sparkbr
Well-known member
I cannot remember if I posted this before or not, but if I did, I cannot find it. I've been working on this for quite awhile, but am finally nearly finished.
I started with a 1943 Turkish Mauser chambered in 8mm. I've owned it for about 13 years and really never shot it after about the first year. About a year ago I decided to see what I could do with this thing. I bought a Barrel chambered in .308, bought a Boyds stock with the inlet just roughed out, and a boyds trigger. Over the last 9 months or so, I've been working on it when I have time. The Turkish Mausers are identical to the M98 large ring mausers in every aspect except for one detail, the receivers are cut for the M93 small ring threads. The M93's were not able to take a very powerful round. For this reason, it is difficult to find many chamber options in a barrel cut for the small ring threads. I bought my 308 barrle with the large ring threads, then ct the threads off in my dad's lathe and recut it for the small ring threads. After this was done, I went to work trueing the action. I lapped the bolt lugs (which takes about 3 times longer than I expected) and bent the bolt handle down to clear a scope. I cut the receiver end of the barrel off and used it to make a jig to true the bolt face, Drilled and tapped it for a scope base and installed the adjustable trigger.
As for the stock, I bought the unfinished stock because I knew I would have to cut the barrel groove to accept the new barrel, as well as cut a relief for the bolt handle. This consisted of about 3 evenings worth of witting in front of the TV with a dremel, a razor blade, and sandpaper, but I'm happy with how it has turned out. At this point, the barrel is floating except for about an inch at the forward most point of the forearm. I left this post to help support the barrle and action while I glass bed everything, then I will sand it away.
Over the weekend, I built an action wrench and a barrel vise and tightened the barrel. At this point, the only thing keeping me from test firing it is cutting the final headspace. If I get some time this week to finish it up, I hope to test fire it this weekend. Then I can finish the stock and blue the metal and will finally be finish with what I hope to be a 600 yard rifle.
This was the rifle before I started, sitting next to the new barrel.
The bolt handle before I reshaped it
The bolt handle after I reshaped it. I ended up having to shave a flat "top" to the handle from the bolt all the way to the ball in order to clear the scope.
Here was an early mach up before I had the action trued or the scope mount mounted.
This was the final fitup before I tightened the barrel so I can cut headspace.
I started with a 1943 Turkish Mauser chambered in 8mm. I've owned it for about 13 years and really never shot it after about the first year. About a year ago I decided to see what I could do with this thing. I bought a Barrel chambered in .308, bought a Boyds stock with the inlet just roughed out, and a boyds trigger. Over the last 9 months or so, I've been working on it when I have time. The Turkish Mausers are identical to the M98 large ring mausers in every aspect except for one detail, the receivers are cut for the M93 small ring threads. The M93's were not able to take a very powerful round. For this reason, it is difficult to find many chamber options in a barrel cut for the small ring threads. I bought my 308 barrle with the large ring threads, then ct the threads off in my dad's lathe and recut it for the small ring threads. After this was done, I went to work trueing the action. I lapped the bolt lugs (which takes about 3 times longer than I expected) and bent the bolt handle down to clear a scope. I cut the receiver end of the barrel off and used it to make a jig to true the bolt face, Drilled and tapped it for a scope base and installed the adjustable trigger.
As for the stock, I bought the unfinished stock because I knew I would have to cut the barrel groove to accept the new barrel, as well as cut a relief for the bolt handle. This consisted of about 3 evenings worth of witting in front of the TV with a dremel, a razor blade, and sandpaper, but I'm happy with how it has turned out. At this point, the barrel is floating except for about an inch at the forward most point of the forearm. I left this post to help support the barrle and action while I glass bed everything, then I will sand it away.
Over the weekend, I built an action wrench and a barrel vise and tightened the barrel. At this point, the only thing keeping me from test firing it is cutting the final headspace. If I get some time this week to finish it up, I hope to test fire it this weekend. Then I can finish the stock and blue the metal and will finally be finish with what I hope to be a 600 yard rifle.
This was the rifle before I started, sitting next to the new barrel.
The bolt handle before I reshaped it
The bolt handle after I reshaped it. I ended up having to shave a flat "top" to the handle from the bolt all the way to the ball in order to clear the scope.
Here was an early mach up before I had the action trued or the scope mount mounted.
This was the final fitup before I tightened the barrel so I can cut headspace.
