Gunsmithing Two Custom Sniper Rifle Builds (modern and vintage)

[sandwarrior]

So first... we don’t build sniper rifles around here. Unless we are snipers. And if you don’t have a hogs tooth or serious schools behind you, best to simply talk about a precision rifle or a rifle... you will get trolled if you go all snipery.

Second is that the two are pretty much mutually exclusive. A big game rifle has little or no bearing on even a vintage military sniper build. Or even one used in Africa.

So with that in mind, I would drop the H&H and similar game cartridges and run with .30-06 or 8mm or something that was used Ww2 and found it’s way into Africa because that was where everything ended up eventually. Well, and VN and Afghanistan... but that’s a different story.

Lots of good info on Vintage about the various old platforms and configurations and options.

But I think you are trying to build two rifles... and Buffalowinter has about the closest thing to what you might find in Africa in the golden age of the Mercenary. But then Again... I’ve never once heard of the merc groups using sniper tactics. They were primarily heavy hitters, small arms and shock factor. Not a chess game of a sniper war. Again, probably happened. But not really their SOP.

Cheers, Sirhr

PS. Don’t ignore the old Ross! Very heavy use in WW 1 as sniper rifles and then sold as Ross Sporters in .303 and .280 in the inter wa period. Read McBride rifleman went to war.

You need to show a pic of your Ross again! ?

 

[Son of Dorn]

So first... we don’t build sniper rifles around here. Unless we are snipers. And if you don’t have a hogs tooth or serious schools behind you, best to simply talk about a precision rifle or a rifle... you will get trolled if you go all snipery.

Second is that the two are pretty much mutually exclusive. A big game rifle has little or no bearing on even a vintage military sniper build. Or even one used in Africa.

So with that in mind, I would drop the H&H and similar game cartridges and run with .30-06 or 8mm or something that was used Ww2 and found it’s way into Africa because that was where everything ended up eventually. Well, and VN and Afghanistan... but that’s a different story.

Lots of good info on Vintage about the various old platforms and configurations and options.

But I think you are trying to build two rifles... and Buffalowinter has about the closest thing to what you might find in Africa in the golden age of the Mercenary. But then Again... I’ve never once heard of the merc groups using sniper tactics. They were primarily heavy hitters, small arms and shock factor. Not a chess game of a sniper war. Again, probably happened. But not really their SOP.

Cheers, Sirhr

PS. Don’t ignore the old Ross! Very heavy use in WW 1 as sniper rifles and then sold as Ross Sporters in .303 and .280 in the inter wa period. Read McBride rifleman went to war.

I added some more to the reply, sorry. And I'd like to politely request that we just... erase/ignore anything I said about the m-word, please. Can we do that? The trolling I can handle. It's obnoxious, but I can handle it. It's very little different from anything I've encountered before aside from the thread-clogging nature. But please for the love of any god there may be, I'd like to just quit harping over that one word. That's not the point of this thread, the rifle itself is, and that word was just trying to give some context for what I wanted. That's all. It tanked the thread and attracted all manner of crap like moths to a flame and I regret ever using it to begin with. I'm not begging, I'm just already well and truly sick of hearing about it. As for "sniper" vs "precision/hunting", I consider that something of a matter of semantics that I don't feel like getting into but understand your point and concede it as a valid one. I get where you're coming from. That's fine. That's on me. I take responsibility for my ignorance of the nuances of the forum. New guy makes mistakes. Anyway, moving on.

Yes, I see your point about the calibre/cartridge. You'll note that my original idea was .30-06 but I still favor the increase to a magnum cartridge, much like how the modern era has seen such an increase in mil-spec "precision" weapons using the .300 WM or .338 Lapua. Let us then say that I am building a hunting rifle aesthetically/physically inspired by classic military-issued snipers' rifles of the 1960s/'70s/early '80s but chambered for a higher-powered cartridge a la vintage sporting rifles to make it a more viable tool against most game. Both categories would be fulfilled with either H&H calibre combined with either a USMC-based Winchester setup or a modified Mauser action that might even take some German influence for Old World styling. I think that might help with clarity on this project.

P.S.: I had not considered the Ross at all, mostly because I'm not super into straight-pull actions, as a personal liking. All the horror stories aside of how awful of a military weapon it was (kicking the rifles open and so on), I know that outside of trench combat and mud up to one's puttees and jodhpurs, the Ross actually is a fine and well-put-together rifle (which of course was exactly the problem when you're living and fighting in a trench). But for me and mine, it's not something I'm really considering for *this* rifle. Not that I wouldn't leave a slot open for one someday for some additional variety in my collection, but the straight-pull action isn't my preference despite its clear advantage with a scoped rifle vs a typical bolt-action.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

If that's the direction of your build, I would suggest the 98 Mauser action in the .300 H&H Mag. Plain stock, tight grained walnut to absorb recoil. Bed it for sure. No fancy checkering or spacers or caps. I'd suggest a leather-covered recoil pad as it was 'de-rigeur' back in the day. Esp with a hard-hitting caliber. Three blade Express sights, a must. There is a place in NH that sells really good QD scope mounts... but I can't think of the name of them. They did all the stuff for my Mauser. And when a screw fell out a week before i was off to a hunt, I stopped by on no notice, they not only replaced the screw, but went through the whole rifle, while I waited, and charged me... nothing!

