@*$#@&% WildAlaska!!!!

taylorce1 · August 14, 2009, 08:39 PM

Ken what did you get me into, but I must say "Thank You" for selling me this action a couple of years back!

Well my Smith called yesterday and said my .25-06 was ready to hunt. All the work isn't done yet but she is good to go out for pronghorn this season before the final finishing touches are put on the rifle. I'll give him back the rifle to finish the work in December after the late doe season is over and I got about 6 weeks to get a load built before I head out looking for a buck!

My rifle started life as a Zastava action with double set triggers picked up from Ken on "Senior Member only" special. I picked up a factory second Monte Carlo Rollover stock from Richards Microfit. Barrel is 26" Lilja #5 contour Stainless Steel. Stock still needs a lot of work, and the teflon finish needs to be put on, but I think this rifle will hunt. I'm going to run a 2.5-8X36 Leupold VXIII this hunting season, but by next I hope to have a 2.5-16X42 Bushnell Elite 6500 sitting on top of this rifle.

Just picked it up today and snapped a few pics. Looks like I need to do some more barrel inletting in the channel. But hey it was a factory second stock and is still a work in progress!

taylorce1 · August 14, 2009, 08:40 PM

Here are some more pictures!

HuntAndFish · August 14, 2009, 09:26 PM

I really like actions that are open like that one, so you can get in there and fix a problem should it occur. Nice looking so far.

Wildalaska · August 14, 2009, 10:06 PM

Dude that looks great!

WildnicejobAlaska TM

stubbicatt · August 15, 2009, 01:19 AM

So who did your gunsmithing?

Waterengineer · August 15, 2009, 04:54 AM

Niiicccce furniture on that one thar! Taylor talk about why you used a ss barrel with a blued action. Nice work!

taylorce1 · August 15, 2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Niiicccce furniture on that one thar! Taylor talk about why you used a ss barrel with a blued action. Nice work!

I went with a stainless barrel at the suggestion of my gunsmith. He felt the SS barrel would give me a little longer life in a .25-06. I'm going to finish everything off in either a gloss or matte black (haven't decided) KG Gun Kote after hunting season so the barrel will match the receiver when finished.

The stock has only one coat of oil on it right now and still has a long way to go before it is finished. I've got a lot of rough shaping to do on the forearm, plus some areas to clean up around the tang, safety, and the bolt. I want to get it checkered some day but this Carlo walnut stock really wants to chip bad so that may not be an option.

Magnum Wheel Man · August 15, 2009, 10:57 AM

Really, really nice... as you know, I love project guns, & seem to always have 3-4 projects going at one time... ( have an old custom 25-06 that could use freshening myself ) the set trigger action is a very nice touch...

is it the pic, or is the barrel inletting not even ??? ( maybe the barreled action was just set in the stock for the pic, but cleaence looks tight on one side & plenty generous on the other ) ???

love the wood, & the whole project over all... thanks for shareing...

... BTW... senior member discounts... hmmm... WILD, I'll be calling...

taylorce1 · August 15, 2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

is it the pic, or is the barrel inletting not even ???

The inletting isn't quite even I'll have to do a little work to open up the channel a little more on that one side.

BTW MWM love reading about your projects as well!

j.chappell · August 15, 2009, 09:51 PM

You have to love the Mauser style actions! I read somewhere that some stock makers use an epoxy, if I remember correctly, in the checkering area to help keep Claro from checking and crumbling. It would be a shame to not checker that piece.

I think you are going to get a great idea of what you need to do to the stock by using it this season then finishing it.

How are the triggers?

I have a project that I am working on myself (well actually my smith is working on it).

It is going to be a classic sporter in 7x57mm. It started out as a Sears Westernfield; it had an FN Commercial action so I stripped the rifle and sold off the barrel, stock, sling, bases, rings, and scope. I wound up with but a few dollars into the action.

I bought a CM Krieger barrel #3 Sporter contour and an English walnut blank to date. My smith is going to start the metal work when he gets back from running his guide service this fall.

I am going to have him install an aftermarket trigger assembly (not sure which yet), smooth bolt shroud, front (Masterpiece Banded Front Ramp) and rear (Express Single Leaf and Base) sights.

I am not sure of the scope rings and bases yet. I am hoping to get some ideas between now and then.

