Oh, poor maligned Bubba!
Oh is he?
Bubba, to me, is the guy who does a crappy job, not just someone who didn't see the use of carrying a 9lb GI issue rifle to hunt deer when he could shave a few pounds of weight, and make it look nice in the process.
Based on the pics, those rifles weren't "Bubba'd", they were just low end sporter conversions, getting rid of the extra unneeded weight of the wood.
OK, maybe you think the inlays look cheesy, but times, and tastes were different then.
I know this is close to heresy in the Curios & relics forum, but those rifles are better functional deer guns than the GI originals. However, we're collectors, today (and yes, I are one too
), who have even better spporting rifles for hunting, so the GI issue condition of the milsurps is more important to us.
Nice job on restoring those SMLEs. Pat yourself on the back. Just don't go thinking you actually improved them from what they were. Cause its all in the eye of the owner.
Times and tastes change. They are better looking, to you, now. But I think the original owner (if still alive) would disagree. ON the other hand, if you can't find one that was never sporterised, converting one back is a fine project, and gives satisfaction in the end, and thats what its all about in the long run, being happy with what you have. Enjoy!
