I have an action, and want to build a rifle for my son. I'm thinking 6.5x55. Should do just about everything I'd like, with relatively light recoil. My issue is chamber finish reamer, barrel vise, and action wrench. I'd like to know if someone has these items for rent. I would consider .243 or 7mm Mauser.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Since you don't own an barrel vise or action wrench, here's what I'd humbly recommend:

Find a decent gunsmith and send the action to him. Have him D/T the action for scope mounts, weld on a new bolt handle, install a decent safety, install a Lothar Walther light taper 6.5x55 barrel - and blue everything.

When you get the barreled action back, you can fit it and bed it to a stock and go shooting.

I know of no place that's renting action wrenches or barrel vises and purchasing them for one or two rifles is highly cost prohibitive. Trust me; I've been down this path a couple times.

If you have any feeding issues when you get everything together, try swapping in the follower from a Swedish Mauser. You may have to grind the rear edge of it so the bolt will slide over it (I did), but its well worth the minor expense and effort.

Thanks Jason, I appreciate the thought. Many times I believe that I can handle the job, when in reality it's nuts. BTW this has a bent bolt handle from the factory.

That follower idea is interesting....

It a doable project. If you are doing it to learn by.
the m48 action is shorter than the 98 actions and there are not many ater market options.
with the 6.5 and the 7mm you willnot have to make too many adjustments. with the 243 the bolt face and the extractor will need to be accept the diffrent size rim and extractor grove. also with the 243 you will have to make some changes in the rails because of feeding problems.
there is a lot more to consider.
Dave

have it barreled and DT by someone you trust. ID&D does good work for a fair price

get a stock from Dakota Cliff's, on ebay, and finish it out. He has a GREAT pattern for the 48

if it were me, the 6mm rem, or 7x57, or even a 308 with a TINY barrel would be good choices

jeffe

Sir,

I'm afraid that if you want to mount a scope on your rifle in the traditional manner, you'll find that welding on a new handle is about the only way you're going to get a scope mounted at a sane, comfortable height. I had the bolt handle on my M48 forged and I've got to use extra-high rings. Its not real comfortable and I've kinda lost interest in the rifle as a consequence. It looks goofy too.


A bolt handle job should only set you back around a hundred bucks which in the grand scheme of things isn't a terribly large sum of money. Its also one of those things everybody who knows about building rifles looks at when you show them your custom rifle and is one of those things that kinda makes or breaks a good sporter.

...Just wanted to throw that out for a little more food for thought.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
have it barreled and DT by someone you trust. ID&D does good work for a fair price

get a stock from Dakota Cliff's, on ebay, and finish it out. He has a GREAT pattern for the 48

if it were me, the 6mm rem, or 7x57, or even a 308 with a TINY barrel would be good choices

jeffe

Jeff, what is DT? And can you provide a contact for ID&D please?

Many thanks,

Tim

DT = Delirium tremens

Actually, "drill and tap" (as in for scope mounts) in this context.

If you're handy and have a drill press you can buy a nice jig for about what you'd pay somebody else to do the work for. Then you'll can have some small bragging rights at having done the work yourself and can sell the jig later on ebay.

Two cents worth from a recovering do-it-yourselfer.