Character or beauty: Heinz 57 Mauser

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ligonierbill

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My first venture into "sporterized" Mausers (not counting the 1916 Danzig I carried as a kid) was a '40 Borsigwalde. Someone had begun modifying it, and its stock that you see now holds a 1934 Brazilian with a Brownell's .308 $96 special. And a Turkish bolt (yes, headspaced with that bolt). Fear not, the Borsigwalde went to Shaw for a new 257 Roberts barrel and a nice bluing. It now resides in a Richards Microfit claro walnut stock, complete with 24 lpi checkering. But my question concerns the Brazilian.

The recoil lug and a couple inches of barrel sit in epoxy, and she shoots OK (1 1/2"). I have only worked a few loads, so we can probably do a little better. My question is: Should this be the vehicle for a months' long no holds barred stock project, or should I just enjoy what the unknown woodworker did years ago, and pick another rifle. Richards currently has a minor sale on their top grade claro walnut, which is very dramatic. Or I could get a top grade myrtle stock from them. I like the stain on the one I just did, but some did not, and I am curious as to how an unstained or acid washed myrtle would look. Guess I could have my cake and eat it too, since I can always drop Bobo back in the old German stock to scuff around the woods. What would you do?
 

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Partial decision and revised question. I will leave the subject rifle as is. It's a group of misfits that do well together. And I don't have another rifle to restock. So, "new" gun. Alas, I don't see any partly or poorly sporterized Mausers that can be had for a good price. That leaves new actions or rifles with cheap plastic stocks. The most common action is the Remington 700, and for complete rifles, there are a bunch of 700 ADL's out there. I don't want yet another caliber, and I'll be happy with a .308. So, 700 short action, 700 ADL .308, or something else? This will be a (hopefully) pretty hunting rifle with good accuracy, but not a competition grade tack driver. Opinions are hereby solicited.

PS: Which wood? Claro walnut or myrtle?
 
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Me personally, I never liked sporterized military stocks on rifles wearing a scope. The stock was perfect for iron sights, but for a scope not so much. I vote for a Richards Microfit stock. Claro is OK as long as you aren't dropping a magnum into it, and it looks great with the reddish color and all the figure you fet in Claro. Myrtlewood or maple can be very dramatic if you buy a high grade piece of wood. Richards also offers beautiful English walnut if you want walnut but like a little lighter color. A new barrel in something interesting might be nice as well. I got tired of all the cartridges I experimented with and settled on just 7X57 or 22-250 for my projects.
 
https://www.sarcoinc.com/mauser-98-model-1908-large-ring-long-action-action-receiver/

Give SARCO a call. I picked one of these up, condition might be a little “under the stock line” pitting. Surface stuff. I was able to treat it with a brass bristled brush, PB blaster, and one of those Birchwood Casey bluing kits.

I don’t know how you feel about the straight out bolt handle, can be bent or replaced with a bent bolt handle: https://www.sarcoinc.com/m98-mauser-bolt-stripped-bent-handle/

That picture of your project one is really good looking. Have you considered one of those Bell and Carson stocks??
 
Thanks for your thoughts. The "mutt" is going to stay as is, at least for now, although I agree with Scorch that it's not optimal for a scope. That old Danzig that I mentioned has a Redfield aperture and a Marbles front bead. It's right there when you shoulder the rifle. I find that the Richards Modern Classic does the same. And it's one I've worked with before. Not that I'm very experienced: two Mausers and one Remington 700. So I ordered a new 700 ADL in .308 and a high grade Richards in claro walnut. I will keep the blind magazine configuration for simplicity. That ADL cost less than $100 more than a new 700 short action, and I am fine with the finish. The 700's I have are MOA rifles (better than I am). So here we go, albeit slowly. I have a project to finish first.
 
I like the "Mutt" , you did a fine job . Sporterizing an old military rig and having it look good in the end can be a challenge ,you conquered that obstacle quite well.

The new 700 project sounds like fun , a new Claro stocked ADL will look sweet .
 
I like the stock except for the recoil pad. It's totally unnecessary for a soft kicker like a .308.
 
For better or worse, I was not the woodworker on this old Mauser. All I did was change the barrel (that did not shoot well at all) from the original 8x57 to .308, finish ream the chamber, and drop the Brazilian into the old laminated German stock. The stock I got with it was a real cheap plastic. But I like what that other woodworker did. And it fits with my "Heinz 57" pieces and parts (Where are you, Frankenmauser?). There is a reason to put a recoil pad on this gun, whatever round it fires: length of pull. That Danzig I keep mentioning wears a slip on Limbsaver, which is one reason it mounts so well. Some of those old Mausers were set up for guys in heavy wool coats, and they seem awfully short.

By the way, "Bobo" Brazil was a professional wrestler, and he was from Arkansas, not Brazil. I remember him from my long ago youth. He was black and somewhat of a pioneer in integrating the pro game back in the '60s. His signature move was the "Coco bop", basically a grab the ears head butt. I remember this because the heavyweight on my very inexperienced high school wrestling team, a fan of Bobo, decided to employ said move during a match. But, back to the topic at hand...
 
Some of those old Mausers were set up for guys in heavy wool coats, and they seem awfully short.
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Sort of...;)

Generally speaking a LOT of military stocks are "short". For two reasons, one, a century ago men averaged smaller than we do today. But the biggest reason is simply fit. Meaning can work, not fits right. A larger man can adapt and successfully use a stock that is short (for him) but a smaller man has trouble using a stock that is too long for him.

