Bubba Rifles

[Beekeeper]

OK lets fess up, How many do you have?
I own 45 rifles and all but 5 are Bubba's.
Most of them built from the ground up by me.
I am proud of the rifles I have and try to shoot them all each year.

Posted pics of my 71/84 rifles ( the twins) that I built from scratch using 2 old barreled receivers on a diferent forum.
They are completely original altho not numbers matching.

Took a lot of flak from a forum a member via PM stating I should of never touched the barreled receivers as I was unqualified to work on a historical weapon such as the 71/84.
And that I had totaly destroyed the historical value of them.

"DUH"93488

Guess I missed something somewhere.
Any way how about some of your "Bubbas"


beekeeper

[Outpost75]

93490My bubba rifle is a Sako M28/30 which I got "free" because the bore was"dark, but strong" and the guy who had it convinced himself that it wouldn't shoot, without trying it. I lapped the bore and scoped it, it is a solid 1.5 moa rifle, either cast or jacketed. Has seven deer to its credit.

[texassako]

It is an ugly looking thing, but this little Carcano will shoot. It is almost as bubba as you can get with an oddly pieced together high comb pistol grip stock still using the original steel butt plate, odd side mount scope, a receiver peep mounted on the right side, a nice aftermarket ramp front sight to match the peep, and everything reblued(even the bolt). It is my current cast project with an Accurate mold, and I am working off and on on making it bottom load with a removable magazine instead of the enbloc clips. I got it free for the price of the ammo.

93491

[leadman]

I have a sporterized '98 Krag that was probably done in the 20s I am told by others due to the unmarked Lyman receiver sight and the bakelite that was used for the pistol grip cap. The pistol grip was inletted into the original military stock.
I also have a true Bubba in a 93 Mauser I bought cheap and recently bought a couple Arisaka T99s that I assembled one full military and am in the process of getting the remaining pieces together to shoot. The 93 is rebarreled to 7.62X39 but not in a stock yet.
I don't understand people that get upset when another takes a pile of parts seving no good purpose and made them into some fine shooting guns that are enjoyed once again. Much better than the parts rusting away. I do understand not attacking a perfectly good full military gun at this point in time since there are so few coming into the country now (except for the Mosin-Nagants).

[Frank46]

I've also seen the crummy comments directed towards folks to make the firearm in question better that it was. Your 71/84's look nice. I have a 1888 commission receiver with old cz barrel. I managed to find a swedish small ring 8mm bbl with a nice bore. Someday the two will meet. Frank

[taco650]

Right now I have a #1Mk 3 SMLE that is missing top wood and a barrel band which has a bolt from another SMLE. The tip was broken off the firing pin so had a machinist friend fix it. Bore still had packing grease in it but when I cleaned it up, it was shiny and shoots great. It cost $65.

Had another Type 99 7.7 that cost $20. Bent the bolt handle down myself, made ammo from 30-06 brass. It shot good too. Eventually traded it off on something else. Bottom line, function out weighs looks for me. I like a good looking rifle too but $$$ are always in the back of my mind when buying guns.

[bubba.50]

i've owned a buch of mangled guns in my day. some by my own hand & others like that when i bought'em. but i sure do wish y'all would quit blamin' me for every one that comes along:???:. i probably ain't even been near some of yer guns.

[Smoke4320]

So Bubba.50 ...your saying I should stop stamping your name on all the guns I "improve" :)

[single shot jimmy]

I have several. They were all picked up cheap and in some way spoke to me.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/20131119_161450_zps6fa999f3.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/20130326_204543_zps61a42c50.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/remington03sporter004.jpg

[Shooter6br]

93695Bubba touched my Contender with 14 in Hunter. Rusted the barrel(Left in gun case wet) and then tried to cold blue the barrel. Bought whole pistol(added mount and red dot) $149.00 ( re did barrel)

[taco650]

I have several. They were all picked up cheap and in some way spoke to me.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/20131119_161450_zps6fa999f3.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/20130326_204543_zps61a42c50.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/jimdgreat1/remington03sporter004.jpg

I don't recognize these; please elaborate.

