6.5x55 Sporter - Mystery Clackamas Build

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rockinrev

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I am new here, this is my first post. Check out this neat sporter I snagged at my LGS. It is a Mauser 98 build using a Turkish action, Swedish 6.5x55 modded barrel (perhaps a 96?), with B marked bolt, Dayton Mark II safety, in a plastic Butler Creek stock. Its an Ankara marked receiver, with B marked bolt. Says "Sporting Arms, Clackamas, OR Mauser 98" and "6.5x55" on barrel. Receiver markings also include NAC RID NJ.

I assume it was a Kinder sporterization, insofaras Warne's first company was called Sporting Arms, they did work in Clackamas (and nearby Colton), and later had operations in Ridgefield, NJ.

Nice gun. Looking foward to hunting with it.
 
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rockinrev said:
I am new here, this is my first post. Check out this neat sporter I snagged at my LGS. It is a Mauser 98 build using a Turkish action, Swedish 6.5x55 modded barrel (perhaps a 96?), with B marked bolt, Dayton Mark II safety, in a plastic Butler Creek stock. Its an Ankara marked receiver, with B marked bolt. Says "Sporting Arms, Clackamas, OR Mauser 98" and "6.5x55" on barrel. Receiver markings also include NAC RID NJ.

I assume it was a Kinder sporterization, insofaras Warne's first company was called Sporting Arms, they did work in Clackamas (and nearby Colton), and later had operations in Ridgefield, NJ.

Nice gun. Looking foward to hunting with it.
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Kimber not Kinder

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NAC RID NJ is the importer markings of the origininal rifle. Navy Arms Corperation Ridgefield New Jersey. The reciever was marked as required by the 1968 GCA.
 
NAC RID NJ is the importer markings of the origininal rifle. Navy Arms Corperation Ridgefield New Jersey. The reciever was marked as required by the 1968 GCA.

Considering Clackamas isn't exactly a large community it would seem you have a Kimber conversion. It would be a Turkish Mauser if cock on opening or Swedish Mauser (M96) if cock on closing; they did both variants.
 
Considering Clackamas isn't exactly a large community it would seem you have a Kimber conversion. It would be a Turkish Mauser if cock on opening or Swedish Mauser (M96) if cock on closing; they did both variants.
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Or either, since conversion kits are available to convert COC '93 and '96 bolts to COO; in addition to re-arsenal conversions that had been done 90-100 years ago.

(But he already said it's Turkish.)
 
Or he could have a pieced together parts gun that was assembled from the bones of several old rifles. Who knows? The Kimber conversions were done on Swedish 1896s, and that is a Turkish 98, so we know it's probably not one of the Kimbers.
 
In Post #3, you can see the old rear sight screw hole is no longer indexed at the top. I sold a few of the "original Kimber" re-furbs and all the 6.5x55 I saw had the original barrel untouched other than removing sights and polishing/bluing.
 
(But he already said it's Turkish.)
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You're right, he did say Ankra Marked Reciever.

and that is a Turkish 98, so we know it's probably not one of the Kimbers.
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Not so fast. There are plenty of documented Turkish Conversions since the Turk Mausers may have been large ring but they were made for small shank barrels.

Also, having been to Clackamas and Colton (my mother lived in Colton for 16 years of my adult life) I can tell you that neither are exactly large thriving gun centers.
 
AFAIK the Swedish 96 barrels are small ring and the Ankara 98s take small ring barrels. It seems pretty unlikely there were two companies making 6.5 sporters from old Mauser parts in Clackamas. I would bet it was done by some version of "Kimber" - FWIW. I paid $250 for it with a box of good Hornady ammo. Happy with that.

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Kimber was started by Greg Warne and his dad Jack. The elder Warne was an Australian whose original company "Sporting Arms" was bought by Omark, which owned many brands, like Speer and others. Jack was the engineering genius who had cut his teeth by sporterising old Enfields and his Kimber company made 22s and other rifles. Eventually the Warnes got out of Kimber in the late 80s. Warne Manufacturing now makes scope mounts.

My guess is Jack Warne had something to do with my Mauser build from Sporting Arms of Clackamas. Hopefully somebody who knows the whole story can confirm.

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The Warne family moved to Oregon from Australia in late 60s and Jack Warne presided over Omark's gun related businesses until the mid 80s, when he and son started Kimber.



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How much did you pay for it and how well does it shoot? Looks like a good gun to me.

As for the questions on Kimber or not I think if you try to sell it there will be a big he said she said issue. But on the other hand I buy guns to shoot and i'm sure you do to so enjoy it.

If you can find provenance nail it down and keep multiple copies so someone in the future doesn't think it's a nicely put together piece of random mausers.
 
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