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Fellow Campfire Members;
This is a rundown on the latest project coming out of my shop.

I started with a parts gun Mauser 98, this one actually made by Mauser and added a Parker Hale .270 Featherweight contour barrel.

At some point last fall, I decided it might be an interesting experiment to see how light I could make this rifle, without rebarreling with a fluted barrel.

This is the starting weight with a walnut stock, Parker Hale trigger, Timney Buehler-type safety,Pachmayr recoil pad, Leupold M8 4X sitting in steel Redfield type rings and bases, a leather sling, reworked steel military magazine box and trigger guard and 4 rounds of 140gr. ammo. It�s a long story, but that magazine only holds 4. blush
[Linked Image]

This is the Wildcat Composites blank I started with. I was impressed with a number of things on this stock and would buy another in a heartbeat.
[Linked Image]

I was surprised that the aluminum magazine/trigger guard weighed this much.
[Linked Image]

This is a commercial steel magazine/trigger guard before I drilled it full of holes, which cut less than 1 oz. off of it. Poor return for an hour�s work I felt. frown
[Linked Image]

These Bushnell rings had the dubious distinction of being both the lightest and the ugliest rings I could find in my parts bins. Including bases, they would see-saw pretty close with Talley Lightweights that I�ve weighed.
[Linked Image]

This is the finished weight including a Pachmayr Decelerator, 6X Leupold Compact, ugly Bushnell rings, Weaver bases, Boonie Packer Safari Sling and 5 rounds of 140gr. ammo.
[Linked Image]

This is one view outside today.
[img:center]http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/finishedleft.jpg[/img]

This is the other side.
[img:center]http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x83/BC30cal/rightclose.jpg[/img]

I'll just rust blue the magazine/trigger guard now and start to play with some loads for this fall.

Thanks for looking in to my latest project.

Regards,
Dwayne


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Nicely done. Hard to get a Mauser down under 8lbs as you found out.

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Very Nice cool cool


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Cool Dwayne, I like projects.

Next time just start with a small ring 98 HVA action and you will be below that number without doing anything......


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I recently handled a Mauser that appeared to have a McMillan ADL-style stock with an AL trigger guard. It felt VERY much lighter than a normal Mauser sporter. The barrel was a standard contour shank, not Win. featherwieght style.

BC30cal, is that stock 18.0oz or 1lb, 8.0oz"

Bruce

Last edited by bcp; 01/09/10.
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Scott;
I didn't know that, thanks.

I can't recall ever playing with a small ring 98. Are they more or less the diameter of a 96 but the length of a 98 then?

Up until a few years ago regular 98's were cheap up here. I can't recall paying more than $50 for one, but then some folks figure that's about what they're worth! laugh

This one was $35 for the action, and I got the barrel for doing some pruning for a friend who wouldn't let me do it for nothing like I wanted to.

In retrospect, I likely should have quit spending money then. blush

Ah well, keeps me out of mischief and the economy going I guess. whistle

Have a good weekend Scott and thanks again for the HVA info, I'll have to keep an eye out for one.

Dwayne


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bcp;
The stock is 18oz. without the Decelerator on it.

The Decelerator added just over 5oz.

Dwayne


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BC30cal,

Thanks for posting this, I've got a Mark X in 7X57, IIRC it goes 8lb - 1 oz bare except weaver bases, if I keep it I definetly wan't to put it on a diet.

"The Decelerator added just over 5oz." Dwayne

MPI stocks (in Portland, OR) carrys (at least they used to) a pachmayr decelerator pad that had no steel in it, which you don't need if you are gluing (superglue) the pad to the stock (vs screwing it on).

You only lose a little over an ounce, so I wouldn't bother unless putting one on anyway, priced about the same.

Also there is the flip flop pad, which I haven't tried yet, so can't comment on the weight savings/functionality.

Steelhead or anyone else,

What do the HVA small ring actions weigh vs the large ring Mauser action? I saw a HVA model 51L{think this was the model #} (J.C.Higgins 30-06) that the owner CLAIMED weighed about? 6 pounds ...in a wood stock (no ammo or sling). Even though the bottom metal was aluminum, the stock rather trim and the action a small ring...I find that rather hard to believe!

