I finally finished this project with the help of a couple smiths. Started as a rough military surplus Greek 6.5x54 Mannlicher, bore still good.

* Cut the barrel to 24", added FN Sporter ramp front sight and barrel band sling stud. Lowered rear sight elevator.
* Reshaped and contoured trigger guard.
* Cut the stock off behind the military barrel band, slimmed it down extensively including eliminating the forend flutes, added ebony forend tip, took about 1/16" off each side of buttplate and sanded buttstock flush to reduce bulk and sand out deep dings and dents. Inletted a recessed Mauser sling stud in butt.
* Tigged the hole in the bolt knob, polished and hot blued the metal.

Some guys replace the bolt handle with a butterknife, some simplify the trigger mechanism as described in the de Haas book. Overall, a fairly easy project and inexpensive stalking rifle/truck gun. Sorry the pictures aren't any better.

Neato little sporter

Just Lovely!

+1 Those are neato, nice job

Nice resurection....
I have been looking for one of those for decades. I am currently working on a Dutch M95 carbine in 6.5X53R. It is not as slick as your rifle.

You might slug your bore and groove diameters.
My carbine is large enough to use the .268 Hornady Carcano bullets. Use of undersize .264 bullets is scorching the throat of my rifle.

What? No checkering?

Forrest, did you add the rear swivel base or was that the original re-blued. If it's new, where did you find the base and how did you inlet it? Thanks, Bob

Bob, it's just a military Mauser rear swivel base, easy to find at gun shows or on auction sites. I cut off the fixed swivel, recessed the stud so a detachable like an Uncle Mike's would fit, polished blued and inletted into the stock. Actually, one from an 03 Springfield is better, narrower like a Winchester 70 Supergrade, be sure to get the forged not the stamped.

22, haven't decided whether to have it checkered or not. Would cost as much as the entire project so far.

A nice, honest lookin' shooter- and unique, too.

Very distinctive looking ammo, also.

My father-in-law gave me one that was fancied-up some, but then he turned around and borrowed it back... some time ago. I think I've seen the last of it

I have a 1903 action buried under some junk around here somewhere, now I have half a mind to go diggin' for it. In pretty rough shape, though.

I would have a very hard time (at this point in my life) using the military sights; I see you have a gold bead in the front ramp, has the rear sight notch been altered to match the bead, or does it still have the "V" notch?

The bead is a real improvement, IMO.

I've always thought that the euro military open sights from that era were the pits, very hard to use.

I don't mean for any of that to reflect on your rifle, it's a real keeper.

Question: what other cartridges can the M-S be converted to? Is it at all practical?

That is a really neat rifle.

Terry