Mauser - Project Rifle

[Ben]

I have now completed a 1 yr. long project building a Mauser rifle that I now call my " Mauserfield". It is a Turkish Mauser, Small Ring Action. My gunsmith in Golden, CO fitted a new 03A3, unfired 2 groove 1944, RA barrel, the rifle is chambered in 30/06 Springfield, hence the name " Mauserfield ". My goal is to have me a fine cast bullet shooting rifle. The rifle is fitted with a Timmney trigger set at 1.75 lbs. , clean, crisp, and super dependable. The action is glass bedded and the barrel is free floated. My specialty is stock finishing , so I did all the shaping, fitting, bedding, finishing, etc.

I'm headed to the range in the next few days, I hope it shoots as good as it looks.

Here are some photos in slide-show format :

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Mauserfield/?action=view&current=b434167d.pbw

Here is a photoalbum with over 60 stocks that I've finished in the past 3 yrs.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Gunstock%20Finishing%20Photos/

[Hip's Ax]

Wow! That is lovely! Nice work!

[DeanoBeanCounter]

All I can say is "WOW". Talk about TLC. :drinks:
Deano

[madcaster]

Ben's work-simple elegance!

[Ben]

Thanks fellows for those nice comments ! !

Life is too short to own an ugly rifle ! !

Ben

[mike in co]

Thanks fellows for those nice comments ! !

Life is too short to own an ugly rifle ! !

Ben

ben,
your projects have always been excellent.

having said that, i'll take an ugly rifle that shoots over a pretty wall hanger/safe queen any day.

is that a sarco bbl ??
wondering if there is enough material to shorten to 308 ??

mike in co

[Ben]

Mike in CO

No offense intended with the ugly rifle comment.

If at all possible I want the rifle to shoot as good as it looks. I have no " Safe Queens ". If it won't shoot to my expectations , it has to go.......

As to the barrel, a good friend of mine in Jax, FL had a pair of these barrels ( see photos below ) in the orig. cosmo . I was able to get one of the barrels from him. A real pain to clean as you can imagine. It did give me the assurance that it was an unfired barrel however. As you are probably well aware, the interior of these 2 groove barrels is simply amazing. Super smooth. Mine slugs .3080"

I asked my gunsmith about .308 Win. He said it could also be done. I was concerned that the .308 might not feed as smoothly as the 06'. So I went with the 06' chambering. I have .003 " H/space on this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0004-9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0012-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0013-1.jpg

[mike in co]

strange you should bring up how smooth the 2 groove bbl is. i'm in the middle of cleaning an enfield, savage, us property no 4 mk 1. it is a two groove, and when i started i thought the bbl was trash, well a couple hours later, lots of sweets 7.62, and i can see the bore.......it is smooth! two groove, shinny.....all the copper is not out....and let me tell you if i could have sold the copper i took out it would have paid for the sweets! i can see why people say the two groove is a great cast boolit bbl! smooth is a good thing.

i have a couple of the 1/10 30'06 bbls that were at gun parts for chump change.
just not sure what i'll do after i build my 358 win/mauser.

[Blammer]

Nice wood!

[danski26]

Very nice work! How about some details on the wood finish?

[Ben]

The wood finish on this one is about 30 + coats ( the finish is the viscosity of water ) of Minwax Poly Wipe On.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/wipe-on.jpg

A super hard finish. I probably have about 40 - 50 clock hrs. in the final finishing of this stock. I'm well pleased with the finished product.

Thanks,
Ben

[redneckdan]

2 questions.

What is the metal finish? What do you put on the bolt and bolt handle to keep it from rusting after you polish it?

[Buckshot]

...............A nicely finished project (sigh) which I had time for stuff like that these days :-)

...............BUckshot

[Ben]

Buckshot:

You're too busy HP'ing molds for folks like me.

Ben

[Ben]

redneckdan

Metal finish is a Satin Black Epoxy....Tuff as nails.
Never had a problem with the bolt handle rusting.
I keep a coat of Johnson's Paste wax on it, no problems.

Ben

[Hip's Ax]

Stain under the Minwax? Did you steel wool it between coats?

I plan on ordering a target rifle in the near future and the price without finished stocks is a LOT lower than finished. I'll have to learn how to do this myself. :)

[Ben]

Yes and Yes

[1Shirt]

Only problem with Ben's rifles, is that I would be afraid to hunt them, and would be a little nervous about even taking them to the range. Works of art in wood!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Ben]

1Shirt:

You are generous with your words.

Thanks,
Ben

[Antietamgw]

Ben,
The wood looks great! Does the Poly seem to hold up in the weather? Would you share your method to apply it? A little rubbed in like oil or heavier coats? I like your metal finish as well. I'm set up for blueing but have thought about trying some of the "shake and bake" finishes as well. Very nice work!

[No_1]

You are correct 1Shirt. It is a real beauty. I have spoken to Ben about his rifles before. Maybe if you are real nice ;) Ben will post his link to the photos of his other projects. He is truely an artist when it comes to making guns look SWEET!

R.


Only problem with Ben's rifles, is that I would be afraid to hunt them, and would be a little nervous about even taking them to the range. Works of art in wood!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[dragonrider]

Very nice, really like the wood,