I just got back from a weekend trip during which I stopped by to see the progress of the custom Mauser Gary Stiles is making for me. It is always fun for me to get the time to stop and see Gary in his shop.....especially when that trip revolves around a rifle that he is building for me I had him make me a 35 whelen a few years ago, so this is my second project with Gary. I told him I wanted an "old school" style mauser in 7x57. Something that looked as if it could have been made back in the 30's. Here are a few of the details:

Stock and metal work done by Gary Stiles Gary Stiles
Charles Daly LH Mauser Action
Custom Bolt handle
Douglas Premium Barrel cut to 22"
Action “Cleaned up” by Gary
Satterlee 3 Position Safety
German Bottom metal from the 30's.....provided by Gary
Straight Grained 1/4 sawn Turkish walnut bought from Ray Atkinson here at AR about 5 years ago
Dakota Skeleton grip cap will be used
Sights will be from NECG (Not yet in)
Red Recoil pad
Checkering will end up being a point pattern.



My Better half holding my rifle. She patiently endured my couple of hours with Gary talking about my project and rifles in general



Here is my rifle along with Gary's 1909 Argentine. I will be using the same sights he has on his finished rifle





A close up of the custom bolt handle. In a straight down original mauser style



Gary removed all of the "Charles Daly/ Zastava" advertising. And added this thumb cut. a GREAT touch. I love the look



Bottom metal from a 1930's vintage mauser. Cleaned up by Gary with the trigger guard re contoured. I really like the trim lines and the authentic feel it gives to my rifle.











I am very pleased with the progress. I can't wait to get it in my hands and in the field. It will be a joy to shoot and hunt with. Nice, light and trim. I love the way his stock designs fit me. It has been lots of fun planning this project with Gary. I hope I can find a few more left hand Actions....I just have so many ideas

Nice looking! I guess it's too late to have him put the bolt on the correct side of the gun?
Peter.

What a wonderful looking project, looks like you've made many great choices along the way, make sure to put up some more pictures once finished.

Beautiful trim hunter. The 7x57 would be the first choice for 90% of all hunting. I love mine on a 1908 DWM, which is set up with Rigby style aperture sight and a scope in qd rings in the day pack. Do you have a date on the calender when you can fire the first shot.

Von Gruff.

A 7x57 is hard to beat my wife uses it for rabbits to Elk and Oryx. But I hate to tell you they screwed you over that darn bolt handle is on the wrong side.

Tasteful...well done

My 35 whelen. Also made for me by Gary Stiles. Another Left Hand mauser

Nice work!
For some reason I remember Gary as being left-handed?!?

Gary is not let handed.....but his son is. That is how he ended up doing left handed rifles. Even making conversions from old military mausers. He has an incredible picture of one on his web page. I think that one is a conversion n a 1909 Argentine action......AMAZING. He did say that it is so much work to do.....and with many more options for left handers these days....he probably will not do another.

I already have my next project`planned....gathering materials now It will be on a Left hand M70 action. Because for now I am out of mausers!

Iron Buck
I'm in lefty heaven. Very tasteful indeed. Only one thing I would do different and that is the foresight - I'd loose the hood, I'm odd like that.
Thanks for showing us the pics.

Iron Buck...the half-hearted smile on your lovely wife's face says it all. I'm told I get that look when my wife says "I just want to stop here to look for a new purse" !!!!!

Great looking rifles.

Deerdogs, I agree about the hooded fron sight. My rifle will not have a hood.

Biebs,.....i am VERY lucky to have Kelly in my life. She has no problem with my hobbies...even if she was a bit tired from listening to Gary I talk about rifles for 2 hours LOL.

Update on my rifle:

Gary called and said it will be ready to be picked up in just under a month. Checkering is done now. Sights are in but need to be installed. My custom scope bases are being made right now. I can't wait to get the finished product in my hands

Gary has great turn around time. This rifle will be in my hands just 10 months after I dropped off the rest of the pasrts I had and gave him my deposit. He is actually getting done a few months AHEAD of schedule. I love it!

I will post more pictures when I get the rifle. It will be fun working up loads over the summer. I should be well tuned in by der season this year!

Thats a good looking rifle. Even to us right handed folk.

quote:

Originally posted by Deerdogs:
Iron Buck
Only one thing I would do different and that is the foresight - I'd loose the hood, I'm odd like that..

Deerdogs, the SOP for the hood is to either remove it or fold it out of the way whenever the iron sights are to be used. Lots of the older US high-end custom rifles used to have a trap-door buttplate with a cavity underneath in which to store their Lyman 48 sight staff and their front sight hood, alternatively. I still build many of mine with traps.


Regards, Joe

That is a great idea. It would give me a place to store a removable peep sight as well. Your rifle has LOTs of storage space. How do you keep all the stuff quiet? Wouldn't want a hunting rifle to sound like a rattle

The upper photo is my Martini Cadet varminter with Unertl scope. The removable leather liner gives access to the stock's drawbolt while silencing the contents, and the leather pouch keeps up with the Unertl lens caps while shooting (CRS, VBG).

