lets see some sporterized army surplus!

[delrom418]

Sporterized military guns are from another time. They were commonly available very cheaply for the most part, and were an affordable alternative for many people to factory made sporters. Nobody ever thought theyd be worth anything, and would have laughed at the idea of leaving them alone so one day they would maybe be worth something. They were worth far more as a decent, affordable hunting rifle to them at the time. Some poorly done guns were made from them, (and so what, they were cheap) and some truly nice guns were made from them. I've had original versions of a number of bolt action military rifles, and a decent or good sporter is head and shoulders above what the guns were in original form as far as handling and shootability. In original form they were heavy, bulky clunkers that handled so-so at best. As sporters, they become a great shooting and handling rifle. They also have far more character than a model factory sporter. I like my sporterized 1903 and commercial Mauser sporter vastly more than the original versions, and much more than any factory produced rifles of today.

That's a good summary. And I'll admit there are some very nice looking sporterized guns done by talented gunsmiths, but................my very next thought is, "Man, I wish that was still original!"

 

[lightning]

SC 03-A3 built by Dad in 1957. Chambered in .30 Gibbs by Rocky himself.
A "poor man's magnum".

 

[johnnydollar]

Well, for the attention-challenged, the title of the thread refers to sporterized army surplus rifles. The OP wanted pictures of said rifles, not your thoughts on how sporterizing an old army rifle was a sin against History. More pics, please!

 

[agtman]

Well, for the attention-challenged, the title of the thread refers to sporterized army surplus rifles. The OP wanted pictures of said rifles, not your thoughts on how sporterizing an old army rifle was a sin against History.

Yeah, but some opinionated folk here on THR can't resist the urge to spooge all over themselves when the opportunity arises ...

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Well, for the attention-challenged, the title of the thread refers to sporterized army surplus rifles. The OP wanted pictures of said rifles, not your thoughts on how sporterizing an old army rifle was a sin against History. More pics, please!
__________________

Thanks for posting that johnnydollar! I had written out a similar post but try as I might I couldn't bring it up to THR requirements!

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I'll admit there are some very nice looking sporterized guns done by talented gunsmiths, but................my very next thought is, "Man, I wish that was still original!"

A lot and I dare say MOST milsurp sporters are of such a garden variety that they are worth as much as sporters as they are all original. An exception is my large ring 98 that is rebarreled in 6.5x55 swede. The receiver is an Oberndorf Gew 98 dated 1899 on the receiver ring. I didn't do the original mods but was able to salvage it and have a very accurate hunting rifle.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Here are just a few of mine.

 

[rcmodel]

And then there is this guy!!!
I dare anyone to call him Bubba!!

Or say the old mil-sups are worth less money now!

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=781458

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=758476

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=776062

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=754385

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=752090

rc

 

[jimmyraythomason]

And then there is this guy!!!

headoftheholler is a true artisan!

 

[browningguy]

I don't mind what other people think, I believe that ratty old milsurps deserve a 2nd chance.

1891 Argentine Mauser, sporterized original stock, peep sight added.



Czech VZ24 Mauser action, rebarreled in 7x57, restocked, drilled and tapped. I hunt with this one almost every year.

 

[johnnydollar]

headoftheholler is a true artisan!

That he is.

 

[HB]

To me many of the sporters have more history than the originally configured milsurps. At least somebody took a weapon of war and put it to peaceful use after a horrific first half of the century.


That and ANY sporter still looks better than the new crop of affordable hunting rifles. Yes my savage axis shoots amazingly well for a 250 dollar gun. But it still feels like a walmart daisy BB gun.


Keep the sporters coming! I have a commercial Mauser but that doesn't quite count.


HB

 

[MountainBear]

At last count, I have two Turk mausers, three swede mausers, two vz24, two German marked mausers, a krag, three 1903, and a few 03a3. All are sporters except one 03a3 and one German Mauser, which is getting restored. All came to me as sporters. I tend to to stockpile as many actions, barreled actions, stocks, and other assorted parts. Eventually I'd like mausers in 7, 8, 6.5, and 9.3x62. And I'd like to have 03's in all the '06 family of cartridges.

I tend not to pull apart good solid military guns. But I enjoy using already partially sporterized guns to build beautiful rifles. I realized years ago that I could never afford a griffin and Howe or the like, so I have to build my own.

Oh, and since I build my own, they are in a constant state of build. Not sure I have any that I think are "done" yet... ;-)

 

[maxxhavoc]

Well, I am not a big fan of sporterized milsurps, but I did buy one, and can share the picture of it. It's not Army, though, it's USMC.


They left the receiver alone, and the stock was reworked very well and bedded nicely. Just not my cup of tea.

Here she is now:

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

...in 1962 when I was 18 years old.

Let's see, now...

20 plus...HOLY COW, YOU'RE OLD!

 

[Nature Boy]

Dad's 03A3. Will be installing a Boyd's laminated stock. Should arrive this week.

 

[HoosierQ]

Let's not pile on.

A. Everybody knows that sporterizing is TODAY unpopular.
B. There are so many guns that were sporterized poorly or incompletely that there are enough old guns already "bubba'd" to keep everybody who wants to build fancy custom guns busy for probably about 100 years.

I passed on a late model springfield '03 (with the peep sight) that just had the original stock cut down. Still had the barrel with the step and the original sites. No tapping. It would have been a great platform to either restore or customize. I passed on $175. No small part because I have neither the time nor the skill to do either. I do regret not buying it.

 

[stoky]

I sorta get the history bit, but I seriously doubt that anyone with a Griffin & Howe '03 or a Schuff's Garand thinks "Man, I wish that was still original!"

 

[mainecoon]

agtman, what is the sling you have on the 30-40 Krag?

 

[agtman]

agtman, what is the sling you have on the 30-40 Krag?

Mainecoon: it's one of those an old HK leather slings, with the hook-thingy removed. Not sure it's going to stay though.

I'm still looking for other candidates that might be the "right" leather sling for this heirloom.

 

[MountainBear]

This is part of my mauser bone pile. There are a few sporters that are further along that are missing from the photo, as well as a few newly acquired pieces. I don't have a photo of my springfields yet.




Only one of the Mauser's in this photo came to me in anything resembling original condition, and that was a fire gun. The springs were still solid, so it's getting restored rather than sporterized. As others have said, there is little to no point in tearing apart a complete milsurp when there are enough half-sportered kitchen table gunsmithing jobs to be had. Sadly, the price has gone up (although that might have to do with guys like me hoarding them... )

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Turk Mauser .280 Rem.

 

[farmerboy78]

Here's a few

 

[farmerboy78]

Here's another

 

[35 Whelen]

The OP asked to see sporterized milsurps, not opinions.

I find it ironic that many who whine and wring their hands over a sporterized military rifle drool at the sight of a chopped Model A or a '66 Mustang with a hole cut in the hood.