Call it "bubba'd" if you want.

[Storm]

If we say that something is bubba-ed when it can't be turned back to its original condition, then I know a lot of competition shooters who would take offense to their gun being said to be a "bubba".

I tend to agree with that. But, the 1916 that I bought, which was in a sporter stock (still a project gun) only needed to have the guts of the gun removed and dropped in an original stock to bring it back to "as original". Had he hacked off an inch of barrel or tapped the receiver for a scope the gun could never go back.

I think that the image of a hack with a hacksaw is a good one, if not totally inclusive of the breed.

Again, have fun, that's the main thing. What makes one man cringe makes another salivate.

 

[MCgunner]

I also have less of a problem with people who are experimenting with new forms using old parts. That at least is using imagination and who knows, it may hit on something interesting. But why o why would you go to all that trouble just to make an old rifle look exactly like every other modern American hunting rifle out there?

Hey, if it's MY rifle and it makes me happy, go buy your own and do what you want to with it. I don't have a sporter at the moment, have done 'em out of a 7x57 spanish mauser and dressed up a SKS before. That Mauser was a 60 dollar gun and left the 20" barrel and military stock on it. All I did was have it drilled and tapped, mounted a scope, and turned down the bolt, total of about 120 bucks in the gun less scope. It made for a rugged hunting rifle until I got other "remchesters" in my collection. I sold it to a guy at work for $150 after I'd shot a few deer with it. Think I didn't like about it was the rapid twist rate and the fact that it only seemed to like 175 grain round nose bullets.

 

[Cosmoline]

Nobody is saying you can't, I'm saying you should think twice before you cut. That twist rate you disliked makes that particular rifle excellent for taking surprisingly large game--IF you know how to load for it.

Oh, and your "60 dollar gun", well here it is going for near four bills

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=133612660

As the seller notes, its "Getting a lot harder to find these in original condition."

 

[Storm]

And, McGunner, you ended up with a heck of a rifle in a great caliber. My two little 1916's, both restored from rather bad sporters, make me happy because of the historical aspect and experiencing them as they were used in combat. Your enjoyment is a fine hunting rifle. It's all about what makes you grin.

On another note, you really can't give Bubba too broad of a definition or all of those SL8/G36, USC/UMP and Saiga converters out there are going to have something to say about it all

 

[MCgunner]

I was always a little worried about loading that little mauser up to excessive levels being the older 93 cocks on closing action. But, ain't much around here a 175 grain round nose at 2400 fps can't stop. LOL!

I bought the gun as a cheap project, not for collection purposes. But, I guess I could have bought two and kept one if I'd thought it'd ever be worth anything, LOL! I sold it because I bought a "remchester" I liked better in 7mm, actually a Savage 110 in 7 Rem Mag. Anything a 7x57 can do, a 7 Rem Mag can do, after all.

I still have a 8x57 Hakim semi auto battle rifle WITH bayonet I bought for range fun and that I thought it'd be worth something someday being a bit rare with an odd action. That thing is 12 lbs if it's an ounce and about 20 feet long. ROFL! Even BUBBA wouldn't bubba that thing. LOL! But, for 80 bucks, I just had to have it. Wish I'd bought a couple of cases of 'em, but you just never know. I also have an unbubbaed 1888 Commission rifle in 8x57S, arsenal converted from the original J caliber. I gave $27.50 for it and it's in VG condition. Only thing I've ever shot with it is snakes on a farm tank. LOL I've fired up about 400 rounds through it over that time, just sits in a closet. Not exactly bubba material either. I just got it for the same reason people buy Mosins, cheap, goes bang. LOL Mosins are more practical guns to actually USE, though, the short ones, anyway. I might get one of those if I still had an FFL just for grins. I wouldn't bubba it, just get it for cheap thrills. They are kinda fun to shoot and major bargains for todays dollar, but I remember when they were going for 40 bucks back in the early 90s. I'm surprised I didn't get one or three. LOL!

 

[R.W.Dale]

Nobody is saying you can't, I'm saying you should think twice before you cut. That twist rate you disliked makes that particular rifle excellent for taking surprisingly large game--IF you know how to load for it.

Oh, and your "60 dollar gun", well here it is going for near four bills
also note the number of bids

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=133612660

As the seller notes, its "Getting a lot harder to find these in original condition."

just sayin, the seller can ask for that all he wants doesn't mean anyone will bid

check out the bids on this one
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=133516822

but don't find the most overpriced gunbroker auction and post it as though it means anything other than how overinflated the seller feels the value of his item is. In fact in all of GB "bolt actions" using the search term Spanish there isn't a single item with bids

 

[jimmyraythomason]

One of my conversions.

