Tons of experienced gunsmith and builders here so I'm interested in what you would build for yourself if you were heading to the wilderness for a long hunt. Not interested in caliber, but what action, safety type, trigger type, and what optic would you choose, based on what you've seen that works and doesn't break over your years of experience.

Mauser 98 action, although I prefer the 91. Much smoother feeding (single stack) and easier to operate. You said don't mention caliber.
Military trigger. Boyds laminated stock, came color; no walnut. Plastic stock would be good too.
Safety? Wisner 3 position, just because I like them, but the original is foolproof. Finish; phosphate, or paint; choose one. Iron sights; few AR members can see them any more. But they look good.
Scope? Modern variables are as reliable as any, so it doesn't matter. 2-7 is good.
If someone is thinking of a full blown, fancy walnut custom rifle for this mission, that is not ideal.
Barrel Douglas only. Caliber; depends on the game, and you said don't ask.

A Springfield.

Similar to this one:

https://sportsafield.com/2021/...springfield-sporter/

Maybe with a laminate stock and a modern 6x fixed power scope.

Yes the laminated stock will be needed because a real "long, wilderness" hunt will not be kind to a walnut stock. You are living in the rain and snow (I gleaned that from the OP), and sleeping on the ground under a tree. All equipment will be exposed to the weather 24 hours a day, and you will ford raging streams twice a day. You will fall in, once a week.

Mr. Craig, thanks for that pleasant read. It's funny. I have been feeling very nostalgic about the Springfield lately. I gave my father's sporter to my new son-in-law a few years ago. Dad would have no other, having carried a scoped Springfield as his squad's sniper, 97th Infantry, in Germany at the end of the war.
I happened to run across one plainly sportered on the Web site of a Dallas gun shop and bought it over the phone yesterday. They will mail it to my C&R. Springfield Armory, 1918, 870,000 serial range.
The Springfield I most regret selling was an original NRA Sporter, verified by Michael Petrov not long before the cancer killed him. What a wonderful stock design combined with that Lyman 48 sight.
The one I next most regret selling was a .400 Whelen built for me by Tom. I just don't need that kind of power anymore.
Every once in a while I stumble onto my copy of the NRA reprint on the 1903 Springfield. Nice reading.
If you take a Springfield into the bush, you'll be following on the heels of Theodore Roosevelt, Stewart Edward White, Townsend Whelen and Ernest Hemmingway. Not bad company or guidance.

It would be hard to beat a Winchester extreme weather with a 2.5-8 leupold or 2.5-10 nightforce.

Wouldn’t be nothing wrong with a good 1909 Argentine Mauser either with irons.

Ruger stainless MKII action with a stainless barrel in the caliber you like.

Put in a lite stock

Mauser98

I like my 36 Mexican Mauser because it reminds me of my Springfields.

Nothing can beat a Daisy Red Ryder !!!

Hip

I was going to say the Ruger with skeleton stock.
As for the 03 Springfield; there are much better designs. While I have owned 25 or so, and built up a few sporters (a 257 recently), and of course Bill's 400, remember that we copied the Mauser 93 when we designed it. And every piece we changed to avoid paying Mauser royalties on the patent, accomplished nothing better. We ended up paying anyway.
The 36 Mex is a far better action than any Springfield.
Hip, yes the Red Ryder will be fine on your trek; it does limit you to chipmunks however.

98 Mauser.

Timney trigger

Blackburn bottom metal

Eisner 3 position safety

Finish: Parkerized

All in a quality synthetic stock such as McMillan or Manners.

Top it off with a high end 2-10 or 3-15 depending on caliber.

I'd go with the Wisner safety; I heard nothing good about the Eisners.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I'd go with the Wisner safety; I heard nothing good about the Eisners.

Agreed!

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I'd go with the Wisner safety; I heard nothing good about the Eisners.

that’s funny. Tom always has a sense of humor on here.

Note about Timney...The Sportsman trigger , which was compatible with the original type cocking piece has not been available for some time now I know Recknagel works, perhaps others

You can modify the current Timney's so that they will work. Remove the sear, enlarge the pivot pin hole, and reshape the ramp on the front of the sear.

I started to make a tutorial, but never got around to finishing it. It is a pain, and customers whine about paying for it, but it is what it is. If I have time, I may modify a batch of them.

Also, commercial FN style cocking pieces will be ready as soon as I get the ID EDM'd.

(Sorry for the sales pitch)

Yes, I do the same thing; I just consider it routine installation procedure for the current Timneys.
Mill out the slot; alter the sear with the universal tool; belt sander.
Sales pitch is fine; we need to know the sources for stuff.

Mil Mauser trigger are infinitely modifiable, one stage, two stage etc. You can even make them adjustable though I haven't tried.

AND cheap if you screw up. Timney $100

There's 32 triggers on ebay for $50 right now.

quote:

Originally posted by Fal Grunt:
You can modify the current Timney's so that they will work. Remove the sear, enlarge the pivot pin hole, and reshape the ramp on the front of the sear.