MILITARY... very strongly influenced by "one size fits all and works well enough". The guy who's 5'4" and the guy who's 6'1" get the same rifle issued. Same stock, same length of pull. And it generally is something the shorter guy can manage, though it won't be exactly the "right" length for either of them.
 
ligonierbill would love to see pictures once you get started... The Richards stock sounds fantastic. The one I am working on sands very easily and doesn't take much to remove a lot of material..

Have to say that between this Richards and the Boyds I recently did I have gained a lot of experience and insight.
 
The 308 will be delivered to my FFL today, and Richards invoiced me, so they are fixin' to ship (but not on my card yet). This is twice Richards was faster than I expected. The "other" project that I really need to finish is a Jim Chambers kit for a Mark Silver designed militia musket. Being an unadorned working gun, that one has a plain walnut stock. But I want to have it ready to go before Spring turkey. So, it may be awhile before I have any more reports on "Bobo's" new sibling.
 
The wood stock on that Mauser would make for nice fireplace kindling with which to warm up your feet on a cold day after a long hunt.

The smart cookie sees what the gun can become with a little judicious bubba-rizing in the basement workroom.

Ditch the bulky wood stock, replace it with a modern synthetic. It'll be lighter and weather-proof.

Also, as someone else mentioned, only a slight recoil pad (if any) might be needed for a 308 rifle; otherwise, man-up and fit a steel buttplate to it like they once did on the early Winchester M70s.

Unless the deer are shooting back, how many shots are you realistically going to take in the field? :rolleyes:

Finally, attach a set of proper iron-sights in case of scope failure. That's not only Old School, but also practical. Get those zero-ed first with your ammo or handload of choice, then re-mount the scope. Then zero the optic with the same load.
 
Oh, I have plenty of plastic stocked guns. They're practical, but not pretty. The 338 I took to Africa is downright ugly, but it is light and certainly did the job. Regards recoil pads, google "length of pull". If it's too short, it makes the gun awkward. The pad on my 416 Rem Mag is somewhat thinner, but the Model 70 stock fits me well, even working up loads on the bench. In this case, I like my pieced together mutt, so I bought a plastic 700 specifically to do a stock project.
 
Here is the ADL in its plastic suit beside its new garb. Much sanding to do. The Richards stocks I've used (this is my fourth) fit the action well, but you have to sand the whey out of them to remove all the tool marks.

I'll add a pitch for these Remingtons. As a practical hunting rifle, this one would be hard to beat for the price. Only had it out for a checkout and sight in, but it's accurate and smooth in operation. Soon it will be pretty, too!
 

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Ditch the bulky wood stock, replace it with a modern synthetic.
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Wood can be very pretty if you spend a few pennies like legionerbill did and opt for a nice piece of wood. Not many people oooohing and aaaahing over plastic stocks around the campfire at night.

As far as bulky/heavy, I have made wood stocks almost as light as a lot of synthetic stocks the factory is putting on rifles these days. Weather-proof? Plastic stocks are weather-proof, but the metal that sits in them isn't.

So, while I do like fiberglass or carbon fiber/kevlar composite stocks, those ugly plastic stocks all the manufacturers are putting on rifles these days hold zero appeal for me.
only a slight recoil pad (if any) might be needed for a 308
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I have put 3/4" recoil pads on 223s, and thin "presentation" pads on 300 Weatherbys. People decide for themselves what they want or need. Perceived recoil is more subjective, and depends on a lot of things other than what the rifle is chambered for.
Finally, attach a set of proper iron-sights in case of scope failure
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That's just flat poor advice. Sounds like something I would hear in the 1960s, back when scopes were unsealed and had spider silk for crosshairs. Those days are long gone! I haven't seen a newly-manufactured unsealed scope in over 20 years, many reticles are laser-etched into the internal lenses, and scopes are purged with dry nitrogen or argon to prevent internal fogging. Of course, you still have people breathing on their ocular lense and blaming the scope! I have been gunsmithing for 35+ years now, and scopes are so much better now than they were even back in the 1980s when I started that I tell people just the opposite. Forget about iron sights, spend that extra money on a good scope and don't even worry about it. Good quality scope failure is so rare now that even so-so brands offer a lifetime warranty because they know they will rarely if ever have to honor it.
 
Wood can be very pretty if you spend a few pennies like legionerbill did and opt for a nice piece of wood. Not many people oooohing and aaaahing over plastic stocks around the campfire at night.
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Don't care much what the campfire droolers think. :rolleyes: Gun's are fer hunting and shootin'. It ain't a beauty show up at our annual deer camp.

Save the prettified wood for the 'Safe Queen' parties in the Mancave on lazy Sunday afternoons, where guys can do Show-n-Tell sessions between beers and playing cards.

As far as bulky/heavy, I have made wood stocks almost as light as a lot of synthetic stocks the factory is putting on rifles these days. Weather-proof? Plastic stocks are weather-proof, but the metal that sits in them isn't.
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Wood is wood, light or heavy. Wood warps and tensions differently unlike synthetic/Kevlar, etc. The barreled action and other steel parts can be weather-proofed with lubricant or a light coating of grease, just like they do it up in Alaska before the big Moose (or caribou) hunt in deep snow or wind-blown rain.
 
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