one of these I did started out whereafriend of mine gave me a really nice Carl Gustoff Mauser 96. With no money in the action, and all my labor for free, I still wound up with over $500 in the gun when it was done. It's a very nice rifle. But I traded it straight across for a new Remington CDL a couple of years later.

Resist temptation, Jake.

I would try to find a post-WWII FN commercial action, like the ones used on the old Sears J.C. Higgins rifles. These already have a side safety, low bolt handle, and are drilled and tapped for a scope mount base. In addition, they are stronger due to lack of the thumb cutout in the receiver wall, and don't have questionable heat-treatment like so many military Mausers.

Another great choice would be the Venezuelan M1924 FN action if in pristine condition.