I want to buy a milsurp rifle and put a sporter stock on it!

[stevekl]

Hey yall

I posted on another forum my desire to buy a cheap milsurp and sporterize it. This was met with criticizm and cries of "Leave history alone!". Apparently I was getting my terms mixed up. Does sporterize neccesarily mean chopping up the rifle and/or stock? Because all I want to do is replace the stock with a sporty synthetic (or laminate) stock. I don't want to re-work the metal or chop the original stock at all. Is that not 'sporterize'?

Well, anyway, I need to choose a rifle. I think I have narrowed it down to two: A SMLE No.4 or a Czech VZ-24.

A few things for me to consider-

1) As a rifle, I like the SMLE. I like rear peep sights and I like the push-to-cock smoothness of the SMLE's action. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy the fine Czech engineering on the VZ-24, it's just that the SMLE sounds a little more interesting.

2) Ammunition and availability. This i'm not sure about. I'd like to go with the caliber that is cheaper to shoot. I have seen both 8mm Mauser and .303 at the stores and online, and although I can't say this for sure, I THINK I see surplus 8mm more often. But I also see commercial .303 alot more than commercial 8mm. I don't reload, so what do you think would be cheaper to shoot?

3) Replacement stock availability. This one i'm clueless on. All I know is that I do not like Advanced Technology and would like to stay away from their products. Other than that, I don't know. I'm willing to spend around $100 for a good synthetic or laminate stock. So can you guys recomend any good brands? And, by the way, I actually would prefer a laminate over a synthetic. Infact my ideal stock would be one of those cool red-white-blue colored laminates you see on .22 target rifles. I like those for some reason, heh. But, anyway, what do you think?

 

[Mike Hull]

I say it's your money, and your rifle. You do what you want with it. Don't let others dictate what you do with either.

There are literally millions of pieces of firearms "history" floating around out there. More than enough to supply every "collector", present, and future, for a very long time.

 

[patentmike]

You could go with a M1917 and get a peep sight in a 30.06. Numrich has "sporty" stocks. They might have them for the other Enfields as well.

 

[rbernie]

1) The Enfield Mk4No1 has a great rear sight setup (compared to the Mauser) - you'll enjoy shooting it mo'. The Enfield can be corrected for headspace issues without the need for a gunsmith. That ROCKS.

2) There is some 303 MilSurp ammo out there, but not as much floating around as there is for 8mm Mauser. But you are also correct that you can get any amount of commercial ammo for the 303 (mostly in 180gr softpoints but also in 150gr Federal and Hornady Light Magnum flavors) whereas the commercial loadings for the 8mm are far mo' scarce. The commercial 303 stuff tends to run about $.75 per round. If you want accuracy and to potentially the rifle to hunt, etc. - the Enfield is better. If you want cheap plinking round without reloading - the Mauser (for now) is probably better.

3) ATI makes the only Enfield synthetic stock that I know of. I have several Enfields that have been sporterized with Fajen and other brand walnut Monte Carlo stocks, but not with synthetic stocks. There are more folks out there making Mauser stocks than Enfield stocks. In this regard, the Mauser is easier to sporterize than the Enfield.

By the way, this is what you can end up with if you use a walnut Fajen stock:

 

[captain obvious]

NOOOOOO!!!!!

Don't ruin an Enfield!

If you have to sporterize a milsurp, sporterize a Nagant - there are plenty of them to go around.

 

[Coltdriver]

One thing is for certain. If a rifle can be had for under $200 it is certainly not rare!

Sporterize to your hearts content!

 

[kfranz]

I don't believe you are sporterizing. You are simply preserving the historical wood stock, whilst maintaining the usage of the weapon.

Quality surplus 8mm is much more common(and less expensive) at this particular time. You should be able to track down both rifles in the sub $150 category, so I'd suggest you donate some plasma and buy both....

 

[Shane333]

You could always buy a Saiga. It's a military rifle that comes with a sporterized stock already installed.

 

[stevekl]

NOOOOOO!!!!!

Don't ruin an Enfield!

If you have to sporterize a milsurp, sporterize a Nagant - there are plenty of them to go around.

That's the kind of thing I was talking about. I'm not gonna ruin it! Where in my post did I talk about irreversibly changing the rifle? I'm just gonna take the old stock off and put a new one on, that's it. I may decide I like the old stock and put it back on, who knows. That's it! I'm not chopping or cutting anything.

 

[stevekl]

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask.

A VZ-24 is pretty much a standard 'large ring' mauser, right? Should any stock made for a K98 fit a VZ-24, then?