[bob208]

I have no problem taking a millsurp. rifle that has already been hacked upon and make something out of it. back when I started I would buy chopped up 98s and finish the stocks alter the bolt and remove the stripper clip guide. I draw filed many ears off of 17 Enfield's that had already chopped up.

where I have a problem is the nitwits that want to buy a all matching 98 just to work on now. just 2 years ago I had a guy wanting a original krag. he wanted to build a sporter.

I have one bubba rifle it is a nice Remington 03a3 that was drilled and tapped it has a nice scope on it the stock has been cut. I paid 200 for it. it has a nice 4 grove barrel I mite take off and save if I get a nice one that needs a barrel.

[pworley1]

I haven't bubbaed any myself, but I do have a few that someone else got to. Most of them have been restored to original since only the stocks had been worked on. I do not think I have any business telling someone else what they should or should not do, If you enjoy what you do with your guns and I enjoy what I do with mine, then lets all just have fun.

[madsenshooter]

I've bought a few of them because of the low prices they were going for. A couple Krags, just for parts and a couple Arisaka type 38s. One of the 38s looks to be some young guy's project from the 50s or 60s, he even carved the word "Smokey" into the side of the Bishop stock. I don't know if it was his nickname, or his name for the rifle. He spent a lot of time on getting the action to fit right into the stock then proceeded to make a mess of the outside, or maybe some later owner did. Both the Arisakas were rechambered to 6.5x.257 and both shoot reasonably well. The other type 38 is a carbine stocked in the Mannlicher style with some very heavy dark wood. The little thing outweighs my Garand. Again, the inletting was very well done, outside doesn't look bad either. Took me awhile to get anywhere near paper as the Redfield mount he chose to use wasn't the right one and needed shimmed at the rear. In keeping with the era that it would have been bubba'd it wears an old Bushnell Scopechief 4x scope, and I got a booster for it from Numrich that was new old stock to raise it up to 10X. Both appear to be unfinished projects that maybe I can find the time to tinker with.

I'll get some pics of those up later, for now, here's one of the bubba Krags, a cutdown 92/96 that I mounted a Miller Kodiak Dreamount on. The mount comes off real easy and a bolt with a Rice Peep sight can be put in. I've prerigged a couple different scopes, the boosted Alaskan is gone now. I've always put function before form myself, except in my women! I am working on a bubba Krag. A full length 92 or 96 in a reproduction stock that I want to give to my grandson, if he can take of it properly, maybe he'll get one of my Camp Perry shooters.

So Bob, did you take that guy who wanted to sporterize the 98 Krag out to the woodshed, or at least let him know what a dumb brainfart he just had?

937039370493705

[53caddy]

I have a k98 mauser that has been done. Was rechambered in 30-06 and is one of my go to guns.

[nekshot]

I will buy every resonable priced bubba rifle I can afford. There in is the problem, not enough funds. All I usually want is the reciever and boy is the rest of the stuff downright handy around the farm. Another sleeper is certain mzl's that the owner did not take care of. When I go to gun shows I can't even tell you whart pristine gun was there but I sure can tell you all the bubba's I wish I coulda bought! Still kicking myself over a beautiful bubba Krag one year ago, 200.00 but I didn't have the money.

[bob208]

yes I told him. he did not know the going price of a nice krag. around here a sported krag will still carry a asking price of $500 or more. now I will say I don't see them being carried out.

[CLAYPOOL]

Some guys have "All The Luck"...can't find nothing...!

[JeffinNZ]

Depends on what you mean by Bubba'd.

Do you mean a milsurp in other than original config or a rifle that has been mutilated?

[perotter]

Unless it is a real historic piece or part of one's collection of authentic rifle, I only see one reason not to sporterize an old army rifle. That one reason is today a person can buy a new bolt action rifle with a good barrel for less money.

