Why "Sporterize"?

[Cosmoline]

I've recently purchased a Yugo M-48 98k Mauser rifle. I've encounered much discussion of "sporterizing" these and other Mausers. What, may I ask, is the point of this? It's not that I think the M-48 has some great historical significance (it was, after all, first commissioned to yours truly). But the existing musket-style stock is simply awesome. It sheds water and protects the barrel from scratches and general abuse in the field. It also protects my hands from hot metal or (in the Alaskan winter) extremely cold metal. As far as I can see, shedding a bit of wood would only cut a pound or two off the rifle, increasing recoil along the way. Am I missing something?

[Oris]

You may not be missing nothing, unless you decide to take
some milsurp rifle, scope it and take it to the woods for hunting...
Then, after a little walk, this 12 lbs. (on average) beautiful creation may start bothering you a bit, unless you're lucky to park your car right near the luxury blind... Recoil is no factor, 'cause you only shoot once, may be twice, and you shoulder is well protected by a heavy jacket you gonna wear...

[4V50 Gary]

Back in the '50s through '70s, surplus firearms were in abundance, the war was still fresh in the minds of many, and the value of surplus firearms was actually enhanced after it was sporterized. This was not without precedent and the same was done by gunsmiths nationwide after WW I (and to some extent, Civil War and Spanish American War). Even the venerable M-1 Garand became the subject of conversion and the NRA publication on the M-1 Garand featured an article on sporterizing it.

The preservationist bug then bit and folks scrambled to restore firearms to near pristine condition.

I confess to butchering one Garand. So far, it's all in the woodwork and newly installed M1D type sleeved barrel.

[bullfrog99]

sporterizing guns also adds in there handyness. while i love the ballance feel of a long barreled mauser, cut the barrel to 17" shorten the stock and you have a gun that is quick to swing as any lever gun with enough power to kill anything on the american contenent. If you can handle the noise, add a muzzel break, and recoil pad and the recoil increase is nil. My favorite is to take an enfield and cut the stock back as short as possable, and remove the upper handguard. it is the hadiest gun i own and felt. the long skinny barrel swings at just the right speed(like a good trap gun) and the heavy sight wing adds just enough weight out there to hold the barrel steady. Sporterization does have it's purpose, but make sure you buy two and keep one original, just to compare( and it's an excuse to buy two new guns!)

[James K]

Military rifles are made primarily for durability and also for military needs, like having a handguard to keep from burning the hands in rapid fire, and a long stock to provide a grip for the left hand when using the bayonet.

Since few deer hunters rattle of 50 rounds fast, or bayonet bucks, those parts can be removed or cut down to save weight. Just about everything else is for pretty; even most military sights will do for hunting, sometimes better than the sights put on in "sporterizing".

Jim

[Cosmoline]

I kind of like the bayonet. It helps push brush away and keeps the crown well away from rocks and such. It also acts as a nice extra bit of protection in bear country, at least against any would-be predatory black bear who decides to have a taste. It's a hell of a close combat weapon. Wouldn't do much against a brownie, but by the time a brownie got that close I'd be lunch, anyway ;-)

There's also a style issue. I guess I just see so many of the same exact "sport stock" hunting rifles at the range. Why have what everybody else and his brother has?

I realize you don't need to worry about a hot barrel on typical hunts, but what about range time? I hate the idea of shooting a rifle from a bench rest with one carefully-loaded cartridge every two minutes and a swab between each to ensure maximum accuracy. This sort of shooting seems absurd for anything but competition or testing handloads. I prefer to fire off hand and get used to going through the rounds as fast as possible. If I'm in a pinch against an ursus, that will be an essential skill. It's also the only way I know of to actually improve my real-life shooting ability. Plus, a hot barrel is a good way to bleed out the cosmoline that's built up in the stock these past fifty years.

[yankytrash]

I'll have to agree on the bayonet issue. I've always liked to put the bayonet on, not only for looks, but also to keep the barrel and sight off the tree I may lean my gun against.

But I'll admit, it's mostly for looks.;)

[PreserveFreedom]

Imagine getting several surplus rifles dirt cheap. Why not modify a couple to add some variety? ;) You could always resell them based on the "coolness factor."

[Gewehr98]

Who look for "sporterized" guns like 92-98 Krags, WWI-era Mausers, 1903-series Springfields, U.S. M1917 Enfields, and other collectibles, and then find all the parts to restore them back to their original, and increasingly more rare, military configuration. My 1903A4 restoration was unbelievable butchered, the receiver was the only thing worth saving.