I started to make a tutorial, but never got around to finishing it. It is a pain, and customers whine about paying for it, but it is what it is. If I have time, I may modify a batch of them.

Also, commercial FN style cocking pieces will be ready as soon as I get the ID EDM'd.

(Sorry for the sales pitch)

I'm not in business to modify when I can just buy one that works out of the box...To each his own, I guess. Your cocking piece will be welcome to many.

PS: Nothing against Timney..I installed one in my 270 38 years ago and never have had to touch it!

But... Timney costs about $100.00 that does not work with the 98 cocking piece A Recknagel in aluminum body cosst $139.00 and works with the 98 cocking piece as is. Plus ...it has set serews for locking the adjustments. The attachment pin is a threaded bolt so cannot possibly come out..no matter what.

What real time shop can provide this level of sophistification for $39.00?

I thought this topic had such potential, but what do we get? Ruger MK II and Mausers with laminated stocks. So disappointed.

John

It's called dissecting details! Potential? Yes, but without a caliber choice, game choice, throws the opinions and suggestions wide open to (what we got).

Well,
I've always hunted with an off-the-rack Ruger 77 MKII with a Leupold 3-9, or one of my old Model 94's. None of that custom stuff for me :-)

My .30-40 Krag big game hunting rifle for the past 20 years.


Maybe you have all seen this one before~~

SDH,

Was that a Hagn or a Ruger #3 before you made it a side lever?

It began as a Ruger #3 and the sidelever conversion was done by a genius metalsmith in Kentucky named John Madole.The only remaining Ruger parts are the action body and the breechblock. The coil mainspring was converted to a Sharps style flat spring, trigger and trigger guard stylishly crafted. All other internal parts and the lever were bench made by John.

I bought the barreled action from Madole about 1992(?), stocked and finished it for a client. The client swapped it back to me as a down payment for two more custom rifles he wanted about 1996. I've been hunting with it ever since and obviously took it to Namibia. It has also accounted for numerous Whitetail, mules deer and Pronghorns.

Beautiful rifle.

For dangerous game it would be a BLE SxS based on a Greener Empire design, of my own manufacture. Can’t discuss caliber for some reason, but it would weigh around 9.25lbs w/24” shoelump barrels. It would have a Trijicon RMR machined down into the quarter rib to get as low as possible to utilize co-witnessing irons. The trap door grip cap would house a torx key for removal of said sight if needed(unlikely). A plug could be machines to go in its place for longer term iron use. The trigger plate would have an integral extended tang to the grip cap. The trigger guard would sit atop. Extended top tang. Red recoil pad. A smart piece of wood, no cheakpiece.

The smaller rifle would be on a large ring small thread Mauser 98 variety. Its front ring would be narrowed or all together reduced the small ring dimensions. Magazine capacity reduced by one. 21” lightweight barrel. Small 1.5-5x20 or possibly 2-7 power scope. No irons. Simple Talley rings. 6.25lbs without optic. Smart piece of wood, horn butt plate, no cheakpiece. Most likely pre-war German sporting rifle styling influence.

after I posted my question I read a couple comments on why I should have asked about caliber as well. this is why I didn't: frankly I know what works for myself on these hunts and am not really looking for caliber recommendations. but with all of you guys' experience in what works, what breaks, what malfunctions, etc. when it comes to things like action parts ( triggers, safeties, bolt design) as well as optics, I was interested in you sharing your experience. I like old model 70s for their simplicity and have used them now on 5 alaskan hunts. In optics, I've always used rather old Leupold low-power scopes, but most stuff I read on this forum seems to indicated that the newer optics are much superior, so maybe I'm being too old school. But I'm always open to learning and you guys probably know more than most anyone else, other than perhaps outfitters, about what works and what doesn't. so I'm hoping you will continue to share your experience on my question. For those that already have, thank you.

Posted by Bitterroot:

"None of that custom stuff for me :-)"

devere, that comment was kinda tongue-in-cheek. I'll take one of my customs for a walk in the woods once in a while just to give it some fresh air but when it comes to serious hunting my pedestrian Ruger 77 MKII is my go-to rifle. It hasn't had anything "custom" done to it other than adjust the trigger and doing some bedding. With Federal premium ammo it shoots as good as any rifle I could build. In Montana we don't sit in a tree stand with the rifle cradled across our knees, stroking it and admiring the lovely finishes while waiting for a buck to wander by; I, at least, drag it through the rocks, drop it in the water, lean it up against something and it falls over, leave it out in the snow, neglect to clean it, throw it into the back of the pickup...etc., etc.

No huge and heavy Euro optics for me; a lightweight Leupold in 2-7 or 3-9 is just fine. I think my scope is 30 years old. Killed then and kills now.

And the Ruger always works.

