View Full Version : Dad's Bubba rifle
One of Dad's greatest regrets is that he didn't go to gunsmith school. He did customize his first CF hunting rifle though when he was in college. It was a Spanish LaCoruna Mauser manuf in 1948; cost was $20.00. When he took a break from studying, he would sit on the front porch of the duplex he lived in and work on the rifle. The stock was a rough inletted blank that he got from Bishops; he fully inletted the barreled action and glass bedded it. The stock's outside was completely reshaped. There was no cheek piece so he carved his own. He also inletted and mounted the Niedner steel butt plate and grip cap.
He mounted the low swing safety himself. The bolt handle came from Brownells and he paid a gunsmith to weld it on - also to mount the iron sights.
The metal is hand polished (best he could do) and finished with Brownells Oxpho Blue. The action is hand honed and has a 3lb trigger pull.
Its still in 8mm Mauser caliber and has been hunted with extensively. The old rifle is basically a valued keepsake now but I've shot it and it still groups 1 MOA at 100 yards.
You be the judge of a rifle Bubba-ed over 35 years ago. What do you think? I know that its rather crude but it was his first effort. Any criticism/comments gracefully accepted.
RIKA
I think it looks good, but if he is still happy that he did it, I don't think that what anyone else (me included) thinks should be worth a gnat's spit!
Wylycoyte
04-28-2005, 01:34 PM
This isn't a Bubba job...this is a Customization, and a good one at that!
41mag
04-28-2005, 01:59 PM
If that rifle were checkered it'd look just like a factory offering.
I remember sitting on his lap when I was a little girl and holding the rifle (before his divorce) while he told me how he worked on it. He was dirt poor at the time and did all the work with files and rasps and chisels - even used discarded lipsticks for inletting marker. His only machine tool was an old Dremel. I guess maybe thats why I love guns so much. Its something seared into my mind.
RIKA
41mag
04-28-2005, 03:44 PM
Wow,that sounds like a "labour of love".I can see why it's special to you.
Coyote
04-28-2005, 05:51 PM
Rika, I DIG that rifle! Hows the action?
Coyote, the action is very smooth. He lapped the bolt raceways with some kind of fine valve grinding compound.
RIKA
stevenms2008
04-28-2005, 06:12 PM
i dont understand this bubba stuff is it the same as sporterizing?
Bubba is butchering a valuable collector's item. Most collectors consider even mere modification/customizing to be Bubba. Truth is, I do too but the Mauser Dad worked on is not and probably will never be a collector's item.
RIKA
Magnum88C
04-28-2005, 08:21 PM
Bubba-izing is one facet of Bubba-izing.
Technically, Bubba-izing is any permanent modification of a historical arm. Historical meaning, in the broadest sense, that it is no longer produced. The arm does not have to be collectible, or historically important (as the Mauser is, along with Garands, 1903s, etc).
:D Okay, no comments on Dad's Bubba-ed rifle. Thats cool because I agree. Besides the rifle was done so many years ago that the statute of limitations has run out.
RIKA
Magnum, what about some of those pitted, mis-numbered Mauser actions with the crests ground off that the companies sell? Are they open for customizing/rebuilding? Seems like there has to be a common ground where collectors and tinkerers can meet on.
RIKA
Bubba-izing is one facet of Bubba-izing.
Technically, Bubba-izing is any permanent modification of a historical arm. Historical meaning, in the broadest sense, that it is no longer produced. The arm does not have to be collectible, or historically important (as the Mauser is, along with Garands, 1903s, etc).
Aw, heck. ...and I was going to file the sites on my old H&R .32S&W Long so that POA and POI were the same. I guess I can't since that would make me a Bubba, right? :nyah:
Terry G
04-29-2005, 07:09 PM
I don't think there's a fine line between customizing a rifle and "Bubbaing" ( My God, Is that poor English or what?) What RIKA's Dad did was take a veritable junker and turn it into a fine sporting rifle. Much better than I could do. Flip side is taking a Good to Very Good M-1 Garand and cutting down to "tanker Garand" size or a nice Short Magazine Lee-Enfield and hacking it into a "brush gun". That's Bubba.
I've been thinking about this Bubba thing quite a bit. Having visited gun shows, pawn shops and sporting goods stores a lot, I've seen a bunch of poorly cared for/abused commercial sporting rifles at very cheap prices that would make an excellent candidate for customizing or restoring into very nice sporting rifles. I think that the cost would actually be less than modifying a military rifle. All those creative urges could be directed at something that isn't a collectible. Seems like a good choice to me.
