last ditch poor man's sniper rifle

[dualsport]

Just checking, anybody else here ever think of their cast bullet rifles as a last ditch end of the world as we know it sniper rifle? Just curious. The one I'm working on is based on a Ishapore 7.62. Got a great idea here for a scope base made from angle iron, how cheap is that? I don't want to start a scope blog, but I plan to put a cheap scope on it. CHEAP is the theme. If I can bring myself to chop up one of my Mausers I'd like to find a 7.62 barrel, Cheap. Am I a nut? Or at least am I the only nut?

[missionary5155]

Good morning
No you are not NUTS ... your the basic American Tinkerer who wants to turn his property into something more useful "As he sees it needed".
I make my own springs, peep sights, screws, stocks & whatever if the bug bites me about doing it. If I had a lathe and a mill there would be hardly nothing to stop me from building my own everything. Well time would be the great interferrer.
I view all my rifles & handguns the same. I want them to be as accurate with my cast loads as I can make them so they are all ready for any given task.
I am not much of a scope person BUT if I was I sure would not hessitate to try and build my own base. That looks like a worthy project for any accurate rifle. And that to me would be the place to start. Some barrels just seem to shoot well no matter what they are fed. Other barrels take alot of time finding that perfect load. Imperfections in steel,stresses, vibrations...... all come into play & more other facts than I know about .
But once you have a base built for whatever rifle system you choose (Mauser, 1903, Swiss...) It should be interchangable with any other rifle of the same design so there would not be any "time lose".
So charge agead and tackle the project ! Many valuble ideas and methods are hatched at home by "garage inventors" who bring to reality interestings ideas.

[mike in co]

the ishapore with the angle iron mount would be a "last ditch", but i think if you want a bit better, i'd go to brownells for a 308 mauser bbl, bend the bolt handle , rework the trigger a little ( or a aftermarket) and drill and tap the recvier for mounts on one of the mausers.

you can do most of this in little steps, limiting cost as you go. it will out shoot the enfield all day long....a requirement for a "sniper" rifle, vs a battle rifle.

mike in co

[atr]

first scope mount I ever made for a .303 British was from a piece of solid brass which I hand filed to the right shape.....still have it...it still works great !

[Lead Fred]

I still see Belgian FN mausers in 30-06 for a few hundred bucks at shows.

Any large ring mauser can be converted. If you not a smith, it will cost you to get it chambered.

I have more store bought 30 cal that I can ever use in my life time. I cast for the 45/70 and 30/30 as last ditch protection.

[dualsport]

The more immediate and realistic use for this rifle may be milsurp silhouette matches. I have shot one match, using j---- handloads in a Savage .303, it was a lot of fun. I plan to shoot these matches with cast bullets when I get rolling. Ordered the 314299 Mod from a GB here, should be in any day. Never hit a ram at 500 meters, but did ok at 385 and back. In these matches there's different classifications, as issued, scope, etc. On the Ishy, I did get the B-Square clamp on mount a while back, won't stay put, don't waste your money. Now that I'm considering cutting on it I'm wondering if I can mount that B-Square more better, a little drill and tap job. It's just an alternative I'm looking at compared to the angle iron base.

[docone31]

For the Ishapore,
Take 1" angle iron, the lower part rests on the ridge just above the stock. The center of the top part of the angle iron with the center marked is the exact center.
Cut out for the ejector screw, and drill and tap three 10/32 threads. On the angle iron, I countersunk for 10/32X 1/2 machine screws. They also came in allen with countersunk head. I used those.
The angle iron scope mount, I then relieved for the rear safety, over the bolt bridge. The bolt headspace piece gets tight there. As long as there is 1/4" thick angle iron left, reliefe works.
I have made several. Each one gets a little nicer. I deep blue with cold blueing. I also take the sharp edge off so when I handle it, it doesn't cut.
Once you scope it, you will need to bed the barrel. The POA does change with heat. A simple three point bedding and you have one find shooting rifle.
The Ishapore loves cast rounds, mine favours paper patching most of all. It outshoots the jacketed with paper.
What I did with my Enfield scope mount,
I machined a flat in the scope mount. There I drilled and tapped three machine screws. One to go on and through the charger piece. The other two to push against it through the mount. With that rear one in place, the front allen screw does not come loose.
To fit that mount on an Ishapore, the rear of the mount must be made square. Actually no biggee, but that is what it takes to make it fit.

[WILCO]

any weapon in your hands at the given moment of a "End of the World" situation would qualify for the task as long as it was used in the realm of sniping.

[bcp477]

I certainly subscribe to the concept of finding solutions without spending lots of $$..... besides, I no longer have lots of $$ to spend..... so that works out well. I made my own scope base for my Yugo M48 out of the standard rear sight base already on the barrel. Very easy to do and absolutely stable....it only required a bit of work with a file and dremel and the right rings (which I already had on hand). I always have been a dedicated tinkerer..... finding simple solutions via modifications to existing parts, etc. is one of my favorite "hobbies", in and of itself.

I don't subscribe to the "end of the world" or "SHTF" scenario stuff..... but I won't elaborate on that. I built the scope base because I realised that it would work.....and produce a very low mount for the scope....and because it only cost a little time and elbow grease.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

just a thought...

A number of my "make it wear many hats club" friends have purchased the Moisin-Nagants for the usage you envision. Lots of surplus J-ammo still out there, dies and boxer brass for boolits, etc. See it with a case or more of jacketed for the worst case scenarios, a good hunting rifle with boolits for the rest of your life.

