seansean1444
New member
does anybody else think this is pointless to practically destroy a piece of history. and dont blame the younger people because im 16 and i even think its pretty dumb.
sporterizeing surplus guns
- Thread starter seansean1444
- Start date
40-50-60 years agon it was an "in" thing, was seen as a way of obtaining a hunting rifle on the "cheap" or perhaps showing off your gunsmithing and woodworking "skills". You are right, today it is seen as a Sin of Bubbafication
and a way of taking a $200-300 rifle, putting $300 into and turning it into a
$200 rifle.
and a way of taking a $200-300 rifle, putting $300 into and turning it into a
$200 rifle.
seansean1444
New member
ha ya thats exactly what i think. i mean i think they are cool for being original and being the way they were like 80 years ago or around that?? and still being a very capable gun today. that says something about the design if we use them today. i actually saw a picture of taliban and one was holding a old mosin 91/30
I agree and don't agree.......
Sometimes turning one into a sporter is like a resurection, already bubba'd, extremely neglected, or any number of other reasons for horrible shape.
I have a sporterized Arisaka that we used for a fire poker in my grandpa's shop when I was a kid......it came to him already burned, in a box of loose charred parts.
Sometimes turning one into a sporter is like a resurection, already bubba'd, extremely neglected, or any number of other reasons for horrible shape.
I have a sporterized Arisaka that we used for a fire poker in my grandpa's shop when I was a kid......it came to him already burned, in a box of loose charred parts.
It has since been blued, to sporterize an intact piece.....ya, I agree with ya.
I did it way back when and if I could afford to I'd do it now but it costs way more than 300 now. At least to do it right. I don't care for old military bolt guns in their original configuration but some of them make great platforms for building something that will outshoot anything that comes off a rack. I have two 200 dollar guns that cost over 1000 to build. An FN 98 Mauser and a Smith Corona 1903A3. The Mauser has taken more deer than you can shake a stick at. If it had been left in its original configuration it prolly wouldn't have been fired more than a few times in the last 34 years or so. The A3 was built as a target rifle and I don't shoot paper anymore but I take it out now and then just to play with.
Miata Mike
New member
I have a 1903 Springfield Mark 1 that has been sporterized back in the 60's I assume. A shame that it was done, but it has taken a few deer by me in my younger days. I am betting that it would have just sat unshot and collecting dust otherwise. Cut the value way down, that's for sure.
Especially a shame knowing that it was manufactured to use the Pedersen device, which has also become a monumental historical anomaly that is almost non existent except for a few examples....
Especially a shame knowing that it was manufactured to use the Pedersen device, which has also become a monumental historical anomaly that is almost non existent except for a few examples....
Mike, I've got one of those sportered Mk I's, too. My dad brought home quite a few deer and elk. Given the cost of an accurate commercial rifle back in the day and given the enormous quantities of accurate milsurps, it really did make sense. Times were different.
I still shoot it and it's an extremely accurate gun with a special history all its own. As far as value goes, in its current configuration, it's not worth much to anyone else, but to me, it's priceless.
I still shoot it and it's an extremely accurate gun with a special history all its own. As far as value goes, in its current configuration, it's not worth much to anyone else, but to me, it's priceless.
seansean1444
New member
i can understand if the gun is pretty much ruined but like another guy said whatever makes you happy.. leavein them origonal makes scense to me
Cheapshooter
New member
Anybody that has been into guns and shooting has probably built, or had built sporters from milsurps. There was a time when it was the economical thing to do. I have had several. Now only one, and it was built on just a 98 Mauser action that I bought. Today there are way too many good, economical sporting rifles on the market. As cornbush said, if it's already been Bubba'd by some garage gunsmith then it would be a good thing to bring it back to a fine firearm. But in my opinion, a classic military rifle is way more fun to shoot as it was built.
smith corona
isnt that also a typwrite company???
i know singer used to make ars
right then i have many surplus rifles some i keep some i trade for others but it has been my experience that some are just simply way cooler sporterized
i have a stock made for my 91/30 that just makes it bad it cant shoot so at least it looks cool i also made a block to fit my k31 to the same stock
i am also building a new bullpup specific to the k31 so i can put a center mounted scope on it without drilling the receiver, this would be done by getting a scout mount and the eye relief would be compensated with the bullpup stock bringing the receiver to my shoulder
i dont like to permanently damage a rifle if i can avoid it but with my nagant i had to cut close to an inch off and recrown it because there was a huge split in my hand selected barrel so what difrence does it make now?????
i also like giving an old man a new suite give those old gones something to smile about
isnt that also a typwrite company???
i know singer used to make ars
right then i have many surplus rifles some i keep some i trade for others but it has been my experience that some are just simply way cooler sporterized
i have a stock made for my 91/30 that just makes it bad it cant shoot so at least it looks cool i also made a block to fit my k31 to the same stock
i am also building a new bullpup specific to the k31 so i can put a center mounted scope on it without drilling the receiver, this would be done by getting a scout mount and the eye relief would be compensated with the bullpup stock bringing the receiver to my shoulder
i dont like to permanently damage a rifle if i can avoid it but with my nagant i had to cut close to an inch off and recrown it because there was a huge split in my hand selected barrel so what difrence does it make now?????
i also like giving an old man a new suite give those old gones something to smile about
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I certainly don't think it is a good idea to take a sound,reasonably complete and original milsurp and modify it.Unless maybe,there are a lot of cheap Moisins around and you need a utility rough rifle.
