UPDATE 3-25-08 New pics on the bottom.
Barrel contour begins.


I'm so excited! A few years ago I talked Shane Thompson into building a little Mini Mauser barreled action. The job started off rather modest, just a new bolt handle, safety and barrel. Then, and I'm not sure how this happened but it morphed into a full blown custom barreled action. It took a little while long longer than I had expected it would befor the project got started but we stayed in touch the whole time and I feel like I've made a friend in the process of getting the rifle built.

This is going to be a very neat little rifle when finished. Here are the specs:
Charles Daly Mini Mauser action with
New bolt handle.
3-position safety.
Custom scope bases.
Timney feather weight trigger.
James Anderson custom bottom metal.
Shilen 1-9" twist custom contoured barrel chambered in .223 Remington.
Custom quarter rib, barrel sling swivel and front sight base.

After this is all done it's going to James Anderson (AKA gunmaker) to be stocked. It's a long story how this came about seeing as both men are completely capable of taking the job from start to finish, but that's how it worked out and I'm very happy with the arrangment.

I asked Shane for some pictures of the project while it's "in the works." Shane knows I hang out here and has graciously agreed to let me post his pictures here and share the progress with everybody. What's already happened in this series of pictures blows my mind.

Shane is a member here and posts on occasion. With two jobs and a big family he doesn't get to hang out much like some of us, but he might chime in here before this is over with. He say's the project should be completed over the next few weeks. As I get pictures I'll edit the title with a new date.

Without further a adue

Here it is in the jig before the "magic" happens.

A picture of the jig. Shane said he has lots of hours in this alone because the action is so small it won't fit in the normal stuff.


SURFACE GRINDING
The next 3 are of the "billboard" and all that Yugoslavian goodness coming off






OK, IMO the next few pictures are what sets the man apart from most others in his trade. I wish I could say I even thought of it. Neither of us liked the beveled piece on the left side of the action so Shane decided to give it the G33/40 look! This is soooo cool! We talked about putting lightning cuts in the receiver, but it's not necessary and I don't think it's going to happen. Is this a treat or what?!






Here is a scraping tool Shane had to make from a 60deg cutter.


The right side of the tang has a detent for the trigger safety. This will no longer be needed and is being welded up. Since Mr. Anderson is going to stock the rifle Shane isn't going to do much with the tang.


Well, this is what we have for our first session. Is this fun or what? I'm not sure which direction he's going in next. It'll be a treat to see.

Terry

And I thought my miniX was unique.
Looks pretty slick

quote:

Originally posted by gunmaker:
And I thought my miniX was unique.
Looks pretty slick

Seeing the one you did planted the seed They all need to be a little different though. I can't wait till it's your turn to do your thing to it. This is going to be a beautiful rifle when finished. I'm sure it'll give many a coyote a graceful end.

Terry

Terry

What a damn shame to take away all of those beautiful markings on that action.

What kind of 3 position are you putting on it?

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Terry

What a damn shame to take away all of those beautiful markings on that action.

What kind of 3 position are you putting on it?

The safety is a Dakota. The G33/40 thing with the thumb cut is a new idea. One of those Satterlee's would have looked good with it don't ya think?

Terry

Did James and you pick out a stick of wood yet?

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Did James and you pick out a stick of wood yet?

Terry

This is the one I've been wanting to see for a while now.

Great to see the photos Terry. It's going to be one bloody nice looking rifle.


cheers,
- stu

Did anyone else wonder why he had the end mill in a Jacob's chuck?????

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
Did anyone else wonder why he had the end mill in a Jacob's chuck?????

I noticed it, but I often use my keyless chuck for small, fast milling jobs where heavy material removal, great precision and delicate setups aren't required.

Hey Terry,
It is looking very good! Keep the photos coming.
Butch

quote:

I'm sure it'll give many a coyote a graceful end.

I would say they would die with a smile on their face... Neat project!

Westpac your right on the money, laziness on my part when doing light milling, and it just doesn't matter. My old machine shop instructor would have kicked me in the backside, but fortunately he wasn't around .

Next phase will be filling the bolt lock slot in the bottom of the receiver. Since the original trigger won't be there the slot doesn't need to be there. Then I'll finish grinding out the receiver side rails and bottom. I've got the scope material set aside and I'll start fitting them shortly.

A smart man would have welded and filled and then did all of the grinding but somehow I got a little off of sequence.

It's been a fun project to work on....I think Terry is just excited because wer're so far ahead of schedule .

Shane Thompson

Terry-

About the time I think to myself, "There's no way he can top that," you come along and do just that.

Incredible project; what caliber? .223 or .222?

Oooops, I did not read the original specs, .223!!

Ought to be a great turkey gun, too!!!

Terry, that is really going to look sharp. The thumb cut was a nice touch.

BTW, were those available in left hand?

quote:

BTW, were those available in left hand?

Chic,

My left hand Charles Daly mini is with Jim Dubell right now. Just waiting for a new 3-P safety - and its turn in his queue.


cheers,
- stu

Shane --

Beautiful work, m' friend. Can you describe how you made the shaping tool and how its used for this operation? Many thanks.

