I used a Wilson mag and it fed 200 gr SWcs!
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I used a Wilson mag and it fed 200 gr SWcs!
but did it Fire them???
we want pictures of the range session. :P
Ain't there yet, but close. It may be a while before I get to shoot it, the range here is still a dangerous place!
That's a really pretty piece of wood. A modern stock with that much grain would cost a week's pay.
I finished my rifle today, now I just need to find a place to shoot it!
Nice!. got any better pictures ?. My kit should go in the mail Monday. Very interested in your initial shooting experiences and how it all goes .
Dan
I will have to take some and post them.
Folks,
Bought this Fabrique National large ring Mauser years ago - in the $38 range, if my memory servers. (the good ole days)
It was a complete rifle. Here shown below are pictures that show the state of the action - looks fine at first glance, but unfortunately, the receiver ring is heavily pitted.
My assumption is that if I can get the barrel off, the receiver ring is likely in good enough shape to safely shoot .45ACP. What do you folks think? I'm hesitant to spring $160 for the kit (and another $55 for the barrel wrench), only to find out the barrel is seized to the action.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010634.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010631.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010626.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010625.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010628.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010636.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010639.jpg
Opinions and advice requested!
And does anyone have a barrel wrench I can borrow? If I can't get the barrel off, then my only option is 'wall-hanger'.
Best regards,
Ray
it is pretty pitted, but to My admittedly untrained eye it looks to be a perfect candidate for a 45 acp. I would have a go at getting the barrel off before you spring for the kit though. there has been some advice posted that you can turn the barrel at the reciver barrel shoulder junction to releive some pressure before trying.
Dan
Go for it, perfect donor!
Heat it up a bit, with a hair dryer and put some Kroil there where the barrel/action meet and let soak a few days
Rockrat: I've got the rifle sitting on top of my coal stove warming up as I type - you and I think alike!
Deltaenterprizes and Greywuulf: I appreciate the encouragement!
Keep those comments coming!
Ray
My honkin big Record vise was actually too big to hold the action in the jaws - so I did some lateral thinking. Pictures are worth a thousand words.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010640.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010642.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010644.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010654.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010650.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010656.jpg
The log splitter wanted to lift off the ground when I was applying torque, so I had to attach it to the tractor. Done!
So, now that the ring is easily inspected, I think it is not as bad as I thought. And not nearly as rusty as it could have been. Essentially, the rust only went in half way to the first thread - so the threads are not compromised.
Comments and opinions welcomed. Think I should get the Rhineland kit on order?
Best regards,
Ray
A sporter version will be easier and quicker. I did the stepped military version and used the original stock and sights. It cost less but took a lot of time to figure out how to set the sling band and barrel band back and cut the wood to fit by hand.
I am pleased with the results but there are plenty of things that could have done better.
It looks better than what I started with.
Delta,
Rhineland says they have nothing but military contour barrels in stock. Bull barell are available in about 10 days. I said I'd wait on the Bull barrel.
I chose the non-military contour as I have two large ring Mauser stocks to choose from. The stock this FN came in is not pretty enough.
Best regards,
Ray
Since you are probably going to paint that gun after you are done building it, I would go so far as to smear some bondo in the pits to fill them out. and then sand them fair.
I know it sounds like body work on a gun but it would make the end result much more pleasing to the eye. I'd even go so far as to build up the front of the receiver where the barrel stepp bottoms out. The barrel will index off the good portion of the receiver anyway and just look alot better in the end. I'd fill all the pits everywhere before I painted it with Duracoat or something good. Rustoleum is not appropriate here, although I did see one of the Army Markmanship Team guys showing you how to Camo a gun for any environment on Shooting USA. He used Krylon paint, and when it gets chipped up you just spray some more on it.
I would either sand blast, grit blast, or bead blast before I painted it. It will make whatever you put on it stay on there for good.
I don't really think you have to worry about the strength with the .45ACP cartridge even with the heavy pitting, as it is only 21,000 PSI in full house loading. The 8MM cartrigdge is twice that and more.
I do want to do one of these conversions, just need an action and some time.
Your action vise was very innovative!
Randy
I want to see how it shoots, That really looks like fun.