I do appreciate saving the classic milsurps.I release big northerns,too.But every once in a while,they will suck a lure into the gills and they are bleeding bad.I enjoy eating them.I still have 2 Mexican mauser actions and a half built 30-06 on a 1909 Argentine,just a pristine,beautiful,tight action.I bought the bare action.I am going to feel good about building a nice rifle on it.I am going to put a decent #2 contour bbl,maybe a Brownells Shilen.I have a Garret Accralite stock left,and its inletted,ready for glass.Timney trigger,I might splurge and get onen of the nice side swing M-70 cocking piece safeties.
there are a lot of hacked milsurps,they will work,or bare actions.I have 3 Rolling Blocks in process,all milsurps,all reclaimed from junk,and none were rifles.They are getting some love!!Badger half round,half octagon bbl,nice,appropriate wood,original rough and ready sight..
OP,see if you can find some old Gun Digests and look at the custom rifle showcase.You will see as many milsurps there as you do M-700s today.
You are 16.Cool.I respect your position.I respect that you have a position.
Anybody can buy and sell guns.Anybody can hack them up.But if you want to learn to square a receiver face,thread and fit a barrel,chamber and headspace a rifle,what is wrong with starting with a J+G sales Brno mauser,or if the Old Western Scrounger had a Springfield action,why not?
Have you ever read PO Ackley?Do you know who he was?
The only reas9on we have cranky old gunsmiths ,Brownells,Clymer reamers,Weaver,etc was a whole lot of milsurp conversion enterprise.I'll tell you something else.If the American Shooter,and the American gunsmith had not created a legitimate commerce in converting milsurps to sporting rifles and money,The nickle steel Springfields would all be Hundai crankshafts.The ONLY thing that kept all the milsurps from becoming SCRAP IRON (see governments) was the American Bubba,as you call me.
And,I'm not intersted in buying an off the shelf rifle very often.
Now,as I most certainly do appreciate you,I highly recommend you read Robert Ruark,"The Old Man and the Boy" (No,I am not calling you boy!
I do appreciate saving the classic milsurps.I release big northerns,too.But every once in a while,they will suck a lure into the gills and they are bleeding bad.I enjoy eating them.I still have 2 Mexican mauser actions and a half built 30-06 on a 1909 Argentine,just a pristine,beautiful,tight action.I bought the bare action.I am going to feel good about building a nice rifle on it.I am going to put a decent #2 contour bbl,maybe a Brownells Shilen.I have a Garret Accralite stock left,and its inletted,ready for glass.Timney trigger,I might splurge and get onen of the nice side swing M-70 cocking piece safeties.
there are a lot of hacked milsurps,they will work,or bare actions.I have 3 Rolling Blocks in process,all milsurps,all reclaimed from junk,and none were rifles.They are getting some love!!Badger half round,half octagon bbl,nice,appropriate wood,original rough and ready sight..
OP,see if you can find some old Gun Digests and look at the custom rifle showcase.You will see as many milsurps there as you do M-700s today.
You are 16.Cool.I respect your position.I respect that you have a position.
Anybody can buy and sell guns.Anybody can hack them up.But if you want to learn to square a receiver face,thread and fit a barrel,chamber and headspace a rifle,what is wrong with starting with a J+G sales Brno mauser,or if the Old Western Scrounger had a Springfield action,why not?
Have you ever read PO Ackley?Do you know who he was?
The only reas9on we have cranky old gunsmiths ,Brownells,Clymer reamers,Weaver,etc was a whole lot of milsurp conversion enterprise.I'll tell you something else.If the American Shooter,and the American gunsmith had not created a legitimate commerce in converting milsurps to sporting rifles and money,The nickle steel Springfields would all be Hundai crankshafts.The ONLY thing that kept all the milsurps from becoming SCRAP IRON (see governments) was the American Bubba,as you call me.
And,I'm not intersted in buying an off the shelf rifle very often.
Now,as I most certainly do appreciate you,I highly recommend you read Robert Ruark,"The Old Man and the Boy" (No,I am not calling you boy!
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Back in the days when we did it, good milsurps (mausers, springfields, even arisakas) were as common as, and nearly as cheap as dirt.
Sporterizing a milsurp was cheaper than buying a new REMCHESTER. And you got a better rifle, when it was done right. I've owned dozens, and done a few myself.
SMLEs were at the bottom of the list, and none of the Russian guns were available on the market. The Mosin Nagant was a rare collector's piece in those days. Today they are cheap milsurps. In time, that will change, again.
