Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles Building a Mauser, told the wife I was just using up old parts

It started in 2005 when I ordered from Century a 1903 Turkish Mauser. I paid $45 for the rifle and shipping, $12 for the FFL, Waffenfabrik....looks like that guy passed away dec 2020.

The bolt was probably welded for $35 [poorly] by Lynnwood guns ... that guy passed away in Oct 2013 .... got my brother to re-welded it. His welds are solid. My TIG welding sucks.

The barrel was a never fired 4.5 pound Hart 284/6mm 8.5" twist wildcat set up for a target rifle, on Ebay for $79 in or before 2007.

The stock was Cherry semi inletted old stock unused off a gun show table for $60 in 2013-09-14.

The scope is a Leupold 1x4x20 pig plex. I paid $190 to AMZN on 2018-04-19

The rings are NCSTAR RBO1 in 2015 from ebay... whey want $8 now.... imported all the way from China!

The bases are the Aluminum Weaver pair 48464...they are $17 on Ebay now.

The recoil paid is a medium slip on Limbsaver 10547 I paid $28 in 2021 AMZN

The Mauser bottom metal was a kit of cast parts needing fitting from Sarco MSR626 for $20 in 2018. I have a video on how to assemble the parts.

THe swivel studs are the Uncle Mike's kit 25000 I got for $2 from the gnarly gorilla in 2018. That surplus outfit no longer exists.

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The only thing not lying around for years is a Timney Mauser trigger with safety. I ordered one from MIdway.
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Starting 3/29 Tuesday
I tapered the barrel down to 2.5 pounds by copying the taper dimensions on my Kimber 84L 280AI.
I reamed the 243 chambered and throated for 3.0" overall cartridge length with 95 gr Nosler ballistic tip bullets.
I have a blank drawing I made for me to fill in the dimensions.
Finished barrel 3/30 Wednesday
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Starting 3/31 Thursday
I cut a piece of Black Locust wood as a spacer in the cast magazine. Even 3.0" OAL ammo is too short for the Mauser.
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starting 4/02 Saturday
I made pillars from 3/8" steel tubing and 5/8" stainless tubing.
I knurled them on the band saw so the epoxy can get a grip.
I pillar bed the action without the barrel attached.
I then found out how much work it is to make room for the barrel with clearance for a dollar bill.
It wore out my dollar bill.
I was pushing and pulling on a gunline barrel chanel scraping tool until it was hot.
I drilled holes for the sling studs [also mounts the bipod] and one hole was off center. I filled in my mistake with a dowel I had lying around.

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On 4/05 Tuesday
I sanded
I rubbed boiled linseed oil.
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On 4/06 Wednesday today
I mounted a scope

That truck still is not here, so let's add up lying around parts cost vs special order.
Lying around
Rifle 45
weld 35
barrel 79
stock 60
scope 190
rings 8
bases 17
recoil pad 28
bottom metal 20
studs 2
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$484

Ordered
$120
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80% lying parts around 20% new part.

Nothing to do waiting for the trigger, but cut a 3/8" long piece of 3mm drill rod and chamfer the ends.

The trigger showed up during dinner.

I put the trigger in, it fit, it works.

Looks great, let us know how it shoots.

I did somewhat the same five years ago. No wife critter to answer to though. Had lots of parts laying around. Had a Mexican Ma user receiver and a 30 cal barrel threaded to it I bought from a friend many years ago. Started putting it together. Only thing I had to buy was a stock. Rented a 308 reamer. Shoots quite well.