I had a bunch of parts laying around in various parts bins that were just too ugly to use for any serious high quality build but they were still serviceable and I just couldn't bring myself to throw them out so I decided to slap a rifle together out of them and use it as a cabin rifle/rough use/back up type gun where it didn't matter if it got beat up or rusted. It also had to fit everyone in the family so it had to be short overall with a short LOP. Originally I had planned to mount a scout type scope on it and just leave the straight bolt handle, military safety and trigger but as I progressed through the build it sort of turned into a more conventional hunting rifle and is now a pretty expensive, ugly gun. Except for shortening the barrel, lengthening the threaded portion to fit the action and the welding on the bolt handle, I did all the work myself. I probably shouldn't be bragging about that though.
It's really a mix master of various Mauser parts from all sorts of manufacturers. The receiver is a German made 1903 intermediate length action made for Turkey and it's been mated to a Yugo M48 bolt with a cheap weld on handle I shaped and polished. The M48 bolts are made to work with the Mauser "safety breech" system but will work on the conventional barrels as well. It feeds and extracts smoothly and flawlessly. The extractor and stock are WW2 German pieces. I acquired the stock on a sporterized Israeli K98k that I restored and it had been reshaped and sanded to death. I further killed it by shortening it and reshaping it even more. It still isn't completely bedded to the action but as soon as I can find some Acraglas Gel, I will finish that up. Bottom metal is some unknown maker and I had to cut down the front of the mag well and shorten it to fit the intermediate length action.
Along the way I decided to add a trigger so I bought a used Timney off the EE and the safety had to be changed to work with the conventional scope mounting so I thought I would try one of the safety/shrouds that Tradeex sells. The big money I spent on the build, was the barrel. I bought one of those super expensive NOS Swedish M38 barrels Tradeex was selling a while ago.
Anyway, despite not being completely bedded, I wanted to fire a few rounds through it today to see if it was actually going to shoot decently before I finished it off. I guess I need to do something to the metal as well and I'm thinking of getting the receiver/barrel and trigger guard parkerized. I may also add a recoil pad of some sort as there is room to do so without it being too long for my daughter.
So what do you guys think? Was it a waste of time and money?
And, the first three rounds ever fired from it:
It's really a mix master of various Mauser parts from all sorts of manufacturers. The receiver is a German made 1903 intermediate length action made for Turkey and it's been mated to a Yugo M48 bolt with a cheap weld on handle I shaped and polished. The M48 bolts are made to work with the Mauser "safety breech" system but will work on the conventional barrels as well. It feeds and extracts smoothly and flawlessly. The extractor and stock are WW2 German pieces. I acquired the stock on a sporterized Israeli K98k that I restored and it had been reshaped and sanded to death. I further killed it by shortening it and reshaping it even more. It still isn't completely bedded to the action but as soon as I can find some Acraglas Gel, I will finish that up. Bottom metal is some unknown maker and I had to cut down the front of the mag well and shorten it to fit the intermediate length action.
Along the way I decided to add a trigger so I bought a used Timney off the EE and the safety had to be changed to work with the conventional scope mounting so I thought I would try one of the safety/shrouds that Tradeex sells. The big money I spent on the build, was the barrel. I bought one of those super expensive NOS Swedish M38 barrels Tradeex was selling a while ago.
Anyway, despite not being completely bedded, I wanted to fire a few rounds through it today to see if it was actually going to shoot decently before I finished it off. I guess I need to do something to the metal as well and I'm thinking of getting the receiver/barrel and trigger guard parkerized. I may also add a recoil pad of some sort as there is room to do so without it being too long for my daughter.
So what do you guys think? Was it a waste of time and money?
And, the first three rounds ever fired from it:
I'd take that bugger huntin' anyday. 
