This time with class OR Chilean Mauser ???

[kungfuhippie]

I bought a beautiful 1895 Ludwig Loewe Chilean Mauser in 7.62 Nato. It has become part of my South American Mauser collection (not very big yet )
But to get this beauty I had to buy two rifles, the seller didn't want to separate them. The second rifle is a twin of the first, except that Bubba in all his garage smith glory turned this rifle into a "handy hunt'n gun" with a cut down poorly crowned barrel, a cut off stock, a opened up rear sight (dremeled the notch wider) painted the front blade red...
It is a very nice action and it's sad to see such a nich gun get so screwed up.
So, my question is; What do I do with it?

 

[ArmedBear]

Boyd's has a HUGE selection of Mauser stocks.

http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/

Lots of people use Mauser actions as the basis for custom hunting rifles, as you know.

7x57 is a great hunting caliber, too.

Lots of potential. I wouldn't part with it; I'd use the parts!

Best of all, no guilt! It's already Bubba'd, so you won't have to agonize over whether or not to take apart an antique to build a nice rifle.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

I would get the after market sporter stock.

 

[praharin]

bend that bolt, put a new stock on it and scope it. its already screwed, so you cant really make it worse

 

[Cosmoline]

Actually, you can find barrels for these guys from time to time. I'd just leave it as is and stow it away. One day, esp. if you keep poking around the South American Mauser circuits on line and on the collector's forum, it wouldn't surprise me if you find one with a great barrel but hacked receiver. You can combine them into one, then get a full stock and you're back in bidness. And it's a handy source for parts if you ever need them.

 

[cracked butt]

Triple the price and sell it as a 'tanker' mauser.

 

[kungfuhippie]

Well, I was looking at prices yesterday, deciding on what to do. Was about to order a barrel, new stock, go from there to build a nice little hunting gun. When the co-worker who was interested asked to see it after work. I showed it to him and said that I was thinking about keeping it. He offered me an extra $50 for it. I decided that I could get a better action to start from for that. And it saved me a trip to the bank before I went to pick up my newly acquired Turk. So, the custom gun will have to wait a little longer. And the coworker is happy to get his new rifle.

 

[BsChoy]

Im with cosmoline on this one...

 

[kcmarine]

Keep it.

 

[Essex County]

If the bore was super.....

I'd toss the old stock and replace it with an Inexpensive offering from Boyd's. I'd spend the bucks on a Williams 5D and front ramp and sight and refinish the metal. Keep it for a spare/loaner/plinker, etc. Oops almost forgot the Timney Sportsman trigger. It might not be worth the expense now, but someone will love it down the road......Essex

 

[kungfuhippie]

Must be more clear...
I sold it to a very happy co-worker. He will use it as is and my do more to it later. He's happy, it filled the void he had from only owning pistols and shotguns. I turned a $50 profit on it. Had I kept it I would have shot it as it unless it was terrible to shot as is. And slowly as I find deals piece together a decent rifle with a longer barrel. A 17" barrel is just too short for me.

 

[praharin]

dont worry hippie, some people just cant read the whole thread

 

[DMK]

I woulda kept it. But then again, I have trouble getting rid of anything that has some potential use.

 

[mustanger98]

If I'd been the guy who bought it... I'm not, but if I were... I think I'd turn the bolt handle down and restock right off. Maybe rebarrel... maybe in .308 or 7x57 or something a mite milder for the action. Maybe mount a scout scope, but probably re-sight with aperture rear. But that's just me.