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Some months ago a gunsmith friend was to junk the sorry remains of an original Commercial Mauser rifle, very badly rusted and reblued post-WW2. He asked me if I was interested. Of course I was, so he gave it to me and spared the time to saw it to pieces. As I am a guy who never throws anything away that might be of some use, I gladly accepted the present. The "essential parts" (German gun law, receiver, chambered barrel and bolt) of a standard length, square bridge B Mauser with a half-octagonal, ribbed barrel 30" long, in 8x60. The serial number dates it to 1930.
In my well assorted "junk box" I found the parts to complete it: An original 1930s Mauser B stock, hinged lever release floorplate bottom metal, a timney trigger and bolt innards with a proper long striker nut plus an assortment of claw mount parts. Nothing is as important for a gun tinkerer as a well-assorted junkbox! Also a "period" Zeiss, Jena "Zielsechs" 6x scope and some claw mount parts. So I went to work on it. I had to improvise a lock for the square bridge Mauser mount and fit the claw mount parts, but the rest was easy at first. I had alrady noticed rust pitting inside the muzzle, in fact, the worst muzzle I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot! It threw patterns all over the target at 100 meters. Sorry, but that over long barrel had to go in part. First, I cut it off just behind the integral front sight ramp. Still not good , so more pieces had to go until the land and grooves looked ok,halfway at least. So I ended up with a 23" barrel. A more practical length, btw. Then I cut the barrel remains off the front sight base and resoldered it on the rib.
In my well assorted "junk box" I found the parts to complete it: An original 1930s Mauser B stock, hinged lever release floorplate bottom metal, a timney trigger and bolt innards with a proper long striker nut plus an assortment of claw mount parts. Nothing is as important for a gun tinkerer as a well-assorted junkbox! Also a "period" Zeiss, Jena "Zielsechs" 6x scope and some claw mount parts. So I went to work on it. I had to improvise a lock for the square bridge Mauser mount and fit the claw mount parts, but the rest was easy at first. I had alrady noticed rust pitting inside the muzzle, in fact, the worst muzzle I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot! It threw patterns all over the target at 100 meters. Sorry, but that over long barrel had to go in part. First, I cut it off just behind the integral front sight ramp. Still not good , so more pieces had to go until the land and grooves looked ok,halfway at least. So I ended up with a 23" barrel. A more practical length, btw. Then I cut the barrel remains off the front sight base and resoldered it on the rib.
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