Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Poor Man's Blaser K-95

A while ago, I bought a Brno ZBK-110 single shot for $150 shipped from a member here as something to play with. I don't know how many of you are familiar with it (as I wasn't before I stumbled on this one), but it's a modestly built and furnished break-open single shot as seen here:



As you can see, they�re kind of homely little things (VAnimrod described it to me as a �Euro-handy�), and the scaled-down little shotgun action�s capability is described by a list of factory chamberings that tops out with the .222 and 5.6x52R (.22 Savage Hi-Power).

Anyway, as a truly nice kipplauf rifle is beyond my means for the time being, I wanted to see what I might do to help me pretend while stalking squirrels, turkey, deer, and everything in between with this one. Here�s a list of some of the changes as well as some before and after pictures.

� I replaced the .22 hornet barrel with a new Shilen 10-twist .25 cal barrel and chambered it for the 6.5x52R (25-35). This choice, incidentally, was based on the fact that I wanted to chase deer, and I like the stories that Mr. Ray Atkinson tells about his.




� I carved a stock set out of a $100 Fleabay blank� yeah, the American walnut doesn�t quite go, but to be honest, I�m still learning the differences. There�s a couple coats of oil on now, but more will follow to fill the grain before checkering.




[img]http://i44.tinypic.com/9jksxx.jpg[/img]
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� I made a quarter rib with provisions for folding rear sight and some old Stith 7/8� vertically-split scope rings. The scope is a 22mm 2.5x Kurz by Hensoldt and measures a little over 6� long.

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� Smallest ID NECG front sight contoured to match rib.

[img]http://i41.tinypic.com/108h6h2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i39.tinypic.com/17y0c4.jpg[/img]

� Recontoured lever to better suit my tastes.

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� Installed forearm iron and latch to make it a take-down

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[img]http://i43.tinypic.com/33osa2r.jpg[/img]


I tuned the crude shotgun style trigger as best I could, and was very pleased to have the first 25 break-in shots average about � MOA with cleaning in-between. It matches my tastes a bit better now, and I think it will become a neat �woods-loafing� rifle. I may even make a fitted takedown case for it.

[img]http://i43.tinypic.com/otqj3l.jpg[/img]

Wow! What a great job.

Excellent work!

Great Job! One time when I was at a local gun show years ago there was a gentleman selling CZ rifles and accessories and he had a beautiful BRNO single shot in 6.5x57R (IIRC) that had been prettied up by the factory: a stunning piece, of course there was no price tag on it.

Very Nice

Very nice, indeed !

You're miles too modest, Ian - THAT is top-rate work; and even though you may not think your time & labor worth anything, IMHO you have created the worth of an issue K-95 in a rifle MUCH more to MY liking.

Kudos, and have some very Happy Holidays, too.

.

Just BEAUTIFUL!

Fantastic work. That there is a rifle that I would love to own!

I'm really flattered by your kind comments... means quite a bit coming from this group.

It can stand on its own. Best thought out job I've seen.

That took Talent. Nice execution and I like the styling of the scope mount/quarter rib.

How many hours?? 8 or 10??

You are missing your calling with whatever day job you have...

Thatrifle bespeaks old world' quality work and feel for the art of custom gunmsmithing. Seeing a treasure in an old boot and then actualizing it are rare capabilities.

Congrats,
1B

Nicely done!

I have to agree with what everyone else has said Ian...You did a fantastic job!...

Yep, great stuff.

Please make mine a 308.

Can I get delivery by Christmas . . . .

BMT

Beautiful! I wish I had half of your skills with wood and metal.
BP

Thanks for sharing the excellent results of your skills and talent.

Beautiful work. Congratulations on a job well-done. I am curious - just how did you remove the break-down lever? I could never figure out how to remove the lever on the rifle that I have. Thanks.
Bandukwallah

Bandukwallah,

Yeah, I couldn't see how to remove it either... so I stopped trying and just kind of worked around it. Did you checker yours yourself, and if not, may I ask who did?

Regards,

Ian

I checkered my rifle myself.

