More work on my Scout Rifle

[Ben]

Over the weekend I worked a bit more on my Turkish, 8 X 57 mm " Scout Rifle ". When removing the rear sight sleeve and installing the scout scope base, the outside appearance of the barrel ended up needing some attention.

I've used a satin flat black Epoxy spray on inexpensive rifles before with GREAT results.

It is very hard and tough when dry.

I lightly sanded my barrel with 400 grit sand paper , cleaned, and de-greased the outside of the barrel with aerosol brake cleaner , let everything dry and then sprayed the barrel with my epoxy satin black paint.

I think it looks pretty nice.

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/90765.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/005-61.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/001-102.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/007-56.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/006-64.jpg

[338RemUltraMag]

You take the best pics and have some damn fine rifles!

[Ben]

I guess you get lucky some time.

Ben

[Bloodman14]

I like the black ceramic engine paint, myself.

[725]

Ben,
I'd be prone to believe it might be luck if it weren't for the fact all of your work is so dog gone good. I really like that Mauser.

[Ben]

725 :

Thanks

This rifle is a great shooter.....! !
I've shot some fine groups with this one.

It is great if they look nice, but if they don't shoot well, they don't stay in my stable.

Ben

[williamwaco]

I think the finish looks very good but I am confused about the aperture rear sight.
Is it possible to use it or is it a backup in case the scope fails?

[Ben]

williamwaco

The rec. sight doesn't interfere with your view of the scope. However, you cannot see the front sight with the scope in place.

The receiver sight is zeroed and ready to use. Loosen 2 screws ( takes about 30 seconds )and the optics are off the rifle and you're back to metallic sights.

If the system warrants a new set of rings, I'd like to use these Leupold 30 mm Quick detachable rings :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Capture8.jpg

You can have the best of both worlds with this system.

Ben

[Bzcraig]

That is a sexy rifle.........made my heart putter a bit!

[Hang Fire]

Not bubba shabby, you did good.

I may have missed it, but how did you afix the scope mount?

[Ben]

Not bubba shabby, you did good.

I may have missed it, but how did you afix the scope mount?

See # 10 below :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?231671-8-X-57-mm-Cast&p=2643756

[Junior1942]

Ben, nothing but J&B Weld holds the mount on the barrel?

[Larry Gibson]

A couple suggestions for true scout rifle capability. You want the sights as low as possible, both iron and scope. If the front sight was lowered so the rear receiver sight bridge is 3-5 moa above the rear receiver ring for a 200 yard zero the scope could be lowered also with Weaver low tip off rings. You will find it much quicker to aquire either the iron or the scope with a proper stock weld with the military stock. Not saying your set up isn't useable as it surely is. Just suggesting it is close to having true scout rifle capability and it won't take much to get it there completely.

Larry Gibson

[Ben]

Thanks Larry,

Ben

[Ben]

Junior,

Ben, nothing but J&B Weld holds the mount on the barrel?

The answer to your question is yes.

Are you concerned that 12 of the holes are going to shear off from the recoil of shooting mild cast bullet loads ?

Did you see how the mount was put on ? Here is a slide show showing how the mount is attached :

http://s1155.photobucket.com/user/Ben35049/slideshow/Scope%20base

We aren't talking about a thin film of JB holding the base on, it is a LOT MORE than that holding the scope base on.

Ben

[Ben]

Shot the Scout Rifle today at 50 yards.
I'm happy with the rifle !

I cut and crowned the barrel myself. The work done cutting the barrel square and re-crowning must be pretty close to " right ." I did it by hand....no lathe.

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/025-6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/004-81.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/haysb/media/004-81.jpg.html)

[Stan rose]

That is a nice, and fun looking rifle. Thanks for the scope mount slide show.

[KLR]

I cut and crowned the barrel myself. ... I did it by hand....no lathe.

Ben




Nice work! Did you square up the muzzle with a square and file and then use the round-headed bolt (or ball bearing) with lapping compound technique?

[CENTEX BILL]

Ben:

What type scope are you using.

Centex Bill

[Ben]

The scope is a TASCO World Class long eye relief , 30 mm tube, 2 X pistol scope, with the cross hairs etched in the glass.

Tapered crosshairs and a small dot.

Japanese made scope that is about 30 yrs. old.

Super clear optics.

Ben

[Ben]

Nice work! Did you square up the muzzle with a square and file and then use the round-headed bolt (or ball bearing) with lapping compound technique?

I sawed the barrel, squared everything up with a flat file.
Used a sanding block with some 320 paper to removed file marks.

Then I used a Carbide tool that is rounded on the end ( looks like 180 degrees of a ball that is roughly 1/2" in diameter ). It worked great and cut very smoothly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/004-81.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/haysb/media/004-81.jpg.html)

[tomme boy]

Ben, what kind of barrel is that? It looks like it screws right in to the inner ring.

[Ben]

Ben, what kind of barrel is that? It looks like it screws right in to the inner ring.

It is a standard 98 action, but the barrel has small ring threads. That collar you're seeing that extends from the action held the hand guard in it proper position.

Some people that build custom rifles with these actions will turn that part of the action off and true up the end of the action prior to re-barreling.

[tomme boy]

I know the Turk have that extension on the face of the rec. to hold the handgaurd. But it looks like the barrel itself does not have a shoulder on it to butt up against the outer rec. ring. I know some of the small shank barrels did not have the shoulder and they screwed in to the rec and tightened p against the inner ring. Mausers have both a inner and outer ring that the barrel is supposed to tighten against From the pic, it looks like yours does not have the shoulder on the barrel to tighten to the outer ring.

[Multigunner]

JB Weld is tough but enough heat will soften it.
I've used JB Weld to build up missing areas in oil perished wood inletting then later on removed it by heating the stock over a space heater.
Once heated, and it really didn't take much. the JB Weld broke its hold.

Some Navy Armorers used Black RTV sealant to bed areas of a Garand that get a lot of heat from long strings of firing, that stuff is heat resistent enough that trying to remove it will burn the stock before it breaks loose.

[Ben]

I keep getting comments that suggest JB Weld failure.

I can always go back and drill the 4 holes and tap them and put in the 4 screws I guess ? ?

Ben

[Multigunner]

I usually make my own bases from steel, then both DT and silver solder these for maximum security.
Steel to steel is the best way to go.

[Ben]

Today I went ahead and drilled and tapped and put in the 4 screws that came with the base. ( I de-greased the holes and 4 scope base screws with aerosol brake cleaner and coated the 4 screws with slow cure JB Weld and torqued them up tight .)

I want to see this scope base come loose now ! !

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/90765.jpg