I have a few in original configuration, but have mostly bought sporterized ones.

[Bored1]

NO problem for me at all. Was just discussing buying a mauser just to "bubba" it with my woman since she really likes the mausers, they are just too long. Personally to each his own. No rifle that I can afford has much "historical" value in my opinion so if I buy it and do what I want to it to make it mine, well that's why its mine right!!!!

Seems to me like people getting mad at folks for customizing cars. If I'm driving it and not trying to sell it to you, oh well I won't loose sleep over someone elses negative opinion.

[Wolfer]

I will buy every resonable priced bubba rifle I can afford. There in is the problem, not enough funds. All I usually want is the reciever and boy is the rest of the stuff downright handy around the farm. Another sleeper is certain mzl's that the owner did not take care of. When I go to gun shows I can't even tell you whart pristine gun was there but I sure can tell you all the bubba's I wish I coulda bought! Still kicking myself over a beautiful bubba Krag one year ago, 200.00 but I didn't have the money.

Must be in the local water. This describes me to a T. I've had a C&R license for several years and back when they were emptying out the Turkish warehouses I bought all I could afford. Not that many. A few were rated a good which I'll probably leave alone. Mostly I bought good with cracked stocks. I have no qualms about cutting one of these up. At the time I paid as low a 29.00 and as high as 46.00 with two VZ24s costing 50 bucks each.
One of the VZ24s is now my sons 270 but even though I built it myself not many people would call it Bubba'ed. These guns were very rough and certainly had no collector value. I'm saving the other for a special project. I just haven't decided what it is yet.
Like Nekshot said, at gun shows the high grade stuff don't draw me to it like a butchered up old Mauser. Woody

[uscra112]

If I can't mess with it without "spoiling a historical artifact", I don't want it. Yes, there are 100% originals floating around, and the nose-in-the-air cognoscenti can have them. I can't begin to afford their prices anyway.

You can get some beautiful (and unique) craftsmanship in reworked rifles. I've got a Krag reworked to .22-3000 R2 Lovell by an unknown smith. A Ballard also in R2 Lovell, built by Sedgley. Another Krag carbine in a Bishop stock that looks and shoots like a custom rifle. A sweetheart M96 Mauser 7mm with a stippled stock that's a work of art. What's not to like?

And now that I've got my barrel lathe back in action, (after 14 years) I'm primed to commit as much mayhem as I can manage.

[MaryB]

My Chinese type 53, original stock was gouged badly and splintered so I order an Archangel conversion for it. Still needs a scope mount and a scope.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/2014-01-10_22-12-54_122_zpse8d4f40f.jpg

[opos]

I'm an old guy and was "sporterizing" milsurps in the 50's..they were cheap, plentiful and made great "deer rifles"...I kept us fed with a 30-06 enfield and a model 97 during "lean times". I have a 98 K mauser, a Winchester Enfield 30-06 and several sporter Mosin Nagants...I enjoy shooting all of them and while I won't cut up a complete rifle I'll sure grab one of the ones that has gotten converted if it's done well...Love the look and feel of a well done "bubba" milsurp.

[enfield]

It makes me wonder what people were thinking when they grind off a nice peep sight from a #4 L.E or P14 and put a buckhorn sight on the barrel. They turn a very good sight setup into something not so good.

[adrians]

While most of my rifles are in original dress I do have a soft spot for the two ( only two) that were sportered some time ago ,, the Krag wears a bishop stock and has a Pacific peep sight and is an excellent shooting gun.
The 1891 Arg wears a fajen stock and a Lyman peep... I love and cherish them for what they are,,,, bubba's ???? 938739387493875

[Wolfer]

I don't call those two rifles ( bubba'ed ) I would term them as sporterized. Woody

[UBER7MM]

I don't call those two rifles ( bubba'ed ) I would term them as sporterized. Woody

So are butcher jobs "bubba'ed" and nicely customized military rifles considered sporterized?

