[Roadwild17]

I would like to get a nice mill-surp rifle chambered in a readily available round. I guess it would be a project gun because I would like to throw a diff stock on it and maby some half descent optics for a range of about 300 yards, probably scratch the optics. Anyone have any suggestions or places to research?

[ocabj]

The Mauser is the most common gun used in sporterizing. The action is sound and there are lots of aftermarket parts available for it.

But in my opinion, you're better off getting a Savage instead of putting money into building a rifle out of a milsurp.

Plus,

http://www.ocabj.net/images/kittens_sporterize.jpg

[Smokey Joe]

Roadwild17--You'll hear a LOT of "stuff" from crufflers who want every milsurp that ever was, preserved as a museum piece.

This is America. You buy it, you can do what you want with it. There are enough of many milsurps to supply every cruffler's private museum, PLUS supply everybody who wants to take a really well-made action and turn it into something unique.

Get yrself a Mauser M-48. Cheap currently, brand new even if 50 yrs old, and there are lots of retro parts available for it. (But DON'T get ripped off buying it from Mitchell's Mausers!) Not historically significant, they never fought in WWII, and there are thousands of them available right now. Built like most Mausers, that is to say, like a brick pizzeria.

BTW, I made a pseudo-scout of one--cost me a lot less than a new Savage of comparable quality. Can't quite drive tacks with it @ 200yd, but believe me, the wild pigs will never know the difference.

As to God killing those kittens, Ocabj, could you direct His attention to the feral litter in my woodshed?

[Cosmoline]

As far as mounting optics, there are a number of options. The easiest is to use a no-drill scout style rear sight leaf replacement mount. Beyond that, the mounts can get pretty complex and are easy to screw up. Believe me I've seen the results and it's not pretty. But the real question is, what are you planning on using it for? How much shooting are you going to do with it? For many applications you can save yourself the trouble of optics and just use the irons.

[jonnyc]

With your criteria in mind, I think you would be happy with (in decending order):
1. A Mauser in 7.92x57
2. An Indian 2A1 in 7.62x51
3. A Mosin-Nagant rifle or carbine in 7.62x54R
4. An SKS in 7.62x39.

[slzy]

thats not a bad deal on the kittens

[mrmeval]

Ishapore Enfield 2A or 2A1 chambers the Nato 7.62 round. The receiver was built from the start to handle the pressure. You can find some Gibbs sporterized ones that are non-C&R and have lost mil-surp value for a reasonable price. For a complete and correct mil-surp I'd recommend an ATI stock so that you can preserve the wood and stock metal but still use it. I would not cut the barrel. That way you can return it to it's original configuration. They shoot extremely well. They hold 12 rounds in a magazine that is not intended to be swapped but filled from strippers or manually.

Cost 200 - 300 give or take.

[mrmeval]

If you had a C&R you could get a Turkish Mauser for under 90 from SOG shipped right to your door though you need to have the headspace checked!.
I have one I paid 80 for because the seller didn't know how to fix the jammed magazine. :confused: It's got a darkish bore but shoots sweet.

This fellow has some 'shooter grade' No FFL 8mm turk mausers that have stocks and are various prices. He did have some barreled actions. They make a nice SHTF rifle that you can ship without Federal license to any state that allows an antique. They work fine with modern ammo afaik but have it checked by a gun smith. The barreled action he shipped a friend was extremely nice. These have a foreend ring that you need to remove or you need to inlet a modern stock for. This could be rebarreled for .308 but it and two cases of 8mm ammo is cheap.

http://www.milsurp-parts.com/1893%20Turk%20Mauser%20-%20Rifle.htm

[Kymasabe]

Mausers are probably the most common and you'll get lots of people recommending them. Me...personally...I can't stand them. I'm a Mosin-Nagant fan. If you look in Shotgun News, you can find Mosin 91/30 rifles in the $60-$70 range and the carbines are a little more. I've got a great '53 Polish M44 carbine that I paid $89 for. For sporterizing, I'd recommend the Mosin M38 carbine. No bayonet mount, short barrel, you can stick the thing in a cheap ATI stock if you want, there are lots of parts available for them, and lots and lots of cheap ammo. I bought 440 rounds of Polish surplus ammo for $35 and a 440 of Russian for $39. (7.62x54R). I just bought a beat-up Chinese Mosin T53 carbine for $40. Previous owner made a mess of the stock but I stripped it and stained it, put on some tung oil and a boiled linseed oil/turpentine/beeswax mix and the thing looks great now.

Regarding Mausers...if you absolutely must buy a Mauser...check out the Yugo 24/47's. They're plenty of them around and they can be had for around $125. They didn't see as much action as the German ones so chances are stocks, bores, and lands are in better condition.

For a beautiful, finely crafted Mil-Surp that you'll never need to modify (and probably couldn't if you tried)...practically a tack-driver as is...check out a Swiss K31.

[rangerruck]

you can go to any gunshow, and find sporterized mausers, 03 springfields, and 6.5 swedes. i personally like the 6.5 swedes, they are usually Calr Gustav models, meticulously kept in up in good condition by the swedes, now sporterized by kimber, or howa, and they both do a fine job.

[yodar]

I have a 1935 CZ Brno VZ 27 action that I sent to a gunsmith to bebarrell in 7.62 x 39. He altered the folllower, selected the best bolt/extractor combo and duracoated it

Put back in military stock with original military sights (which I cant SEE any more) You cant tell anythings been done to it

Shoots pleasantly but needs a scope

Yodar

[Davo]

I have a k31 w/tactical scope that I use to kill balloons out to 600yds, with no permanent mods done to the rifle. What fun.