Turks In The Werks

[z1r]

Thought I'd share some pics of some 1903 turks I'm working on.

 

 

This one will retain the charger hump. It will be built into a Mannlicher style full length stock in Cal. .338 federal. It has been mostly polished at this point on the exterior while the interior has been completely polished. I plan on making up two bolts for it; one will be a spoon handle while the other will be an Oberndorf style handle. I will fit them up so they both headspace the same.

 

 

The two that had the charger humps remove were surface ground yesterday and are in need of polishing still. Here's a pic on the mill.

 

 

 

And here is a close up of the rear bridge. A few minutes with the stone and the milling marks and remainder of the numbers will be gone.

 

 

 

This one will be a 6.5x55 with heavy target barrel. It had considerable pitting on the front ring, all of it gone now. You can see some back by the rear bridge next to the handle. Normally I would have tigged that up but it's a target rifle in plastic stock so why bother. The handle was a special request, I'm just checking it for fit in my receiver. It utilizes the original vz24 style round ball. Not my style but hey, he's paying and loves it so who am I to argue.

 

 

This one will become a .308 sporter.

 

 

The one in the background is the .308 the one in front is my Mannlicher.

 

[ken98k]

What size end mill do you use for removing the hump?

Just curious because I finally broke down and ordered a lathe/mill combo machine,(should be here before the end of the year) and I need to start accumulating some tooling.

 

[donmarkey]

Great pics, thanks. What set up are you using for surface grinding in the mill? I've always used a ginder on the lathe. How's that new fedaral round fit in those short mag boxes?

-Don

[scott63]

Great pics, thanks. What set up are you using for surface grinding in the mill? I've always used a ginder on the lathe. How's that new fedaral round fit in those short mag boxes?

-Don

 

z1r those look really nice, I was thinking of buying myself the contouring jig,bit and mandrel from Brownells to hopefully be able to accomplish the same thing with a drill press. Does removing this much metal (charger hump) necessitate a re-heat treat? Or is that area not one to worry about? What do you use to clean up the area on the sides and just below the charger hump? Can't wait to see the finished project.............Scott

 

[724wd]

z1r those look really nice, I was thinking of buying myself the contouring jig,bit and mandrel from Brownells to hopefully be able to accomplish the same thing with a drill press. Does removing this much metal (charger hump) necessitate a re-heat treat? Or is that area not one to worry about? What do you use to clean up the area on the sides and just below the charger hump? Can't wait to see the finished project.............Scott

 

mike will recommend a heat treat on all mausers... and he's right about it being cheap insurance. send more than one at a time and it becomes well worth it. i plan on sending all my actions once i ge the barrels pulled and any polishing i am going to do, done.

[z1r]

What size end mill do you use for removing the hump?

Just curious because I finally broke down and ordered a lathe/mill combo machine,(should be here before the end of the year) and I need to start accumulating some tooling.

 

Ken, I use a 1/2" it is just about perfect for the flats on the rear. Get carbide.

 

 

z1r those look really nice, I was thinking of buying myself the contouring jig,bit and mandrel from Brownells to hopefully be able to accomplish the same thing with a drill press. Does removing this much metal (charger hump) necessitate a re-heat treat? Or is that area not one to worry about? What do you use to clean up the area on the sides and just below the charger hump? Can't wait to see the finished project.............Scott

 

Removal of material from the bridge won't in and of itself require heat treating. But, like 724wd said, I get all mine done just for grins. :-) If you are getting that jig & stone then use a bench grinder to remove most of the hump. Until I built this latest fixture I used a homemade fixture like the one Brownells sells and a mandrel.

[bilurey]

Mike, beautiful work. Just gott'a love those Victorian looking M1903s with their slick clean lines (well, after considerable grinding, cutting, and polishing), especially with the european bolt handle job. I'm gong to put open sights on my 03 Turk, seems appropriate, no practical scopes in their day.

 

I've never ground down the clip guides on a M98 Mauser as they were one of it's greatest strengths - quickest magazine charger in town, one of the primary reasons we started looking at a replacment for our Krag, after the Cuban militia shot 7 out of every 10 Americans who charged up San Juan Hill due to the quick reload of their M1893 Mausers. Scopes obviate the use of the stripper clip, but still, think about the extra machining which went into this feature. Seems like removing the radiator cap figure from a Rolls Royce to streamline the car.

 

It ain't always easy being a curmudgeon, rather be an artist in metal work but curmedgeon is the best offer I got. Bilurey

 

[Doble Troble]

Really nice work, Z. Thanks for sharing. I'm in awe of your bolt handles. I even like the one with the big ball (it reminds me of an AC-DC song played over an 8-track in an oil-burning Trans-Am that I'm lucky I didn't die in).