[Wolfer]

That's the way I always interpreted it. I could be wrong. Ain't never had no schooling on the correct terminology.:roll:

[Lead Fred]

When I sold my Mauser 30-06, I made the guy give me his bubba nagant. He "lightened" it to the point of weakness.
It went straight into the bubba barrel at my Bud's shop, which has these words spray painted on the 55 gal drum:

"The land of Misfit Toys"

[UBER7MM]

So are butcher jobs "bubba'ed" and nicely customized military rifles considered sporterized?


That's the way I always interpreted it. I could be wrong. Ain't never had no schooling on the correct terminology.:roll:

I've never given it much thought until now. I do pass on butchered jobs on the used gun racks.
.
I'll go out on a limb with the following definitions: a "bubba'ed" rifle is a mil-surplus rifle that has a cut down military stock. A customized mil-surplus rifle has new sportster stock. There can be differing degrees of skill and work in either case, some very beautiful works of art, like the ones shared in the above photos. A butchered rifle is a customization where the "would-be gunsmith" had no skill.
.
In all cases, the modifications make the weapon unique to the owner, as the own himself is unique. His modifications make the rifle his own.
.
Sorry, that's more than two cents worth. :wink:

[Multigunner]

It makes me wonder what people were thinking when they grind off a nice peep sight from a #4 L.E or P14 and put a buckhorn sight on the barrel. They turn a very good sight setup into something not so good.

That's a not uncommon alteration done by gunmaking firms in the UK. Many prefer the open sights of the SMLE over the peep sight of the No.4. Personally I'd choose the SMLE/No.1 action if I wanted a sporter with open sight. The No.4 is slightly stronger and the barrel is better profiled for accuracy with short sporter style fore end.
The SMLE barrel makes for a better lightweight sporting rifle.

Depending on the diameter of the aperture the peep sight can be a drawback in some light conditions.
Till the ghost ring sights came along few who hunted dangerous game or wanted to make hits on running game would choose the peep sight over the open sight.

[Multigunner]

.
I'll go out on a limb with the following definitions: a "bubba'ed" rifle is a mil-surplus rifle that has a cut down military stock. A customized mil-surplus rifle has new sportster stock.

In general correct, but there have been some remarkably nice altered military stocks, rivaling the best purpose made sporter stocks. The Finns brought stock alterations to the point of an art form.
Then there are the NRA Sporters, some very nice rifles with minimally sported stocks.

One should also remember that many military stocks were altered while the rifle was still in service. Ross Sniper rifles often had the fore wood shortened to simplify bedding.
I once passed on a very reasonably priced 6mm Lee Straightpull rifle because the fore end had been shortened then later found this was a military range rifle, the fore end shortened on purpose to improve accuracy.

Some British military carbines when transferred to civilian constabulary had the bayonet lugs and upper band removed and the fore end shortened so no bayonet lugs could be retrofitted.
At one time the same was done with Lee Enfield rifles used by civilian rifle clubs.
Krag rifles used as drill or parade rifles also got this treatment.

A military museum at Springfield has a rack ful of M1917 rifles with shortened fore ends, experiments having been done on converting the M1917 for use as a sniper rifle. Also a very short barreled carbine version of that rifle.
A number of cut down 1903 rifles were field tested in Panama as the "Bushmaster" carbine.

So its best not to jump to conclusions when you see a shortened fore end or cutdown rifle. You might pass up a desirable collectors item without realizing it.

[starmac]

My Chinese type 53, original stock was gouged badly and splintered so I order an Archangel conversion for it. Still needs a scope mount and a scope.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/2014-01-10_22-12-54_122_zpse8d4f40f.jpg

That is not my cup of tea at all, but it is pretty nice.

