Here is a 1908/34 Brazillian military action made by BRNO, Checkoslovakia. This was a contract mauser in 7x57mm for Brazil. The action only came from Century Arms and is slightly pitted, as south american guns often are--this is of no concern and is purely cosmetic. A bead blast matte blue will often help such surface blemishes. The action was mailed to E.R. Shaw where the following work was performed: New welded bolt handle, drill/ tap and remove stripper clip guides, install a 21 inch light contour E.R. Shaw barrel( cal 257 Roberts) and bead blast matte blue.
Click the picture to enlarge it--the back command to return.
Cost: action work and barrel $300
action: $80
stock--drop-in birch--$65
Bueller safetly $25
Timney trigger ..$40
Weaver bases and millet rings..$20
Bushnell 4x scope...$35
total--------------@$565
This rifle is a pleasure to shoot--I built it because I wanted a 257 in a long action in which I could seat the bullets out of the cartridge to a greater over-all length than is possible with most short action guns..I get 2800 to 3000 with 100grn bullets depending on powder brand.. this can be more velocity than a 243 can actually push. And when I move up to 120 grn bullets, the 243 has to sit the sidelines--all for about the same recoil. My son killed his first deer with this gun, a doe, at 7 years old, so it has kinda become his gun. His sister shoots it also. Guess that's reason enough to get that 1908 DWM action ready to send off.
Wes' doe, December 1996
The original trigger and safety could have been used--they hamper you, but you could get by. And the rings and mounts can be found slightly cheaper.
Here, I took a model 1896 Swedish Mauser and did a little work to make it into a nice working rifle. The Swedes are the best heat treated and finished of the pre98 Mausers. They are, however considered to be designed for lower pressure rounds. The caliber is 6.5x55mm Scandinavian. The original gun was purchase from Larry's Gunshop in Mobile,Al for $75. It had mis-matched numbers on the handguard bands and bayonet attachments. The stock was cracked and looked like WWIII. The bore was in absolute perfect condition and fired cases come out looking "perfect". I sent this gun to E.R. Shaw for a bolt job, drill & tap and the barrel was cut and recrowned to 23 inches. I placed it in an $85 Ramline stock. The safety and trigger are used as is.
Click the picture.
cost: gun--$75
action work E.R.Shaw--$110
Ramline stock--$85
Bases and rings--$40
Total--$310
With the 4x Bushnell scope atop, this rifle will group into 1 1/4 inches all day long, clean or not, hot or cold with several different loads. It has not been properly bedded and the trigger pull is probably 5plus pounds. I am shooting 120grn 6.5 Ballistic Tips behind Accurate Arms 3100 powder for 2600fps. I killed a 110lb 3point buck in December of 1997 in which a shot through the lungs at 140yds anchored the buck on the spot. I took a spike buck in November 1998 which ran about 40yards after a lung shot. I consider this to be a tough rifle. It gets wet and dirty and I just wipe her down. It's pretty cool for a gun which has 1920 on the breech.
A 3point, December 1997
These guns are original Austrian Military rifles having a 23in barrel and in 7x57mm Mauser caliber and were made around WWI. They are of the superb quality and are generally in excellent condition save for shop wear. These particular guns are marked 1912-61 with the last part stamped on later. They were arsenal converted to 7.62x51mm (308 Win)during the Austrian/Nato move to that caliber. The ones that I have seen have a two-groove barrel which is mirror bright. It appears that the original barrel has been rebored and re-rifled. My father had this one drilled and tapped and a new bolt handle welded on. You see it displayed here in a Ramline stock, but it could have just as easily been used in original military trim.
Barreled action........ $125
Ramline stock.......... $ 50
drill & tap............. $30
welded bolt handle...... $50
bases and rings........ $25
Simmons 4x scope...... $50
Total........................$330
A friend of mine, Matt Thompson, has a nice Mauser. The original gun was a Centurian 98 from Century Arms, caliber 30/06. The gun uses a VZ-24 action with a Wilson barrel and Butler Creek stock. When purchased, second hand, the barrel threads were found to have been impropery cut which caused the barrel to be tightened into the receiver at an angle. The gun was carried to gunsmith, Dale Dubbs of Seminole, Alabama who squared the receiver face, lapped the locking lugs, setback the barrel, recut the threads and finished with a recessed target crown. He also cut away the stripper clip guides, grinding the rear of the receiver into FN configuration. Matt added an aluminum hinged floorplate and a Timney Sportsman trigger. The resulting "custom" has made a nice sporter. Matt report that it shoots very good after this blueprinting job.
Oringinal gun............. $250
Action work............... $100
Rings and mounts........... $20
Timney Trigger............ $42
PAB hinged trigger guard.. $70
Total........................$482
Click the picture for details
Here is a Model 1896 Swedish Mauser sporterized by Ben Stallings.
Mexican short-action '98 with slender barrel & KKF BOSS clone
built by Kurt Walla. A 308 Winchester. Built for light weight, to
the point of creating/turning a very slender bolt handle and
hollowing the knob. The BOSS clone is Kurt's KKF SlimLine model
for slender barrels. Stock is RamLine, trigger is the usual
Timney. This is a LW one-holer.
This is a m1912 Steyr 308 NATO which has been cut to 19inches, painted with OD green AlumaHyde, and has an Ashley Scout Mount fitted. The scope is a 4X Swift in Millet "angle-loc" rings. There is about $300 invested. It belongs to a Police Shift Commander. The scout rifle concept is the brain child of Col. Jeff Cooper (USMC ret.). These things have some tactical use and as a general purpose firearm.(This one does not have the auxilliary ghost ring backup sights.....yet). More photos soon.
Here are some of Fred Cianciolo's Turk's--ready to go!! Contact him in the gunsmith's section.
I just received another VZ24 in from E.R.Shaw with a #2 1/2 barrel in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser--I hope to get it shooting soon and add Photos..Mike Close this page to return to main