Mauser 8x57 Restoration Project

**Gert Odendaal** · 08-12-2011, 19:50

As posted before: I received this Mauser 8x57 JS from a friend of mine....after discussions with Phillip at Central Gas Witank(Emalahleni) he suggested , after taking the rifle apart and showing me the cracks in the stock...that I need to get hold of a new or another stock.....(this was the best service I received from a gun shop to date).

Phillip suggested that I consult Johan Greyling (gunsmith) in Witbank, he phoned Johan on the spot and asked if I he do have a stock available...Johan confirmed that he may have a stock for my Mauser available..

Arriving at Johan` s shop at his house alongside Bass Pond premises, Johan search for a stock with in his collection...not finding a suitable stock , he remove a stock from one of his personal weapons...explaining that he build himself a stock that he can fit on the his rifle...giving me the stock for R150 and made it fit as well....

Thus I commence to restore the new -old stock....sanding down with 650gn sanding paper...sanding sealer the first and second layer...sanding it down between layers.

Then I started to apply True oil , rubbing it on with my bare hands and rubbing it evenly in thin layers until my hand palms got as hot as fire.and the stock as well...but you need to persist to acquire a good finish..leaving the stock to dry for at least 12 to 24 hours in the sun...

I am now on the third layer...will add more pictures as I progress...

I have in the meantime bought a Nikon 3-9x50mm Nikoplex matte finish to use with my Mauser....I will keep your guys posted as I progress with the process... tommorow the metal piece will go into the gun blue tank....

**Bundu Ric** · 08-12-2011, 20:29

She is looking nice

**Gert Odendaal** · 08-12-2011, 21:15

Ric
It is still a long way to go...this kind of finish takes a long time...but when everything is in place I am sure the Mauser will look good...I witnessed a gun blue process today...the results are spectacular...I will do the gun blue part tommorow or next week...fitting the scope and take some more pictures...and post...

**marshy** · 08-12-2011, 21:26

Looking good!

**corriedewilde** · 10-12-2011, 10:16

Very nice Gert

**Bull ZN** · 16-01-2012, 13:19

jor gorjessss !!!!!!!

i am proud of you Gert !! well done !!

**Bull ZN** · 16-01-2012, 13:27

Hi Gert
is it possible to give me Johanns contact details ?
cheers

**carlp** · 16-01-2012, 16:30

sjoe, i get a tingling feeling running thrue my body when i see a Mauser, my wife says its my common sense leaving my body.

its very very pretty

**Gert Odendaal** · 23-06-2012, 21:23

This project came to a stop a while ago (but will be continued)...a new project came on my path ..due to a gift from a friend ..I am starting a new post with the collectable page....375 H&H Cogswell&Harrison building/restoring project....

**Gert Odendaal** · 12-05-2015, 20:04

I recently took my son Ruan to shoot his first game animal, two actually, Black Wildebeest in the Clarence area. Something I noticed while stalking the black wildebeest is the shining stock...usually a nice finish on a rifle stock is something everyone wants...me too....but I really was surprised to notice the glare/shine while Ruan walked with the rifle in the mountain are where you can see these animals really far off.

Before the next hunt I will sand down the stock until no shine /glare is noticeable... in the meantime I restored the rifle and it really looks good. It shoot extremely accurate and hit the game with extreme force...penetration of the Barnes TSX 180 gn bullet is awesome...

I am going to spend a lot of time getting the correct re-loading specs for this rifle...I want to be able to shoot this rifle with heavy, long bullets and to the other side ...shooting it far out to distances of three hundred and fifty meters using as light as 150 gn bullets (long bullets...)

I am confident that this rifle will be able to shoot light and heavy bullets...

I really would appreciate fellow member`s opinions and experiences with this caliber, the 8x57 JS....