[Wolfer]

I can go along with uber7mm definition. When I talk about buying a bubba'ed rifle it will have the military stock cut down but not with skill. Skill saw maybe. I want the action intact. I once had a Peruvian Mauser ( I think ) in 7.65 Argentine that the stock had been whittled nearly away. Then with a pocketknife they had carved a deer in the butt and checkered it with the same tool.

When the gunsmith tried to build my 338 we discovered the long threads so he traded me a VZ24 action for it. Woody

[Taylor]

Saw a $750 bubba Brit mk4 at a gun show yesterday.It looked like it had been whittled on with a pocket knife.I asked the girl what made it worth the price,she said it was unique and she had never seen one like it.

22lr was insane too!

[Kevinakaq]

Picture of my niece shooting my 'bubba'd' Lee Enfield. Rifle was taken apart some 20 years ago and only recently did I put it back together and set it up for hunting. Took two bucks with it already this year and it is my preferred rifle when I head out to the woods.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/67729401/2013-10-15%2012.46.42.jpg

[taco650]

Picture of my niece shooting my 'bubba'd' Lee Enfield. Rifle was taken apart some 20 years ago and only recently did I put it back together and set it up for hunting. Took two bucks with it already this year and it is my preferred rifle when I head out to the woods.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/67729401/2013-10-15%2012.46.42.jpg

Nice job. What stock and scope mount is that? Is that the stock barrel? More details please. You can PM me if you don't want to clog up this thread.

[Kevinakaq]

"Nice job. What stock and scope mount is that? Is that the stock barrel? More details please. You can PM me if you don't want to clog up this thread. "

The barrel is a stock No. 4 MK1 barrel that i cut about two inches off of (good old hacksaw and a file combined with a square to true up. Then a brass screw and some valve grinding compound to complete the crown). Smoothed up trigger quite a bit with some polishing, etc. For a 1944 Longbranch it is accurate enough for deer hunting that's for certain. The stock is an ati synthetic stock that I did a camo job on using some walmart camo paint. Used duracoat on the metal. The scope mount is an ati as well. And I absolutely love the action. I'm a lefty and can chamber a round in this rifle super fast (as they are known for).

And appreciate the compliment!

Kevin

[taco650]

Kevin,

Thanks for the info. Good to know that ATI has accessories for these rifles. I really enjoy my bubba'd #1 MK3. Just made my first CB loads for it. Can't wait to try them. Plenty for deer too.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

i've owned a buch of mangled guns in my day. some by my own hand & others like that when i bought'em. but i sure do wish y'all would quit blamin' me for every one that comes along:???:. i probably ain't even been near some of yer guns.

bubba.50 Yur too funny ![smilie=s:

I finally got one of my favorite Bubba'd rifles back from my Buddy Dave the Mauser Artist. A 1917 Eddystone that I bought from a member here a couple years ago. Dave wanted to use the action to double check a stock he was about to send out, he never proofed that pattern for his stock duplicating machine yet. He said he'd straighten the front site and re-crown the muzzle. He also made a front site hood, which was no easy task as the grooves on the Redfield front site were not at the same elevation, one was .016" higher. I looked High and low for the correct Redfield site hood...I don't think they exist, and if they do, I longer care if they do ;)

Also, anyone know that the winged circle mark is ? that's on the receiver ?

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/fullRTside_zps544a97c2.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/fullRTside_zps544a97c2.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/fullleftside_zps111764d0.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/fullleftside_zps111764d0.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/frontsite_zps8138a31c.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/frontsite_zps8138a31c.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/receiverstamp_zps4e96496f.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/receiverstamp_zps4e96496f.jpg.html)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I love this Krag, but it has site issues to say the least, I plan on mounting a scope on it someday. It has holes drilled in the receiver for the weaver side mount, I suspect they were drilled way back when it was originally sporterized. I'd like to find the Bubba that dovetailed the iron sites into the barrel and rattle his cage a bit...both are slightly crooked.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/LTsidefull_zps197fabc4.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/LTsidefull_zps197fabc4.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Rightsidefull_zps6f31f062.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Rightsidefull_zps6f31f062.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/frontsite_zps4fa91006.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/frontsite_zps4fa91006.jpg.html)




