8x68S owner's opinions

[nztimb]

I wouldn't have the long fore end on a long range rifle for the simple reason of the possibility of stock movement impacting on the barrel and causing accuracy problems but with a proportionally better length it would be suitable and my pick. I have never been that keen on the fluted comb nose and prefer the Mauser treatment there.

 

[dchamp]

I too, prefer the African Mauser design but with a much shorter fore stock. Something along the lines of a Rigby Stalking design would be what I would want.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The one that will fit YOU best and ... you knew I would say that!

ZG47, you never stop to amaze me...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Good, I spend today forging a mini chopper from raceway bearing steel..while doing that I commenced building a jig to bend the 8x68S magnum magazine box since I opened up the Mauser 98 MOD action to accommodate a OAL 91mm round,....thus I need to build a large magazine box with measurements 92mm. I welded a few pieces of spring steel together, forge it a litte, getting it as straight as possible..sanded it on the knife grind/sanding belt machine .will now weld a t-piece to it so I can secure it in the milling machine vice to machine it down to specs..
Some photos:
Measurements of the magnum magazine box:

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I wouldn't have the long fore end on a long range rifle for the simple reason of the possibility of stock movement impacting on the barrel and causing accuracy problems but with a proportionally better length it would be suitable and my pick. I have never been that keen on the fluted comb nose and prefer the Mauser treatment there.

Von Gruff/dchamp, thank you for the replies. I just thought copy an old traditional classic would be great. But it seems it is not the only aspect that I need to consider when designing the rifle stock ....

 

[Gert Odendaal]

This is what we call Gorilla welding technique here in South Africa members, ugly but strong...( keep in mind all this will be milled off and provide for a real smooth surface when I put it under the surface grinding machine..

 

[rookhawk]

Good, members I had some time today to work on the action /double set trigger again..at this stage I completed fitting of the double set trigger..the last step being securing the double set trigger in the trigger guard /frame..fortunately the double set trigger I received from a fellow member on this forum as a gift, HWL from Germany..has two holes where I will be able to pin it to the trigger guard frame...
Fitting the double set trigger onto the side of the trigger guard to enable me to make sure I drill the two holes correctly to pin the double set trigger secure in it`s place...

Work on the action/trigger near completion..I now need to focus on rifle stock design..through reading/searching forums and looking for appropriate stock designs that will fit a real classic 8x68S rifle ..I now have two choices ..here are the photos of a African Mauser rifle stock and the Mannlicher Schoenauer design I previous uploaded onto this thread..
African Mauser design

Mannlicher Shoenauer design ..

Now for the fun part:
Members, I am asking you to make a choice for me between these two rifles stocks , which one should I use for this 8x68S rifle , classic rifle build????

Gert, why not mill off the trigger guard and build a larger one that finishes with a full tang? Great traditional design and it will fit better.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Rookhawk, I completed that procedure already...I thought about it, but as always I decided I need to learn something from this process..now I know how to fit/install a double set trigger in a standard Mauser action...always learning...and then I am prone to get frustrated with some of the rifle building procedures..but fitting the double set trigger was a great experience...

 

[ZG47]

sanded it on the knife grind/sanding belt machine .
Some photos:
Measurements of the magnum magazine box:

Gert
That machine is called a linisher. When you use it you are linishing. Do not ask me why a bench-mounted belt-type sanding machine is called a linisher. Just accept that it is a shorter name.

ZG47

 

[Gert Odendaal]

ZG47, I assume it is called a polisher (polisher) in the USA..here I call it a knife belt sander ....since I build it with my own hands I am allowed to "coin" it the Knife blade belt sanding machine ...
Good , today I spend time to fit and secure the double set trigger in the trigger guard housing...it really was a delicate procedure..
Spend today working to complete two procedures..:
Fitting/securing the double set trigger in the Mauser trigger guard..it really was a delicate procedure..I had to take my time to align the one double set trigger on the outside of the trigger guard where the other one was in the trigger guard..I used my double trigger on the side to drill a one millimeter hole through the one side..I then changed the two trigger and complete the first hole..this I did with the other alignment of the second hole and pin..

The double set trigger fitting/securing is completed..
I then commence surface grinding the solid steel block I am using to make a jig for bending the magazine box..
There are still a lot of milling and surface grinding work left..will continue tomorrow...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Members, I spend time today to make a lock bolt for the magazine floor plate..since I do not want a magazine floor plate that can open when shooting this rifle...here are a few photos..I took a 8mm bolt , turn it down, cut a slot into it for the screw driver point to fit ...

Third time lucky..I completed the perfect one the third time

 

[nztimb]

You are going to know every part of this rifle intimately by the time you get it finished

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Garry, you are correct, Johan said I am the only person whom he knows that start building a rifle with new components, by the time I finish the rifle it is considered as an antique rifle

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Busy completing the magnum magazine box bending jig to accommodate a 91 mm round ..I am still about a millimeter on every side away from the correct measurements we work on I welded together some spring steel pieces annealed it and mill material away, then I sanded it on my knife blade sanding machine and polish it .....here are some photos:

Nearly completed...

Will commence with bending the magazine box tomorrow..then I need to mill out a complete new large magazine follower that will fit in this magnum box...

Next stage will be making the rifle stock from scratch ...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Members , I did some work on the bending jig, made some developments in cardboard paper, and weld a piece of metal onto the bottom of the block..and a piece of metal bar to secure the sheet metal to assist in bending the sheet metal..

Developing the box with paper strips..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Good, members, I did spend some time today on building the magnum magazine box for the 8x68S action..I will be completing the magazine box tomorrow...The final step will be to heat up the magazine box in the forge and form it over the bending jig where I will be able to flatten and smooth out the sides of the magazine box..I will place the magazine box for a second time in the forge while it is on the bending jig to smooth out the magazine box...here are photos of today`s work...
Spot welding the magazine box together...

Doing some finishing work by sanding the box

The magazine box before I commenced flattening it , sharpen all the corners ...

91mm rounds( dummies) fit nicely in the magazine box...the magazine follower still needs to be completed..probably tomorrow as well..

Barnes bullets used for the dummies

 

[Wheels]

Fun watching you put this together Gert.

You are only the second person I have seen use a bolt/screw as a permanent solution for a base plate, but yours is much neater.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Fun watching you put this together Gert.

You are only the second person I have seen use a bolt/screw as a permanent solution for a base plate, but yours is much neater.

Good to hear from you Wheels,,,. Wheels, I really do not see why a Mauser action on a hunting rifle have to have a bottom plate that needs to be open ...a hinged plate looks nice..but is not functional, especially when it is a hard recoil caliber..rounds can be spill if it opens under recoil...I am making a new one that I want to engrave ..so this is a temporary one ...the permanent one is going to look much better ...

 

[nztimb]

If you didn;t want the mag floor plate to open then you could have built a blind mag stock with no floor plate at all like I did for my 65x57 . It would also have saved all the mag well making you have done as all you needed was a front and rear plate with the sides being held by the stock wood. . Lighter rifle with a much more hand friendly underside to the forestock

 

[Gert Odendaal]

If you didn;t want the mag floor plate to open then you could have built a blind mag stock with no floor plate at all like I did for my 65x57 . It would also have saved all the mag well making you have done as all you needed was a front and rear plate with the sides being held by the stock wood. . Lighter rifle with a much more hand friendly underside to the forestock

Von Gruff, yes you did a great job on that build...I did it this way since I need to work out the procedure to enlarge the magazine box, and all the procedures connect to it...the more metal work/machine work I can get the more I will be able to learn about the difficult procedures ...these really are procedures done by competent gunsmiths..