J.

taylorce1 · August 16, 2009, 05:50 AM

J.C.,

There is one thing I don't like about the double set triggers, and that is the super long pull of the first trigger if you don't set it. It has a pull of around 4-5 lbs as well, but it does break pretty clean once you get all the slack taken out of the trigger to where you can feel the resistance. However I built this rifle mainly for taking pronghorn and range time so I don't think I'll have a lot of trouble with the triggers.

Sounds like a sweet rig you are planning to build there. I wanted to do away with my safety and put a M70 style one on my rifle. However my Smith didn't think he could do it after looking at the action and keep the double triggers, and I didn't want to spend the money to get a set that would work so I kept the smooth shroud and side safety.

j.chappell · August 16, 2009, 06:56 AM

Quote:

I wanted to do away with my safety and put a M70 style one on my rifle.

I was thinking the same thing but then I was checking out the cost of a Mod 70 style safety and the cost to have it fitted and decided that the money would be better spent elsewhere in my rifle. My smith has assured me that he can make the safety lever unobtrusive.

I am still thinking about getting the Mod 70 safety as this is going to be my last complete build I believe.

Does your forward trigger feel like a two stage? I liked my old 96 Mauser's with that feel as well as my Ruger Varminter with the two stage target trigger.

I like your choice of cartridge too. I don’t have one but I do have a 257 WBY that I just love. You can’t go wrong with the quarter bores!

J.

Ozzieman · August 16, 2009, 12:38 PM

If the wood is half as good as it looks in the photos,,,,, Man that is one beautiful piece of “Finished” lumber! I bet your face hurt from smiling when you saw it.
Looking forward to reading how she prints. How much does it weigh, I bet its going to be a very easy shooting 25-06.

olyinaz · August 16, 2009, 02:34 PM

.25-06 is one of my favorite calibers and that is one DANG fine looking rifle. Please keep us posted on your finishing!

Thanks,
Oly

taylorce1 · August 17, 2009, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Does your forward trigger feel like a two stage? I liked my old 96 Mauser's with that feel as well as my Ruger Varminter with the two stage target trigger.

Not quite like a two stage, unless your rifles have .5" of travel before you take up the slack on the trigger.

Thanks for the compliments guys, and I hope the finished product looks even better.

critter44 · August 17, 2009, 10:52 AM

I LIKE that! Great action, NICE looking stock--became a really nice package. I also like your cailber choice. The .25-06 and antelope were made for each other!

I have one on an Argentine Mauser action w/ 26" Shilen barrel that is quite a shooter.

Best wishes for good luck with yours on the range and in the game fields.

taylorce1 · August 20, 2009, 06:51 PM

Well this defiantly isn’t how I wanted my first custom build to go. I was taking apart my rifle tonight to relieve the barrel channel to so that I wouldn’t have the stock interfering with the barrel. Well I accidently dropped the stock from about 3’ to the floor and well the picture says it all!

Anyone got a spare commercial Mauser 98 stock laying around that they want to part with?

davlandrum · August 20, 2009, 06:56 PM

Nnnnnnoooooo!!!!!!

Master Blaster · August 20, 2009, 07:01 PM

Thats a shame, I hate to say this but if you look where it broke the grain runs from the bottom to the top of the stock all around (a classic case of grain run out) and it followed the grain Run Out where it broke. It very well may have cracked apart after a few firings.

I hope you find a good replacement, but you may want to consider gluing the stock back together with epoxy and finishing it. You won't be able to hunt with it, get a good synthetic stock for that, and use this one to display the rifle when you are not hunting and want to admire it.

JMHO YMMV

Waterengineer · August 21, 2009, 06:50 AM

That is too damn bad. Blaster is right about the grain run out.

I'll be the first to say it. Better that it happened now, at home, than in the field or at the range.

Sorry about the extra cost you will incur.

ZeroJunk · August 21, 2009, 06:54 AM

I hate it for you Taylor. At least you hadn't spent a lot of time and had it fully finished.

Magnum Wheel Man · August 21, 2009, 07:44 AM

ouch... I really feel for you...

sorry... no extra 98 Mauser stock (right now)... I do have a take off from my CZ 550 that I'd give you if you could make it work ??? don't know how different ( if at all ) the inletting is between the two... I think they are similar???

csmsss · August 21, 2009, 07:56 AM

Sorry to hear of your bad luck. That would have been a beautiful stock.

