Ok, I tried to do the photobucket thing. It's just not working for me. I was able to post a couple pics in the custom guns section a few days ago, but every subsequent attempt has just p'd me off. So for this question I just posted address to my photobucket pics.

I bought this very nice 1909 a couple years ago. Haven't figured out what to do with it. As you can see someone took a grinder of some sort to the front ring for some stupid reason.

1) Is there a scope mount out there that will cover this up?

2) If this thing was ground to a small ring and heat treated/recarburized, would it be any stronger than a Kar98 that was heat treated/recarburized? If I did this, I would only consider low pressure 57mm rounds, although I have seen a Gene Similian 270 on a decarburized/heat treated Kar98.

3) The bolt and bottom metal are absolutely perfect. As is much of the rest of this rife (no bayonet). What is this thing really worth?

I would rather use this action, rather than sell it, if it is somehow salvageable. But selling it is on the table. I payed $350 for it, and I'd rather not lose money. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Matt

Learned what I needed to, so links deleted. Thanks all.

Nice !

A standard Leupold FN single piece mount would cover it up. and crests like that are typically defaced for export although a lot escape this tragedy some don't.

and that scare can be polished out.

It's worth right about what you paid for it.

Matt you could have faux square bridges installed on that receiver.

just about any base will cover it .. might have it properly polished first.. nice action

Bases should cover that. Heat treat on the inside of the action, the lug abutments, is of utmost importance,,, on the outside, not so much. It's always nice to have the receiver you want to use intact and unmolested. Barrel/chamber it in any caliber that's suitable for a Mauser '98.

Polish it off and use it either with a scope base or without. Nothing wrong with it. Or if you want a small ring, that can be done too. Stronger than a KAR 98? maybe.

An hours worth of polishing with wet/dry paper would have the damage undetectable. And, as stated before, most any base will cover it up.

I'd not grind the ring smaller, just do the touchup needed and live with it.

dave

Thanks for the advice. At least now I know what my options are.
Matt

Well everyone with the tooling required has a different way of doing this, but below is the way I would do it: Using a custom made tool post belt grinder in the lathe. Thread the action on the arbor, place it in the lathe, install the belt grinder on the compound with the contact wheel aligned to the front ring. Grind the front ring by rotating the action by hand and running the carriage back and forth by hand. Takes a few minutes. Easy as pie. If actually grinding I would protect the ways and use a vacuum to collect the dust.

I have a regular tool post grinder also, but the belt grinder is much faster. I have also seen this operation accomplished on a surface grinder using a spin indexer and tailstock center.



Now about that action: It is a Columbian, Made by FN in Belgium. I just pulled it out of storage to have an action to demonstrate. But after a close look I saw a few things: Note the bullet notch in the front ring. Ala Selby’s 416 Rigby! This action has a 3-9/16” magazine well opening with no alteration to the bottom lug or ramp area. A little work on the bolt stop and the rear of the magazine well, and installing the proper bottom metal, and we have the action for easy conversion to 416 Rigby, as Colorado Matt is doing.

I have been wanting to build a Selby replica for years, Thanks to Matt I am getting the fever again. I have a barrel, chamber reamers, reloading dies, brass and bullets, stock blank and now by accident I have found the action hiding in my storage area.

You could also polish it off and do something like this.

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
You could also polish it off and do something like this.

Yes!

That is the way the pre-war rifles were marked. Selby's, and several others from that era (Early post-war to late 1950's) are more simply marked:

Rigby
416 Bore
Big Game

I prefer the earlier inscription, but will be keeping with the Selby era. Good luck! I bet yours will be done before mine!