 

bilurey, I think you've got a point about the charger hump. It can't add too much weight and it really is an important reminder about what these actions were designed for. They're also a PITA to remove. I've only done away with one (my -06 that I'm confident now I won't finish until -07, but hopefully will be worth the wait). I think I'll keep the rest and argue that it must strengthen the action, which is essential given the negative effects of the thumb cut-out.

[z1r]

Thanks Bill & DT.

 

For scoped rifles I remove the humps because you can't utilize the charher slots with a scope in the way. Unless off course, like Bilurey, you have lots of neat G&H sidemounts on hand.

 

The mannlicher I'm making is an open sight only rifle and will retain that wonderfully high charger hump. I have to admit that it pained me greatly to remove them from the other two receivers. I have one more that I will also keep the charger hump on. That short fat round oughtta look really neat in the stipper clip securely inserted into the charger guide.

[Clemson]

z1r: Oh man! Great pics and a great plan to boot. I look forward to seeing the progress. I have considered the 338 Federal for a couple of M48's that I have on hand now. I have to convince myself that it is better to do than an 8x57. Having decent factory ammo might just push me over the edge.

 

How do you set up the mill for the hump removal? Do you use an angle vise or do you tilt the head?

 

Clemson

[AzRednek]

At least I don't feel like such an oddball now having a few projects going at one time. I sure wish I was as far along as you though. With a family, a possible move, new job with all the irons you have in the fire you have to have a very patient personality and your work shows it.

[skeeter2859]

Thanks for the pics of work in progress. Finished pics are great but its good to see steps it took to get there. Very nice work.

 

If you or 724wd need more actions to make up a batch for heat treating, let me know. I have a 93 ready and 2 more in a couple weeks.

[724wd]

well, before i'm ready, i need to pull my barrels. i'm hoping for a barrel vice for Christmas... :-)

[z1r]

Clemson, Here is the fixture I used to use and still do use for the bulk of the charger hump removal.

 

You bolt the receiver to the fixture and them mill the top of the hump. Then, put the fixture in the vise at an angle, to mill the 30 degree flat on one side of the bridge. Then loosen and turn the action 180 degrees and retighten it to the fixture to mill the other flat. That gets rid of most of the excess. I'm too lazy to tilt the head though it will certainly do the job, I just hate having to dial it back in.

 

 

 

then I would screw the mandrel in the reciver and put it in this fixture I made:

 

 

I would make a pass with the mill, loosen the set screws & rotate the action a smidge, retighten, mill & repeat. On the rear bridge if you use the first fixture to get the flats at the right angle you can alugn the endmill to them, then rotate to make the bridge crest round and stop when you reach the opposite flat.

 

Now, I use an indexing head and tailstock. I get precise 1 degree increments but the old setup works just about as well and costs a lot less.

 

Here's one of those that I'm stoning.

 

 

Az,

 

My wife was rolling on the floor when she read "patient". I'm far from it, but my saving grace is that I'm a kraut and thus a perfectionist. Thus I'm too stubborn to stop even when I want to, lol.

 

I passed on the TX land for now. Since I'm not sure where my job search may take me, I figured it best. If I move to CO I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the property so I may as well wait and see first. Believe me, it was hard to walk away from...wimper.

[Ron J]

Thanks for the progress pics. You read me like a cheap book. Just when I'm about to throw this Turk across the room in frustration, you post stuff like this and I get my patience back. Sorry to hear your job hunting. Hope you find something. With 2 in college, mortgage, credit debt...I would be on valium!

[z1r]

Ok, here are some pics now that the remaining drill & tap has been done. Final polishing is also done. I will likely bead blast the ones that are drilled & tapped so they will have a nice matte finish. The one with Charger hump will get a nice rust bluing.

 

 

 

Notice on the receiver in the front how the rear bridge where it meets the side of the receiver if defined by a sharp line not a wavey or rounded edge.

 

 

Here is the same receiver from the side. The shadow makes the rear bridge edge look rounded.

 

 

 

This one will be the target 6.5x55, hence the one piece scope base. Considering what a rust bucket it was it cleaned up very nicely.

 

 

[z1r]

Here's the stock & barrel for the one that will become the .308. The stock will need much work. It will have the fore end shortened, the entire thing thinned, the grip opened & shortened, and lastly, I'll most likely add an ebony tip. I'll shape the grip like the stock shown above it.

 

 

The other stock I just got, I'll use that on one of my other 1903's, not sure which yet. I just got a real nice husky takeoff barrel in 8x57 that might just need to be rechambered to 8x60 or, rebored to 9.3x57. Not sure yet.