But...that's a typical problem with highly figured/burled stocks - the grain tends to run every which way, generating weak spots. Might be why this one was available as a second, actually.

taylorce1 · August 21, 2009, 08:14 AM

Yeah it sucks, however I've got time and now thanks to MWM I might have a stock I can use to get this rifle hunting again.

I'm going to try and save the stock and use it on one of my Handi rifles or my Encore. I'm going to do some serious thinking this weekend to see if I can get it to work

taylorce1 · September 25, 2009, 09:03 PM

Well I've finally got my rifle up and running today! Even got to shoot a few groups today and the one I've got showing will probably be the one I hunt pronghorn next weekend with. I like the new stock, and it shoud be a much stronger one. I need to clean it up but that will have to wait until after hunting season is over. Managed to trade up to a VXII 4-12X40 AO this week as well really like that scope on this rifle. Next time I post on it I hope to have at least one pronghorn in the pic as well!

August 14, 2009, 08:39 PM	#1
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	*@$#@&% WildAlaska!!!!** Ken what did you get me into, but I must say "Thank You" for selling me this action a couple of years back! Well my Smith called yesterday and said my .25-06 was ready to hunt. All the work isn't done yet but she is good to go out for pronghorn this season before the final finishing touches are put on the rifle. I'll give him back the rifle to finish the work in December after the late doe season is over and I got about 6 weeks to get a load built before I head out looking for a buck! My rifle started life as a Zastava action with double set triggers picked up from Ken on "Senior Member only" special. I picked up a factory second Monte Carlo Rollover stock from Richards Microfit. Barrel is 26" Lilja #5 contour Stainless Steel. Stock still needs a lot of work, and the teflon finish needs to be put on, but I think this rifle will hunt. I'm going to run a 2.5-8X36 Leupold VXIII this hunting season, but by next I hope to have a 2.5-16X42 Bushnell Elite 6500 sitting on top of this rifle. Just picked it up today and snapped a few pics. Looks like I need to do some more barrel inletting in the channel. But hey it was a factory second stock and is still a work in progress!

August 15, 2009, 04:54 AM	#6
Waterengineer Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2006 Location: Aurora, CO and Palm Beach, FL Posts: 863	Nice. Niiicccce furniture on that one thar! Taylor talk about why you used a ss barrel with a blued action. Nice work!

August 15, 2009, 10:57 AM	#8
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Really, really nice... as you know, I love project guns, & seem to always have 3-4 projects going at one time... ( have an old custom 25-06 that could use freshening myself ) the set trigger action is a very nice touch... is it the pic, or is the barrel inletting not even ??? ( maybe the barreled action was just set in the stock for the pic, but cleaence looks tight on one side & plenty generous on the other ) ??? love the wood, & the whole project over all... thanks for shareing... ... BTW... senior member discounts... hmmm... WILD, I'll be calling... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

August 20, 2009, 06:56 PM	#18
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	Nnnnnnoooooo!!!!!! __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

August 21, 2009, 07:44 AM	#22
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	ouch... I really feel for you... sorry... no extra 98 Mauser stock (right now)... I do have a take off from my CZ 550 that I'd give you if you could make it work ??? don't know how different ( if at all ) the inletting is between the two... I think they are similar??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

August 14, 2009, 08:40 PM	#2
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Here are some more pictures!

August 14, 2009, 09:26 PM	#3
HuntAndFish Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO. Posts: 580	I really like actions that are open like that one, so you can get in there and fix a problem should it occur. Nice looking so far. __________________ NRA Benefactor MSSA Life Member Last edited by HuntAndFish; August 14, 2009 at 09:33 PM.

August 14, 2009, 10:06 PM	#4
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Dude that looks great! WildnicejobAlaska TM

August 15, 2009, 01:19 AM	#5
stubbicatt Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Posts: 1,707	So who did your gunsmithing?

August 15, 2009, 09:51 PM	#10
j.chappell Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2008 Posts: 1,125	You have to love the Mauser style actions! I read somewhere that some stock makers use an epoxy, if I remember correctly, in the checkering area to help keep Claro from checking and crumbling. It would be a shame to not checker that piece. I think you are going to get a great idea of what you need to do to the stock by using it this season then finishing it. How are the triggers? I have a project that I am working on myself (well actually my smith is working on it). It is going to be a classic sporter in 7x57mm. It started out as a Sears Westernfield; it had an FN Commercial action so I stripped the rifle and sold off the barrel, stock, sling, bases, rings, and scope. I wound up with but a few dollars into the action. I bought a CM Krieger barrel #3 Sporter contour and an English walnut blank to date. My smith is going to start the metal work when he gets back from running his guide service this fall. I am going to have him install an aftermarket trigger assembly (not sure which yet), smooth bolt shroud, front (Masterpiece Banded Front Ramp) and rear (Express Single Leaf and Base) sights. I am not sure of the scope rings and bases yet. I am hoping to get some ideas between now and then. J.

