Well, I’m in recovery after my brain tumor was removed. My strength is coming back, so I started playing around with my $120 Spanish Mauser which I had bought intending to convert to fire 45ACP at subsonic velocities.

Turns out, I don’t think my 7mm Spanish Mauser had ever been fired! I bought a 7mm Hoppes cleaning kit locally for $10, and the more I cleaned the better this old Mauser looked! Even the headspace was OK. The bore is beautiful after Hoppes solvent and Hoppes 7mm Mauser wire-brush.

So now, it will become a scout model deer rifle for my office-mate. I’ll have to buy an old 98 8mm Mauser for conversion to 45 ACP.

I finally test-fired the Spanish yesterday. Boy, was it LOUD. Just to be safe I wrapped both arms around a palm tree, held the Spanish on the other side of the tree, and pointed it down into the ground and LET FLY. I almost lost the rifle, it kicked so hard. My thumb took enough recoil to be really sore even today. The fired 7mm case looks good, with no signs of pressure.

I bought an NcStar 2-7x33 Extended Eye Relief scope and an S&K clamp-on “Insta Mount” for $131 total. The scope arrived yesterday and my office mate has already gotten excited over it. Wants to kill a deer on 450 acres he owns.

There I go, letting CIRCUMSTANCES push me around!