What's the difference between "Sporterizing" and "Bubba-izing"?

[<SLV>]

OK, some people talk about building a mil-surp sporter as "Bubba-izing". What is the difference between that and an official "Sporterization". In my mind I would expect the "Bubba-ization" to involve a hacksaw and duck tape, but maybe I'm not picking up on the finer points of differentiation.

 

[dfariswheel]

It's mostly a matter of degree and workmanship.

A "Bubba" job is usually a very minimal job of cutting off the longer military wood, removing the bayonet lock, and possibly bending the bolt handle on a straight bolt handle rifle.
Workmanship is often pretty rough.

A true "sporter" job is more involved, usually including a totally new sporting stock, new sights, a new blue job, and often a re-barrel to another caliber.
Workmanship here can also be rough, depending on the skills of the person doing it.

At the top end is where everything is thrown away except the action and a total custom rifle is built using the action.
These jobs are usually better quality since real gunsmith skills are needed, and often true high-end custom rifles are built that can be worth thousands of dollars.

 

[pax]

What I do to my firearm is "sporterizing."

What others do to their firearms is "bubba-izing."

I hope that clears things up.

pax

 

[Azrael256]

If it involves duct tape, bubble gum, or bailing wire, it's bubba-ized.

Anything involving proximity of less than 500' to a Dremel tool is also considered bubba-izing.

 

[MrDig]

Don't forget the dreaded hand held dremel to polish a ramp and throat on a firearm.

 

[Sistema1927]

One man's bubba is another man's sporter (and vice versa).

 

[redneckrepairs]

Phillips headed screws and zip ties ??

 

[Plink]

The difference between sporterizing and bubba-izing is a lot like the difference between a tactical gun and a rooney gun (http://www.thegunzone.com/rooney.html). It has as much to do with personal taste as it does workmanship, in my opinion.

 

[LubeckTech]

If Red Green is involved (even if you are just watching the show) it is Bubbaizing!!

 

[Jim Watson]

The first cut is the quality of the workmanship; Bubba is likely to be rough.

The second is the platform. Bubba would take a 1903 Springfield Type T Free Rifle and saw the barrel off to 18" to be handy in the brush. These days about any firearm in original factory or arsenal configuration is a collectable to somebody and they will cry if you alter one, however nicely. A real sporterizer these days will look for mismatched, refurbed, or previously altered guns to tinker with.