This custom 257Rob really doesn't qualify as a Bubba in my book, While it's a sporterized Czech mauser, I think the receiver is the only 'original' part.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/fullrightsideangled_zps2afe1569.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/fullrightsideangled_zps2afe1569.jpg.html)

[UBER7MM]

Also, anyone know that the winged circle mark is ? that's on the receiver ?
96077


.
Jon,
.
That's the US "Flaming Bomb" Ordinance mark.
.
Nice guns,

[Battis]

This is a unique Vetterli that probably qualifies as being "bubba'd".
Great gun.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m217/pohill/DSCF4561_zps367fddcc.jpg

[waksupi]

This is a unique Vetterli that probably qualifies as being "bubba'd".
Great gun.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m217/pohill/DSCF4561_zps367fddcc.jpg

I've always kind of liked these. I wonder if it can be converted fairly easily to center fire? Brass availability?

[Battis]

I have two that were rimfire, but easily converted to CF. Remove the two pronged RF firing pin, drill a hole through the bolt face, and use a headed decapping pin as the new firing pin. As long as you can drill a straight hole...(I messed up the second one and a machinist friend bailed me out). Brass is formed from .348 Winchester or 8mm Lebel brass (Lee makes dies). Black powder or smokeless...

[JSnover]

I didn't think Bubba discriminated between sporting rifles and MilSurps. When I first heard his name it described any self-described 'smith (or "smiff") who butchered a previously decent gun. If the job was done well, it wasn't done by Bubba.

[JHeath]

If I can't mess with it without "spoiling a historical artifact", I don't want it.

Sometimes when you mess with it, you are making a historical artifact. See attached photos of Bubba milsurps. Have they lost meaning, or gained it?

When the Nazis lose the war and their rifles get bastardized to shoot javelina in Texas, that's history. When the the Soviet Union collapses, and their Czarist-era rifles get cut down to shoot New Hampshire whitetails, that's history.

It no longer makes sense to sporterize some of these rifles -- there are plenty of other rifles available. But a rifle like one I had -- a 1943 Weimar '98 .30-06 stamped "Alamo Gun Company, San Antonio Texas" on the barrel -- tells the story better than if it had been left original.

[Speedo66]

Sometimes when you mess with it, you are making a historical artifact. See attached photos of Bubba milsurps. Have they lost meaning, or gained it?

When the Nazis lose the war and their rifles get bastardized to shoot javelina in Texas, that's history. When the the Soviet Union collapses, and their Czarist-era rifles get cut down to shoot New Hampshire whitetails, that's history.

It no longer makes sense to sporterize some of these rifles -- there are plenty of other rifles available. But a rifle like one I had -- a 1943 Weimar '98 .30-06 stamped "Alamo Gun Company, San Antonio Texas" on the barrel -- tells the story better than if it had been left original.

The rifle on the left looks like an Indian Bubba worked on it. When they broke a stock, they wrapped it in rawhide "shrink to fit" to hold it together.

[WILCO]

96077


.
Jon,
.
That's the US "Flaming Bomb" Ordinance mark.
.
Nice guns,

Yep. Nice job with the answer.

[KLR]

Sometimes when you mess with it, you are making a historical artifact. See attached photos of Bubba milsurps. Have they lost meaning, or gained it?

When the Nazis lose the war and their rifles get bastardized to shoot javelina in Texas, that's history. When the the Soviet Union collapses, and their Czarist-era rifles get cut down to shoot New Hampshire whitetails, that's history.

It no longer makes sense to sporterize some of these rifles -- there are plenty of other rifles available. But a rifle like one I had -- a 1943 Weimar '98 .30-06 stamped "Alamo Gun Company, San Antonio Texas" on the barrel -- tells the story better than if it had been left original.

Great point.