Man This "Turk" can shoot!

[JWFilips]

Hi Folks,
Well I got this Turk Mauser from "Blammer" a few weeks ago...as usual, with his guns he sells, it was way better then expected. Got it all cleaned up ..Took it to to range & tried to shoot it open sights. My eyes are very bad ( not going into the medical explanation but it is uncorrectable)
Needless to say, It was very difficult for me, But that first trip to the range showed big promise! Bad Eyes or not, my 50 yard target looked great for the first time out without slugging the bore or checking the throat..

Came home cleaned it up again. Decided I need Receiver sights! Found an old 70 series Redfield on this list from "rmb721" ..great deal! I had to raise the stock front sight so I made a steel block, Dovetailed it into the original front sight dovetail, and then dovetailed a marble 1/16" white dot sight I had laying around. Went to the range & things were getting even better however the dot sight was too hard to use for me for target work.... so I bought a Lyman globe. Knocked out the front block I made, and filed down the original front sight block and soldered on the Lyman globe. went back to the range with the "post" reticule in the front sight. All this time I have been using the Lee 329-205-1R boolit sized down to the now calculated throat of .3255" ....Had plenty of time to slug the bore & pound cast the chamber/ Also while it was out of the stock to drill the receiver sight screw holes, I made sure the barrel was free floating 2" forward the receiver to the last band. Also At that time I also started to realize I didn't have the standard K.Kale turk! It is what I think, a reworked GEW98 Based on everything I have found ( I will let the experts here decide If anyone here might know) I have plenty of photos of the inside makings ( not posted). Cleaned up the stock a bit too! Gave it some reddish color and oiled it up good ( Linseed /Turps)

So to get to this weekends shoot June 1st: I had loaded 20 rounds of the 329-205-1R sized .3255" ( custom honed Lee sizer) Lubed in my favorite...."Ben's Red"! I was using 2400 powder because I just cracked open 8 Pounds.... Went from 17.5 to 19 grains All shot well about 1 1/2 inches at 50 yards but I could tell I wasn't doing my part ( a few fliers). As the last bunch....I also had 11 rounds loaded up of the 323-175 Lee Ranch Dog boolit ,These came from Larry Miller "Largom" who helped me through resurrecting my JP Sauer 98K Mauser.
I mic'ed these & it seemed they would work so I loaded the last 11 boolits in front of 18Gr 2400 (boolit seated to touch the lands.) I switched to the #28 aperture disk in the front sight ...this gave a great picture of the 3" bull at 50yds. Then I really cheated ; I had a pair of 1.75x reading glasses my wife gave me ....I put these on top of my normal near sighted prescription glasses and whoa! the front sight became crystal clear...I thought all I have to do is center the 3" 50 yd bull & let fly!!!. Winds were calm & I was near to going home so I just cranked out those 11 rounds......Walked down to the target to pull it ......an immediately felt a marvelous feeling of "I did it" ...11 shots into 1 1/8 in!
( No the gun did it I just helped it get there!) Anyway I feel it was just luck! However "Ben" suggested I post it here because he felt it worthy....I'm not sure how "worthy" but if it will "fuel the fire" in any of you, I guess it is worth the time to put it up here. I just want to say I have learned so much in so little time here & if I can share some of my limited knowledge here I would be honored!
Kindly Submitted
Regards,
Jim

P.S. When I was 10 years old I was a deadly shot with My Daisy "Target Special" It had the same configuration of sights! Aperture front & back. I use to decimate horseflies! Maybe it all comes back to me 60 + years later!









Not Too Turked !

[Hang Fire]

Good shooting and figuring out getting the right sights for the job.

[Uncle Grinch]

Never judge a Turk by it's cover!

[izzyjoe]

Some of those Turks can shoot, I cut one down for a friend, and it shoots great, and has taken quite a few deer. Keep up the good work!

[roverboy]

Yeah, by the looks of your target, I'd say you got a good one. Nice shooting. Yours looks better than some I've seen too.

[TCLouis]

Don't ya love it when a plan comes together?

If ya have any try 21.5 grains of 4759 with the 175 GB boolit.

22.5 and mine looks like a buckshot pattern but it LOVES the 21.5 load.

[TNsailorman]

Bore condition is everything when I am looking to buy a military surplus rifle. Everything else can usually be repaired but you can't replace a bad bore.

[JeffinNZ]

That group tells a story that you are doing it all right.

[Junior1942]

JWFilips, this has me taking another look at my Turk. I have about 800 - 900 Lyman 323471 bullets @ ~220 grs Ready To Load. As the photo below shows they shoot very well indeed @ ~ 1600 fps. When I looked at my own article about my Turk and saw this photo, the thing which caught my attention was the powder I used--WC860. I have on hand around 16 lbs of WC860, and the only thing I shoot it with/in is 45-70 and I haven't shot my 45-70s in several years. Looks like my Turk is coming out of the corner!



The target was shot @ 75 yds with a cheap 3X pistol scope. The rifle now has a 3x9 on it, so no telling how well it will shoot the 323471! Plus a 1600 fps muzzle velocity with the high BC 323471 means the 220 gr bullet is still going 1400+fps @ 150 yds, which means, I believe, through and through penetration on a deer facing any direction. I think I better order a 323471 copy from NOE.

PS: Here's the bolt knob I put on my Turk. Ain't it beautiful?

[Ben]

Jim,

I'm glad that you followed up and posted your progress with your 8 mm.

I'm impressed with your group.

That is some fine shooting Jim ! !

Thanks,
Ben

[kungfustyle]

If anyone is interested 338RemAultraMag is getting a group buy on that very boolit
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-C-E-Co-323471

[Blammer]

Good deal! That rifle looks a might bit better than when I last saw it.

[DR Owl Creek]

Jim,

Good job! Very nice rifle too!

Dave

[JWFilips]

Good deal! That rifle looks a might bit better than when I last saw it.

Blammer....Yes a very Good Deal! Thank You for offering it up. I got to you near soon as you posted it ...It is a beauty ( if you can call an old turk that)
Looks like it spent it's early life as a GEW98 not sure from that point it's providence.....I do know K.Kale never worked it! Probably why it is a "shooter"
Every trip to the range is a new experience. Didn't do much to the original version you sent me: Just put on front & rear apertures and made sure It was floated from 2" forward the front of the receiver to the end of the stock. Oh yeah! I did apply liberal coats of "reddened" linseed /turps to the stock and a few wipes of super blue to the metal! You sold me a good one....but then again, over the years, you always have! Thanks