A 1950s vintage Colombian Mauser originally chambered in 30.06. I converted it to .308. Did ALL the work myself except for installing the barrel and setting headspace. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5285806#post5285806 (post #32 before and after.)

 

[Bob R]

You want bubba...well..do ya?

For every well executed modified milsurp posted in this thread there is one of these, or worse (I don't know how though), lurking in the basements of the world.

What you are about to see is a 21st century rifle built utilizing a 19th century platform. You will either understand what I've designed and built or you won't. If you don't get it, please refrain from e-mailing me your position on the matter. This rifle is built on an ANTIQUE receiver dated 1896 and has a Finnish M-39, SK. Y. barrel.

GB 133958752

I.... I..... I.... am speechless, yep, that's it, speechless.

bob

 

[R.W.Dale]

OK now that's hilarious

I especially like the homemade square tubing brake

and all for the low low price of $1200, which just goes to show stupid can extend beyond craftsmanship and engineering but to retail as well.

I wonder where your cheek is supposed to go?

 

[Olympus]

The problem I have is with post-WWII "upgrades" that inevitably involve making the classic military rifle into something that looks as close as possible to a Remchester. The tangent sights are removed, the bolt bent and a receiver scope added. It's totally pointless today when you can get an off-the-shelf Savage in that configuration for minimal cost. And it reveals a total lack of imagination on the part of the shooters who do it. They only understand how to shoot a remchester style rifle with a scope, so that's what they want all other rifles to look like. There's no appreciation for the qualities they're hacking away. It is arrogant and narrow-minded. Not so much reviving a vintage roadster as trying to make a vintage roadster look and function like a modern SUV.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. It's not totally pointless. Nobody rebuilds a military rifle anymore because it is cost effective. That used to be the case long ago when sport rifles were much more expensive than military rifles and when gunsmith services could be used to convert the military rifle into a sporter. That was how "sporterizing" first came about. But now, someone would really have be clueless to think they can sporterize a military rifle for cheaper than they can buy a modern commercial rifle off the shelf. The reasons why people have chosen to sportize a military rifle are varied and there are threads upon threads about why they have been done. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone that has done it because it was cheaper.

It's not arrogance or narrow-mindedness either. Reviving a historic military rifle by refurbishing it will almost certainly reduce its value. If you take a beat up and abused WWII artifact and rebarrel, reblue, and refinish the stock, you've just hurt the value of that rifle. Just because people put scopes on a rifle doesn't mean they don't understand how to use iron sights. I'm sure you drive a vehicle with power steering and power brakes. You don't see anyone saying that you have a lack of imagination because you don't drive a vehicle that doesn't have power steer or brakes. Nobody is saying you're arrogant or narrow-minded because of that either. It's an evolutionary process.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I just love to pick up Bubba's rejects. They're always cheap, usually loaded with good parts, and, whatever happens, there's no guilt attached.

Build whatever I want with whatever I've got.

Then, if I don't like its look or it doesn't do the job, I can scrap it and start over.

For the fun (and experience) of it!

 

[Nanook]

Olympus, and gunlover06, I may not know everything about milsurp rifles.

But you guys each have an excellent and beautiful rifle. Both of those rifles are flat out gorgeous, whatever their origins.

Good job, both of you.

 

[Deckard]

And, speaking of a K98 bullpup: http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIte...Item=133670277 I'd own that rifle in a heartbeat.

Gag.

 

[Olympus]

Nanook...thanks for the kind words. I didn't want to rush the project and make it look like a "bubba". It took me a little over two years to finish the project. It shoots even better than it looks.

 

[dirtyjim]

i'll even bubba a remchester
i bought a brand spankin new remington 799 mini mauser & started choppin on it as soon as i got it home. the goal is to end up with a pre-WWI british style sporting rifle, but on a smaller scale. right now i'm still working the stock so i can have it duplicated. its got a lot of drop & a little bit of cast off. the grip has been swept way back & the forearm shortened in the british style. i still have a lot of shaping to do before its ready for the duplicator.


the triggerguard was cut in half right infront of the triggerbow & the triggerbow was welded back on .150 higher to give the look of a drop box. i then made a new front section for the triggerbow & welded it inplace. i still have to cut the slot for the in the bow release & rework the back of the floorplate into a straddle style. the original trigger was replaced with a sako trigger that fit the shape of the bow a lot better. i will weld on a extended tang to the back of the receiver with the safety mounted in it. i've stated on the thumb cut in the side of the receiver, the rear bridge will also be cut for a stripper clip slot & get a single square bridge welded on.

sights are coming from recknagel in germany, it will get a banded rear with one standing & one folding along with a banded front. a barrel band swivel will also come from recknagel.
i'll have to get a oberndorf style bolt handle machined in the right scale to fit this rifle.

there was no way i could leave it looking like this.