But then some yoyo will butcher a pre-war German commercial square bridge Mauser.
RIKA :shrugs:
I don't think there's a fine line between customizing a rifle and "Bubbaing" ( My God, Is that poor English or what?) What RIKA's Dad did was take a veritable junker and turn it into a fine sporting rifle. Much better than I could do. Flip side is taking a Good to Very Good M-1 Garand and cutting down to "tanker Garand" size or a nice Short Magazine Lee-Enfield and hacking it into a "brush gun". That's Bubba.
Thank you for kind words Terry.
RIKA :)
All those creative urges could be directed at something that isn't a collectible.
I think the big question is, though, how do you define what is collectible and try to predict what WILL be collectible. What is collectible to one may not be collectible to another.
I think the big question is, though, how do you define what is collectible and try to predict what WILL be collectible. What is collectible to one may not be collectible to another.
You are absolutely correct. I can just see some clown welding a big loop John Wayne type lever on a One of One Thousand Win 1876 and then chrome plating it. One of the prices we pay for freedom, I guess.
RIKA
BigEd63
04-30-2005, 02:55 PM
I've got 3 1898 pattern Mauser Actions 2 are currently assembled as long range "target" rifles, both in .308win.
One is in a McMillian hunter benchrest stock the other in a Zero Ent. laminated wood stock. Both have timney triggers. One barrel is a Douglas premium air gauge while the other is a Parker-Hale surplus barrel. One has a Leupold VxIII LRT 4.5-14x the other an older Burris FullField 4-12x.
The other action will be assembled into a 7x57 sporter with a mannilcher style stock.
The actions mentioned above are a Huskavarna commercial and a BRNO for the .308s while the bare one is a DWM built 1908 action that was salvaged from a bubba'ed rifle with bad head space.
I prefer these actions to modern sporter ones because they are built like tanks.
It was a pity about the 1909 as it was an original in .30-'06 and I'd restore it if I could.
I believe thats the reason the early custom makers like Griffin & Howe chose the Springfield and Mauser actions as the heart of their rifles. The actions were smoother, tougher and far superior to the commercial product of their day. Until recently one of the custom manufacturers here in the US used the US Mod 1917 military actions for their special magnum rifles. Not sure of the name, maybe A-Square. I believe the Czech Mauser small ring action is still favored by custom riflesmiths.
RIKA
Rhino
05-02-2005, 03:06 PM
I buily my custom .458 on a Czech commercial action. Can commiserate with your father Rika, I carved my stock from Bastogne Walnut with pocket knife, chisels, and sandpaper. Took 3 years form bare action and 2X12 to first round fired. I love that rifle. If you would like I could post some pics.
A Bubba ia a Bubba when he takes a historical significant weapon worth several hundred andturns it into a POS that any sane person wouldnt pay $50 for. I have seen a $1200 Lee Metford turned into a $75 "Deer Huntin rifle" when I offered to Buy him a new Model 70 if he would trade me the metford. He chopped it instead THAT is bubba, your Dad was not.
Rhino
Rhino, I would LOVE to see some pics of your 458. Please post them.
RIKA :)
Rhino
05-04-2005, 10:16 AM
Here are some pics of the .458 I built.
Actually it is a Yugo Commercial action medium weight varrel, williams sights, stock is carved from Bastogne Walnut and the grip cap and crossbolt plugs are African Ebony, Checkering is 18LPI. Never taken anything TOO big with it but on deer with reducd loads it is a great brush gun and with my HOT 300 gr HP loads coyotes flat disassemble themselves.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/WIARDPHIL/458-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/WIARDPHIL/458-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/WIARDPHIL/458-3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v19/WIARDPHIL/3bbb9a9b.jpg
Rhino
Rhino, that rifle is awesome. I love the raised side panels; they give a classic look. Did you do the checkering yourself?
RIKA
Rhino
05-04-2005, 11:35 AM
Yes and never again, almost put myself into an assylum trying to lay out that pattern. and Bastogne is so hard that I wore out 4 sets of cutters.
Thanks for the compliment. It was inspired by a 1920's vintage Schuyler .500 Jeffery magazine rifle I saw fell in love with but alas could not afford.
One day it will be me and that rifle against a cape buffalo before I die.
Rhino
Rhino
05-04-2005, 12:28 PM
Rika,
If you are anywhere neat Central Ill you can shoot it anytime you wish, it isa rush.
Rhino
Thank you. It is possible that I may be traveling in the near future.
RIKA :)
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