Yugo 24/47 Mauser for a 15 year old boy?

[Fill]

I built a couple mausers with $89 Parker-Hale barrels from Sarco. they shot MOA.

Sarco has 30-06 sporter barrels for the same price. The point I was making is that for the same price, or maybe a few bucks more, you can build a hunting rifle with a lot more value than can be expressed in $$.

[HTRN]

So, you're talking replacing the barrel, possibly timing it(sight cuts) or drilling/tapping the reciever along with bending/replacing the bolt handle. You had also better either have a lathe, or hope the precut chamber is either short or dead on.

For a generic hunting rifle in 30-06?

Meanwhile, you can buy a Savage package deal for under 400 bucks, NEW.


HTRN

[blackeagle603]

I already reload for 7.9X57, so that would not be a problem. I think the rifle itself would be plenty accurate for deer hunting inside of 200 yards, which is what he would be using it for. The only thing that concerns me is that I would want to scope it, and that would mean a scout scope, not sure if that would be a great way to go for him.

All this talk of rebarreling and big gunsmithing expenses, etc. /meh

My redneck WESCOG approach would be (having observed this on piles of milsurp Mausers and '03's converted to adequate hunting rifles in the 60's and 70').

Get a Yugo.
Shoot it at the bench.

Does it give at least 3 MOA? Yes? That's plenty good enough for the hunting parameters you laid out.

Spend a bit on having the receiver drilled and tapped properly or tap rear receiver for a Lyman 57-ish peep.

It doesn't give at least 3 MOA?
a) Fire lap the bore or shoot some paper patched cast boolits through it.
a1) Recrown the barrel
Depending on how the muzzle looks you might want to have the barrel cut back a wee bit first.

Test accuracy again. I'd wager you're in tall cotton at this point and can go ahead have the receiver drilled and tapped.

If the accuracy is still not good enough, you're not too deep$ into the project but have had a pretty good DIY WESCOG practice session.

[AZMARK]

This or this would do nicely for a hunting rifle.

[NVGdude]

My thought. Look for a good price on a Remington 798. This is a Commercial Mauser action built for Rem by Zastava in Serbia, and is already set up as a hunting rifle. Remington just discontinued their agreement with Zastava (so no more 798's or Model 5's), but as a result deals can be had.

[HTRN]

CDNN is clearancing the 798s A .30-06 is 400 bucks.

They also have a 458 Winchester mag in a laminate stock for 500 bucks... Sigh. WHY DO DEALS LIKE THIS ONLY SHOW UP WHEN I DON'T HAVE MONEY?!?!


HTRN

[Vonz90]

Well I chickened out I guess. I went for a Savage/Stevens package rifle in 308 for the boy. I think the Mauser would have been better in several ways, but the risk/time factor made me decide against it. The last think I want to do is get a rifle for him and have it be a goat rope.

Ordered it today via Gun Genie. Should be able to pick it up when I get home towards the end of the month. (which BTW - I'm actually short enough to say that I will be home by the end of the month.)

[JKosprey]

Vonz,

You won't be the least bit disappointed with the Savage. They are very accurate out the box, but lend themselves to easy upgrades. I would reccomend replacing the scope and mounts, but my cheap package scope served me well for over a year on the '06 and now resides on a .22 mag, so it's not a necessity. I did keep the original rings/mounts on the savage as well, though that's probably the next thing to add.

[Denis]

...I get home towards the end of the month. (which BTW - I'm actually short enough to say that I will be home by the end of the month.)

Splendid news! If the rifle gets there first, you can watch him unpack it too. I have a yen for one of the Savage weather warriors in .308, so I'll be interested to know how you both like it. Well wear!

[blackeagle603]

Outstanding. Esp, if your schedule sync's up with him getting it.

One of the great pleasures in life of a Father is handing off ownership of a first firearm to your son/child. Esp, as a right of passage into/toward adulthood.

The Son&Heir's first live fire with his first hunting rifle I gifted him (he and I have almost matching pre-64 M70 transition models made within a month of each other in '48)