For Big Game
As a kid until the age of 18 I used a Win Model-94, Ruger 77, Rem 760, Push feed Model-70, Win Mod-100 and a Brno Model 22

When I moved to Colorado I used the Brno Model 22, 98's in both small and large ring, Pre-64 Model 70's, Ruger # 1 Sako L-579, 1903 Springfield and the Rem 700

Since 1990 I've hunted with the reintroduced Claw extractor Model 70, Rem 700's, Ruger M-77 and again a number of large and small ring 98's

In 2022 I began using an LX-1 prototype.


I have used a variety of scopes in the field. Lyman, Redfield, Leupold, Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, S&B and Night-Force.

I've hunted with 20 cartridges from 250-3000 to 458 Lott

The only malfunction in the bush was with a Rem 700

I've never had a scope personally fail in the field but have caved in dozens and dozens at the range.

What malfunctioned on the Remington ?

I had a 7MM Mag round freeze in the chamber due to condensation then subjected the rifle to zero degree temps on a Canadian deer drive

I ripped an extractor size groove through the case rim that left the round in the chamber until the rifle warmed up enough to allow the case to fall out of the chamber.

quote:

And the Ruger always works.

What not to like about Ruger MKIIs double bridge integral scope mounts.
They well never come loose.

Long claw extractor, Blade ejector, 3 position safety like a Winchester model 70.

Made with modern steel. One doesn't have to reheat treat them.

Besides doing a little smoothing out and putting a good trigger in on some.

What's not to like.

Oh one doesn't get paid to do all that stuff. That one does to a 98 to bring it up to Ruger standards.

I'm not at all sure one could consider my situation with the 700 a mechanical malfunction per say. Would a M-70 or 98 extractor removed the frozen case ?????? It would be simple to recreate the situation with a deep freeze but I've never tried to recreate it.

In Saskatchewan your rifle must be cased when in transit from one spot to the next. This afternoon we were pushing bush as the temps had really dropped that day. We'd already done 2 drives and when I removed my rifle from the case to do the 3rd drive and found it covered in condensated water from being encased in the warm case. I tried to wipe off the exterior as best as possible and took off into the trees.

On this drive a very, very nice buck was pushed right into my lap. I had released the safety and had rested the rifle against the tree I was standing behind and squeezed the trigger just as the buck slammed to a stop at about 30 yards in front of me.

Nothing happened !!! Other than the buck bolted to my right to clear the area and as I lifted the rifle up and around the the tree I tried to bolt another round into the chamber thinking I had a dud. Getting the bolt out of the battery position was a chore and extracting the bolt was not possible at that moment.

The guide who had jumped the buck walked out of the timber following the tracks right up to me and said " Echols please tell me you didn't pass up that jumper? he had seen the buck leave it's bed ". I explained the situation and then had to determine what to do next.

Now safety was a real issue. I wanted to clear the chamber, the safety was off, the trigger had been pulled but the rifle had not fired to my knowledge. At what stage were the other moving parts in the trigger group ???

So with my gloved hand I beat on the open bolt until the extractor tore through the case rim. This allowed me to at least remove the bolt and firing pin from the scene of the crime.

At the truck it was decided to keep the rifle as close to the trucks floor heating vent as possible. This was technically illegal as the rifle was not cased, but driving with a round in the chamber was also against the law. Damned if you do damed if you don't. It was a approx. 30 or 45 minutes back to the lodge. The heater was at max output and as we pulled up to the cabin the round fell out of the chamber. The primer had just a very slight dimple on it.

The rifle under the stock line was still wet to the touch. I took the barreled action out of the stock and every part had a layer moister on it. I ran a cleaning patch into the chamber and another through the bore both came out sopping wet.

Would a better extractor system have worked ??????? I haven't a clue, was it a malfunction of the system ????? yes, no, maybe, I can't even answer that

But it did happen and it is only "failure" I've ever had while in the field with a rifle. The circumstances were quite unusual.

Over the years I learned there might not be a perfect system, some in theory could be better than others and that's all you can hope for.

Too cold for me, better off back at the lodge with your feet up in front of the fire.

Sort of the same thing happened to me ...No drama...couldn't even move the safety to where I could unload it (98 with three position) But, like Darcy, felt a little foolish with a loaded rifle in vehicle

How many gunsmiths have built themselves a personal rifle and then sold it to a customer??
Time to fess up.

Yes, I built a lightweight Dakota # 10 in my favorite .257 Roberts specifically to hunt pronghorn. I got in a bit of a tight spot before antelope season and offered it to a client at a decent price and he just wrote a check. Still kicking myself for that one. I do own three rifles that I built, the sidelever above, a .38-55 Marlin and a High Wall also in .30-40 that I bought at auction from a client's estate. I've got way more of my own work that most gunmakers I know. This one shows my proprietary trigger guard and bench made trigger (Farqylike). I has no forend tip nor cheekpiece and is about as utilitarian as I've done. Nice, accurate rifle though~~

Devil's Pocket was a favorite Block Management Unit for pronghorn.

quote:

How many gunsmiths have built themselves a personal rifle and then sold it to a customer??
Time to fess up.

Guilty more than once.

Also, some of us can't afford our rifles....