WB
That is absolutely beautiful! More preferrable to me
Tuesday, December 05, 2023, 08:55

that all the 6.5 whatever's in the whole world. Layne Simpson and Ross Seyfried used to publish articles where they used old hunting rigs like that in modern times. I read the stories with great anticipation and give them both high Kudos for the effort.

I have three military rifles I commissioned into full hunting rifles. Terribly expensive and inefficient for what a man can buy a fantastic shooting modern rifle. But sometimes it's not about the absolute performance, it's the trip along the way.

I bought a dozen very long, straight bolt, 1907 Brazilian 7X57 Mausers in the early 1980's. I had a small side hustle gunshop and FFL. Of the dozen only one was not matching but very serviceable, it also sported a pretty dark bore. We had a nice old gunsmith, Orville Sutton, who befriended me. I got Orville to make me a custom M98 hunting rifle. But it was not smooth sailing. The stock I bought was "the crappiest Claro Walnut I've ever worked with" according to my friend. It made due and was fully glass bedded and expertly enletted. I never did get it professionally checkered. I also ran aground on the chambering. I wanted a .257 Ackley Roberts. Orville did not have the reamers and his existing tool stock was not very exciting. The barrel also was a high expense and I had dwindled enthusiasm by this point. Orville did have some brand spanking new but 1917 four groove .30 cal. barrels put back. He would make me a deal. I think his enthusiasm was low by then too! Not really seeing merit in my choices at hand, .30-30, .300 Savage, .308, I opted for .30-06. I guess I figured I could later find a guy to Ackley my '06 into something more interesting. But never did. I have considered reboring to 9.3x62 or some .338-06, maybe a .35 caliber later in life. So much goes into a build such as this. Cutting and welding the bolt, grinding the receiver contour to Remington profile, drilling and tapping, a suitable safety that clears a scope, mounts and rings, custom trigger, floorplate, frame feed rails. Barrel fitting, threading, chambering, crowning and profiling too. It all costs good money. My my very frugal economy about $750 1990 dollars. A cheap'ed out baked on moly-cote finished the build. The floor plate is fancy 1909 Argentine Mauser design with Neidner style inletted checkered steel butt and grip cap. The forend tip is real ebony wood from Africa, not plastic. It shoots REAL good. I keep it as a tribute to Mr. Sutton, a long passed good friend and mentor. It's worth lots more to me than what a market value would fetch. It would likely cost a couple thousand in today's labor, IF you could even find a willing real gunsmith!