Shikari

Mauser Bolt Rifles by Ludwig Olson is a good book source of information on all the Mauser rifles both military and commercial. Type A & B Mausers were high quality M98 sporter rifles. The Type B, the ‘normal’ Mauser, was made in a wide variety of chamberings for the European market and the most common one found around the World. The Type A was made specially for the English market with features that were popular back then mostly for use in Africa and India.

According to Olson, the .404J was only produced in Type A on the Magnum length action as this was an English designed cartridge (same for the cal .280 and .318 WR cartridges). Some gunmakers (Jeffery perhaps the most famous) took the standard length Mauser sporter action and opened these up to .404J marketing them under their own brand with their style of woodwork, sights, magazines, etc.

The largest cartridge the Mauser factory chambered in their standard length Type A & B Mauser 98 sporter rifles was the 10.75x68 which is a Mauser designed cartridge.
Some of these genuine Oberndorf Type A standard length Mausers have since been opened up for the .404J (10.75x73) cartridge. I have one of these.

So the only Oberndorf Mauser sporter Type A in .404J you will see that came direct from the factory will be on a magnum length action. Others such as my own .404J, albeit a genuine Mauser Type A rifle, are converted standard length actions.

I have used a nice Type B in 7x57 and reloaded for another two in 6.5x54 and 8x51. For some years also owned a Type K (short action) in 250-3000 Savage. As is my Type A, these other model Mausers are all fantastic firearms, as good as you get.