Dirty little secret ... I know who Bubba is!

[21H40]

After seeing these threads about Bubba and his crazy contraptions, I've had to do some soul searching.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...you-have-been-a-godsend.918611/#post-12616778

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/gunbuster-head-scratchers.918809/

My name is 21, and I'm ... *gulp* Bubba.



While you judge me, let me offer some backstory. This way at least one head-scratchin' Bubba'd gun will have its story told.

This started as a poor condition Turkish Mauser - barrel was more cratered than pitted, nothing matched, and after test firing it I needed a hammer to unlock the action. It was over priced at $50. Add in new trigger, sear, extractor and some pins from Sarco, and I was still well under $100.

I tried to make modifications that "improved" it without increasing the cost - or requiring real tools - because I was newly married and fiscally challenged. That means replacing some little parts and messing around with the wood. It's pillar bedded with a crisp single stage trigger.

It hid in the back of the closet for a long time until I had the ability to pay a gunsmith to rebarrel it, fit a magazine adaptor from Rhineland Arms, and drill and tap the receiver for scope mounts.

The gunsmith managed to change out the barrel, but he butchered the magazine adaptor and drilling the holes. I built my own magazine adapter from some aluminum square tubing and a piece of stock, but I don't have a machinist's tools. I did this with hand files and sandpaper.

Turns out that getting a rifle action built around a long rifle cartridge to work well with a short fat pistol round is tricky. The heavy bullet tends to fall forward if the extractor hasn't grabbed the rim exactly right, and there's a chasm where the bolt lugs go in front of the chamber.

I had to build a ramp in front of the ramp to get the rifle to feed reliably.

*whew*
I love shooting this messed up baby rifle. The stock has some neat tiger-stripe stuff going on, and mostly doesn't ooze cosmoline anymore

Someday, maybe I'll find a better gunsmith who can build a purpose built bolt action like this, but I am not holding my breath. Until then I've got $500 in the rifle, and it has an estimated resale value of at least $50

 

[hk940]

I think it looks better than the converted Lee Enfield's I have seen. What caliber, Looks like .45.

 

[21H40]

I think it looks better than the converted Lee Enfield's I have seen. What caliber, Looks like .45.

Somehow I forgot that detail. You're right, 45 ACP.

 

[hk940]

Nice wood!

 

[Mauser lover]

I've got a Turk small-ring that I'm intending to do this to. Essentially same story, too, except I'll need to make a stock! Do you want to show us more pictures of your magazine block adapter?

 

[21H40]

I've got a Turk small-ring that I'm intending to do this to. Essentially same story, too, except I'll need to make a stock! Do you want to show us more pictures of your magazine block adapter?

OK, but with the disclaimer that I am in no way advocating someone do this the same way. I have used trial and error to get this thing working, and YMMV

Assembled:

Components in approximate positions:

The wood block is the current part that's getting worked on. Getting the magazine angled just right and not too tight and then maybe making one in aluminum.
Ed Brown Extended 1911 mag release:


and the removable feed ramp:

I made it removable so I could try different angles and gap between the bullet nose. So far this one has the best balance of resistance and upward angle without bumping the bolt.

 

[WestKentucky]

I think there’s a big difference between Bubba and affordable work. This is certainly the latter, no big money machine shop jobs or gunsmith customs, it’s just a guy doing what he can with what he has in a thoughtful and methodical way to achieve a purpose. Not always pretty, not always effective, but usually reversible for the most part. Bubba starts with a chop saw, a welder, and grinder… usually all attached to a dremel tool… at the same time on occasion. And you should see some dremel tool welding…

 

[Mauser lover]

I think there’s a big difference between Bubba and affordable work. This is certainly the latter, no big money machine shop jobs or gunsmith customs, it’s just a guy doing what he can with what he has in a thoughtful and methodical way to achieve a purpose. Not always pretty, not always effective, but usually reversible for the most part. Bubba starts with a chop saw, a welder, and grinder… usually all attached to a dremel tool… at the same time on occasion. And you should see some dremel tool welding…

That, and he does it on something expensive.

I'm as libertarian (or maybe more) than the next guy on this board, and I believe that anyone who owns a piece of property is rightfully entitled to do what he wishes with that property as long as he does not infringe on another's rights in the process.

But that doesn't mean I have to say what Bubba did was a good idea. In this instance, the rifle was not serviceable as it was. What are you going to do, break it?

 

[Bfh_auto]

After seeing these threads about Bubba and his crazy contraptions, I've had to do some soul searching.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...you-have-been-a-godsend.918611/#post-12616778

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/gunbuster-head-scratchers.918809/

My name is 21, and I'm ... *gulp* Bubba.

View attachment 1150608

While you judge me, let me offer some backstory. This way at least one head-scratchin' Bubba'd gun will have its story told.

This started as a poor condition Turkish Mauser - barrel was more cratered than pitted, nothing matched, and after test firing it I needed a hammer to unlock the action. It was over priced at $50. Add in new trigger, sear, extractor and some pins from Sarco, and I was still well under $100.

