barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Hello Gents, I am new to the forum from the great state of Arkansas. I love all things that go boom. and I like scotch whisky and Gin and Tonics so this seems like the place to be.
I just read Murray J's Lee Enfield Gentleman's rifle post so I figured I would chime in with my own continuing saga with my Swedish M38. My very first rifle project which began almost 20 years ago when I traded a Winchester 30-30 for said M38. It was sooooo exotic firing Norma ammunition and a real bolt gun to boot! of course being a car and gun nut I could not leave it alone and soon it was wearing a fiberglass stock and was drilled and tapped for a scope(hey, at least it was a 1.5x3 Weaver and not some 20x abomination.) Anyway, having some Scot blood in me (Fraser clan) I guess it was a natural pull towards the un American style guns....Unfortunately the first stock for this rifle was one I found in shotgun news for I think $60? it was labeled as an "Oberndorf" or something, looked cool at the time. I ordered it and a new in the white barrel and had a local smith install the barrel. I ordered a red english butt pad from Midway or Brownells, don't remember which and finished the stock. The smithy cut the new military barrel to 20" and left the original contour(I was more poorer)No iron sights though and I finished the stock with a matte finish.
Lets talk about the stock for a moment. At the time it seemed unique(it was for Arkansas for sure) and interesting. My wife called it the "Penis Rifle" because it had a schnabel the size of a tennis ball, not sure if that was wishful thinking on her part or based on her previous experience! who knows, I certainly don't want to! Anyway, the rifle stock was also equipped with enormous side plates on the sides of the action making it feel like carrying a 2x4 through the woods when hunting.
After finishing the stock, the action and barrel were matte blued, the gun looked ok but it just was not what I wanted. Years passed and I began to search the interwebs and saw these Rigbys, H&H's etc. I realized what I was looking for was not what I had put together. So this is where I am now. the continuing saga of the M38 swede/Scottish gentlemans rifle......who knows what another 20 years will bring
Edited by barryowens (11/09/13 04:20 PM)
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Edited by barryowens (12/09/13 12:45 AM)
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tinker
.416 member
Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
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Welcome to NitroExpress!
Keep up the good work on your nice little rifle.
I look forward to seeing more from you.
Cheers
Tinker
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--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--
"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Edited by barryowens (12/09/13 12:45 AM)
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tinker
.416 member
Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
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--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--
"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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I apologize for the pics they are "best quality" Iphone pics. They do however hide my numerous "learning scars"
that is a nickel BTW, inletted into the stock, bent over a steel rod to get the contour and then filed smooth. A friend of mine showed me that. Cheap... only costs a nickel, just need to make a jig to file them oval and it would be the bomb I think.
Edited by barryowens (12/09/13 12:47 AM)
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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This is the same stock and barrel from the "Penis Rifle" I am amazed how easy it was after the first pass of the rasp to begin to work on it again. I knew it wasn't right and once I had rasped the @$%^& out of it, no worries! my only regret is not taking pictures of the before. the real difference though is how it feels and handles (I know I know, all penis jokes aside) this rifle now feels like it should, light thin and handy. My only other issue is, do I fill in the scope mount holes or leave the option open for my aging eyeballs. I am in Arkansas, there are no 300 yd shots here, so I am torn.
Edited by barryowens (12/09/13 12:48 AM)
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Now I am wondering, besides filling in the scope mount holes, if I do, do I matte blue, or keep polishing and try rust blueing(most likely COA). Also do I want to try a little engraving, maybe some borders or lettering, definitely want to put the chambering on the barrel, but maybe a ".256 Rigby" on the floorplate just for fun? Also considering going back to original safety if I leave the scope off, or maybe a 3 pos if funds allow. Just loaded some 156 gr Norma oryx softpoints tonight to regulate the sights to. Barrel was tapered and the sights are NECG for thoe who are interested.
Edited by barryowens (12/09/13 12:49 AM)
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Igorrock
.400 member
Reged: 01/03/07
Posts: 1685
Loc: Finland
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Quote:
My only other issue is, do I fill in the scope mount holes or leave the option open for my aging eyeballs. I am in Arkansas, there are no 300 yd shots here, so I am torn.
You will need the scope and mounts sooner or later so there is no reason to fill those holes permanently. Just find suitable set screws and install them with mild loctite.
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http://promaakari.wordpress.com/
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40759
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Quote:
My only other issue is, do I fill in the scope mount holes or leave the option open for my aging eyeballs. I am in Arkansas, there are no 300 yd shots here, so I am torn.
I will leave others to comment on your blueing queries as I am not a gunsmith.
As a user however if your eyes are deteriorating I would leave an option of using a scope open for the future. Otherwise you may end up with a much loved unusable rifle. QD mounts would be an option.
