Good afternoon ladies and gents! Im sorry i havent been active for a while. Ive been down and out and my back is getring worse by the day. Im now supposed to use a cpap cane shower chair compression stockings knee braces long handled shoe horn old fart ext grabber just to name a few. All at 36 yrs old. Well next month 36 lol. I havent been able to get in the shop lately due to this. So i have an old 1914 kar 98 8mm mauser and a 1924 mle-m-16 8mm carbine. Im going to remove the stocks to prevent any more wear as they are all original and matching numbers and approximately 98% original bluing. I plan to use them to hunt not so much target as they are about $50 a box for ammo and i do not have the equipment to reload. I would love to so i can play around with projectials and powder load. What are some tips and tricks on mesuring out the original stocks and best way to craft them? Im planning to incorperate a modern folding bipod into the bottom of the foward stock and possibly an adjustable cheek wield if i can. Also what would be a sturdy yet beatiful wood and a good stain/finish for them that shows the beauty of the natural grain. I would like to make them a thumb hole stock with a butt pad as they kick like a mule. Keep in mind im on a VERY limited budget and i dont know when ill be able to afford to purchase. I would like something like tiger or burl something with a unique personality just like me hahaha. 

Edited December 5, 20178 yr by Ron Dudelston
tags added

the old manufacturers had large duplicator machines for roughing out gun stocks.  then skilled craftsmen would do the final shaping and cutting.  without specialized tools and jigs, it'll be very hard to copy an old stock.

 

those don't strike me as terribly valuable or collectible rifles, so i'd just shoot them they way they are.  you can look up online the approximate value of them.  i'd be surprised if they were worth more than 400 each.

I have seen several muzzle loaders/long rifles that are hand crafted by some very talented builders. Maybe an Internet search for handcrafted muzzleloaders can locate someone near you willing to par with some stock.

Hand made stocks take weeks...

You should be able to find a surplus replacement stocks to fit both of these fine rifles. If you don't want to butcher up the originals that is the way I would go. Modify them as needed.

 

Doug is right, they are only worth around $4-500. You will end up spending almost that much, again, on a decent custom stock. Even if you do the work the materials will cost as much as they are worth. It may not make a difference to you if you supply the labor but it will still be more then picking up a surplus stock(s) and modifying them.

 

As for ammo, if you shop around you can find some Czech or Yugoslav surplus fairly cheap. I bought a 100 rounds not to long ago for somewhere around $15 or $20. It was corrosive but it was full power stuff, not the loaded down commercial stuff. If you do find some make sure that the 1914 K will handle it. There are two different bullet diameters (.318 and .323). The 1914 may take the smaller one. The commercial bullets are the larger size. You sure don't want to squeeze a .323 into a .318 rifle barrel.

Do you have a true 1914 98K or is it a 88/14?

2 hours ago, schnewj said:

You should be able to find a surplus replacement stocks to fit both of these fine rifles. If you don't want to butcher up the originals that is the way I would go. Modify them as needed.

 

Doug is right, they are only worth around $4-500. You will end up spending almost that much, again, on a decent custom stock. Even if you do the work the materials will cost as much as they are worth. It may not make a difference to you if you supply the labor but it will still be more then picking up a surplus stock(s) and modifying them.

 

As for ammo, if you shop around you can find some Czech or Yugoslav surplus fairly cheap. I bought a 100 rounds not to long ago for somewhere around $15 or $20. It was corrosive but it was full power stuff, not the loaded down commercial stuff. If you do find some make sure that the 1914 K will handle it. There are two different bullet diameters (.318 and .323). The 1914 may take the smaller one. The commercial bullets are the larger size. You sure don't want to squeeze a .323 into a .318 rifle barrel.

Do you have a true 1914 98K or is it a 88/14?

Yes its a true k98 and the mle takes a 8x50 and the k98 7.92x57

I looked up that rifle Jay, cool rifle man, love it. A lot of wood in it. I am so dumb and ignorant towards these things, such as replacing rifle stocks with custom made ones, I wouldn't know any better and I'd give it a try, I'd jump in with a block of wood and make it happen, because nobody tells me I can't don't do something! Just to prove a point. It's called being stubborn. I think you can do this, it'll require patience and a good eye, and time.

Let me think on it myself for a bit and I'll come back and tell you how I would do it.

 

For now though, thanks for coming back to us Jay, and thank you once again for your service, your paying the price with a lifetime of disability for serving our nation in our recent wars, as Americans we stand on your shoulders, as you helped provide the very freedoms we take for granted daily, thank you from deep within my heart Jay.