HiBC is entirely correct, it was sporterizing that helped build several industries, and without it, the guns likely would have gone for scrap.
Today, I wouldn't touch a GI condition milsurp, except maybe to restore it. The Mosins don't lend themselves to good sporters like the Mausers did, anyway.
If you get a rifle that was sporterised badly, go ahead and do whatever you like. If it was done right, all you need do is shoot it and enjoy it!
I would recommend leaving any GI issue condition guns alone these days. The Mausers, Springfields, Krags, Arisakas, etc are collectors items now, and eventually the Russian guns will be, too.
Sporterizing a milsurp was cheaper than buying a new REMCHESTER. And you got a better rifle, when it was done right. I've owned dozens, and done a few myself.
SMLEs were at the bottom of the list, and none of the Russian guns were available on the market. The Mosin Nagant was a rare collector's piece in those days. Today they are cheap milsurps. In time, that will change, again.
HiBC is entirely correct, it was sporterizing that helped build several industries, and without it, the guns likely would have gone for scrap.
Today, I wouldn't touch a GI condition milsurp, except maybe to restore it. The Mosins don't lend themselves to good sporters like the Mausers did, anyway.
If you get a rifle that was sporterised badly, go ahead and do whatever you like. If it was done right, all you need do is shoot it and enjoy it!
I would recommend leaving any GI issue condition guns alone these days. The Mausers, Springfields, Krags, Arisakas, etc are collectors items now, and eventually the Russian guns will be, too.
Cheapshooter
New member
To make the point. My first "sporter" was made from an excellent to new condition K98 Mauser. I think I paid around $40 for it in the mid to late 60's. Restocked with a beautiful walnut stock from a company in Warsaw Mo named Bishop. Blued, drilled and taped for scope rings. Bolt bent. Timney trigger installed. Low scope safety installed. With the price of the Weaver varible power scope, made in the USA at that time . I had invested about $300 in a 8X57MM hunting rifle that today would be worth a thousand dollars or more if left alone. Yes, it might be their rifle, and they have every right to do with it as they please, but what we did with many fine old military rifles was a shame!!!
i feel what is shame full is a retirement home for a fine rifle
rifles are made to shoot war rifles were made for the same reason and if fixing it up some means it shoots better give that gun some pride who cares what its worth to the world unless you are going to sell it its worth more to me if it is a fine shooting rifle with plenty of years left
as long as it makes you smile it is worth plenty
rifles are made to shoot war rifles were made for the same reason and if fixing it up some means it shoots better give that gun some pride who cares what its worth to the world unless you are going to sell it its worth more to me if it is a fine shooting rifle with plenty of years left
as long as it makes you smile it is worth plenty
30 years ago, we used to buy crates of Mauser 98s just to get the crates. $125 for 5 K98ks in a metal-reinforced packing crate (plus shipping), take the rifles out, clean them up, and sell them for about $40-$50 each and you had a killer crate that would hold up to just about any kind of abuse. Just so you know, at that time we thought 98s would never be in short supply (what with all the German, Belgian, South American, and Israeli 98s out there), and the price would be reasonable forever. So we chopped them, stripped them for actions, sporterized them, and traded them for about $50 so we could get another one and do it all over again.
Of course, we never thought anyone like Mitchell's Mausers would start refinishing Mausers and selling them for twice the market price, either. $300 for a K98?? Sounds like a drug-induced nightmare, but try finding a good one for less than that nowadays.
Of course, we never thought anyone like Mitchell's Mausers would start refinishing Mausers and selling them for twice the market price, either. $300 for a K98?? Sounds like a drug-induced nightmare, but try finding a good one for less than that nowadays.
Dr. Strangelove
New member
Asking this question in this particular part of the forum is like going to a car show and asking if old cars should be restored or scrapped...
Simply put, so far as I'm concerned, if I own the firearm, I'll do with it as I please. That said, I wouldn't choose to "sporterize" today simply due to the cost.
Simply put, so far as I'm concerned, if I own the firearm, I'll do with it as I please. That said, I wouldn't choose to "sporterize" today simply due to the cost.
Yes, that is the very same company that manufactured typewriters. In WWII they were called upon to produce 1903A3 Springfield rifles since the machinery they possessed was particularly suited for manufacture of firearms as well.
Also, I don't know where you heard that Singer (Sewing Machine Co.) produced AR's, but they did produce a short run of 1911A1 .45 pistols in WWII; However, that contract was canceled and they went on as a subcontractor of M1 carbine receivers and some other parts.
I once picked up a Krag 1896 that looked as if the muzzle had been used to hammer tent stakes. The front sight was gouged up, as was the first part of the forearm. The rest of the rifle was fine, including the bore, so I had a gunsmith cut it down and lighten it up.
If I heard of someone doing that to a Krag that didn't need such treatment, I'd likely hit the roof, but this one was an otherwise lost cause.
"puts flame suit on"