For a scope, I'd consider droping the Leupold idea and look for a 4x or 6x Kollmorgen. They were period and were rock solid scopes with an amazing back story... made to keep a submarine periscope plant in business in the '50's before the first 'nuc boats. They later sold the design became the Weavers, I think the K4. But the quality of the Kollmorgens is awesome. You can get dot, post or crosshairs reticles. I suggest dot or post on an Africa build. Will take you some time to find one... and you may have to have it cleaned/restored. They are amazing scopes. I run one on a vintage Sako and it is most excellent! Other than that, in the era, the only really self-contained scopes were German. That would be far more in keeping with the period than a Leupold. Old German scopes are spendy... but restorable and gorgeous.

Simple leather military sling. Buy it now and start oiling it so that when your gun is done, the sling is butter soft. That will take 2 years!

Get a good set of dies. You can always load the H&H cartridge down to .30-06 velocities for target shooting, plinking and barrel longevity!
It's what you want! Build your dream and we'll be interested to see the progress! Go For it!!!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[Son of Dorn]

If that's the direction of your build, I would suggest the 98 Mauser action in the .300 H&H Mag. Plain stock, tight grained walnut to absorb recoil. Bed it for sure. No fancy checkering or spacers or caps. I'd suggest a leather-covered recoil pad as it was 'de-rigeur' back in the day. Esp with a hard-hitting caliber. Three blade Express sights, a must. There is a place in NH that sells really good QD scope mounts... but I can't think of the name of them. They did all the stuff for my Mauser. And when a screw fell out a week before i was off to a hunt, I stopped by on no notice, they not only replaced the screw, but went through the whole rifle, while I waited, and charged me... nothing!

For a scope, I'd consider droping the Leupold idea and look for a 4x or 6x Kollmorgen. They were period and were rock solid scopes with an amazing back story... made to keep a submarine periscope plant in business in the '50's before the first 'nuc boats. They later sold the design became the Weavers, I think the K4. But the quality of the Kollmorgens is awesome. You can get dot, post or crosshairs reticles. I suggest dot or post on an Africa build. Will take you some time to find one... and you may have to have it cleaned/restored. They are amazing scopes. I run one on a vintage Sako and it is most excellent! Other than that, in the era, the only really self-contained scopes were German. That would be far more in keeping with the period than a Leupold. Old German scopes are spendy... but restorable and gorgeous.

Simple leather military sling. Buy it now and start oiling it so that when your gun is done, the sling is butter soft. That will take 2 years!

Get a good set of dies. You can always load the H&H cartridge down to .30-06 velocities for target shooting, plinking and barrel longevity!
It's what you want! Build your dream and we'll be interested to see the progress! Go For it!!!

Cheers,

Sirhr

Hearty thanks for the advice. I like this idea, and I do actually happen to have such a sling already strapped to my M1 carbine. Now for a scope, I'll surely go give Kollmorgen a look but what about a Zeiss/Hensoldt?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Hearty thanks for the advice. I like this idea, and I do actually happen to have such a sling already strapped to my M1 carbine. Now for a scope, I'll surely go give Kollmorgen a look but what about a Zeiss/Hensoldt?

^^^ Yes. Also Kahles...

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Kollmorgen 4x32mm Rifle Scope ~Vintage~ Olive Drab W/DOT | eBay

Here is a Kollmorgen 4 power scope. It has an olive drab military type finish and very fine crosshair W/ Dot reticle. 26mm tube and 11" long. Marked Kollmorgen Optical Co. Northhampton, Mass. also marked Bear Cub.

www.ebay.com

 

[Son of Dorn]

Kollmorgen 4x32mm Rifle Scope ~Vintage~ Olive Drab W/DOT | eBay

Here is a Kollmorgen 4 power scope. It has an olive drab military type finish and very fine crosshair W/ Dot reticle. 26mm tube and 11" long. Marked Kollmorgen Optical Co. Northhampton, Mass. also marked Bear Cub.

www.ebay.com

? I've heard Ajack in relation to the Kar98k snipers back in the day but compared to Zeiss/Hensoldt or your Kollmorgen suggestion there doesn't seem to be a whole lot about them online; I don't know of their status after the war. Wikipedia mentions a (Zeiss?) Zielacht 8x as used on the Kar98k too. But I'll look for some Kahles, Zeiss/Hensoldt, and Kollmorgen, see what there is to see. Going with a Mauser, a long-rail side mount might be a good idea. Detachable scope, unobtrusive mounting platform, still allows for irons.

The folks you mentioned in New Hampshire, is this them: https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/ ?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

^^^ Yes, that is them.

 

[Son of Dorn]

^^^ Yes, that is them.

Sweet. Will look more closely at them, revise my shopping list and make some backup choices just in case, and with some luck, find some good deals and happy windfalls and get this show on the road.