Randy,
I'm thinking of JB Weld or MarineTex for filling in the worst of the pits. Bondo would work, too. I am going to use some sort of specialty finish like DuraCoat (or Durabake). DuraCoat actually makes a FN Green!
Pictures to follow.
Thanks gentlemen!
Ray
Ray' JB Weld would be a good way to go, but a better product is Devcon epoxy filler.
They have a variety of products with different types of fillers. I have used the Stainless steel filled material to fix injection moulds, and the stuff is as strong or stronger than the aluminum the mould is made from. It is easy to work with a file or sand paper and can be machined also. It will even take coarse threads if you are really careful with the tap. IN any event you need to make sure you build up the area you are working above the finished as you want the fill to be complete, and not layers of material.
It is available from McMaster-Carr or most any industrial supply house.
You could accomplish the same thing by sweeping up the filings from a bench grinder or disc sander and mixing it with JB weld too, and it would be cheaper as well.
It works kind of like the aggregate in Concrete. you get the strength of the aggregate, bonded into the binder material resulting in something that is stronger than just the binder itself.
I would do all of the pits in the entire action the same way, but I would figure out a way to leave that big FN logo showing, as that would add a touch of class.
I assume you will alter the bolt handle while you have it apart too?
Randy
Randy,
I ran the action through the electrolosis bath over night, gave it a good scrub, and have the epoxy filler applied. It's been not yet 24 hours, and it looks like I can start sanding. We'll see how it goes.
And that big FN logo is untouched!
As for the bolt, I am considering bending the bolt handle down myself as this is a low buck project.. We'll see.
Thank you for all your suggestions.
Ray
Ray: if you have a friend who can heliarc weld you can just cut the bolt handle off completely and weld it back on in a more favorable position.
If you try to heat and bend it you will alter the heat treat of the bolt body which you don't want to do. Too much of the bolt will suck up heat and once it's to 400 F it will turn blue and it is soft after that.
Here's a pic of my M96 bolt. I went a little farther than just cut and reweld on this one as I wanted the big screw on knob so I had to make the handle with threads on it and a flange for the knob to bottom against.
However the weld back onto the bolt part is exactly the same and is a 10 minute job,as long as you pile enough filler rod onto it so you can make conture without low spots. Also the heat affected area with the heliarc is much less than gas welding or using a torch to bend it.
The reason for the big knob is this rifle is being built as a NM target rifle and with the cock on closing style action the big knob makes it much easier to cycle bolt from the prone or sitting position. Also I can screw on a 1" round knob instead if I want. The threads on the bolt handle are 5/16-18 so any knob with those internal threads will work. Knobs like this are available from McMaster-Carr and other sources. Not expensive at all.
Here's some pics.
Randy
Wow, we need pictures of that complete rifle! That looks really nice.
Homeland defense begins at home. I'm not there. Sent from a mobile device using a commercial app.
Wuuf: The gun is a M96 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55. I found a guy who had had several CG63 Swedish Target rifle stocks knocked off in nice walnut, and I have a Lyman receiver sight for a Husky rifle that will be going on it.
The gun is one of my many "Gun Projects" that have been put on hold until I get my Jeep project done or at least running.
When it does get done it I will show pics of it. The wood in the stock has some interesting figure and will come out nice.
The gun would shoot 1.5" in stock form before I took it apart, so I hope with better sights it will be a good performer.
Randy
Bolt bending blocks and a heat sink work well, I have used them a few times with no problems.
Epoxy cured nicely and I got to sanding... A quick squirt of primer to see how many holidays there are:
Before:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/P1010636.jpg
After:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2298.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...DSC_2296-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...DSC_2297-1.jpg
Ray
Randy,
That bolt handle for the Swedish Mauser looks fine - very fine. I have two Swedes' - bought them decades ago, before they got hot. I think I gave no more than $89 each for them. One is the shorter version - the other, obviously longer. Both have the end of the barrel threaded for some apparatus. What caliber is your match rifle going to be?
Delta - I'll have to Google for the bolt bending blocks and heat sink. Never seen that done. Brownells, would have 'em I'm sure.
Best regards.
Ray
Ray: so what's wrong with that? I think it came out good. I believe I'd remove the ejector hsg and trigger before final paint and do them separately, but that's me.
My gun is staying 6.5x55 which is a damn good target rifle caliber, and pleasant to shoot.
