Milsurp-erizing a sportster?

H

Hawkeye_FH

New member
I know in the 50s and 60s it was all the rage to sporsterize milsurp bolt actions. Well... I have this idea (and it might seem a bit absurd and impractical) to take a more modern rifle and make it look kinda like a k98 with a rear peep. I know it might be easier to buy a Mauser and drill and tap it, but I hate to ruin a perfectly good milsurp.

I guess my real question is, does anyone know of someone that does or could make a stock with an upper handguard that would fit something like a Remington 700, Winchester M70 or the like?

I might just try to find a bubba'd Mauser rifle or action and go that direction.
Just thinking aloud, and any feedback would be appreciated.
 
Finding a sporterized Mauser would be your best bet if you want to put something together. That said there are plenty of military surplus rifles that used a peep.sight already. 1917, P14, 1903, and SMLE are a few that come to mind that offered a rear aperture sight.
 
" I know it might be easier to buy a Mauser and drill and tap it, but I hate to ruin a perfectly good milsurp."

There are plenty of the older "mil-surp" semi-sporterized rifles on the market now. Shouldn't be much problem to find one that's been D&T and refit a military stock.
 
Best bet for a stock would be to try to find an un-inletted repro of a miltary stock that has the correct depth at the bottom metal, or that can be modified for correct fit. But keep in mind, inletting from scratch isn't an easy task. If actions are similar dimensions, an inletted stock could be adapted by fully epoxy bedding and pillars (action screw locations/distances between are going to be different) to make it work- though it might be visible at the bottom of the stock.

Without needing to get into a lot of modifications, you'll need a stock with at least as much depth at the action screws as the modern rifle (700, etc.) that you want to use for the build. You can always remove a small amount of wood if necessary in the action area and contour the stock to achieve this fit, but you can't add any (natch) without ending up using it as a pattern stock and then duplicating it (or painting it).

You can always modify to use a blind mag, but if keeping original bottom metal the depth from the stock line (mid-line of the action) to the bottom metal must be held constant for correct fit and feeding.
 
I guess what I was thinking was trying to recreate a 1903A3 in a bit of a more compact package. I am working on a collection of milsurps, but was thinking of something new, but with an old feel might be a nice companion in the woods. I really like the feel of a full military stock from that period, and keeping glass off of the top helps to maintain a good balance.

I recently purchased a Schmidt Rubin 1911, but haven't had the opportunity to pick it up. Since I don't have my hands on it yet, I guess I've been letting my imagination run a little wild. I should be able to pick it up this weekend and shoot it a little, that might keep my mind busy for a bit, haha.

I may never actually try this, like I said I was more or less just thinking out loud.
 
When I was younger I carried quite a few surplus guns into the woods. I saw a lot of other guys with them too. I don't understand why you would even want to put a "Peep" sight on a new rifle when you can just carry the old rifle to hunt? What is the difference?
 
There has been a hobby of "re-miling" sporterized surplus rifles. Parts are more expensive than they were, but it would still be easier than trying to fake up a military rifle out of a commercial sporter.
 
It was all the rage because pay scales for most didn't come close to making commercial hunting rifles affordable.
"...make it look kinda like a K98 with..." That'd sort of be a Win M70 with a Mannlicher stock.
Can't think of any bolt action rifle that's more compact than an '03A3. Or with better iron sights.
The SMLE is a No. 3 Mk III Lee-Enfield. No aperture sights on them. No. 4 Rifles, that is not an SMLE, had 'em though.
 
There are plenty of military carbines out there that are way more compact than an '03. Probably the cheapest would be a 6.5 Carcano. I have one and it shoots fine @ 100 yards. Never tried farther.
 
Hawkeye does have an interesting point. Finding the right stock and bottom metal to drop a sporter rifle into would make a find hobby to tinker with now and again during rainy days or winter months.

I've got a Swedish Mauser stock I could eyeball with a Win 70 or Rem 700. I could see cutting and/or TiG welding on the magazine box and bottom metal though.
 
T. O'Heir said:
The SMLE is a No. 3 Mk III Lee-Enfield. No aperture sights on them. No. 4 Rifles, that is not an SMLE, had 'em though.
Click to expand...

I'm no expert on British rifles by any means and thought all rifles after WWI were SMLE. Anyway so you made me look, and the only SMLE to have aperture sights were No. 3 Mk V but those are pretty rare. Thanks for the correction, I like to learn whenever possible.
 
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