Hi everyone. It's been a long time since I last posted, but now I've come both for help, and to let you guys have a little fun!
I don't trust my current deer rifle so I'm building on off of a Model 1896 Swedish Mauser. I purchased one a couple years ago, but it's just too nice to take into the field, so I just bought another as the basis of my project.
The fun part is I don't know what I all am going to do with this rifle so this is going to be an interactive project. I'm open to suggestions and comments as I document my progress. If you aren't able to do your own project you can live vicariously through me as I do mine! You can suggest ANYTHING and I'll consider it. I need help though since I've never built a project gun so I need help walking through the steps.
- - PROJECT START - -
December 10th, 2012
Ok, here's what I got:
And here's what I'm going for:
- a deer rifle for trudging through bluffs etc
- thus, going for a shorter "scout" type rifle that's easy to handle
- bolt handle is straight and will stay that way
- barrel will not be replaced unless absolutely needed, but will be cut down
- will get scoped with low mag high eye relief scope where the ladder sight currently sits
- will be replacing the stock with (hopefully) a home-built stock. I will try a couple prototypes first. . .
- rifle needs to be ready for deer season 2013 when it will get me my first deer
The first thing I am going to do is get the gun inspected. Next, it'll get cleaned all up and torn down. I'll start searching for stock options. That's what I'm doing for the first step. Am I on the right track?
Thanks for the help. It's good to be back.
- - PROJECT UPDATE - -
December 31 2012
On Boxing day, I went to Alberta to visit a good friend of mine who is a big gun nut. We both tore into this rifle and talked about what I could do with it. I found out the ring that holds the upper hand guard in place at the back is just a punched ring that slips on the front of the receiver. That's off now. We had great fun chatting about this rifle. With his help (and yours), I've made some decisions:
I've decided on a Richards Microfit dual-grip thumbhole stock. http://www.rifle-stocks.com/dualgripthumbhole.htm
This seems to be the best of both worlds since I don't normally find a regular grip comfortable, but I have little experience with thumbhole stocks. I'm going to get it in black walnut (without the rosewood tip and cap that It comes with). I'm going to have them leave extra wood in front of the floor plate so I can make a "ramped" forearm grip. Again, the usual flat forearm is not comfortable and I got the idea from my SKS which has a "ramped" extended floor plate that I usually grip instead of the forearm. This stock will take a lot of work to get functional (they won't do the barrel steps into the barrel channel I assume) but it will be awesome when it's done!
The scope I've decided to get is a Burris Scout 2.75x http://www.burrisoptics.com/special1.html#2x
It has the low zoom that I want, the eye relief I need and is right in the budget I'm looking at. Plus it has the "forever warranty". I love Leupold's warranty but this seems to be the same, so I don't feel limited to Leupold.
The barrel will be cut down to 22"
Next step is the scope mount and rings. The link I have below shows a base that uses weaver style rings. Is there a better style of ring to go with? I have 3 options for this mount: 1. Buy the one from the link if it's still available, 2. design and machine a mount similar to the one in the link, or 3. modify a purchased mount to fit in the ladder sight mount of the rifle. I don't want to finish the stock until I have this mount nailed down.
Another Question to throw around: what cheap/cost effective options do I have to finish the metal pieces? Reblueing is an option, but what about painting or enamel?
- - PROJECT UPDATE - -
April 30 2013
The scope and stock were ordered at the beginning of January. I just got off the phone with Richard's Microfit and they informed my my order was cancelled. They claimed it was because they "can't ship inletted stocks internationally". True or not, I was never contacted about this, even after I update my billing information on March 4th. I called them today and was told the news. I had to wait 3 months to be told this! I'm not impressed. I guess this means I'll have to make my own stock after all.
Also the scope I ordered at the same time is still not in, and I'm thinking I'm out my $100 deposit. I'll have to look into the scope and see where that's at. The designer of the scope mount in the link I've posted got back to me and is sending me several components, so time will tell if that will work out.
In the end, I still have lots of time to get this project done, but I've hit a couple of hicups.
Above question remains: ideas for finishing barrel/action? Enamel, re-blue, etc? Also open to ideas about the stock situation. Maybe I could just cut down the original stock. That might be the better idea than trying to make one.