August 16, 2009, 05:50 AM	#11
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	J.C., There is one thing I don't like about the double set triggers, and that is the super long pull of the first trigger if you don't set it. It has a pull of around 4-5 lbs as well, but it does break pretty clean once you get all the slack taken out of the trigger to where you can feel the resistance. However I built this rifle mainly for taking pronghorn and range time so I don't think I'll have a lot of trouble with the triggers. Sounds like a sweet rig you are planning to build there. I wanted to do away with my safety and put a M70 style one on my rifle. However my Smith didn't think he could do it after looking at the action and keep the double triggers, and I didn't want to spend the money to get a set that would work so I kept the smooth shroud and side safety.

August 16, 2009, 12:38 PM	#13
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	If the wood is half as good as it looks in the photos,,,,, Man that is one beautiful piece of “Finished” lumber! I bet your face hurt from smiling when you saw it. Looking forward to reading how she prints. How much does it weigh, I bet its going to be a very easy shooting 25-06.

August 16, 2009, 02:34 PM	#14
olyinaz Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 877	.25-06 is one of my favorite calibers and that is one DANG fine looking rifle. Please keep us posted on your finishing! Thanks, Oly

August 17, 2009, 10:52 AM	#16
critter44 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Posts: 247	I LIKE that! Great action, NICE looking stock--became a really nice package. I also like your cailber choice. The .25-06 and antelope were made for each other! I have one on an Argentine Mauser action w/ 26" Shilen barrel that is quite a shooter. Best wishes for good luck with yours on the range and in the game fields.

August 20, 2009, 06:51 PM	#17
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Well this defiantly isn’t how I wanted my first custom build to go. I was taking apart my rifle tonight to relieve the barrel channel to so that I wouldn’t have the stock interfering with the barrel. Well I accidently dropped the stock from about 3’ to the floor and well the picture says it all! Anyone got a spare commercial Mauser 98 stock laying around that they want to part with?

August 20, 2009, 07:01 PM	#19
Master Blaster Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 1999 Location: One of the original 13 Colonies Posts: 2,281	Thats a shame, I hate to say this but if you look where it broke the grain runs from the bottom to the top of the stock all around (a classic case of grain run out) and it followed the grain Run Out where it broke. It very well may have cracked apart after a few firings. I hope you find a good replacement, but you may want to consider gluing the stock back together with epoxy and finishing it. You won't be able to hunt with it, get a good synthetic stock for that, and use this one to display the rifle when you are not hunting and want to admire it. JMHO YMMV

August 21, 2009, 06:50 AM	#20
Waterengineer Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2006 Location: Aurora, CO and Palm Beach, FL Posts: 863	That is too damn bad. Blaster is right about the grain run out. I'll be the first to say it. Better that it happened now, at home, than in the field or at the range. Sorry about the extra cost you will incur.

August 21, 2009, 06:54 AM	#21
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	I hate it for you Taylor. At least you hadn't spent a lot of time and had it fully finished.

August 21, 2009, 07:56 AM	#23
csmsss Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Orange, TX Posts: 3,078	Sorry to hear of your bad luck. That would have been a beautiful stock. But...that's a typical problem with highly figured/burled stocks - the grain tends to run every which way, generating weak spots. Might be why this one was available as a second, actually.

August 21, 2009, 08:14 AM	#24
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Yeah it sucks, however I've got time and now thanks to MWM I might have a stock I can use to get this rifle hunting again. I'm going to try and save the stock and use it on one of my Handi rifles or my Encore. I'm going to do some serious thinking this weekend to see if I can get it to work

September 25, 2009, 09:03 PM	#25
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Well I've finally got my rifle up and running today! Even got to shoot a few groups today and the one I've got showing will probably be the one I hunt pronghorn next weekend with. I like the new stock, and it shoud be a much stronger one. I need to clean it up but that will have to wait until after hunting season is over. Managed to trade up to a VXII 4-12X40 AO this week as well really like that scope on this rifle. Next time I post on it I hope to have at least one pronghorn in the pic as well!