I tried to make modifications that "improved" it without increasing the cost - or requiring real tools - because I was newly married and fiscally challenged. That means replacing some little parts and messing around with the wood. It's pillar bedded with a crisp single stage trigger.

It hid in the back of the closet for a long time until I had the ability to pay a gunsmith to rebarrel it, fit a magazine adaptor from Rhineland Arms, and drill and tap the receiver for scope mounts.

The gunsmith managed to change out the barrel, but he butchered the magazine adaptor and drilling the holes. I built my own magazine adapter from some aluminum square tubing and a piece of stock, but I don't have a machinist's tools. I did this with hand files and sandpaper.

Turns out that getting a rifle action built around a long rifle cartridge to work well with a short fat pistol round is tricky. The heavy bullet tends to fall forward if the extractor hasn't grabbed the rim exactly right, and there's a chasm where the bolt lugs go in front of the chamber.
View attachment 1150612
I had to build a ramp in front of the ramp to get the rifle to feed reliably.

*whew*
I love shooting this messed up baby rifle. The stock has some neat tiger-stripe stuff going on, and mostly doesn't ooze cosmoline anymore

Someday, maybe I'll find a better gunsmith who can build a purpose built bolt action like this, but I am not holding my breath. Until then I've got $500 in the rifle, and it has an estimated resale value of at least $50

Just chamfer the square edges and hit it with spray paint. I'll give you $50 plus inflation for it

 

[troy fairweather]

I've been wanting to get a barrel and do a 1891 Argentine, think the stock mag would even work or pulling the mag guts out and fixing a 1911 mag in the arge mag.

 

[Odd Job]

I think it looks better than the converted Lee Enfield's I have seen.

It reminded me of those also, in appearance. This is an Armalon conversion:



As an aside, I visited the Armalon premises a few years back when they were still in London. The fit and finish of these conversions was very good. Not bubba'd!

 

[21H40]

It reminded me of those also, in appearance. This is an Armalon conversion:

View attachment 1150716

As an aside, I visited the Armalon premises a few years back when they were still in London. The fit and finish of these conversions was very good. Not bubba'd!

I've read that the Enfield makes a better choice for this sort of conversion because of the bolt shape, but I've never handled one so I'm not exactly sure why.

That's a nice example, but that rear sight is something else. It is for lobbing 45 ACP rounds 1000 meters away? Could be almost like a miniature mortar, I guess.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend has one of those .45 ACP Mauser conversions.
The novelty soon wore off and he resumed casual shooting with .22s.

 

[doubleh]

I always considered Bubba-ing to be something done using mostly tools like a hatchet and rough cut file with no thought to how it looked after it was done .I might have exaggerated a little on the tool choices..

 

[21H40]

A friend has one of those .45 ACP Mauser conversions.
The novelty soon wore off and he resumed casual shooting with .22s.

If you're just shooting paper, I can sort of understand. Mine goes from my zen rifle with slowfire and breathing focus to the hole puncher for random items on the farm. There is something just relaxing about the *thump* that the 230 grain bullet makes on impact that the 22's just can't match.

That being said, I know a great home for your friend's rifle if he's totally over it

 

[troy fairweather]

I always considered Bubba-ing to be something done using mostly tools like a hatchet and rough cut file with no thought to how it looked after it was done .I might have exaggerated a little on the tool choices..

I don't think you are, I see one where you could tell they used a pipe cutter like for copper plumbing pipe and snaped the end of the barrel off since the cutter wheel only cut like 1/16" into the barrel. I don't even want to remember some of the things I've seen.

 

[adcoch1]

I always considered Bubba-ing to be something done using mostly tools like a hatchet and rough cut file with no thought to how it looked after it was done .I might have exaggerated a little on the tool choices..

Troy beat me to it, but I think you hit the nail on the head!

To the op: I don't see bubba in your rifle, I see a prototype process! I love turk Mausers, but a lot are in bad shape. Your project looks like something I would take on and enjoy for years. Now put a suppressor on it....

 

[stringnut]

I’m going with the prototype theory. You probably learned a lot and it works so it is out of the bubba category. Also bubba usually starts with something decent and then reduces its value while rendering unable to be restored to original condition.

I do woodturning and have a lot of ( ahem) trial and learning pieces . My scrap pile is legendary in size! You have probably guessed I am not very good. Oh well I have fun. Like guns , as long as it’s safe, having fun is the point.

 

[jonnyc]

I always thought I must have a long-lost twin...as I did the same thing! I just happened to have a clapped-out No.4 to convert to .45.
Fun shooters...bang..................................................................................................................................................................smack!

 

[maxxhavoc]

I did the same (mostly). Mine is a Chinese Mauser. It was laid up and rusting in somebody's shed. Barrel and stock were junk.

On researching them, shooting 8mm in them was risky since the metallurgy was hit and miss on some of these. So I went the way of fun low pressure.
Stock is an inexpensive Numrich I reshaped.