I don't trust my current deer rifle so I'm building on off of a Model 1896 Swedish Mauser. I purchased one a couple years ago, but it's just too nice to take into the field, so I just bought another as the basis of my project.
The fun part is I don't know what I all am going to do with this rifle so this is going to be an interactive project. I'm open to suggestions and comments as I document my progress. If you aren't able to do your own project you can live vicariously through me as I do mine! You can suggest ANYTHING and I'll consider it. I need help though since I've never built a project gun so I need help walking through the steps.
- - PROJECT START - -
December 10th, 2012
Ok, here's what I got:
And here's what I'm going for:
- a deer rifle for trudging through bluffs etc
- thus, going for a shorter "scout" type rifle that's easy to handle
- bolt handle is straight and will stay that way
- barrel will not be replaced unless absolutely needed, but will be cut down
- will get scoped with low mag high eye relief scope where the ladder sight currently sits
- will be replacing the stock with (hopefully) a home-built stock. I will try a couple prototypes first. . .
- rifle needs to be ready for deer season 2013 when it will get me my first deer
The first thing I am going to do is get the gun inspected. Next, it'll get cleaned all up and torn down. I'll start searching for stock options. That's what I'm doing for the first step. Am I on the right track?
Thanks for the help. It's good to be back.
- - PROJECT UPDATE - -
December 31 2012
On Boxing day, I went to Alberta to visit a good friend of mine who is a big gun nut. We both tore into this rifle and talked about what I could do with it. I found out the ring that holds the upper hand guard in place at the back is just a punched ring that slips on the front of the receiver. That's off now. We had great fun chatting about this rifle. With his help (and yours), I've made some decisions:
I've decided on a Richards Microfit dual-grip thumbhole stock. http://www.rifle-stocks.com/dualgripthumbhole.htm
This seems to be the best of both worlds since I don't normally find a regular grip comfortable, but I have little experience with thumbhole stocks. I'm going to get it in black walnut (without the rosewood tip and cap that It comes with). I'm going to have them leave extra wood in front of the floor plate so I can make a "ramped" forearm grip. Again, the usual flat forearm is not comfortable and I got the idea from my SKS which has a "ramped" extended floor plate that I usually grip instead of the forearm. This stock will take a lot of work to get functional (they won't do the barrel steps into the barrel channel I assume) but it will be awesome when it's done!
The scope I've decided to get is a Burris Scout 2.75x http://www.burrisoptics.com/special1.html#2x
It has the low zoom that I want, the eye relief I need and is right in the budget I'm looking at. Plus it has the "forever warranty". I love Leupold's warranty but this seems to be the same, so I don't feel limited to Leupold.
The barrel will be cut down to 22"
Next step is the scope mount and rings. The link I have below shows a base that uses weaver style rings. Is there a better style of ring to go with? I have 3 options for this mount: 1. Buy the one from the link if it's still available, 2. design and machine a mount similar to the one in the link, or 3. modify a purchased mount to fit in the ladder sight mount of the rifle. I don't want to finish the stock until I have this mount nailed down.
Another Question to throw around: what cheap/cost effective options do I have to finish the metal pieces? Reblueing is an option, but what about painting or enamel?
- - PROJECT UPDATE - -
April 30 2013
The scope and stock were ordered at the beginning of January. I just got off the phone with Richard's Microfit and they informed my my order was cancelled. They claimed it was because they "can't ship inletted stocks internationally". True or not, I was never contacted about this, even after I update my billing information on March 4th. I called them today and was told the news. I had to wait 3 months to be told this! I'm not impressed. I guess this means I'll have to make my own stock after all.
Also the scope I ordered at the same time is still not in, and I'm thinking I'm out my $100 deposit. I'll have to look into the scope and see where that's at. The designer of the scope mount in the link I've posted got back to me and is sending me several components, so time will tell if that will work out.
In the end, I still have lots of time to get this project done, but I've hit a couple of hicups.
Above question remains: ideas for finishing barrel/action? Enamel, re-blue, etc? Also open to ideas about the stock situation. Maybe I could just cut down the original stock. That might be the better idea than trying to make one.