Jerry

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I put a 98 on a diet too. Started with a Husky 9.3x62, that big hole in the barrel will give you some weight savings. On my 9.3 I went with a limbsaver and it added about the same weight (Bansner)

I have done the flip-flop pad on lighter recoiling rifles. It will give you a lot less then 5 ounces, like in the neighborhood of an ounce if I recall correctly, maybe two, and the recoil handling is fine for me with the lighter kicking guns.

I can't tell if yours has one or not, but I had the stripper clip hump milled off mine which saved a little, and a model 70 two position, which I think shaved just a touch.

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IIRC, 40oz on the Husky with alloy bottom metal. A g33 type small ring is about the same with steel.

Alloy bottom metal will save you 4oz. So if the guy was using a small ring with a pencil barrel like the vintage Browning's (2#) and alloy bottom metal, then his stock could weigh up to 26oz all up to meet the 6# mark (without a scope).


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I have a sporter I put together using a Swede M38 (96) action. Long story short, it comes in just under 7.5 lbs, scoped, loaded and slung. And that's with a wood stock and an 18" barrel.


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That "aluminum" mag box and guard isn't really aluminum. It's actually an aluminum/zinc alloy (aluminum bronze) which is quite heavy. It is a similar material to that used for the Parker-Hale trigger housing.
It is pretty hard to make a mauser real light but seven and a half pounds all up is a pretty light rifle so you did pretty good. Looks pretty good too.
I've used a couple of those stocks and didn't mind them at all. GD

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Nice looking rifle, Dwayne.


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toltecgriz;
Thanks for the opinion on the rifle.

I figured I should try a .270 out a bit more since members like you, Mark Doberenski and BobinNH seem to think they work OK! laugh

Someday I'll tell you the whole story about the fellow that gave me the barrel. To say he loved .270's and absolutely hated anything .30 cal would give a rough start to the tale. whistle

Thanks again and have a good week toltec.

Dwayne


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greydog;
Thanks for the input, I hope you know that I always value your opinion very highly.

It was because of you and RickF that I heard of Wildcat Composites and gave them a whirl on both of your recomendations.

The only downside at present is that I just put a longer stock on our youngest daughter's .250AI and now she really, really thinks she needs a Wildcat stock on her Remington instead of the lightened laminated one I put on. grin

Thanks for the clarification on the floorplate/mag box material. I bought 2 of these unfinished from the chap in Vernon who ended up with a bunch of Parker Hale stuff and was in fact told these were Parker Hale units.

The whole project went quite well until my wife bought that ----scale and offered to let me use it. cry

There is nothing like actually weighing things and knowing the truth instead of guessing. frown

When I think about it, she bought me the chronograph all those years ago and made me throw out all my - up to that time - perfectly good ballistics theories. laugh

I hope you and yours are doing well sir. Perhaps I'll make it to the Kamloops show this year. I'd love to meet you in person and buy you a meal or at least a coffee.

Thanks again for all the help you give me.

Dwayne


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greydog:

The bottom metal I was comparing to is out of the FN's Browning "small rings". They weigh .24# as opposed to the half a pound range for mausers.

I was assuming the Browning alloy bottom metal and the FN from the same era were the same.

I have never purchased an aftermarket one like those Paws to weigh. I do have a FN bottom metal assembly that has greyish finish on it but weighs as much as the stock mauser ones. Didn't realize it wasn't steel.



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This is my Peruvian that is now a small ring, small thread with the G33/40 cuts on it. It weighs 12oz.
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
This will become a 250-3000.
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No doubt it will be a beauty.

How many ounces did you whittle off that action, Butch?


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Unfortunately, I did not weigh it before the machine work.
Butch

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Fellow Campfire members;
I thought I'd throw this up for a quick update on what can be done with a lighter recoil pad.

Thanks to fellow Campfire member stocker, I was able to find a source here in BC for lighter recoil pad material from Corlane Sports in Dawson Creek who use it on their in-house made mountain rifles.

As one can see from the photo, by replacing the Decelerator with the new material, it shaved an even 3oz off the total.

[Linked Image]

I just ground it this evening and haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but it ground very easily and looks and feels about the same as a Decelerator.
[Linked Image]
Anyway, for those who are interested in such things there it is.

Thanks for looking and have a good week everyone.

Regards,
Dwayne


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