Prettying Up My Mauser

[Mauser8mm]

Hey I just wanted a little advice on my VZ-24 Sporter 8mm. Here are a few things I need help with.

- Finish is chipping off of the barrel, receiver and magazine, what should I do to pretty that up? Paint? Possibly a DIY project, I don't really want to spend much.

- Removal of front sight? Is that possible?

- I want a Boyd's featherweight thumbhole Varminter stock, I found one for $99 on Boyd's site, is it a good stock? I want it in applejack, good looking color.

- New trigger, found a 2-4 pound trigger on Midway USA for around $50, should I get it?

Let me know what you think, thanks! I already have a scope on it, so I'm not worried about sights.

[emcon5]

"Chipping"? :confused:

What finish did Bubba put on there that chips, bed liner?

What stock is on it now?

[Scorch]

If the barrel and action were painted, you can sand the paint off and have the barreled action blued.

Boyds' stocks are OK, not beautiful not ugly. just OK. I think you will be happy with it. You will probably need to bed the action into the stock, the bedding area in Boyds stocks I have seen are pretty loose. It's not hard, you can find instructions on the web.

The trigger you bought should work fine.

[PVL]

If the gun has been painted and the paint is now chipping, I would strip the paint that is on there now, and then re-do it with better quality paint.

Better yet, use one of the bake-on finishes made for firearms. Midway shooting supply has that stuff on the web.

Paint stripper is nasty stuff, use rubber gloves. First, remove the scope and its mounts. Then, take the barreled action out of the stock. Smear the jelly-like, caustic paint stripper onto the finish. It will bubble up. Then, ( wearing rubber gloves ) use steel wool to remove every trace of the old paint. Don't get any of that stuff on you, it will do the same thing to your skin that it does to paint, and it hurts.

It will probably take two, or three applications to get it all.

Then, clean the metal with automotive brake cleaner spray and refinish, according to the instructions that come with whatever you decide to use.

If the front sight is the original military front sight with no screws to unscrew, removing it will be difficult in most cases, without the services of a gunsmith. He may want to cut the barrel off right behind the sight, and then re-crown the barrel. Re-crowning must be done right, thus the gunsmith, who will have the tools and know-how for that kind of work.

Re-crowning a rifle barrel is a really persnicketty job. If it's not done just right, the gun will shoot all over the place.

A gunsmith can also advise you on refinishing the metal, and getting the right kind of aftermarket trigger and safety.

If you are going to do it all yourself, read up on all of this stuff, and view You-Tube videos that show how it's done. Take note of what each step ends up costing. Add it all up. Don't take any short-cuts at all, when it comes to safety. Look for gunsmithing books on Amazon.com or eBay.

Note that most often, one can sell the gun in hand and use the money to buy another gun that is closer to what you want, a lot cheaper and easier than by buying parts, books, tools etc. and doing all of the work yourself. - Just a thought.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and let us see some pictures!

[PetahW]

FWIW, Most military Mauser front sight blades I've seen reside in an undersize dovetail, and can be driven out - IIRC, the front sight bands/bases were made integral with the barrels.

A dovetail slot filler can be filed up, from a piece of scrap steel & painted/cold-blued.

If a clean muzzle's desired, the bbl's most likely going to needs be cut off & recrowned, just in back of the present sight base/band.


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[Mauser8mm]

Thanks for the ideas, and Scorch, I didn't buy the trigger, but I'm thinking about it. The stock I have now is a decent looking interarms stock. Laminated, but not too lustrous. I'll do what I can, and I'll post pictures!

[Mauser8mm]

Put a little paint thinner (no paint stripper) and steel wooled it. It seems it was spray paint!! :eek:.The barrel doesn't look terrible, but the receiver is silver and doesn't match too well. I will worry about that later. Soon I plan to get the trigger and the stock. Any more suggestions?