Ok, so the Mauser "Tanker" got me thinking. I've been wanting a rugged, short, iron-sighted bolt action .308 for hunting, general "fun" (oh yeah and SHTF 
) and that Mauser is pretty tempting, but at $500 I was thinking of possibly making my own .308 short ("Tanker") rifle for less.
A total length of about 37" would be great, as would the ability to put a ghost ring or peep sight near the back and of course, in .308. So I could go for a Mauser, rebarrel one, or find one already in .308 and chop the barrel and put on a new stock and sights. Or, I could go with an Enfield and basically do the same thing, find one in .308 or rebarrel one for it, etc. Or, I could just get the "Tanker" Mauser.
The Enfield is a bit more tempting since the magazine holds 10 and the action is notoriously smooth. Of course I would want to do this as cheap and good as possible. I also, do not want to do this if it would make too many of you cry because I am butchering history! Call me Bubba, but of course I wouldn't be the first person to do this, there are generally a LOT of these rifles out there and I could do it on a generally poor condition rifle since I am possibly changing so much out. I do want a gun in the end that is short, accurate, reliable and durable.
So, Advice please. What would be cheaper? Which rifle in your opinion would be the better to do this on? What other considerations should I take into account? Am I leaving a gun out that would also be easily converted to a short .308?
) and that Mauser is pretty tempting, but at $500 I was thinking of possibly making my own .308 short ("Tanker") rifle for less. A total length of about 37" would be great, as would the ability to put a ghost ring or peep sight near the back and of course, in .308. So I could go for a Mauser, rebarrel one, or find one already in .308 and chop the barrel and put on a new stock and sights. Or, I could go with an Enfield and basically do the same thing, find one in .308 or rebarrel one for it, etc. Or, I could just get the "Tanker" Mauser.
The Enfield is a bit more tempting since the magazine holds 10 and the action is notoriously smooth. Of course I would want to do this as cheap and good as possible. I also, do not want to do this if it would make too many of you cry because I am butchering history! Call me Bubba, but of course I wouldn't be the first person to do this, there are generally a LOT of these rifles out there and I could do it on a generally poor condition rifle since I am possibly changing so much out. I do want a gun in the end that is short, accurate, reliable and durable.
So, Advice please. What would be cheaper? Which rifle in your opinion would be the better to do this on? What other considerations should I take into account? Am I leaving a gun out that would also be easily converted to a short .308?
