Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Work in progress. Shane Thompson Mini Mauser project taking shape

Update time

It's about that time.

The Mini Mauser stock is about to become a reality.

Remember this?


The pattern is complete and the blank has been choosen. This one gets the knod. I was saving it for an upcoming project but who knows when that'll happen so I figured now was as good a time as any to use it.


Here the layout James thinks works best. I get a chubby just looking at it :animal:





Terry

Some progress photo's came from James Anderson last night. The wood is stunning even dry and the layout is perfect. This is going to be an amazing stock!







Terry

Terry,
That stock layout is as good as it gets. Your final layout is so much better than the wood cutter's attempt at drawing the layout on the blank. It's going to be a stunning rifle. You, Shane and James have a lot to be proud of.
FB

Wow, that truly is a stunner! Congrat's again.

I am not sure when I saw a stock laid out with any better grip flow. No doubt that will be needed to withstand the recoil of this monster.

Just out of curiousity, does that pattern belong to you, or to James (i.e., who would I need to butter up if I wanted one duplicated off of it?)

utah708, the pictures do make a rifleman's mind race don't they?

I have built a couple of 6x45s on the mini mauser. My 6x45 African, almost a clone for your Mauser is on a Sako L-461, weighs under 6 lbs. and shoots real tiny groups with about any load....My deer and antelope load is the old 75 gr. Barnes X at almost 3000 FPS. It has worked very well on Rockchucks, coyotes, to Deer and Antelope. All one shot kills, but you have to use it with a modicum of caution and pick your shots.

James is an amazing craftsman isn't he?

Utah708, the pattern belongs to James. I sent him a picture of a stunning little W.J. Jeffery Mauser in 6.5X54 and told him I wanted one just like it and he's making it happen. He reduced the mag box depth so keep that in mind.

Some more great news happened today. I talked to Roger Kehr and his schedule has an opening pretty close to the time Jame will be finishing this up so a nice engraving job is in this rifles future! He's been watching the rifle come together and is excited about putting some scroll on it.

Terry

Terry

I agree with others. I don't know if I have ever seen a stock with better figure, color and grain flow combined as that one. That will be an awesome rifle when finished. Has James put the new bolt handle on it yet?

He hasn't installed the bolt handle or the 3-position safety yet. He said there would be some down time during the stock building and it would be done then.

Terry

wow Terry, that thing is gorgeous. i got a chub looking at it too.

what kind of wood is that? also, i almost hate to ask, but if you dont mind, what is this beauty setting you back? i have no idea what a true custom rifle costs, so any info would be appreciated.

i am having my Mauser 98 re-barreled as we speak, and it will also be getting a new stock, bottom metal, and extractor, with the lugs lapped, and the boltface trued up a bit.

i cant wait, but my baby wont be anywhere near as nice as yours.

Ironeagle, that's a piece of Turkish walnut. I bought it straight from the source. Ali-Ekber Denli is a dealer in Turkey and sales direct to the public. At one time I think he had some of the worlds most beautiful wood. As of late I haven't seen much on his website that stirs me.

As for the price, I started adding it up one day and stopped about half way though it. It's just something I prefer not to think about. Keep in mind though this has been about a 3 year project and the price has been spread out over time which certainly eases the pain.

Terry

TC

I would be interested in your thoughts about choosing an open grip for your rifle. Do you generally prefer the open grip on all of your rifles? Or do you go back and forth between using rifles with open grips and closed grips without really thinking about it.

The open grip stock really looks, for lack of a better word, "racy", or "fast". Makes the whole thing look slim and trim.

But I have noticed when I have shouldered rifles with very open grips that I have to consciously raise my right elbow much higher than normal in order to have a comfortable grip on the stock.

I don't know if different body shapes or arm lengths make it easier (or less easy) to shoot that type of rifle, or if its just second nature for some folks to grip the rifle in the way one needs to grip an open rifle.

I think it would be interesting to hear how you went about making that choice.

Kevin

Kevin, what works for me and always' has is an open grip with a lot of drop in the heal. This is contrary to what is accepted as "right" by today's standards. I find this configuration points more naturally, comes to the target faster and recoils less than most of the modern style stocks today. My face still rests on the stock, just in a higher position. An open grip is designed so you don't have to change your hand position from draw to shoulder which I really like. If you've looked at most (not all) of the guns I've done over the past few years you'll see most conform to this configuration. The only draw back I've found is they aren't as comfortable to shoot from a bench position which seems to be the way most stocks are judged these day's. I never hunt from a bench, so needless to say.....


Keep in mind though, what is right for me isn't right for everybody else.

Terry

Okay, we need our new update, it's been over a month now........................

Terry: The rifle will be a real killer,and about what I would expect to see you put together...really too nice and too slick!Good luck with it.

22WRF's comments on the opn grip and your response are interesting.The open grip forcing the right elbow higher also results in a "pocket" being formed in the shooters'shoulder that will provide a bit more contact for the butt of the stock and control of the rifle from off-hand..The downslope of the stock also helps more of the butt come in contact with the shoulder.

Not surprised the stock pattern came off a Brit rifle;they knew and understood "game shooting" from field positions,fast handling and quick,natural pointing, as opposed to the tight grips and sometimes "too straight" combs for the bench and rest shooting done today.Entirely too much group-squeezing from bench rests out there today

Not really a whole to report right now. James say's the wood's workability isn't up to it's looks and it's slow going right now. He said he isn't getting that nice curl when he scraps it and it's a little chippy. A good stock maker can overcome this but it takes a little more time.

Hopefully he'll send some pictures soon.

Terry

I can certainly second James' craftmanship. My "Anderson double bridge mini-Mauser" .223 AI was on safari in SD two weekends ago and I can tell you the PDs were not safe at 500 yds if I did my part.

Amen!

Goodnews, I'm glad to hear that rifle is a winner.

Terry

I got an email with this in it. The stock is fully inletted and the new bolt handle welded in. The stock still isn't shaped but you can get an idea of what it's going to look like finished.

Terry