I especially like your choice of the .25-35. That is exactly what I would like to do to mine. Did you remove the old barrel from the mono-block and reuse it? I assume the barrels are simply soldered into the blocks. Any details you can give would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bandukwallah

WOW! that is stunning to say the least. That's a rifle I could keep for a lifetime and never grow tired of. Amazing work and your ability to see it's potential should also be commended.

Thanks for sharing!

Terry

The barrels are soldered and pinned (if you look carefully underneath each flat edge of the block, you'll see a blind pin) so the pins are drilled/extracted and then the barrel removed. I chose to just replace the barrel as the factory one has a bit of a funky taper to it... straight taper for a foot or so and then no taper from then on out. After the new barrel is soldered, the blind pin holes are redrilled (enlarged just a bit) and new pins secured. I went ahead and fitted #8 screws through both block and barrel when mounting the rib for a couple more nails in the coffin.

Terry,

I've been lurking on this forum long enough to get a sense of certain people's taste and overall devotion to rifle looniness... your comment has made my day.

Again, a most excellent job! I really like the way you fashioned the quarter rib and attached the scope. I have a couple of Lyman Alaskans that would work very nicely on mine, if I had proper mounts.

Wow !! I'm impressed !!
Nice work - very classy

I'm jealous -- both of your skills and of the results. Tip of the hat, for sure. Dutch.

Very nice job Ian. Enjoy.

-

I'd like to thank Big Redhead for bumping this. I am quite covetous.

Just found this thread.

That's some outrageously fine taste and craftsmanship you've demonstrated.

Way cool.....you're a true craftsman.

OldSlowDog, Bristoe, rbmsmjr, Big Redhead, Dutch, Blacktail53, and others,

Thank you very much for all the kind words; they've given me a new pride of ownership for this little rifle and enthusiasm to start another project.

I just recently picked up another of these 110 rifles for next to nothing since this time it was just a barreled action for some reason. I tried the new barrel against my breach and was happy to discover that it locks up just as tight. Then I checked the scrap pile and rescued a nice, straight-grained, 24" long stick that was cut off the same blank.

So my question to the group is, should I use this extra barreled action (I guess just the monoblock, and throw away the rest) to make a second, switch barrel? I could experiment with makng a full-length forearm... mabey a carbine length in .357 Maximum? Or should a just make a whole new rifle in some other caliber?

Since you're obviously capable of doing it, and you have what's necessary to do so, make another rifle. In addition to being something to take pride in and enjoy, rifles like you're building are "money in the bank".

I like your choice of the .357 Maximum chambering, also. I shot a 10" .357 Max Contender in IHMSA for quite some time. It's as easy to load as a .38 special and generates near the energy of a .35 Remington.

They perform very well with cast bullets, also,..if that's one of your interests.

Greetings. My 1st post here. Beautiful work, Ian. I recently purchased a 110 in 222 Rem. This one here: url: http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=118553679
I probably paid too much, but I really like it. The butt stock is loose, and I can't see what kind of fitting is waaay down in there. Is it a metric allen, or nut? My old eyes just can't see it. Are there any schematics available for this rifle? Thanks in advance, and thanks Ian for sharing your project.
Steve

Ian, that's superb work!

I have a thing for switch-barrel guns and break-open actions, having a couple different barrel sets for the BRNO ZH3XX series, which I guess is a bigger sibling to the 110. So with that disclaimer, my choice would be a second barrel for the existing receiver and keep the second one as a spare. You could make up a nice fitted case for both. That stock deserves it.

With regards to the caliber/cartridge: The .357 maximum sounds like a nifty modern riff on the old Rook Rifle concept. And from what my friends with .357 Magnum rifles say, it should be a barn-burner coming from a longer pipe.

On the other hand, I have daydreams about something like this chambered in .30-40 Krag or 7x65R. That may have too much overlap with the .25-35, however....

I'll keep my eyes open to see where you go with this.

Rick

VA - thanks. We'll see if it makes meat soon... I've got an appetite for some late season hasenpfeffer.