The bottom photo is my Mauser 280; its cavity is lined with felt for silence and works fairly well. The front sight bead is a SNUG fit inside the grip cap and the cavities for the belly trap have captive coil springs to maintain pressure against the felt silencing liner in the lid.

The butt cavity normally also holds a coiled Lenard Brownell cleaning rod (not shown) that serves to somewhat dampen any rattle, and the cleaning patches (not shown) finish the silencing job.

I hunt this rifle from a tree stand or shooting house, there's too much stuff packed into it for any productive stalking. I built it as a sort of stunt after getting tired of receiving much harassment & verbal abuse from my smithing bud who accused me of hoarding all those traps without ever using 'em. Boy I showed HIM(G)!

IMO a classic-style rifle is a perfect place for a trap door of some sort.
Regards, Joe

It looks great, but I do not really see anything 30's about it?

Looks great, Bill!!

Gary's work is always a sight to behold.

Can't say as that I could get used to reaching over the top to run the bolt, though. Guess you need to will those to someone else.

You up for an OTPG Blast-Off this summer?? We're thinking a Saturday in July.

Iron Buck

Should you be here on AR showing off your custom gun projects when you don't pay people for items you purchase from them here on AR?

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Iron Buck

Should you be here on AR showing off your custom gun projects when you don't pay people for items you purchase from them here on AR?

And "why is everybody always picking one me?"

Iron Buck

Should you be here on AR showing off your custom gun projects when you don't pay people for items you purchase from them here on AR?

I was kind enough to give you credit by sending you a part you wanted without you paying first.

You now won't respond to PM messages and won't respond to phone calls.

You stated you would pay me in three weeks. It is now almost 4 months that you have owed me $400.00.

Ouch that's gonna leave a mark.

I guess custom rifles are pretty cost effective to build when you get your parts for free.

22WRF---If that is true it says a lot about an individual and his lack of honor, character and integrity!

In short a scum bag..

It seems he blames all his shady dealings on his wife

Well...I take everything 22WRF says as absolute gospel...don't we all? Still, I'd like to hear from Iron Buck

Duane, you can hear from a couple other posters too if 22WRF doesn't pass muster for you. Funny how personality conflicts sway people regardless of the evidence on deals gone bad here.

Duane,

I haven't always agreed with 22WRF either but he did go out of his way to help me resolve a $5K rifle deal that went to hell badly. He had nothing to gain from doing so and asked for nothing in return. I know the devil's advocate lawyer stuff may irritate us all at times but I do believe he is an honest man.

just my two cents.

So does this mean we should NOT hear from Iron Buck?

I have done business with, and met personally and fully trust 22WRF. He clearly is a lover of firearms and has a fairly good grasp of high ticket pieces and high quality builders. I have done some "smithing" work for him and bought and sold to and from him in the classifieds. IMO he is a man of his word and a man of honor and character. He has my complete trust!

As to Iron Buck....how in hell can you afford such a rifle as pictured here and then cheat someone out of a measley $400.....?.....

quote:

I have done business with, and met personally and fully trust 22WRF. He clearly is a lover of firearms and has a fairly good grasp of high ticket pieces and high quality builders. I have done some "smithing" work for him and bought and sold to and from him in the classifieds. IMO he is a man of his word and a man of honor and character. He has my complete trust!

PS
I can say the same for Jim Kobe.....IMO a man of honor and character!

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
So does this mean we should NOT hear from Iron Buck?

Duane,

Of course not, but his actions here in regards to how he has handled transactions, not only with 22WRF but with several other members, speaks very poorly of his character. On the other hand, as a result of my experience with 22WRF and my having gotten to know him a bit through several lengthy phone conversations, I agree with Vapodog, I trust him completely.

Cheers,
Andy

Come on, Iron Buck, let's hear from you!

Unless you concede that 22WRF is correct. Remember, silence means YES!
Regards, Joe

quote:

So does this mean we should NOT hear from Iron Buck?

No. But short of his wife knocking him into a coma hence his absence, I think he cooked his goose.

Gentlemen

I agree with Mr. Wiebe completely.

You guys only know one side of the story, which is my side. You have no evidence of what Mr. Iron Buck has to say.

I could copy and paste the lengthly PM conversation between Iron Buck and myself to back up my story, but I feel that conversation was private between myself and Iron Buck, and ultimately all it shows is that he isn't responding to me. Of course, it doesn't show all of the phone calls I made and the fact that he did not return the calls.

But again, as I have said, I posted so nobody else gets screwed. And I am not going to call the police etc. I have forgiven the guy, and I feel sorry for him that he needs to resort to this sort of behavior.

I have dealt with one hell of a bunch of guys here on AR. And every single one, until now, has been very a fine person to deal with. Hell, I have even dealt with people who I was having a war with here on the forums, and they were perfect gentlemen to deal with.

So, where are you, Iron Buck?

You were quick enough to brag about your new rifle and your wife, so how about telling us YOUR side of things?

Unless, that is......
Regards, Joe

'Course, if he's in a hospital somewhere, or in jail, he probably can't get on the internet...
Jerry/AK