There are more of us here than you can imagine that work towards the possibilities you mention. It NEVER! hurts to be prepared.

Rich

[dualsport]

Thanks guys for the good info and suggestions. As this project comes along I'll share the results. I like all your ideas, I'm thinking do 'em all. I see J&G has MNs in good shape going awful cheap, and Mausers. I have a C&R license that I've never used. Does that get me a discount at Brownell's? Doc, thanks for the detailed instructions. I think it's an amazing coincidence the 1" angle iron works so nicely. Is that just on the Ishy? I have a couple No 1 barreled actions to experiment(practice) on that are nasty enough to not worry about.

[docone31]

The dimensions on the Ishy, and #1MKIII are almost identical. A lot of #1 parts fit the Ishy very nicely.
I prefer the wood for the #1 for the Ishy. With a field pad the profile makes it quite comfortable. I prefer the nose metal for the Ishy on the #1.
Etc.
You will like the Ishy. I like the #1MKIII and the Ishy almost more then my Mausers.
For King and Country!

[Bloodman14]

Get hold of a company called "Centerfire Systems", in Versailles, Ky. They have a bit of stuff for the Enfields, including scope mounts, stocks,etc.

[jjohnson]

Yes, your C&R license will get you a discount at Brownell's, just mail them a copy.
Same goes for Midway, but not for Graf's.

[BruceB]

I love old military rifles more than most folks, I dare say. Also, the possibility of "last ditch" scenarios has not been far from my mind for a long time.

However (did y'all KNOW that was coming?).... there are so many decent, usable commercial rifles around now that going to extreme effort to modify an old military design to be a rudimentary sniper rifle seems questionable.

If one simply WANTS to modify a .303, or a Mauser, that's fine. Doing it for future reference when we can buy accurate rifles already suited for available scope mounts, with decent triggers and stocked for scope use, for a few hundred bucks, seems like a waste of effort to me.

At the Big Reno Show last week, there were dozens of used Rugers, Mausers, Savage/Stevens and similar marques of sporters for very low prices. ANY of them would be superior to a cobbled-up surplus rig with a home-made mount.

If that's ALL we had to work with, then I'd in there cobbling with the best of them! However, if we're preparing for a future situation TODAY, then there are much better ways to do it.

Incidentally, I was just reading about a Finnish sniper in the Winter War against the Soviets. He scored an official tally of 542 kills with an IRON-SIGHTED rifle (having removed the issued scope for his own reasons). I'll bet he also had iron NERVES.

[dualsport]

There is a certain amount of fun factor involved in my scheme. With any luck I'll never be tested repelling invaders to my homeland. The old milsurps interest me because they are battle proven rugged designs. I have a 700 ADL in 7mm Mag. that is very businesslike at long range. I like the idea of a gun that can take severe abuse and still go bang. Long ago I read Ahern's entire "Survialist" series, Orwell's '1984' and more recently "Unintended Consequences". Maybe it's affecting my thinking, I think I'll go rent some old Disney movies! A little off topic, but is there any country still using the '06? Seems like a better choice for all those M40s out there in the mideast.

[StarMetal]

Yes, your C&R license will get you a discount at Brownell's, just mail them a copy.
Same goes for Midway, but not for Graf's.

Grafs does take a C&R, they took mine for years. They do have a minimum $100 order though.

Joe

[StarMetal]

I love old military rifles more than most folks, I dare say. Also, the possibility of "last ditch" scenarios has not been far from my mind for a long time.

However (did y'all KNOW that was coming?).... there are so many decent, usable commercial rifles around now that going to extreme effort to modify an old military design to be a rudimentary sniper rifle seems questionable.

If one simply WANTS to modify a .303, or a Mauser, that's fine. Doing it for future reference when we can buy accurate rifles already suited for available scope mounts, with decent triggers and stocked for scope use, for a few hundred bucks, seems like a waste of effort to me.

At the Big Reno Show last week, there were dozens of used Rugers, Mausers, Savage/Stevens and similar marques of sporters for very low prices. ANY of them would be superior to a cobbled-up surplus rig with a home-made mount.

If that's ALL we had to work with, then I'd in there cobbling with the best of them! However, if we're preparing for a future situation TODAY, then there are much better ways to do it.

Incidentally, I was just reading about a Finnish sniper in the Winter War against the Soviets. He scored an official tally of 542 kills with an IRON-SIGHTED rifle (having removed the issued scope for his own reasons). I'll bet he also had iron NERVES.

Bruce,

I read some about that Finnish sniper also. As you mentioned he used iron sights, but how about the part where he used other unconventional sniper weapons...such as a sub machine gun. Most of us think "sniper" as a scoped rifle. That Finn was indeed one gutsy man.

Joe

[BruceB]

[QUOTE=dualsport; "Long ago I read Ahern's entire "Survialist" series, Orwell's '1984' and more recently "Unintended Consequences". Maybe it's affecting my thinking....."

You're far from alone in reading that sort of literature!

Some excellent older books with very strong survival themes are (thread drift warning):

-Malevil

-Down to a Sunless Sea

-No Blade of Grass

-On the Beach (wherein NOBODY survives)

-Lucifer's Hammer

....anyone else care to chime in? It's time for me to re-read some of these.

Oh, and I agree with the fun factor associated with projects such as the one on this thread!

[JesterGrin_1]

I would have to agree with a few others that if you like to work on something for your own enjoyment and a finished project that is great.

But when you can get a Rifle such as a Marlin XL-7 for around 300.00 that shoots as well if not better than any other factory rifle I have ever shot would be hard to beat as a starter rifle for a project such as yours.