Current Projects

Since my kids have basically moved out after college, I am taking over their playroom/college storage room for my man cave/trophy room. I have begun to hang a few heads on the wall but cleaning out their stuff is way more of a project than I anticipated. I have collected a few things to add some decor, but mainly just shoulder and skull mounts that have been hiding in various rooms throughout the house. Hope to have it done by football season…
 
Fellow Rifle Enthusiasts,

At the moment (aside from rebuilding the porch that’s rotting away from the side door of my old 1977 house), is having the very best Alaska Gunsmith (Andy Hawk) to replace the bolt handle on my Venezuelan 7x57 Mauser, with a Pre-War style “Tear Drop” style one.
A Rigby Highlander Stalker it surely is not, such as my very best good friends, Mr. Spike T. and Mr. Red Leg rightfully have.
However, it’s the best that I can muster with my retiree fixed income.

I bought the unfired barreled action, still wrapped in greased paper at a gunshow in Minnesota for $150. US, about 12 years ago, while my young trophy wife was going to school there (she’s only 65).haha
It was an absolute steal even back then.

Andy Hawk stocked it just right for me.
One of these years I plan to have it clawed mounted by JJ Perodeau, with a proper Austro-German 4x scope, low over the bore.
With the forward base silver soldered on top of the chamber, the vivid Venezuelan Crest will be undisturbed.
Even with that expensive claw mounted arrangement, scope and all, I will have only about $3,500.US invested in this fast handling and accurate little rifle.
Our local Sitka blacktail deer be warned.
(Damn the 7MM-08’s and full speed ahead).

Cheers,
Velo Dog
@Velo Dog
Mightn't be a rigby but it's a damn fine rifle and if'n it fits you and is accurate what more do you need. The money you saved in a Rigby can go to another hunt and will buy a lot of other things you might like.
Bob
 
Very Nice!! It is a desire of mine to acquire a true Mauser Action like yours & build something ......

Thank you Mr. X,

Ya, I waxed lucky for once with the extremely low price for the barrelled action and also for the pre-finished / mostly inletted but not quite “drop-in” stock as well.
Incidentally, my previous photos show the little 7MM with its original arsenal bolt handle still in place.
I’ll have to try and remember to post finished pics after the upgraded bolt knob is installed.

I don’t recall exactly what I paid for the stock.
It was not very expensive through Sarco or Brownell’s or some similar gun parts web site.
What I do recall is that having the Gunsmith to finish inletting that stock in fact cost way more than the stock itself cost.haha
But that having been said, the excellent work was worth every penny.

I am very fond of the 7x57 Mauser cartridge, especially ones built with long enough throats and magazines, plus fast enough rifling twist to work well with bullets longer and heavier than the typical 140 grain ones.
Not that there’s anything wrong with 140 grain bullets for quite a lot of shooting scenarios.
Today, it is perhaps the most popular bullet weight in this well balanced and historically significant cartridge.
I expect the 140 gr load would be particularly well suited for the shooting of such species as, N. American pronghorn, caribou, European chamois, ibex and Africa’s springbok, mountain reedbok plus many more similar open country habitat type animals, around the world.

The rightfully popular but now sadly passed Gun Writer, Jack O’Connor, once wrote that a particular 7x57 rifle of his was his “favorite windy day chuck rifle”.
For readers in other parts of the world, a “chuck” in this context is a house cat-sized rodent, known as a marmot or rock chuck or wood chuck or groundhog, Jurrasic hamster, whatever.

Regarding the handy hunting Mauser topic, I’d also love to own and use a pretty much mirror image duplicate of my snappy little 7x57, except in caliber 8x57 Mauser.
Unfortunately at this late stage for me, it’s not very likely to happen.
And that’s OK too because, I feel extremely fortunate to already have what I have.

Anyway, if you want a decent and serviceable hunting rifle in 7x57 caliber, without bankrupting you, I encourage you to attend gun shows.
Also, keep an eye on gunsinternational.com for an old surplus military one, such as the Venezuelan or Columbian or WW-II era Brno, etc.
Ones that someone has half heartedly tried to “sporterize” but only ruined the stock, and not having gotten around to ruining the metal yet, via drill press, electric grinder and other destructive measures sometimes have very good to excellent chambers and bores.

Such only partial vandalized rifles often aren’t expensive at all.
Then, you can shop around for a pre-finished, checkered and fully or mostly inletted, sporting style walnut stock.
When you get around to it, have a Professional Gunsmith fashion your parts and pieces together into something pleasant to own and use.

Good luck and
Kind Regards,
Mr, V.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
69,388
Messages
1,546,642
Members
161,520
Latest member
IZLDolly2
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Nomosendero wrote on gregrn43's profile.
Between Blak Rock and Pocahontas, I did not want to say that on the forum. That's a nice Cat!
curt672 wrote on WoodencrossIII's profile.
just making sure my message went threw
30-06Ken wrote on ftothfadd's profile.
I'll take the Vortex scope cover you have listed in the Pay it Forward thread.

Ken [redacted]
Scott CWO wrote on mark-hunter's profile.
Hi Mark. My email is [redacted]
Selling real estate in dchum’s head
 
Top