Some of the old military rifles are getting so rare that preservation societies are cropping up. I just gave the specifics of my 1898 Krag to a collector's group to help fill in the gaps of serial number ranges and production figures.

I'm beginning to believe the saying, "If you want a sporting rifle, buy a sporting rifle." The work and money that's put into making a quick handling, scoped, Wal-Mart ammo fed hunting rifle, on top of the price of the original military rifle used as the donor gun, could equal the price of a new Remington 710, or a nice used Remington 700 ADL, etc.

Now, in today's military surplus gun arena, not many people are balking at cutting up a Yugo M48 Mauser. Heck, they're cheap enough, why not? But history repeats itself, as witnessed by the "sporterized" military long arms of WWI and WWII, and the great business these days of providing original and reproduction parts to restore them to their original configuration.

Some day (week, year, decade) down the road, that sporterized M48 Yugo could very well catch the eye of somebody looking for an original Yugoslavian 98 Mauser, since their import ended long before. Milsurp rifles arrive here in batches, then they dry up. Remember the $99.00 Chinese SKS, before the Clinton Administration banned them?
Look how fast the No5Mk1 Lee-Enfield Jungle Carbines sold these last two years, after they found a cache of them in Malaysia...

I'm very much guilty of sporterizing old milsurp rifles myself, but only when it was the occasional derelict Mauser Gew98 or Czech VZ-24 receiver laying about here and there, or the gun's barrel was totally rotted out. At that point, it wasn't economically feasible for me to restore it back to full military condition. I still have a Siamese Mauer action in my file cabinet, waiting to be built into a .45-70 sporting rifle.

Granted, there are some purists who take their collectibility criteria to extremes, and others who could really give a rat's a$$ about what they do to their gun. Diversity is the spice of life, ain't it?:D

[Oris]

Gewehr98,

I do understand what you're saying.

However, here is your probably generally correct idea that I think is not of my personal concern:

"Some day (week, year, decade) down the road, that sporterized M48 Yugo could very well catch the eye of somebody looking for an original Yugoslavian 98 Mauser.."

Somebody? Why should I care about somebody?

It cost me may be $200 (I do all mechanical work by myself) to
build a reliable scoped hunting rifle, based on battle proven design, because I take rifle initially at least in very good condition
and do not mess with replacing barrels and stuff. I know this rifle like my 5 fingers and I know what it's capable of. Quality of some of old milsurp rifles is way above quality of modern hunting rifles from WalMart, and accuracy is also can be marvelous, for the simple reason that old metal is naturally stressed relieved. For $200 ON AVERAGE, I will have better rifle that I can buy for $400. Again, I do all the work, I have fun and I have a weapon exactly of my choice. Probably, not everybody can do it my way, for $200, but I can do it. I feel fine about it.

By the way, as a rule, I also have at least two - one sportized and one untouched, original, of the same make/model So, like you said, it's 50/50.

[Gewehr98]

It's not that much of a problem to me, really. You are among the fortunate, you're doing all the work yourself, vs. paying Mr. Gunsmith the money to restock, refinish, drill and tap the receiver, forge or weld a low bolt handle, mount and boresight the scope, change the safety over, and possibly rebarrel to a commercially-available chambering. It adds up quickly, no doubt about it, before too long you're into the cost of a commercial Remington (700 or better quality) or Savage (highly underrated these days). Unless, of course, you are one of the fortunate few...

As for the old military stress-relieved metal (Good Krupps steel!) I know exactly what you mean. It's why I have a file cabinet drawer full of various Mauser actions, and the things I build such actions into, see below:

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/7268/interdiction.html

[Art Eatman]

Gotta know your history, kids. After WW I and WW II, lots of guys wanted rifles, but the civilian stuff just wasn't all that available. More would-be shooters than rifles.

Post WW I, the Enfield and Springfield used a previously not-well-known cartridge that was more effective on deer and elk than most any other commonly available. The '06 was most available, cheaply, in the military surplus rifles. Post WW II, guys brought back tons of Mausers, etc., and wildcatting was becoming more popular than pre-war. And after all, a Model 70 cost $54!

When there are lots and lots of military-surplus rifles around, why worry about "collectibles"? Right now, who's interested in collecting a Chrysler K car? Or a '92 Bulgemobile?

Times change, folks' notions change.

Nowadays, "If you want a sporter, buy a sporter." makes sense. We have jillions of sporters, but few bolt-action military rifles are being made, right? Value and scarcity always go together. That's Economics 101, right?

:), Art