I am doing the same thing to my Jeep frame as we speak, and am filling over goobered welds with bondo and filling low spots in the frame. It is looking much better than before and is a worth while thing to spend the time to do right.
Your gun will look much better when done than if you would have left it pitted and just painted over it. Even a $4.95 bondo kit from Pepboys would make it look better and lets face it your job looks way better than $5 worth of time and effort.
Good result. What kind of stock are you looking at. Full Length Mannlicher style Sporter? would be cool.
Randy
YAY! just got the package slip, my small ring kit is in.... Should be able to put up some pic's tomorrow evening.
Grey,
Glad to hear the kit is almost in hand. How long ago did you order it?
Ray
I would have to check, but it was only last week, i think the order payment was confirmed on monday ?
Write up from Brownells site:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1...r_Bolt_Handles
Or you can just cut it off and reweld it in the new position, which takes 10 minutes.
Randy
Ray,
For what it's worth, I'd cut the handle and weld a new one on your bolt. The bending of a bolt handle can be a chore to say the least because one has to control the residual heat in the bolt body. BUT one can simply bend the handle if you have a acetylene torch available. Wrap your bolt with soaking wet rags and heat the shank quickly, bend the handle and mist spray water onto it to cool it. Take care to keep the flame from playing onto the bolt body. Don't quench it quickly as it'll weaken and crystallize the steel. The bolt forging blocks do work but a good friend and gunsmith really hates doing it over replacing the handle. Your gun, your choice.
Edd
Got my mil contour small ring kit, as expected the threads are to large.... I will try to get some pictures up as i go along and make progress. I think I am going to leave the straight bolt handle as it seems to be easier to work that way... with it being "cock on close" and all.
Dan
Good News!... about an hour with a triangular file and some "crocus" cloth and we are good to go.
UPDATE:
just got the magwell/trigger guard in the mail and it is PERFECT! I lucked out, my rails are wide enough, the magwell adapter slides snugly to the front of the magwell and the magazine seem to be high enough that even if the round noses down a little ( top round especially) that it still catches the ramp and feeds all right. This thing might just run out of the box. buddy of mine had a butchered old stock ( missing some fore end that I would have had to cut off anyway ) so I am not far from trying this all out ! Still waiting for delta's Range report though ;-) I might even get motivated to post some pictures later tonight.
Folks,
Still no kit from Rhineland - but meanwhile, the receiver has come apart for prep and paint. (removed bolt stop/ejector and trigger assembly)
Here are pictures showing the FN receiver with DuraCoat (DuraBake) Gun Blue finish applied.
Way more in-your-face blue than I expected, especially under camera flash.
Scroll up to see just how bad this receiver was before.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2304.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2302.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2301.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2300.jpg
Bolt and trigger are still in the white, and I think I'll leave them that way. Not sure what to do with the barrel as far as paint goes. I'm leaning toward leaving it in the white as well.
Thank you for all the continued helpful comments and encouragement!
Best regards,
Ray
Looking like I might work out for you !
that is a little "Blue'r " than I would have expected as well but it looks nice.
I am busily de-griming and removing about 60 years of oil from my Stock so that I can convert it from Large ring to small ring, and proceed with my little project as well.
Just make sure your stock color contrasts with the blue and You'll be fine. A redder finish like a Winchester Red (look at Turnbull Restorations work) would contrast nicely with the blue.
I would leave the trigger and the bolt unfinished. Finishing the barrel in a black I think would look better than blue as I think you would end up with "Too much Blue" A little of that goes a long way, by the same token leaving it unfinished would contrast nicely with the action and stock, but you would have to deal with rust issues unless you kept the gun coated with oil.
Look at it this way.. What looks good on a car probably will also look good on a gun. If you go to a Big National Match shoot you will see many variations and color combinations. Enough so you should be able to decide what will look good and what is gross..
Avoid the Fuschia and Chartruese shades.
You're doin' good, and we can't wait to see the done pics.
Randy
Grey, Randy,
Thanks for the feedback.
Good luck on that stock, Grey... I have never heard of converting a stock from Large to Small ring. Using a filler?
Meanwhile, here are some photos in the sun (rather than the wicked flash)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2312.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2313.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...q/DSC_2314.jpg
Finish is truly hard - but I will stay away from it for the next several days.
Ray