# anybody shooting sporterized surplus?



## Duckmanjones (Oct 10, 2010)

Got a 91/30 sitting in the safe I have been thinking about sporterizing. It's a $90 gun what could I hurt right? Anybody have any tips or tricks or pics of their own I can get some inspiration from?


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## blgoose44 (Oct 10, 2008)

Have seen a few good ones on various websites. Hope you post pics as you go, I have one to mess with myself.


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## 45/70fan (May 29, 2005)

Here is a sporterized 98 Mauser built up from a 1935 Oberdorf in 35 Whelen.


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## 8iowa (Jan 28, 2008)

The 91 Mauser rifle was made in 7.65mm for Argentina and in carbine style for Spain. American troups armed with Krags faced the 91 carbines and 93 rifles in Cuba and Puerto Rico.

This little history aside, and I'm not completely sure that this is what you have, the collector in me says keep the rifle in original form.

Back in the late 60's Williams Gunsight Company published a pamphlet on how to "sporterize" military rifles. Now the original military rifles, especially Krags, Springfield '03's, 1917 Enfields, and '98 Mausers bring in significant $$$ in the collector's market. Condition of course is a big factor. Rifles that have been sporterized and otherwise altered are almost worthless, unless the work has been done in high quality by a noted gunsmith.

Another consideration is the fact that the 91 and the 93 were made in an era when metalurgy had not caught up to the challenges of smokeless powder. These actions are not the best basis for conversions to modern high pressure cartridges.


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## Bountyhunter (Oct 8, 2008)

8iowa said:


> The 91 Mauser rifle was made in 7.65mm for Argentina and in carbine style for Spain. American troups armed with Krags faced the 91 carbines and 93 rifles in Cuba and Puerto Rico.QUOTE]
> 
> I believe the poster is refering to the 91/30 Mosin Nagant. Unfortunately you don't get Mausers for $90 . Since I believe we are talking about a Mosin, go for it if you want. There's plenty around. Just get another one for the price of dirt if you mess it up. Sledge hammer, club, and even a gun. Kill using both ends of it! Drop it off a cliff, run it over, throw it, build something, and even bury it as is and come back for it later! :lol:


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## Duckmanjones (Oct 10, 2010)

Yeah, 91/30 mosin nagant. I wish I could find a 90 dollar mauser haha. Thinking about getting started pretty soon. I will post up pics as I go and hopefully some groups.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

45/70fan said:


> Here is a sporterized 98 Mauser built up from a 1935 Oberdorf in 35 Whelen.


That bolt handle is sweet, custom or commercial ?

I have a .308 based on a k98 action., with the rest an assortment of high end gooody's


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

I sporterizing a Smith-Corona 1903A3 I picked up cheap. After putting it together, I gave it to a friend as a gift for the birth of his first son. The rifle had missing sights and a chopped up stock. It looked good when I was finished. It's a good shooter.


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## 45/70fan (May 29, 2005)

swampbuck said:


> That bolt handle is sweet, custom or commercial ?
> 
> I have a .308 based on a k98 action., with the rest an assortment of high end gooody's


Custom, from my basement.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

Nagant in a composite stock,shortend barrel,new bolt handle,and a homade scope mount.Not pretty but it gets the job done.


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## 7MM Magnum (Sep 10, 2003)

I reworked a Swiss M-96 Mauser in 6.5 and turned it into a rifle to coyote hunt with. I put it into a beautiful maple stock that I had to inlet and then I glass bedded it. 

Damn nice shooting rifle ! 

I have a couple of pics someplace in my picture folder I'll post up,.. most are while I was setting up the stock to the receiver and floating the barrel prior to giving it the wood stain and clear lacquer finish. I put it into a golden maple stain. I'll look for the pics and upload them,..


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## Naden fourteen (Jan 26, 2009)

My first 91/30 (#'s matching 42 Tula ) got shortened and recrowned to 22", Remington 700 bolt handle, peep sights and dropped into a ATI stock. Shoots 1.5" groups with Wolf gold, and better with Norma. Working up handloads now.

My current project is a Numbers-matching '32 Tula hex 91/30 ( with a matched '51 barrel) that's been shortened to 19", and will get a full-length stock ( I'm practicing my stock-shaping skills on the original stock, which actually looks pretty damn good so far. Maybe I'll buy another rifle to put an aftermarket stock on...), butterknife bolt handle and open sights. 

I do all the machine work myself, so the first rifle cost under $200.00, including the original purchase price.

So far I have only the $116.00 purchase price into the second...


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## 7MM Magnum (Sep 10, 2003)

7MM Magnum said:


> I reworked a Swiss M-96 Mauser in 6.5 and turned it into a rifle to coyote hunt with. I put it into a beautiful maple stock that I had to inlet and then I glass bedded it.
> 
> Damn nice shooting rifle !
> 
> I have a couple of pics someplace in my picture folder I'll post up,.. most are while I was setting up the stock to the receiver and floating the barrel prior to giving it the wood stain and clear lacquer finish. I put it into a golden maple stain. I'll look for the pics and upload them,..


 



























I can't seem to locate the "final product" but,... I'll get a picture of it posted in a couple of days for you,...


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

7MM Magnum said:


> I can't seem to locate the "final product" but,... I'll get a picture of it posted in a couple of days for you,...


 WOW man is that sweet!!!


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## buckwacker 48097 (Nov 11, 2010)

I have one of those 60's sporterized 98 mausers in 8mm from my grandfather. Shoots great open sights to about 150 yards. The triger and the safety need alot of work but I just can't bring myself to change anything else.


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## 7MM Magnum (Sep 10, 2003)

junkman said:


> WOW man is that sweet!!!


 
Thanks Junkman,.. I've done several mil-surplus firearms in my past similar to this,.. the one before it was a 1903A Springfield /.30-06 for my father-in-law (now since passed) I did all of the various things to it like my Swiss, bedding, floating, scope mount and rings with a nice scope as a Christmas present for him,along with 50 rounds of hunting handloads... he was totally impressed and lost for words when he unwrapped it. Same weapon he carried back in his military / war days. His oldest son now has it.


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## 7MM Magnum (Sep 10, 2003)

Alright,... I've got those pictures of my Swiss M-96 like I promised,..




























Note the original "ladder sight" on this,.. accurate as hell and allows you to see everything in your field of view. There's also a threaded flash suppressor that is the original,.. the barrels muzzle had been factory threaded to facilitate one so it was just a matter of me locating one and install it.


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## Duckmanjones (Oct 10, 2010)

That m-96 is sweet. Looks good


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## 7MM Magnum (Sep 10, 2003)

Duckmanjones said:


> That m-96 is sweet. Looks good


 
Thanks!,.. I enjoy these little projects. 

During the off season (dead of winter) I start one of these rebuild jobs almost every year either for myself or someone else. It makes the wintertime pass quickly for me, and I find it more enjoyable to spend my time that way,..


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## buckwacker 48097 (Nov 11, 2010)

Wood sure does make a bang bang look purdy!


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