MMPsteve - Yours looks much better than the one I started with. The metal on mine looked like it had been blasted with something very coarse and parkerized. They must have made a tarted-up version by the look of yours with its better (and checkered) stock, etc. Besides the ubiquitous plastic butt plate, you have to like the fact that the only two ingredients in these little guys are walnut and steel. As far as the draw bolt, I remember the tennon being an M5, but the head is a 1/2" hex. Slip the socket on your 12" extension and you�re in business. Hope this helps,

Ian

Ian (VA),

I have seen this thread last year and was awed into silence.

Been back a couple times to look at the pictures. Great work.

May I ask how the story continued?

Best wishes,

You definately turned a sow's ear into a silk purse. Fantastic job!

I hardly ever look in this forum but some nice old man told me I should look at this, so I did. I'm really glad I got to see these pictures, and congratulate you on your abilities. Nicely done!


Oh yeah, the nice old man was jimmyd223.

Jeez, guys, thanks! As an update, I can say that I have successfully stalked a couple pieces of paper so far with this rifle. Here are a couple of 5-shot groups at 50 yds (it's a stalking rifle, don't you know) with a load of 4198 and 90gr. Sierra BTHP's:



Also, I was given the rifle I had been trying to replicate as a surprise gift by my family, a genuine Blaser K95! Here they are together:

Ian,

Thank you for the update. Congratiolations on so thoughtfull a family.

I do hope you also like the Blaser.

Please take the comment in the compassionate feeling it is offered - I think, just from the pictures - were it me, I would reach for the 'Poor Man's K95' with monotous regularity. That I say, thinking highly of the Baronesse.

Your rifle beats the Blazer hands down in the looks department!

I'll add one more for the "your rifle looks better than the Blazer" crowd.

Hands down.

FRIGGIN UNREAL. You obviously have some very good talent as I think that is beyond most here. Great Job!

Many thanks for the kind words guys. I'm lucky to have two little stalking rifles to take on future walks now, each special in their own way. I have to say that for as nice a rifle as the K95 is, and realistically a lot more capable in it's 6.5x55 chambering, the homemade one sure feels handy in a one-hand grip down at my side. Even though it's all steel vs. aluminum, it even feels a bit lighter.

I've never seen a K95 in 6.5x55, Lord have Mercy man, a man shouldn't be allowed to own two such perfect rifles in a lifetime!

This needs be periodically BTT.

awesome!!!

Ian, truly remarkable!!

That is awesome!
I am the one who sold that rifle to Ian.
What a set of skills you have Ian.
Beautiful!

So, FVA, you basically sold him that rifle. All he did was take away the wrapping.

I would get it back - and make him pay for the shavings.

Steel is about 800$/ ton. On that lever alone he must have netted 100 bucks.

grin

Yeah! He owes me big time for such a sweet deal

I still have it's twin in 222 Remington.

Where do we ship to get this work done and how long is the wait...

Seriously, beautiful work...

Super job. A family heirloom to be sure.

So, inquireing minds want to know. Ian, please spin us a yarn. Did you get to the field with your poor mans blaser, yet?

Please post pics.

:-)

Thanks to CMG's post I stumbled on this thread. Ian, your skill is just astounding. When I see the K-95 and your rifle side by side I would take your rifle. Your talent is superb.

Rare when a Blaser K95 takes 2nd place in a stalking rifle competition to a basement build.

Your workmanship and style in executing this rifle is first class. Hopefully it has taken much game since complition.

Beautifull work and please don't take this the wrong way but I guess you can polish up a turd! I'm not so sure about it being a poor man's rifle though as if you had to pay someone to do work like that it might have been cheaper to just buy a Blaser!

I wonder, if this rifle is still around. Sadly, we can't see pics anymore.

Wow, I seldom like old threads when they come up, but I read most of this one and liked it. Back in March I bought a Ruger #3 in 25-35, stuck a Leupold 1.5X5 on it, and it instantly turned into one of my most accurate guns, and it's just a blast to shoot. Love the 25-35. I'm doing a search now just to see what the Brno looked like before, sorry I missed the after.

For those that would like to see this gun, I did a search for Brno ZBK 110, and a bunch of pics came up with links to the guns. Several of the links were back to the campfire and still had the pics.

Wish the pictures were still up!

They are on line, I found a few, some may have the photobucket logo in them. But, I think I saw a few nice ones.