Sporterized arms. What say you.

boatme99 · Jan 19, 2014

How do you feel about "sporterized" weapons?

I realize that most were chopped a long time ago, and what's done is done, I'd even buy one if it was a good job but, I hate the idea of doing it to any surviving weapons.

I kind of feel that they're a part of history and shouldn't be messed with.

Modern firearms are relatively inexpensive, accurate, lightweight, and available. I see no need to chop up something as unique as an old mil-surp.

How do you feel?

the ringo kid · Jan 19, 2014

boatme99 said:
How do you feel about "sporterized" weapons?

I realize that most were chopped a long time ago, and what's done is done, I'd even buy one if it was a good job but, I hate the idea of doing it to any surviving weapons.

I kind of feel that they're a part of history and shouldn't be messed with.

Modern firearms are relatively inexpensive, accurate, lightweight, and available. I see no need to chop up something as unique as an old mil-surp.

How do you feel?

I dont have any probs with em but, I will not buy any--not my style. If I buy? it better be the same as it left the factory.

Vegetaman · Jan 19, 2014

I'm not a fan of them in general myself, but that being said I do own one of those Chilean Mausers that have Gewehr 98 actions (straight bolt) but are barreled in 7.62x51 NATO. It's a pretty solid shooter. Has the Steyr Austria stamping on the side and the Chilean crest and rebarreling data on the top. A piece of history in and of itself though.

Depends on what we define as sporterized as well. Like, somebody upgraded their 1911, or bubba got ahold of a nice milsurp or old school rifle and turned it into a "hunting" rifle?

BillK01 · Jan 19, 2014

I wish I had never had the 1903 Springfield my grandpa gave me many years ago sporterized.

Alpo · Jan 19, 2014

I don't see where they're "unique".

Let's look at 1903s, for example.

445 thousand from Rock Island
One million six from Springfield
Two million seven from Remington
One million four from Smith Corona

That's over six million 1903 and 1903A3 rifles. That's not "unique". That's common as hell.

Now, if you have a military surplus rifle, and wish to keep it "as originally issued", that's fine. Go ahead. It's YOUR GUN. Do as you wish.

On the other hand, if you have a military surplus rifle, that you're not into very deep - like, oh, the 49 dollars I spent on the 1895 Chilean Mauser in 1987, or the 99 dollars I spent on the 1916 Spanish Mauser in 1999, or even the 230 I spent on my K98 Russian Capture Gun in 2005 - and figger if you spend a couple of hundred bucks on it you'll have a good "using gun", instead of a "looking at gun", - well then, again, go for it. It's YOUR GUN.

Whichever way you wish to go - sporterize it or leave it the hell alone - don't pay any attention to someone else telling you what to do.

Remember. It's YOUR GUN.

gregintenn · Jan 19, 2014

I like 'em!

RobertJ. · Jan 19, 2014

I have no problem with it. My first rifle was a chopped (as in Bubba sporterized) Argentine Mauser. Since then I've bought a few already chopped Mausers, Springfields, Lee Enfields, and 1917 Enfields. A couple years ago I bought a Yugoslavian 98 in 8mm. The first thing I did was get rid of that military hardware and extra wood, and make it look more like a hunting rifle than a battlefield weapon. It's the only bolt rifle I currently own, and groups 2" at 100 yards with the original open sights. I do plan on replacing those with a nice peep, however.

Perhaps I should have mentioned I'm a shooter, not a collector. I believe one should do whatever they want to any particular firearm if that's what pleases them. I don't have the notion that some guns should be left in their original state "just because".