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

 

[Cosmoline]

And a puppy dies everytime you do it!

 

[Olympus]

You'd be hard pressed to find a commercial-made rifle that is identical to mine.

And that argument doesn't hold much weight in my book. It's like saying that every rifle with a sporter-style stock and scope are all the same.

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

You'd be hard pressed to find a commercial-made rifle that is identical to mine.

Richard's Stocks can be placed on anything.

And that argument doesn't hold much weight in my book. It's like saying that every rifle with a sporter-style stock and scope are all the same

They aren't all the same, they do have different logos on them.

 

[gunlover_06]

Nanook Sir
Thank you for the compliment, the rifle started out as swedish model 1896 in 6.5x55 the barrel was crap, reciever was in good shape but needed some work, so I had my smith blueprint and true up the action, Then he installed a Douglas number 4 contour fluted barrel, Timney trigger that breaks like glass,bedded and floated the barrel,boyds stock D&T the reciever and she shoots like a dream.

Now would I have done this to an all matching nice milsurp absolutely NO but would never tell someone else they should'nt

 

[Olympus]

Richard's Stocks can be placed on anything.

There's a lot more to making a rifle than just the stock, my friend.

They aren't all the same, they do have different logos on them.

Among other things...

 

[jimmyraythomason]

If you've ever bought a Richard's Microfit stock,then you know your work has just started. Those are the roughest 95% stocks I have ever seen.

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

There's a lot more to making a rifle than just the stock, my friend.

Really?

 

[Olympus]

If you've ever bought a Richard's Microfit stock,then you know your work has just started. Those are the roughest 95% stocks I have ever seen.

You're telling me! That was easily the longest part of the project. I don't know if it was the particular laminated that I got or what, but it would show even the tiniest of scratches. I sanded and sanded and sanded...

Not to mention that it took forever to even get them to ship it to me. Or even answer their phone for that matter.

 

[Storm]

but don't find the most overpriced gunbroker auction and post it as though it means anything other than how overinflated the seller feels the value of his item is. In fact in all of GB "bolt actions" using the search term Spanish there isn't a single item with bids

In all fairness, if you look at completed auctions over the past 90 days you will see several Spanish Mausers, 1893 and 1916, that went for a range (roughly) of $150 to $370. The cited auction is on the high end but is not without precedent. The most common range seems to be $200 to $250.

That said, the Spanish Mauser, especially the 1916, may not be the best rifle to use as an example. Most were arsenal re-chambered from 7x57 to .308 NATO and controversies as to the safety in firing them have abounded. There have also been blatantly false claims that the actions were not heat treated, and those types of claims have hurt values. While it is true that metallurgy in 1893 wasn't what it is today, Spanish Mausers have taken a bad rap that is not totally deserved, except with some exceptions. 7x57 chambered rifles continue to be valued, as is the round.

That all gets to the point of money. While the value of a milsurp can be diminished by modifications, the issue of money goes both ways. Folks do spend quite a bit sporterizing milsurps, and it is questionable if they will ever get it back out of a rifle. The same can also be true with restoring milsurps. For example, a 1916 that I just did cost me $120 with a butchered stock. A "new" military stock ran me $80 and a cleaning rod another $20. All told I probably have $230 in the rifle. If i were to ever sell it, I may only get as little as $150. But, I really don't care as the point of the restoration was not to sell the rifle or make a profit. In fact, to have the rifle I want I am perfectly willing to set myself up to take a loss. The same goes with guys doing sporterizing as they often spend far more than the gun will ever be worth. I really don't think it's about the money. I think that both sides do what they do despite the money, so the economic arguments ring flat with me as accurate as they are.

BTW, all of those botched Bubba's out there really are gold to me, as someone has said, in that I feel no obligations with my restorations, and that whatever I can do to return the gun to "original" is just icing on the cake.