PDA

View Full Version : Deja Vu All Over Again



KCSO
01-21-2012, 10:53 PM
I weas busy today cutting and crowning a Mosin for a customer who wanted a cheap sporter and I had a flash back. Me, a lot younger, pouring over the Williams catalog deciding how to butcher that cheap surplus Krag.

Yes krags, enfields, mausers, and even 03 springfields cut chopped and mangled in the name of a cheap sporting rifle. And here we are later chopping up the endless stream of Nagants. I wonder will my grandkids look back and say, "Boy Grampa Bubba shure messed up this wonderful piece of history"?

And yet my favorite hunting rifle is a Krag sporter and I love myParker Hale Enfield. Hard to believe that 40 years ago we thought nothing of the endless??? stream of cheap military rifles that are now collectors items. And just a few years ago French rifles and Swiss K31's were less than a hundred bucks and we thought we would never see the end. Now all the K31's I bought so cheap have been passed on the collectors and I regret not keeping more of them.

Frank46
01-22-2012, 12:05 AM
Still have my 1964 version from way back when. Bought it while awaiting orders for my ship. Frank

PAT303
01-22-2012, 12:23 AM
Same as Oz,butchered SMLE's are a dime a dozen,clean military examples are going up everyday,M17's and P14's make your eye's water the price they bring.I really don't know why people don't fit Boyds stocks and leave the military ones complete. Pat

leadman
01-22-2012, 01:12 PM
I just happen to be fitting a Boyd's stock to a K-31 right now. No modification to the metal or ald stock.

oscarflytyer
01-23-2012, 10:26 PM
Guilty in the Kangaroo Court! Years ago (20+?!) I started sporterizing a Swede Mauser. It just happens to be dated 1907!!! I know, I know... I also have a 1900 one that is original, so... and prob paid $125 for this one at the time...

As it turns out, it is now my son's deer rifle. he loved my Win70 6.5 and decided that he wanted the 6.5x55 caliber and the sporter was perfect for him. I am just now finishing it out! Been a work in progress forever.

I hate - NOW - that I started cutting on it. But at least it is a rifle that one of my son's will enjoy for a long time.

And hate to admit it, but I am really thinking of sporterizing one or two of the Nagants! They are $99/ea. About the same as a 308/30/06. I love DIY gun projects. Had a couple over the years. And it is just too tempting... I would like to build maybe a scout rifle and have always wanted a short bbl (18"-20") Stutzen. If I could find a nice action, I would build the Stutzen in a heart beat!