 

[bilurey]

Mike, Tom Burgess may want to take the advice of Satchel Page and not stop to look behind him as he may not like what he sees catching up with him. Really beautiful work on those actions. One of my 03 Turks wears the classic bolt handle you did for me before the rush hit you, I was lucky to get my bolts done.

 

How's the 03FFL coming? I been patiently waiting for you to get it so I can return those G&H mounting plates, on which you so beautifully welded the old screw holes shut, mounted on 3 receivers. This should guarentee 5 grandsons worshiping the ground I stomp on. Be my luck they'll take up violins and knitting.

 

I sure hope your pictorials are being archived!

 

Don't stop to rest now, you can rest all you want after you're dead (as my Marine DI was fond of saying). Here's hoping both the kids in college will want to go on for Masters Degrees and to help keep your incentive level peaked, I'm sending out some credit card applications for your wife and kids, happy holidays! Bill

 

[724wd]

Z, the receiver with the charging hump intact looks the front ring was polished off center. going by the reflections, they don't follow the lines of the action, but are tilting a bit to the right. is this just an odd camera angle, or are there concerns when stoning an action? i am about ready to polish one, and want to keep everything square and straight.

[z1r]

Z, the receiver with the charging hump intact looks the front ring was polished off center. going by the reflections, they don't follow the lines of the action, but are tilting a bit to the right. is this just an odd camera angle, or are there concerns when stoning an action? i am about ready to polish one, and want to keep everything square and straight.

 

Stoning can only keep things as straight as the ring or other surface is to begin with. That's why I surface grind, so I know they are true. Refer to the topic of a few days ago for stoning how-to's.

 

Pics have the bad habit of often presenting a distorted view of reality, especially when you aren't a professional photographer and also when you have but five minutes to snap photos.

 

 

Case in point the receiver below. When you look at the rear bridge it looks rounded where the 30 degree flats blen in with the rounded crest. But it is staright as can be. Look at the same receiver in one of the other pics to see.

 

 

The ring on the receiver with the charger hump is straight, otherwise, I wouldn't have posted it nor would I use it.

[z1r]

Mike, Tom Burgess may want to take the advice of Satchel Page and not stop to look behind him as he may not like what he sees catching up with him. Really beautiful work on those actions. One of my 03 Turks wears the classic bolt handle you did for me before the rush hit you, I was lucky to get my bolts done.

 

How's the 03FFL coming? I been patiently waiting for you to get it so I can return those G&H mounting plates, on which you so beautifully welded the old screw holes shut, mounted on 3 receivers. This should guarentee 5 grandsons worshiping the ground I stomp on. Be my luck they'll take up violins and knitting.

 

I sure hope your pictorials are being archived!

 

Don't stop to rest now, you can rest all you want after you're dead (as my Marine DI was fond of saying). Here's hoping both the kids in college will want to go on for Masters Degrees and to help keep your incentive level peaked, I'm sending out some credit card applications for your wife and kids, happy holidays! Bill

 

Bill, thanks again. I'll be using the same style handle I did for you. Good news on teh FFL front. I heard today that I will be getting an offer for that job in CO. The day after I get there I'll start the FFL paperwork. The funny thing, this job will be working on sewing & scrapbooking magazines, lol. Sounds like a good solid job and a great crew. Wish me luck.

 

-Mike

 

[Clark]

I am a big fan of the 1903-1905 manufacture Turks from Paul Mauser's Oberndorff operation.

 

It's great for me to see the pictures of them getting recycled [sporterized] in this thread:)

 

Keep us posted.

[z1r]

Clark,

 

Yeah, I like recycling. I think of sporterizing as the ultimate in, "swords into plowshares." I also like the idea of saving these fantastic creations from the smelter which I tend to think they would end up in were it not for folks like those on this board.

 

Whatever happened to your shortened mausers? Please start a thread with some pics as those were really neat.

[Clark]

Clark,

 

Yeah, I like recycling. I think of sporterizing as the ultimate in, "swords into plowshares." I also like the idea of saving these fantastic creations from the smelter which I tend to think they would end up in were it not for folks like those on this board.

 

Whatever happened to your shortened mausers? Please start a thread with some pics as those were really neat.

 

I took two VZ24s to Randy Ketchum, and for $100 I was going to get a short 6mmBR length and a long 338Lapua length.

 

I got most of the short one right away.

 

He says the long one is almost finished.

I need to call him.

 

I have not bought the 6mmBR reamer or the 338L reamer yet.

 

I need to buy my own TIG welder and quit leaning on my brother and Randy.