-- Brian/ale

Just slightly off-topic, my granddaughter (left handed) twisted Grandpa around her finger and got his Charles Daly mini. Now Grandpa needs another lefty action for himself. Anyone know where one is available? Even would get a bbl'd action if I could find one.
Email me.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Terry, that is really going to look sharp. The thumb cut was a nice touch.

BTW, were those available in left hand?

Yea, the lefties show up on gunbroker sometimes. I don't think Remington is offering the new ones in left hand though.

tc1 is correct. a fellow in new york has a standing auction for the left handed mini action on gun broker. just type in left handed mauser and it will come up. if anyone is interested i still have 1 custom bottom metal available that was offered for sale here a few years ago made by gunmaker.

Waaaayyyyy cool!

aleaddict,

The shaping tool was made from the shank of a broken 60 degree dovetail cutter. I save broken endmills for special uses like this. They are of the proper heat treat and material already so they work great. I just ground a radius on the bottom to match the radius of the side of the action. I then ground a little relief on the bottom and then ground off half of the diameter on the face of the tool.

Most of the machining work was completed with an endmill. Then I locked the spindle in back gear so it wouldn't rotate while scraping. I then used the scraping tool to scrape in the acute angle at the bottom of the rail cut. I cut about .002" depth each pass. Then lightly scraped off the milling machine marks. When doing this it leaves a little metal bunched up at the end of the scrape, you can see this in the picture, I now have to go in with chisels and files and clean up the corner where this metal is bunched up. I hope this makes sense. I had to go back and stage the picture, instead of showing the actual work, or it would have been more clear.

Shane Thompson

New Guy,

I'll be sending this to you for final polish .

Shane Thompson

Shane, Super Work! Very clever and most original.

VERY nice indeed. Excellent out of the box thinking!

Shane sent some new pictures.

Tang clean up





And now for the really cool ones The custom bases start. The last pictures show how small this action really is! Shane plans on scaling the rings down a little to match the action.

Hubba hubba hubba






Terry

Yep when you realize that the receiver ring OD is about 1 1/8" & the scope rings ID is 1" it looks out of balance.

You guys do great work. Keep it comin' ! !

Terry,
I got the new (faster twist) barrel in yesterday. I'll be making chips again shortly.

Shane Thompson

quote:

Originally posted by idgnmkr:
Terry,
I got the new (faster twist) barrel in yesterday. I'll be making chips again shortly.

Shane Thompson

Can't wait to see it go on with all the custom stuff you have planned for it! What you've done so far is amazing.

Terry

quote:

Can't wait to see it go on with all the custom stuff you have planned for it! What you've done so far is amazing.

Amen to that.

Terry, where did you find that amazing piece of wood and would you mind giving us some discussion on your wood choice.

Thanks,

quote:

Originally posted by 30 Caliber Mag Fan:
Terry, where did you find that amazing piece of wood and would you mind giving us some discussion on your wood choice.

Thanks,

Hey Mark, I bought that piece of wood second hand from JJS another member here. When the Silver-Lining Scholarship Rifle needed a blank Jim stepped up to the plate an took care of it. He ordered it from Denli Walnut. At one time Denli had some nice wood, but I haven't seen much there in a long time. While he ordered that one he also ordered 2 more for himself and 1 for me. I found one I really wanted from Adam Freeman over at Luxus for my project and sold mine to you. One of the two Jim bought he decided not to use for his project. He knew I really liked that blank and offered it to me and here we are.

From left to right. The 1st is the one that will be used for the mini mauser. The 2nd is the blank that was used on the Silver-Lining Scholarship Rifle. The 3rd blank can probably be bought if anyone wants it. It's an amazing piece of wood. The 4th is the one I sold you.



Terry

Nice wood!

It warms my heart to see another quarter sawn man.

Very nice, Shane! Good to see you are producing!

Do you have any plans for the boltstopper?
It looks a bit overseized...?

Keep us updated, thanks, Terry!

Bent,
My reproducing has slowed down my producing !!

I'm thinking on he bolt stop, I'll do something, but options are a little limited.

Shane Thompson

The barrel contour begins. Shane filled me in on whats going on here with captions.


cutting true centers.




roughing in shank dia contour.



my offset boring head. It’s an R8 arbor cut to a morse 3 taper to fit my tailstock. The gouge in the middle is what’s left of the keyway from the R8 arbor.



beginning to taper



roughing in contour at breech end of barrel






barrel is at final contour and I’m ready to cut the Radius.



the radius is cut










Pretty cool stuff

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by idgnmkr:
Bent,
My reproducing has slowed down my producing !!

I'm thinking on he bolt stop, I'll do something, but options are a little limited.

Shane Thompson

It keeps you yong!!

Here is a pic of a stopper I slimmed down many years ago for my .22-250 on a shortened M98. I am restoring it now, so I snapped a pic - maybe you get some inspiration.
There are plenty of threads in the plate itself, so the raised lump under the screwhead is not neseccary on a custom rig at all - mine has worked well for 15 years.


Cheers,

Wow,
Looks like pure fun to me. I really like the thumb cut. nice job.
Timan

Bent,
Thanks for the pics, it looks real nice. Always good to have food for thought.

Stuart,
Thanks, it's been a fun project.

Shane Thompson