I lucked out on mine. I went an hour away to do an FFL transfer as the shop nearest me wanted a total of $75 after paperwork for a Mossberg 22.

I showed up at a steel building in a field and started talking with the man who ran it. Vietnam Vet, Worked in paper mills as his day job, but he had a little bit of everything laying around Red Ryders to FN FAL's, next to a lathe, and mill, and grinders.

Pretty soon I was coming out there to help him around the shop, do mowing and cleaning, handling small jobs like trigger stoning, polishing, and other tedious things.

Now we build rifles together. I don;t get paid 1 red cent, but I get any lessons I want free, and any parts I want at cost. And I don;t care one bit. He's since built a 100 yard range next to the shop, so as soon as we finish build, and assembly, we can walk 10 feet out the door, sit down, and touch a round off.

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1938 Turk Action with the absolute works
#7 Contour Douglas .002 crush fit 55* threads, Match .308 Chamber and I did the crown.
Timney
Worked over floorplate
I drilled and tapped
I did the stock inletting/finishing
I did the parkerizing.

I think, in the end, it cost me $750 with the scope, base, rings, and trigger.

I don;t know how many hours and hours I had hand lapping the bolt raceway, lapping the lugs, working the pits out of the receiver, etc.

It's an experience building Mausers. I do mainly stock work for him now, but it is all enjoyable, especially the machining part. Seeing the threads clean up, forging a bolt, milling a guard. It's all just a blast.

NRA Life Member