I have an M38 in my safe. It has been used a bit but not recently. Perhaps one day it will be made into something worthwhile. Your rifle is looking very nice IMO.
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Quote:
Quote:
My only other issue is, do I fill in the scope mount holes or leave the option open for my aging eyeballs. I am in Arkansas, there are no 300 yd shots here, so I am torn.
You will need the scope and mounts sooner or later so there is no reason to fill those holes permanently. Just find suitable set screws and install them with mild loctite.
I've got plug screws right now from another rifle. Kind of what I am thinking, my eyes aren't getting any better. Just enjoying the lightness and compactness of it I guess. I am looking at Talley or Warne QD's.
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Other ideas are to file the trigger guard to a more sporter style, like the Daniel Fraser style and the Bolt stop. I like the shotgun style and I think I can pull it off. Good thing is I can always order replacements if I Obama it up! that is what I love about it, that first cut of a file is so intense and then once you are committed. Anything goes! (of course, you may end up with a Ginormous Phallic rifle stock, which, may or may not be a bad thing)!
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Rule303
.450 member
Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 5281
Loc: Woodford Qld
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You have a very nice looking rifle there. Have you shot it with the new stock on yet?
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Quote:
You have a very nice looking rifle there. Have you shot it with the new stock on yet?
Nope. I haven't shot it in about ten years. have been shooting handguns almost exclusively since. However, I always liked the idea of changing this one up. just loaded 20 rounds up tonight and have 20 factory left over. I may try it out this weekend since I am off work. I don't expect much other than a little more recoil and being a whole lot happier with the looks and handling. shooting with iron sights should be fun though. I've been shooting my Ruger #1 in 30-06 lately with open sights. Quite a bit diff. from a scope. in all honesty, expect this rifle will become my new(old) favorite with its remodel.
Just seeing some peoples work on this forum ahs inspired me to take the plunge into reworking the rifle I had built into the one I wanted to build!
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27783
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Good work, Barry - Bravo!
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Thanks! this is the same style as the one I orignally put on it. Way too big and chunky though.
took a lot of rasping to get all that extra wood off. also the foreend extended out to where the front sling swivel is now. With the stock trimmed and the barrel taper it probably shed at least a pound. Wish I would have weighed it first.
http://www.gunstocks.com/stock_files/M-M93FRSB1002.jpg
Edited by barryowens (12/09/13 12:39 AM)
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JORGE01
.224 member
Reged: 22/11/11
Posts: 11
Loc: Florida, USA
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Let me say that is one fantastic looking rifle. It’s in the style of the old great rifles built by the British at the beginning of the 20th century, during the age of the great empires.
The rifle deserves to be rust blued. Also the holes drilled for the scope, just fill them with some nice screws to leave the option for a scope. A scope I consider perfect for the rifle and its classic lines is the Leupold 3x scope, see links below as and illustration (I have nothing to do with swfa):
http://swfa.com/Leupold-3x20-FX-II-Riflescope-P50855.aspx
http://swfa.com/Leupold-3x20-FX-II-Riflescope-P50862.aspx
Put back the original safety, if you are going to use it with iron sights. Another possibility is the use of a peep sight, which you can put on the holes you have drilled and it helps on accurate shooting.
You have done wonderful work I am very jealous.
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Sville
.400 member
Reged: 23/03/10
Posts: 1189
Loc: Sweden
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A great hunting rifle, looking good!!
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MarkPoley
.224 member
Reged: 22/05/12
Posts: 35
Loc: Yellville, Arkansas
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Barry, Your Swede is looking great. I am very fond of the Swedish Mauser also, and especially the caliber 6.5x55. I too would just fill the scope screw holes with plug screws for now, a scope may be a welcome addition a few years from now. I am in Yellville, Arkansas, what part of the state are you from?
That will make a great deer rifle for our country. I have installed several of those new Swedish military surplus barrels and they were all very good shooters.
Mark Poley
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Acts 4: 12-13 ; Rom. 8:29
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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Thanks all for the comments and replies. This is an amazing forum, I enjoy stealing ideas from others projects and original guns!
I spent an hour or so draw filing and shaping the ejector of my Mauser tonight. I am planning on experimenting with rust bluing on the smaller parts. I will need a larger tank for boiling the barrel and action, anyone have experience with this?
BTW, I named that file "Flat Bastard" in honor of the Austin Powers character!
Edited by barryowens (15/09/13 04:05 PM)
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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barryowens
.224 member
Reged: 01/09/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Arkansas, USA
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I like the crown on all the parts, I try not to obliterate or remove them when possible
Edited by barryowens (15/09/13 04:20 PM)
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