feralmerril · Jan 19, 2014

My dad "sporterized" several liberated K98 mausers. He simply cut down excess wood and used weldwood filler and put on lyman peeps. They looked ugly but were utilitarian and he killed a number of deer with his and gave the other to my uncle. Seems to me now that my uncle brought both back and gave dad one and dad did the butchering. That rifle might just have been used more after being sporterized than it did in the military. Probley not as serious though. I was with dad once when he shot a deer with it that was one of the longest shots I ever seen! I wish we had paced it off.
It ended sadly. I inherited the gun and others. I brought them back from wisconsin to my home in california. I didnt have room in my safe for any of them. The night or early morning after I got home my truck was stolen out of my driveway and never found. It still had tools in the back etc as I pulled in late and dead tired. I had left a model 60 s&w hidden in the truck. I had the hammer bobbed etc and had carried the gun for over 30 years! I think it may had tipped off the thieves that I was a gun nut. I belive I was watched and several days later after I left the house to go truck shopping with a old class C motor home I had the house was burglared! All my loose guns that I couldnt squeeze in the safe were gone. I still am mad! Those were old family guns, both dads and some of mine I had as a youth that I had left home and just brought back!
Those were bad days. Buried my dad, burglared, lost family heirlooms, lost my truck, buried my dad and other major problems all squeezed into a couple weeks.

RonJ · Jan 19, 2014

I bought a rough 98 Mauser from a local hardware store. It was ugly but functioned well. The barrel was in pretty good shape. So I tore it apart, cleaned it up and set the action aside. I sanded and reshaped the stock. I then proceeded to put coat after coat of tung oil on it until it actually started to look attractive. Put a lot of man hours into it. Took it over to show my Dad my work as I was pretty proud of it. He liked the way it looked and suggested I take it to a nearby gunsmith to have it checked out. So we climbed into my old Valiant and took the trip. The gunsmith complimented me on my work and then told me to throw it in the trash (figuratively). Told me I was lucky I hadn't fired it because the head space was very dangerous. I guess that was my punishment for altering the rifle.

LVSteve · Jan 19, 2014

Many milsurps were sportered in the past, so that ship has sailed. What I don't get are people who pick up a Mosin and want to make it a scoped deer gun. The economics simply are not there when you can buy a brand new scoped Remington 770 in 30-06 or Savage Axis in 308 for about $300.

What REALLY frosts my butt are those that "clean up" a military stock rather than leaving it alone then claim "nice example" etc when the history went away with their sanding. One or two milsurps were rebuilt that way, Yugoslav Mauser 98s spring to mind, but most were not.

TIMETRIPPER · Jan 20, 2014

I "sporterized" an old Carl Gustav mauser I picked up about 15 years ago. It had non matching serial numbers and some missing parts but an excellent bore. Paid about $85 for it. Spent another 80 bucks having the barrel cut back, bolt bent, new ramp front sight installed and to have an old Lyman 57 peep mounted. It works very well on whitetails. But I would never hack up a pristine example of any old war horse. The economics just aren't there.
Back in the day of our fathers and grandfathers there were umpteen thousands of the old milsurp and war prizes sporterized by veterans because it was cheap and easy to do so. Many of them had seen all they wanted to of the "historic value" of such guns and often weren't able to spent their hard earned cash on costlier new or used sporting rifles. As far as I'm concerned they earned the right to do as they saw fit with a military bolt action long rifle, pristine condition or not. To tell you the truth, sometimes I get a little POed when I hear someone complain about what some unknown "idiot" did to an old '03 or Mauser. That old "idiot" may have very well been a veteran who spent some time using the one and getting shot at by the other.

John

BLACKHAWKNJ · Jan 20, 2014

40-50 years ago "sporterization" was an "in" thing, seen as a way getting a quality sporter on the cheap, plus learning gunsmithing and woodworking skills, nowadays I think it's Bubbafication and gun butchery. Aside from the fact that many would be home gunsmiths quickly find they don't have the talent, the investment in proper tools for a one shot project really isn't worth it. I have never understood the thinking that says you take a milsurp that has seen hard use and never really properly cleaned, may have been assembled by at best semi-skilled-and often forced-workers under wartime conditions, with a rough finish, and somehow you're going to turn it into something that would have made Sedgely & Co. envious.

