If not for the "telltale" magazine...

[Wannashootit]

it might take a few seconds more to know it's identity...
Customer to finish the French Walnut stock. Sniper Grey Cerakote, all Graco hardware, Timney trigger, Holland's Gunsmithing QD brake, Green Mountain barrel blank.

 

[steve123]

That's different.

I was wondering how much $ was spent so far???

 

[enichols]

Looks great, OP. Makes a Mosin look almost respectable-ish!

 

[kraigWY]

Different..........................I guess

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Very cool, if not wildly impractical. It was actually the cocking piece/safety knob thing that was an immediate giveaway for me. Get us a range report ASAP!

 

[Wannashootit]

Very cool, if not wildly impractical. It was actually the cocking piece/safety know thing that was an immediate giveaway for me. Get us a range report ASAP!

"Wildly impractical"? Please elaborate??

On my personal rifles, I modify the cocking piece- turning it down, as well as shortening it, to reduce weight and improve lock time.
The customer that owns this particular rifle will be shooting factory ammo- so I don't expect bugholes (and these customers are told the same).

Re-barrels done for handloading customers are typically done with .308 bore- Shilen, Douglas, McGowen, Krieger- as it's just an expander ball changeout in the sizing die to use .308 boolits.
These rifles typically shoot in the 3/4 moa range, and the huge selection of bullets allows for much more flexibility in application and load development.

I'd never compare them to a "precision" rifle built off a Stiller or Defiance...but my customer base is those that want a capable/accurate long-range rifle that's completely different than what everyone else has. I ignore the ignorance/nay-sayers...as I know the real-world results, as well as the actual history of the action/rifle when built with a quality barrel/stock, Won the Olympic Biathlon in '76 (6.5 x 54R- my next build ), and the Finns used them for competition shooting (M28/76) for years as well as a still-in-service DM rifle for the Finnish Defence Forces (TKIV-85).

So, while it may be "wildly impractical" in your opinion- those that wants a one-off, no one else owns one- would disagree.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

"Wildly impractical" was not meant in an offensive way, it's just that there has to be easier and cheaper ways to get a sub moa gun that shoots .308 bullets. I think it's great that people are willing to spend 4 digits to turn a $80 rifle into something really unique and interesting, and 8 years ago I probably would've jumped all over one.

 

[Wannashootit]

Here's the "thing"...
The out-of-the-box accuracy of factory rifles has increased exponentially in recent years as costs/prices have moved in the opposite direction.

I could make your same argument with any number of modern factory rifles, and customs costing five times more. $1000 Savage 12's are often nearly as accurate (and were used by some members of the US F-Class team in competition) as a custom trued 700 or clone. By that, I mean that any difference can't be shot by 95% of whomever is driving the rifle.

This wasn't the case even a decade ago, when it was rare for a mass manufacturer to even mention "moa". Now, it's commonplace and expected to have a minute of angle "guarantee" for $350 factory rifles. "Remage" builds and the explosion in Savage aftermarket match-grade barrels shows many consumers understand the diminishing advantage of smith built customs over factory rifles-esp when re-barreled- for the dollars involved. For me, I feel I need to show value to my customers in ways other than just accuracy.

Owning a custom "anything", including a rifle- is for many more about having something different, built exactly the way they wanted. Ask anyone that's dumped thousands, or tens of thousands of $$ into cars, homes, (for me, boats) that they know will never be recouped. I've got a safe full of customers' barreled actions that prove the existence of this market- and whether it's "crazy" is purely subjective.

 

[buffalowinter]

The Mosin action has been the basis for numerous target/competition/sniper rifles in many countries. Here is a modern Finnish 7.62 tkIV 85

 

[buffalowinter]

A little more on the TAK 85. here is the TAK 85 stock and some info:

Finish 28-76
In this picture is a stock for the TAK 85. Notice that the whole action is floating (no contact to stock) and so it needs a special bushing around the barrel which beds the rifle. This rifle is very accurate when properly built.

