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Bruzer Offline OP
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Gentlemen

I am a certified rifle nut with a dozen or so factory and semi-custom rifles in the safe. I have a few nice pieces and they serve me well...Some were gifts from my bride,my brother and my kids (5,8 and 13) so they have sentimental value to me and have taken some game for the table and the wall over the years BUT I have a WANT and as we know....Well these wants can be buggers.

[Linked Image]

On to the task and reason for my post. Ive decided that I want a "Once in a Lifetime" mauser build. This is to be a Walnut,Richly Blued, Barrel Banded, Square Bridged, Express Sighted Beauty with parts from Dakota,Blackburn,NECG,Lilja etc.....

The fly in the ointment is cash....I have time but the 3 mentioned above take quite a bit of the cash....The advantage that I have is time...Im on 42 so my "Plan" is to take several years to build this beauty.

So on to my questions....Given the limitation of spending $1500-$2000 per year Where would you start? WHO would you engage? WHAT would you use?

1) Action-Needs to be capable of handling up to a 375 H&H as that is one of my final 3 possible chamberings. The other 2 being the 300 H&H and the 9.3 x 62. I want a Square Bridged classic action with a nice liw profile 3 position safety.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

Time:

2) !Stock-This is where I want most of my money. I am an admirer of burky ink lined Walnut,shadow line cheek rests,open wrists and fine checkering.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

Time:

3) Barrel -I am leaning towards a # 3 or #4 contour Octagon barrel with the noted Express Sights and Barrel Band in a 23" length.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

Time:

4) Bottom Metal- I need suggestions here.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

Time:

5) Trigger....Again suggestions are welcome.

Budget Cost:

Type:

Gunsmith:

Time:

Thank you for any and all input. I know this will require planning and careful choices so those of you who have used the best or are the best to advise me ....Please chime in.

Regards,

Robert


Bruz
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TC1 and Butch Lambert will set you straight. wink

Great post and tittilating to boot...I have my own notions but those guys are pro's.Can't wait for the responses.




The 280 Remington is overbore.

The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Not one to say a man shouldn't make himself happy. That said, unless I planned on hunting Africa a few times I can't say as my one time, all in, full out custom would be chambered for a cartridge I'd have little use for on a 'daily' basis.

Can't imagine a little Kurz in say 250 Savage not getting the [bleep] shot out of it.

Your dime though.


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Scott has it right. My only close to custom is this Kampfeld 250AI mountain rifle 33/40 mauser cuts.
[Linked Image]
I use it every year!

My 375HH has been shot three times in 3 years with ragged hole results.

[Linked Image]


Originally Posted by Steelhead
Not one to say a man shouldn't make himself happy. That said, unless I planned on hunting Africa a few times I can't say as my one time, all in, full out custom would be chambered for a cartridge I'd have little use for on a 'daily' basis.

Can't imagine a little Kurz in say 250 Savage not getting the [bleep] shot out of it.

Your dime though.



Last edited by vacrt2002; 04/22/12.

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I agree. I think I would lean towards a "Plains game cartridge", something that I could use for mule deer hunts of what ever. Of course the natural choice would be 30-06, but could just as well be 270, 7mmRM or, 300WM or 338WM.

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I'm with Steelhead on this one. If the project is to be spread out over several years with cost not an issue, then why not add the cost of shortening a good 98 action to Kurtz length and chambering it for .250-3000? You'll fire it 20 times for every one firing in a large magnum chambering, not to mention the ego-boosting 'wow' factor when other cognizant people see it. Unless of course there are dangerous game safaris in your future too. Just a thought.


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Bruzer Offline OP
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Gents...I have SS RSI's in 257 Roberts and 6.5x55. I have a custom 338/06 with McMilla,Shilen,Timney etc... I have a custom Rem 700 300WM with Cerakote, McMillan,Jewell etc...I have a 350RM SS with Synthetic..... I have a Model 70 Classic Stainless FWT with AAA Wood in 243....A 450 Marlin GG...A 308MX Marlin....etc....

I've got a lot of coverage in the mid bore and small bore areas...I don't really have a serious large bore but I'm open to chamberings of interest.

Bruz


Bruz
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Here's my once in a lifetime Mauser, a .505 Gibbs, built by Lon Paul, using a Granite Mountain double square bridge Mauser action with Model 70 three position safety and a stock built to my exact dimensions. The metal is still in the white in these pictures, but the finished rifle featured a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5X scope in Smithson mounts and a Smithson receiver sight.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

For more photos of the finished rifle, go to: http://www.granitemountainarms.com/lon_paul.html

Lon is a real artist in wood and metal and I am looking forward to working with him for years to come.