Frank46 · Jan 20, 2014

Well I have a little story to relate. Bout 20 years ago I picked up for $60 bucks a cut down 1917 enfield in 30-06. Bbl was cut back to 21 inches, the ears only partially removed and a bubba'd 1917 stock. Fast forward to 2013 and the bbld action was sent out to get redone. I made a steel insert to fill the duck pond and that was welded in place. Drilled and tapped for weaver grand slam steel bases, and then the whole thing bead blasted and then blued. The only reason I spent the money for this was that the bore was absolutely mint. Right know is's sitting in a cutdown 1917 stock waiting for me to glass bed it. Let it sit for a week or so to make sure bedding cures and off to the range. And a old leupold 3.5x10 with a 40mm tube at the front. Frank

Straightshooter2 · Jan 20, 2014

I have this 03 Springfield Mark I that is chambered in .270. One of the guys at my LGS said it looked as if whoever sporterized it was a Jack O'Connor fan.

straightshooter2-albums-straightshooter-misc-picture9494-03-springfield-l-h.jpg

straightshooter2-albums-straightshooter-misc-picture9496-03-springfield-r-h.jpg

My brother has a sporterized 03-A3 .30-06 I bought several years ago. You couldn't keep all the shots on a paper plate at 100 yards with the old wood stock. Restocked it with a Ramline I found cheap at a gunshow and it turned into tackdriver.

CW

A10 · Jan 20, 2014

I bought my grandson a 1917 Eddystone that wears an aftermarket stock, he loves the gun. I would take a sporterized 03a3 if the right deal came along. I've seen some mighty nice large ring Mausers that got turned into magnums......guess I don't much have an issue with it. I wouldn't take a pristine original one and change it though....

Fishinfool · Jan 20, 2014

Bought this matching number DWM 1909 Argentine Mauser for $65 in full military dress back when I was a teenager. One of the only military 98 pattern Mausers with a factory hinged floor plate.

Re-contoured the stock, cut the barrel to 22 inches, had peep sights installed, drilled and tapped for a scope, bolt handle lowered, re-bored / chambered to 35 Whelen. (I read a lot of Elmer Keith back then) It has taken a lot of game, and is one of my favorite rifles.

Larry

Texas Star · Jan 20, 2014

I won't cut down a milsurp, but would build a custom rifle from one.

I've always wanted a Lee-Speed sporting .303 or similar from BSA or one of the famous British custom makers.

Texas40 · Jan 20, 2014

I kinda like this old 1911 that is sporterized and rechambered in .308.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1390219301.234436.jpg

Jack Flash · Jan 20, 2014

I don't like to see it done any more, but when folks buy something, it is their property to do with as they see fit.

I'm glad the OP is respectful about these customizations that were done years ago.

I hate to see ranting and raving posts about the "idiots" who sporterized rifles back in the '50s and '60s. Keep in mind that these are our uncles, fathers, grandfathers you are talking about. Young men back from WWII who were starting a family, buying a house, a car... They may not have had much loose cash laying around to spend on a hunting rifle.

Do schools even have shop classes any more? In those days, it was not uncommon to find an average Joe who could do some amazing work with wood and metal. Add to the mix that surplus rifles were really, really, cheap. Gun magazines, including the NRA's American Rifleman frequently featured "How-To" articles on sporterizing mil-surp rifles.

So it is not hard to see why it was done back then.

olcop · Jan 20, 2014

Sporterized

LVSteve said:
Many milsurps were sportered in the past, so that ship has sailed. What I don't get are people who pick up a Mosin and want to make it a scoped deer gun. The economics simply are not there when you can buy a brand new scoped Remington 770 in 30-06 or Savage Axis in 308 for about $300.

What REALLY frosts my butt are those that "clean up" a military stock rather than leaving it alone then claim "nice example" etc when the history went away with their sanding. One or two milsurps were rebuilt that way, Yugoslav Mauser 98s spring to mind, but most were not.

I don't agree, on many levels:
A 770 is a *** at any price
I just checked on the Savage .308, and they are available by mail order for around $300.00 FOB ship point, add the shipping and the FFL fee and you are usually at around $350.00 ,good price for a good rifle,
However, I recently bought a Yugo 24/47 barreled action for around $160.00, had the barrel replaced with a new barrel, had it reblued and added a new Boyds stock, that I finished myself.
And I'm into it for around $360.00.
Did the same with a K98 Mauser last year with about the same investment.
Results, I have two very fine rifles with a relatively small investment, both in cash and my time.
I'll take a bubafied milsurp any time for a good price if I like it.
olcop

Sporterized arms. What say you.

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