I've heard that most stocks won't fit a Yugo M48, so i'm making sure.

 

[Skofnung]

I am fond of Enfields. If you find an all matching parts type gun, don't monkey with it. Replacing the stock is OK, so liong as you keeo the old one for later.

If you find a gun with mismatched parts or the like, sporterize to your hearts content. BUT, Please do a good job if you do. I hate seeing butcher type jobs.

Bear in mind that 1903 Springers and Garands, even 1911's used to sell for very cheap. The days of $50 Mosins and $80 Enfields won't last forever. Our good buddies over at the UN building are seeing to that slowly but surely.

While I have never handled one, I have heard good things about Ramline stocks for Enfields. I may get one in the future.

http://www.hoosiergunworks.com/catalog/ramline.html#Others

 

[Norman Dog]

Midsouth Shooter's Supply has a few differnt stocks for Mausers.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/

 

[Okiecruffler]

The M48 is an "intermediate" length action, and most aftermarket stocks won't work, although a few people are making stocks for them now that everyone and their their brother has one.
Many more options for sporterizing a Mauser than an Enfield. Mauser is cheaper to shoot with military ammo, and much easier to find cheap ammo for. I see alittle more commercial ammo for the .303 than the 8mm, and most 8mm commercial you find is so downloaded you may as well be shooting a 30-30. Very little stuff out there for the Mosins.
I used to be of the "Don't touch it or go to hell" camp, but I've seen so many really nice sporterized rifles that I can't fault someone who does it right. There's a big difference between sporterizing and bubbifying.

 

[jefnvk]

You are definitely not sporterizing it, in the traditional sense. What you are doing, I have no problem with.

1. The Enfield is my absolute favorite battle rifle (well, I haven't tried a Garand yet). Just don;t find it as crude as some other rifles

2. Surplus 8mm is probably the cheapest centerfire ammo on the market right now. Down to 7,62x39 prices, cheaper if you look around. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a 1400 rd crate at the last gunshow, for $90. .303 is available, but not in any real quantity to make it cheaper then commercial. Commercial availability is about the same for both, IMHO.

3. No idea, I leave mine as they are.

Sounds like a 1917 may be what you want. Good ones will cost you. I found one with the US markings removed for about $150. Next time I went in the store, they had one with the markings. Mine was actually in better condition, but the markings alone moved this one up to $450.
Maybe you could find a pre-sporterized one, they shouldn't run more then $200. Also, make less people mad that you sporterized it, if it was already ruined.

 

[DrDremel]

If you want to do an Enfield I have an easy solution. I have a #4 MK1 in a Synthetic stock with a 16 1/4 inch barrel. It has a Molycote finish and is in excellent condition. There is only one thing needed. A front sight. I got it as payment for some work for a friend and never got around to finishing it. I will sell it for $125.00 That is more than an Enfield and the stock would cost.

 

[critter]

The VZ24 is a fine gun, a mauser 98 and can be fornd in great shape and cheap. Millions were made so no collector value. Ammo is plentiful. Midway has MANY aftermarket parts for them (I got a flyer today in fact) or you can go to midwayusa.com. Several different kinds of stocks-bolt on with recoil pads and sling swivels for $100 or under. Ammoman.com can fix you up with ammo-priced with no shipping to your door.

Have fun! I have several in different stages of original to 'custom'.

 

[riddleofsteel]

Here is a Swedish Mauser I sporterized some years ago. I cut down and recrowned the barrel, refinished it in a matte blue, installed a low safety, drilled and tapped for scope base and cut down-refinished the stock. I cornered the local market on Tru-oil for a couple of months.
LOL

 

[goon]

I would suggest that you either go with the Enfield or Mauser for a hunting rifle. Either will do most anything that needs doing short of the big, mean bears.
As much as I love my M-39, the Mosin Nagant safety is a PITA to deal with. You either go through the contortionist act to get it off or carry the rifle with an empty chamber.
With both the Mauser and the Enfield you can carry with a round in the chamber and the safety on. This is an advantage.

FYI, I will be hunting with a "bubbafied" SMLE this year. I plan to restock it at some point, but it does just fine for now.

 

[cracked butt]

Riddleofsteel- I like your rifle, but it makes me want to cry at the same time.

I've been thinking that an 1896 would be about the ideal rifle to sporterize, but I could never be put in the right frame of mind to cut up and drill one of my babies.

I'm torn

OTOH, I'm starting to think a K-31 would be a good way to go. They are very accurate and incredibly cheap. I wouldn't be suprised if Remington or Winchester starts making ammo for them in a few years as well.