Custom rifle
In the 1980s a lot of small-ring 'Spanish' Mausers were imported. They were originally a 7mm chambering, I forget which, and were often rebarreled to .308 Win. They usually sold for under $100. I got one with a clean bore and sound action. I had the bolt reconfigured for a scope, put a Buehler scope safety on myself, bought a Dayton-Traister trigger and installed it, did some metal polishing, bought a Fajen pretty stock and learned to oil-finish and checker it. I glass bedded it with Acraglas, and had it drilled and tapped for scope bases. I don't think I put more than $150 into it in things I couldn't do myself. It shoots 11/2"-2" at 100 yd and is very pretty. Oh, I also put a nice recoil pad on. Then I worked up a handload. And I'm no machinist, and no whiz with tools.
Now this action is not fit for any kind of hot .308 load, I've since learned, and should never be used with 7.62 NATO service loads because it was never built for that. But with gentler loads it's fine, and has all the pep needed for deer. It didn't cost a lot, I had lots of fun doing it, and I learned a lot. I got away cheaply because I didn't change the cartridge, didn't change the metal much, and did a lot myself. So it's quite doable. I'd start with something like that, and see how you like it, before you drop lots of dough.
I did buy some tools etc. to do the job, but I don't count that as a cost since I've used them over and over since then for other jobs. You do this kind of thing, I think, for the sake of doing it. It's real cool to have a rifle you built yourself.
In the 1980s a lot of small-ring 'Spanish' Mausers were imported. They were originally a 7mm chambering, I forget which, and were often rebarreled to .308 Win. They usually sold for under $100. I got one with a clean bore and sound action. I had the bolt reconfigured for a scope, put a Buehler scope safety on myself, bought a Dayton-Traister trigger and installed it, did some metal polishing, bought a Fajen pretty stock and learned to oil-finish and checker it. I glass bedded it with Acraglas, and had it drilled and tapped for scope bases. I don't think I put more than $150 into it in things I couldn't do myself. It shoots 11/2"-2" at 100 yd and is very pretty. Oh, I also put a nice recoil pad on. Then I worked up a handload. And I'm no machinist, and no whiz with tools.
Now this action is not fit for any kind of hot .308 load, I've since learned, and should never be used with 7.62 NATO service loads because it was never built for that. But with gentler loads it's fine, and has all the pep needed for deer. It didn't cost a lot, I had lots of fun doing it, and I learned a lot. I got away cheaply because I didn't change the cartridge, didn't change the metal much, and did a lot myself. So it's quite doable. I'd start with something like that, and see how you like it, before you drop lots of dough.
I did buy some tools etc. to do the job, but I don't count that as a cost since I've used them over and over since then for other jobs. You do this kind of thing, I think, for the sake of doing it. It's real cool to have a rifle you built yourself.