Here is the TAK 85 Sniper system

More Mosin based accuracy rifles

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Wqbz861l.jpg"}[/IMG2]

 

[TonyTheTiger]

@ Wannashootit, it's almost like we agree entirely, you just take offense at the use of the word impractical. You almost make my point for me when you mention that budget hunting rifles shoot better than ever these days.
When you brought up blowing money on cars you reminded me of a friend of mine. He's spent the last couple years and a lot of money getting an old Datsun to perform almost as well as a newer Mustang. But for the money he's spent he could've just bought the Mustang and saved himself a lot of time, busted knuckles and trial and error. There's no doubt, the Datsun is cool and entirely custom but you can't argue it's as practical as a car with some warranty left that comes with windshield wipers that continue working in the rain.
You're fixing up the Datsun equivalent, it's very cool and I'm glad there's a big enough market for it to keep you employed. But I stand by my use of the word impractical, even if it ruffles your feathers.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Thanks for the pics buffalowinter, you've got me daydreaming about modifying my M39 again...

 

[Wannashootit]

^^

I'm determined to find the time to do the build I've wanted- which is the 6.5 Vostok (I believe that's what the Soviets called that chambering back in Innsbruck), necked down 54R to 6.5...might end up doing a 7mm instead because I'm a big fan of the 7's, and a lot less work necking down the brass.

I already "true" the recoil block when re-barreling- they are never square nor perpendicular to the action the lug recesses, as well as the receiver face. Considering a piloted tap to re-cut the receiver threads oversize, but would need interchangeable pilots due to variations in the dimension of the bolt raceway. Anyway... I'm all about something different. If I can reduce the backlog I have and get started on the "Perfect Mosin Nagant" build I'll post up the progress- and the results- however they turn out.

 

[Wannashootit]

Thanks for the pics buffalowinter, you've got me daydreaming about modifying my M39 again...

I just had one come in Friday that a customer had shipped to me from Classic. Stock was cracked and shit, but the price was right at under $300 for these, presumably the last of the Burns' imports back in the day. The Finns understood then- and still do today- that there's potential here.

The actions are far from "slick" and are very crude- BUT... I stand by my opinion that the floating bolthead design- decades ahead of Savage- largely offsets the lack of precision machining of the actions and allows for much better accuracy than they could otherwise produce. Too many judge the "potential" by the shot out, corroded- or just poor quality to begin with- of the Soviet/Russian barrels. Anyone that does this for a living or serious hobbyist knows the primary consideration for accuracy (or lack of) is the BARREL.

BTW...feathers aren't ruffled...but I'm still not understanding the context of your description of "impractical", unless you're throwing in many customs in general- since we agree that inexpensive factory rifles can shoot as well as some customs costing many times more. As you noted, custom "anything" isn't always about getting the end result (accuracy- or fastest 1/4 mile) as cheaply as possible. I'll bet your friend Datsun "sleeper" (as we called em back in the day) probably made him a few bucks at the red lights...

 

[TonyTheTiger]

If you don't mind me asking, how much did the rifle in the OP cost?

 

[2ndamendfan]

Very very nice. We might have to talk. curious about price also.

 

[Wannashootit]

^^
Sure...no secret...

That one ran around $1500- which, considering (custom Walnut stock with Graco hardware, Holland's QD brake, Timney, epoxy bedding, Cerakote)... is pretty fair deal.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Very cool. How about some custom Mauser pics? I saw plenty of Mosins but no Mausers on your website.

 

[Wannashootit]

Very cool. How about some custom Mauser pics? I saw plenty of Mosins but no Mausers on your website.

Mostly, I deal with just barreled actions in the case of Mausers because 1) I don't make a custom stock for them and 2) there's just not as many of them being done these days for obvious reasons. The VZ-24 and pre-war K-98's, and other "worthy" candidates are tough to find in "already modified" condition, and if they haven't been modified their value mostly precludes sporterizing.

But, I do have one here now being re-barreled with a .308 Shilen, fitted with CDI bottom metal in this pretty unique stock the customer sent in. Will post it up when it's done.