Why I like Sporterized Rifles Part 2

Now on to why I prefer Sporterized Bolt Actions Part 2!

 The models that I like are Springfield 1903 Bolt Actions and the Various Mauser 98 especially the Argentine Models.              No not that Argentine Model! Jeez FOCUS Grumpy!!

This one!

or this.

Which could be turned into something like this!

  All right now let us move on from that embarrassing incident!

  It seems to me, That I remember somehow. That from say when President Theodore Roosevelt went on safari with a custom 1903 Springfield Rifle in 1908.

 Up until let us say the mid 1970’s.

 There was a golden age of taking Military Rifles and converting them to a civilian type looking rifle.

  Now granted some of these veterans of the wars were just butchered. When some idiot would take a hack saw and chop off parts of the stock and maybe hack off part of the barrel also. Then off to “a hunting will we go”.

  Granted for most folks back then. Times were a hell of a lot tougher than we can imagine now a days. No they were not that tough Grumpy!

But some of the rifles from that time period. That I have seen over the years. Would make a hard man cry. But that is just the way it is.

  But on the other hand. You still see some absolute works of art out there. For example I have seen a couple of Griffin & Howe 1903’s. That I would buy in a second. Right after I win the lottery that is.

  Then you have the middle ground. Where I do most of my looking. As you can find some really outstanding rifles at some really reasonable prices. Like for example. I have a few Springfield 1903 Rifles that are just wonderful.  I also have a few Custom Mauser 98’s in various calibers. I am not a fan of the 8 mm Mauser Round by the way. Since it is just too big a caliber for me and my arthritis.

Answer is! -Don’t shoot a 505 Gibbs in a 9 pound rifle!

 That and there is a real shortage of Grizzly Bears out here in Southern California for some reason. Plus I can not afford the higher grade of 8 mm ammo to get any kind of decent patterns.

  But I do have a Custom Mauser 98 in 257 Roberts. That I bought on line a few years ago. So when it finally got here. All I had to do was to take it to the range and zero it in. That’s it ! No trips to the Gunsmith for a tune up. Nada! It just shoots & shoots well Thank You very much My Lord!

  So here is why that I will almost always choose a custom rifle over a factory made on.  I think that this covers all the reasons on why.

  Since it started out as a Military Rifle over in the Fatherland during WWI. It had to undergo a a pretty strict inspection for it to be accepted by the Imperial  German Army.  An outfit that is not noted for sloppiness.

Do you want to talk back to this guy? I think that I will pass myself!

  Then somehow I suspect that it got brought back by either a Doughboy or a GI after one of the World Wars. I am told that the our Army had no real problem back then with the Guys bringing back Trophy Guns. As they were called back then.

So once it got here to the Land of the Big PX.

I am willing to bet that a pretty good Gunsmith got his hands on it.

  Who then pulled the action from the rifle and either ditched or traded away the barrel and the old wood stock.

  He then did a pretty good job of squaring he lugs on the bolt itself. He then put on a high quality barrel and chambered it for the then popular 257 Roberts.

 The rifle was then it was given a Timney trigger at some point. Followed up by being married up with a high end Commercial stock like say a Bishop. To finish up the project. A Nice BSA Scope was mounted on it.

  To say that it is a great rifle now would not really be fair to it. But the key difference is this.

  As this rile has been basically been totally remodeled from ts original state. By one man I am willing to bet. Whose reputation is wrapped around in it. So it had better be pretty good or he is going to be out of business soon.

  It has also been very lucky as it is obvious to me. That it has been well taken care of before I got it.

  So I call it a widows gun. Since I think that the owner died and his widow or his family did not want it or needed the cash. Therefore the great price that I paid for it, I think that altogether I paid around $400 dollars about 10 years ago.

  Now could I get such a great deal on a NIB factory Rifle? Maybe. But I kind of doubt it. So I think that I will stay with these old timers for a while longer.

Because for me, it just makes way too much sense to not to.