Un-Bubba My Mauser

[Dr.Rob]

After a few weeks of anxious waiting I got my replacement stock and iron from RiechTrade on Friday.

The stock and hardware was exactly as ordered, a small repaired chip and a second reinforcing bolt. My plan was to restore my bubba-ed Mauser to a wartime look.

In that I could have bid on a really nice stock with matching numbers... but since my BRNO 98 has the crest ground off... I wasn't terribly keen on shelling out a hundred or more for a stock on E-bay. I may eventually buy a stock from Boyd's, but for now this will do.

Today's work included a thorough soak of the hardware in a bucket of Ed's Red, and a good scrub down of the wood with Ed's to remove all cosmoline and grime from storage. Afterwards a complete wipe down with mineral spirits followed.

Tomorrow after it's all dried I'll put a fresh mix of boiled linseed oil and turpentine together over to put a little moisture back into the wood.

I'm going to paint the inside of the cupped butt-plate with rustoleum before reassembly.

The story of the rifle:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=204532

 

[EvisceratorSrB]

I find it interesting that that stock has a metal "silver" looking buttplate. Hmmm...

My K98K stock has a black one. All matching numbers BTW. Were there just different German K98K stocks made?

 

[cracked butt]

I have one just like that, Its a Czech gun, the cupped buttplate should be 'in the white" Though the takedown donut in the stock is usually not present on these rifles, nor is the stock usually drilled to accept a cleaning rod.

 

[cracked butt]

Were there just different German K98K stocks made?

Yes, earlier modles had a standard flat buttplate that should be blued, later models use a stamped "cupped" buttplate and often laminated stocks. The germans never used stamped triggerguards, those were made after WWII.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Did you get both a front and rear band, as well as a band spring, included in the hardware for your stock? If not, you can try:

http://www.sarcoinc.com

Also, have you shot it yet? I've had good luck with 1970s surplus Yugo 8mm ammo, but like most surplus, it is corrosive so you would need to clean the barrel and bolt face up after each shooting session.

Great job giving a historic rifle back it's military looks.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I haven't shot it yet but I've got like 200 rds laying around for it.

And secondly I've found a number of refs to 1945 "Kreigsmodell' that did indeed have the winter trigger guard.

My guess is it was a surplus gun bought stateside and used for an occasional deer hunt, the 'China' connection would have been neat, but what do you want for a free rifle.

You can see in the original stock where the sling cut and donut were filled in... so that's why I wanted that style.

I got all the hardware and the stock and a front sight hood shipped for $52.

That part was pretty cool.

 

[Dr.Rob]

that front sight hood was a pain to replace.

It's dark out now, pics to follow tomorrow.

 

[MikeH]

that front sight hood was a pain to replace.

A pair of snap ring pliers will save you from much agony.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Yes once I finally found my snap ring pliers it was no big deal...

anyway here she is all cleaned up and ready to shoot.

The repair in the stock is clearly visible but again, I wanted a shooter not a 'collector'.

After 3 scrubs with a 1/3 mix of hot turpentine and boiled linseed oil, the smaller nicks and dents are more visible but so are the laminate layers... from blonde to deep red depending on the light.

Up next?

The shooting test.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Today my brother, my dad and I took turns shooting 3 boxes of 1954 196 gr Yugo ammo, and a half a box of Century commercial 170 gr "Hot Shot" ammo.

This was the best 3 shot string, fired at 50 yards (by my brother, to keep it honest)

The group is high but tight.

I fired a similar tight group with the commercial ammo, but it was 11 inches low, which improved by elevating the rear sight.

The front blade is fine, but this style of target is hard to focus on for me at 100 yards. We didn't get a chance to replace the 100 yard target before it was time to call it a day. My best 50 yard group was around 2 inches, my best at 100 was over 6... pretty sure I can improve that.

We had a few cases that were sticky to eject but no signs of overpressure and even with the steel buttplate, pretty comfortable to shoot.

I think we'll be shooting it some more.

 

[Cosmoline]

Looks great!