 

 

 

I have some walnut stock materiel I bought from a friend. He and his dad cut these over 50 years ago and had been in the attic. But these are only stock size and not long enough for your use. You might also look on some of the gun boards. Even used the stock will be north of 200.

This site may have what you need used for less than 170....https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=67

Guns can last a long time if properly cared for, but were never intended to last forever.  they will wear out or become obsolete.  that's why they make more everyday.

 

I hope you can get back in the serious black shortly, and then you can get the rifle of your dreams.

Thanks for all this info guys. I know it will be a hard lengthy somewhat exp project. But i dont mind it. It will help me forget about the deamons i fight with everyday. The main reasons are 1 i want to try my hand at it and kearn (practice w balsa first) 2 i want to hand these down with my other antiques to my son 3 i would like to use them as they are all matching #s even the stocks are serialized and i dont want them getting worse than they are. I wood (lol) refinish them but that would take away from the value as time progresses 3 i want to make something very unique and eye catching with beauty and love. Plus my son is semi interested in wood woeking and a gun nut so i can actually have some bonding time with him. Hes a teenager and doesnt have time for anyone other than himself lol.

Basic rough 1st draft of what i would like to make. Sorry if you cant read. Have chicken scratch. Always told i would make hell of a doctor w it hahaha

No trouble reading that after having taught high school for 33 years!

Bwahaha i guess its cause i write as fast as i can. Dont feel like doing drafting letters anymore lmao

Does anybody know where i can get roughly a 2x4x36 piece of balsa cheap? I found 1 place but i cant afford $30 plus shipping. Still waiting on my ssdi check to start and back pay.

6 minutes ago, Jay said:

Does anybody know where i can get roughly a 2x4x36 piece of balsa cheap? I found 1 place but i cant afford $30 plus shipping. Still waiting on my ssdi check to start and back pay.

You might check these places to see if they have/can get it-

https://www.yellowpages.com/riverview-fl/saw-mill

cedar is pretty soft, so is redwood, then you have really cheap pine.

 

if you cannot find one piece that is large enough, glue it up to make it big enough.

 

i'd practice with pine (cheap) first.  that will let you goof up cheaply.  if you have sharp tools, it should work pretty easily.  just avoid knots where you have to cut.  worst case, you find this is beyond your present skill/patience set, and you have a really neat piece of firewood for winter.

 

a 2x6x36 can be cut from a 8' board, and should run about $7 at you local Homey/Lowes.  will give you 2 blanks to play with.  cheap fun!

7 minutes ago, Jay said:

Does anybody know where i can get roughly a 2x4x36 piece of balsa cheap? I found 1 place but i cant afford $30 plus shipping. Still waiting on my ssdi check to start and back pay.

Jay. Link us to the place you found it, here in this topic. 

Then message me with your shipping address. 

Compliments of the entire gang here at The Patriot Woodworker. We had a raffle awhile back and after taking care of some bills for our community, we have funding leftover, for our Veterans who need a hand up. 

We are honored to contribute to an activity that will keep your negative visions and thoughts at bay.

Please allow us to do this.

4 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Jay. Link us to the place you found it, here in this topic. 

Then message me with your shipping address. 

Compliments of the entire gang here at The Patriot Woodworker. We had a raffle awhile back and after taking care of some bills for our community, we have funding leftover, for our Veterans who need a hand up. 

We are honored to contribute to an activity that will keep your negative visions and thoughts at bay.

Please allow us to do this.

 

what a nice guy.  :yay:

4 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Jay. Link us to the place you found it, here in this topic. 

Then message me with your shipping address. 

Compliments of the entire gang here at The Patriot Woodworker. We had a raffle awhile back and after taking care of some bills for our community, we have funding leftover, for our Veterans who need a hand up. 

We are honored to contribute to an activity that will keep your negative visions and thoughts at bay.

Please allow us to do this.

Omg thats so aaesome of you guys!!! I cant tell you enough how much i appreciate it!!! Oh this is gonna be fun!!! Hope i can do this so i can do it with a really nice exotic wood!!! Gonna be lots of sharpening filing and sanding hahaha i woul need 2 as 2 rifles of diff sizes... Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

 

http://www.specializedbalsa.com/products/balsa_blocks.php

9 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Jay. Link us to the place you found it, here in this topic. 

Then message me with your shipping address. 

Compliments of the entire gang here at The Patriot Woodworker. We had a raffle awhile back and after taking care of some bills for our community, we have funding leftover, for our Veterans who need a hand up. 

We are honored to contribute to an activity that will keep your negative visions and thoughts at bay.

Please allow us to do this.

Outstanding, John!