The prices of new Mauser actions are just to high. At least this is my opinion. The prices for handbuild rifles in the UK also are rather expensive. A beautifull handmade rifle on a Mauser action ( right handed) would be build for a lot less here. A friend had a nice 7x64 build , Rigby style. Beautifull wallnut, double set trigger, horizontal safety,..... Realy nice rifle. Slightly over 2500 euro. Somewhere I have a photo, but I don't know how to put it in this forum. In left hand the options are lilited. Either you go for an over expensive action or you go Zastava.
As you said, with some gunsmiths work , polishing , horizontal safety, etc..... you can build a nice rifle for less than a custom build action on himself.
not all about saving money of course, some do not mind spending a lot on a stunning rifle with no corner cutting. If you want a really good english walnut blank that's air dried near 10 years, good point pattern wrap around checkering with no flaws, leather covered silvers pad, steel grip cap, hand shaped stock, well inletted, cross bolt, ebony tip, well picked and installed front sight, sling band, quarter rib, express sights, QD system, nicely polished, trued, blued printed action with well tuned trigger, perhaps with the 3rd locking lug lapped to sit in the rear bridge recess for extra support, a nice oil finish and a good rust bluing job...well, I can tell you it's not going to be done for 2500 euro's.
I'm working on a couple of rifles just now, varying degrees of 'customization, one a little less and is coming in with walnut stock, checking, rust bluing, new 30-06 barrel, FN action, etc. at around £1,500.
Also working on one closer to £3K, but significantly more detailed and I can already say with confidence that I've underpriced myself and will be losing money on the build. but a commitment is a commitment of course.
A 'really' proper custom built rifle in 'classic' style, IMHO, is probably coming in between maybe £4,500 and £10K+ depending on things like gold inlays and engraving, etc. etc. I actually think that's really fair and decent value for money if you knew the amount of work, detail, blood sweat and tears that go into such a work.
There are hunters who are happy with factory. There are hunters happy with semi-custom factory upgrades. Hunters for synthetic type rifles, hunters for semi-custom 'classic' rifles like zastava in a pre-inletted blank made to look pretty good, and then there are the hunters looking for the full 'classic' custom happy to spend whatever for a truly classic build.
they're all different categories, different needs, objectives, and budgets.
they key to identifying what a hunter is really looking for starts with questioning, I love asking people loads of questions about a rifle, and then in the end they come to a mutual self realisation exactly what it is they want from a rifle or stock for example...then comes budget, and then you can define what's possible.
without knowing what the OP really wants, and has to spend, where he's hunting, what he loves in terms of quality and materials, needs for sights, etc. etc. etc. there's no way to properly determine what is best. I make that mistake myself sometimes.