98 Mauser barreled action...what to do??!!

So, I have a possible winter project. A Turkish M38 ANKARA barreled action with bottom metal. It's still 100% military intact, in fine condition, and was a rather good shooter before the original stock cracked beyond repair and I traded it off to someone who wanted the ancillary stock components. My plan at the time, when they were common as ticks on a farm dog, was to shorten the barrel to 20", re-crown, get a scope bolt handle fit, drill and tap, re-stock and make a handy semi-custom deer rifle for my BIL's graduation present. Well, he went off the rails, and can no-longer be around firearms, so that project was put in the 'forgotten' pile for several years and now I am ready to revisit. I still have a pretty nice piece of thumbhole walnut cut for the rifle, a vintage Weaver tip off mount and bases to preserve iron sight capability (I'd have to fit a front sight), and the low scope Buehler style safety. Would still make a pretty easy sporter build. Nothing fancy, just a utilitarian rifle that hits a bit harder at closer ranges with heavy bullets and carries a bit handier than my .280 Rem rifle which is a similar build but with a heavy 24" shilen tube.

Option A: Build the sporter and make "The Death Ray Two Eight Zero" jealous for all eternity as I'd probably carry the 8mil more given the heavy cover I currently hunt?

Option B: Attempt to source a Turk M38 stock and do the simple restoration to military configuration, likely to re-sell as I'm not a big fan of barlycorn sights?

Option C: Sell the package and/or components.

All opinions welcome, even ones I haven't thought of or don't agree with. Since I know it will come up, I do reload, so 8mm is no issue. 8mm-06 might be interesting, but not sure if I'd gain any significant advantage thusly. I'm more of a bullet placement than horsepower kind of guy, and the 7,92x57 round with a 196-200gr BT has all the oompa I could desire in such a rifle.

redneck2 said:

Back in 50-60’s and the plethora of cheap milsurps and relatively expensive center fire rifles, sporterizing a milsurp made sense. As that is no longer the case and any alteration to an unmolested military rifle is considered a greater heresy than sacrificing a virgin, I’d sell it as is.

I suspect you can get enough to buy a factory new rifle that will be more accurate, easier to use, and worth more than the sporterized version.

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Yes, with full understanding of the practicality and economics of this approach, I'm just not a fan of most modern rifles. I like the Mauser 98 platform, and like to hunt with rifles that have a generous dose of my blood, sweat and tears soaked into the walnut. I already have the parts for this build, and know the base rifle has good accuracy potential that I will be hard pressed to equal with another barreled action or sporterized rifle I could pick up to work with. I also hate to chop an intact military rifle, hence my dilemma.

To add mud to the water, I found the stock parts needed to restore the action. Cost ballpark $120 not including shipping, and condition is a bit of a crapshoot. Real world selling prices of Turk M38s running $250-$350, and I'm probably on the low end as parts will be a mismatch and that is not taking auction commission or FFL fee into account.

I already have the stock. Richards Microfit dual grip in semi-fancy American Walnut. I think West KY made up my mind for me.