Old Rifles

rodmkr

Temecula California
I have a chance to acquire several old (really old) rifles
one of them is a1916 Carl Gustav Mauser.
I am told they are in very bad shape( stored in a shed).
Haven't seen them yet but was kinda looking for thoughts on pricing the Mauser.
The others are 22's so I can estimate a value on them but am unsure on the Mauser.
Any help appreciated!

rodmkr
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Think you will find that to be a 6.5 Swede. Condition is everything since it is not desirable for a rebuild, as it is pre-98 design. If it is rusty and wood is dried out, $35 would be a big price. Too bad as they were among the nicest finished Mausers ever made.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
"Really old" is pinfire, percussion, flintlocks and matchlocks. 100 year old, eh, those are what they call "vintage" these days. Agree with the others, condition is the determining factor. If they're rusted up bad, they are scrap metal. If it's a dry shed with just surface rust speckling, offer more.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Yea I have to agree with Bret... Old is double my age...
But a rusty Mauser … The house we stayed in last time north had a WW2 "bring back" down in the basement.. for well over 30 years without any attention. No dehumidifier. every time it rained water entered the basement. Stock was moldy and all the steel had that "patina" deep down into the metal.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Yup, and half the time if you take that old relic and run a cleaning rod, or hunka coat hanger for that matter, down the bore and stick a live round in the chamber they will fire! Friend had a 303 SMLE that had been found in a barn. The mud daubers nest blocked the muzzle and the LIVE ROUND in the chamber kept that end in decent shape. He beat the bolt open and spritzed some 3-1 oil into the trigger area. The first inch of so of the muzzle was corroded by the mud dauber nest but the rest was decent. I think he's still using it today and it holds a pretty fair group at deer ranges. He used up most of a can of flat black Krylon spray paint on it. Pretty it ain't, but it works.
 

rodmkr

Temecula California
Thanks guys,
Will see them tomorrow morning and will know better then.
Hopefully they will be salvageable as I hate to see any old gun
go to the junk pile.
Will try to post pictures later.

Was surfing and found prices for the Carl Gustav. Ran anywhere from $50 to $1300 for a perfect one.

rodmkr
 

Ian

Notorious member
If the bolt opens on the CG and the rust pits aren't too deep, I may be interested in the action for a project.
 

rodmkr

Temecula California
Sorry Ian,
Except for being covered in dirty grease and the stock being oil soaked
the Mauser is in great condition.
Stupid camera will not work or would post pictures.
The 22's are another kettle of fish entirely.
Stocks were hack sawed to allow small children to shoot.
Were coated with grease when put in shed so metal salvageable.

Question for Ben.
What is gum wood?
How bad would it look to simply add wood to 22 stocks to repair?
Could it be made to blend in with rest of stock?
Or better off just making a new stock?

rodmkr
 
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popper

Well-Known Member
Wood from gum tree, sweetgum, etc. Also could be any 'under the bark' cut of wood. On a 22, probably cheap wood. Core of sweetgum is pretty hard but IIRC lots of sap like bodark.
 

Rex

Active Member
What model is the Swedish Mauser? I have a Model 94 that I like a lot. Mine was sporterized in the 50's like most military rifles were. It even wears an old Herters (model perfect) birdseye maple full length stock. Shoots great with jacketed 140 grain bullets and IMR 4350.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Putting a $500-2000 handmade stock on a $75 .22 rifle is....you fill in the blank. Once you identify what they are, replacement (fleabay or gunbroker, etc) or nearly finished aftermarket stocks such as Boyd's would be what I'd look at. Unless you're wanting to dowel-on a chunk of pine 2x6 and rough it in with a belt sander just to make the rifles shootable, I don't think anything approaching presentable would be worth the effort of grafting on.
 

Ian

Notorious member
On the Swedish Mauser, if it's complete and matching, be careful cleaning the wood. It may well be worth something if you don't ruin the original finish by getting overzealous with cleaning/stripping. Both of mine had an almost purple hue to them from the original oil finish.

There are a couple of outstanding videos out together by the C&Arsenal gunsmith on utoob (the series called "Anvil" about doing an armory-style maintenance routine on neglected, filthy rifles without destroying their authentic value. Things like boiling and carding rust rather than sanding and rebluing, soaking up excess oil from the stock without ruining the finish, repairing cracks and punky spots with Acra-glas, and some other tips are great to know before you start tearing into one.

Here's one of the videos, there are many others involving specific guns and projects:

 
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rodmkr

Temecula California
Don't know about the $500-$2000 stock as I make my own.
Not in the same class of re finisher as Ben but am not a bubba either.
Figure a 22 stock in walnut or maple and finished to look like walnut
would be about 25 bucks plus my time which with my wifes health is a great
way to relieve my stress and accomplish something other than watching the boob tube.
If past stocks are any indicator it should take me about 1 month of work for each so not
a bad way to spend a summer.

Rex,
It is the long rifle,
has a threaded muzzle,
Is a Carl Gustav,all matching numbers.
What little I can find out about it is it is an original Carl Gustav not one of the reworks
so I am guessing it is 96!

rodmkr
 
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Ian

Notorious member
Well if you make it yourself that's a different story entirely! I didn't realize that doing it yourself was an option, sorry. I have about a month in a cherrywood Glenfield 25 stock so I get it.

My 1903 and 1917 CGs didn't have threaded muzzles, nor enough barrel past the front sight boss for threads. If the barrel is 30" long it is an 1896.
 
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rodmkr

Temecula California
Never tried Cherry.
Is it easy to work?
Maple is hard but forgiving.
Doesn't take stain very well but there are other chemical options
for changing its color.

rodmkr
 

Ian

Notorious member
Depends on the cherry. The craggy, interesting black cherrywood around here is extremely difficult to work because it is brittle, the grain "changes direction" every inch or less, and it is very hard. It responds to abrasives better than blades. The usual cabinet-grade cherry lumber is plain, straight, fairly soft, fine-grained and works more easily but makes very biring stocks. If you can work maple you can work any kind of cherry.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
The little work I've done on birdseye hard maple left me with the impression it was anything but forgiving. That stuff was like marble compared to walnut!
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Question for Ben.
What is gum wood?
How bad would it look to simply add wood to 22 stocks to repair?
Could it be made to blend in with rest of stock?
Or better off just making a new stock?

rodmkr

Sounds like a new stock is your answer.

Ben