Last edited by xausa; 04/22/12.
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Likely a reason you don't have one, because you've never needed one. Again, I don't follow the reasoning in dropping $5-10K on a rifle I don't need nor will seldom shoot.

YMMV


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The above is perfect, I'd roll a 505 Gibbs also. Go big or go home.


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Having pondered the same trail as you, would start by sourcing a sq. bridge Oberndorf action or conversely on the other end or the spectrum with one of these:

Satterlee mag

decisions....


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Beautiful rifle but I will never have a need or use for a 505 Gibbs and if I ever get to take an African or Alaska trip my 338/06 and a 375 would do well...Correct?

I have never owned a 375 but my understanding is that they can be loaded down for what I will get to hunt a lot....Whitetail,Hogs and Black Bear and werent unpleasant to shoot.....Is this not the case?

I dont want to argue about chamberings or whether I need the rifle. I know I have that covered with my current inventory aside from Elephants which I will never hunt.

Thanks for your input

Robert


Bruz
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9.3x62 is big enough for me--Steelhead lets stuff get a lot closer...

I don't tolerate safe queens, so the nicest wood stocks guns I have on are on trap & skeet shotguns. Have tried AAA wood on hard hunted guns and pre-determined it won't bother me, but it bothers me.

So to be satisfied with spending really big bucks on rifle I have to see it frequently between my hands in the field--the action and the metal work have to "talk" to me just like exhibition wood does on shotguns.

For me, that's a Oberndorf or a small ring like a g33 thru the hands of metalsmith --has to have a thumb slot...:)


Last edited by tomk; 04/22/12. Reason: mistakes were made...

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A 375 in a 8.5-9 lb rifle is not the most fun on the bench, but for field use it is fine. I love the inherit accuracy that the 375 seems to bleed. I think a fine 375 is a great choice, and one of the few caliber choices that will possibly recover most of your costs should you choose to bail.


Originally Posted by BrentD

I would not buy something that runs on any kind of primer given the possibility of primer shortages and even regulations. In fact, why not buy a flintlock? Really. Rocks aren't going away anytime soon.
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Buy a P64/70 winchester in .375HH and go hunting with the rest of the $$
that don't answer the question,but I did it years ago and been happy.
Custom rifles are cool,but never return any money,they seem to get little use,therefore in my mind not a "full investment"...

A campfire and a Castle beer after a long days stalking in Africa is etched in stone....

Last edited by rifle; 04/22/12.

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I didn't post my .505 because I recommended the caliber for everyone. It just illustrates a "once in a lifetime Mauser" which meets all the specifications originally laid down. As far as original Oberndorfs are concerned, I have them, too, but none is big enough to handle that particular caliber adequately. If a double square bridge Mauser is what you want, Granite Mountain or Gottfried Prechtl (www.golmatic.de) is the way to go, in my opinion. No need to shop for safeties and bottom metal. It's all there to start with.

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I'd find a smith that I wanted to do the work and was comfortable with, then I'd let the pieces fall into place.


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every Lon Paul mauser that I have seen so far would illustrate it for me...


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I am just finishing up my once in a lifetime Mauser. I used a small ring Mexican 98 in 7x57 using the same reasoning as others. I have lots of smallbores that I am happy with, but wanted THE RIFLE that'd fit me and reflect my tastes perfectly.

That having been said, you'll likely have little choice but to go Granite Mountain if you want a double squarebridge magnum mauser.

What you might consider doing is what I've often flirted with; buy a CZ in 375 H&H and a great stick of wood. Have a model 70-style 3-position, more egronomic (checkered) handle installed, and have the chamber recut to 375 Weatherby mag (or in your case the barrel replaced altogether). Send the new blank to a great 'smith, visit him to get measured and discuss the details of my vision for it, then let him have at it.

The last details I'd consider are rust bluing & a set of NECG/Recknagel sights.

Mike McCabe does FANTASIC work; check him out!

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I'd have Ralf Martini or Duane Wiebe do such a build.

Action - Hartmann & Weiss in whatever configuration best fit the chambering. This would come with a fantastic bottom metal unit.

Barrel - If Martini was doing the work, I'd go with one of his over-sized blanks so that he could integrally machine a quarter rib, front sight, barrel band, and additional recoil lug.

Stock - Nicest English walnut blank you could find and have it shaped to your specs.

Accessories - EAW Claw Mounts and rings, skeletonized grip-cap, Blackburn (Swift) or NECG steel trigger, NECG 3-pos. safety, and the cherry-on-top: leather-covered recoil pad.


I'm becoming more tolerant of intolerant people.
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