Sporterized=hideous

[a better view]

Why do people take great military arms and "sporterize" them? There is nothing more pathetic (IMHO) than a sporterized mil-surp rifle.

"Look at my sporterized rifle!!! It looks crappy but weeee doggies, it's 6 ounces lighter!!"

[rgregoryb]

I agree with you, BUT I purchased a bubba'd type 53 carbine that was already done .... been reblued, "sporterized" ? stock,trigger job and shoots a < 1.5"moa at 100yds it is a good hunting piece I just need to put a sign on it that I bought it that way. It goes with my 3 stock mosin-nagants (2 38's, 1 44) ;Y

[RMTactical]

I disagree. I mean, in some cases I think it's lame (trying to turn an SKS into an AK), but not in all.

I see the purpose and reasoning for sporterizing and keeping it as is, but if you can make something nicer or more practical, WHY NOT?

[san408]

All due respect, but I can't think of anything more pathetic than calling people pathetic just because they don't think the same way you do.

You don't like it. Fine. It doesn't make it pathetic.

I for one had no problem taking the wood off of my 91/30. I didn't do it so much for the weight as I just liked the synthetic stock.

Guess what, I'm fixing to buy an m44 and do the same thing to it. Don't like it? I could care less. :)

You're probably one of those guys that thinks even cleaning up the wood on these old weapons is "pathetic". ;a

[brentwal]

I have two sporterized rifles, a 1903 and a Japanese 6.5 carbine. The 1903 is beautifully done and done in a way that changing it back is impossible. The 6.5 is pure bubba, but at least a replacement stock and some stock metal and a different bolt will get it back in shape.

[kf4zra]

my personal hobby is restoring old rifles that time, use and bubba have gotten to. i like restoring the historical aspect of the guns.

i cant imagine someone cutting up a 1903 or arisaka today, but back when people did them, they were cheaper than the mosins people sporterize today.

infact, my last pristine finn 91 was saved when a guy came into our shop and wanted to get a scope mount drilled and tapped. he was offered a like new russian 91/30 and $100, plus the mount and labor. we both were happy.

if someone wants to sporterize their guns, i dont really have a prob with it, as long as its a reasonably common gun. the idea of chopping up a historical piece gives me chills. but in the end, its your gun, who am i to tell you what to do with it.

[sharpshooter]

if someone wants to sporterize their guns, i dont really have a prob with it, as long as its a reasonably common gun There are tons of SKSs and Mosin Nagants around, as well as Mausers of all makes. And they're all dirt cheap. Sporterize them all you want!

Hey, if you want to start your own mini-museum in your gun safe, go ahead. There's plenty of these rifles to go around, we don't ALL need to "save the guns" for future generations.

Some day, the Rem 870 shotgun may be a popular collector gun. Who knows? Better stop bubba-fying them, right? No way. If you like to "save" rifles, fine. I like to use mine. Here in America, we can both do as we please.

[Steve in PA]

I view all my C&R rifles as pieces of history and will keep them that way.

[jack19512]

I think there is a big difference between "sporterize" and "bubbaerize". I have no problem making a rifle better to suit my purpose but would be particular which rifle I used for the project. Here is a M38 I altered to suit me.

[kf4zra]

sporterizing an m38 turk, or an m38 mosin is different from sporterizing an m38 swedish mauser.

[wonderwolf]

Like my dad always says to me when I'm starting a project like with a milsurp or whatnot. "You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear". Well some people work on their guns to fit a specific need. some people just NEED to compensate (general coolness, smallness in the pants etc etc). I dont think I have ever worked on a gun to make it lighter. I HAVE worked on a gun to try and make it into a tack driver. and subtible for what I want to use it for. A K98 yugo mauser I got for $85 now has the last 4" of the barrel missing and the sight is reset with a new blade. The thing shoots a .5" group at 50 yards now instead of a 5" group and is a little lighter (only a biproduct of missing barrel) to tromp around the farm fields with it . I plan on getting another rifle here soon and making it into a dedicated scout rifle pref a mosin nagant. To each his own BUT you can go to far. Moderation is the key. If you dont have a goal in mind and you start droping parts in, along with scopes high dollar monte carlo stocks and hi cap magazines then you will achieve what you set out to which was somthing you have no use for in the end. Some may say its a solution to a problem that does not exist and I on some level agree. but a milsurp rifle was not designed back in its war days to come out of the war and be turned into a hot rod.

[kf4zra]

instead of hacking off the barrel, you can have the gun counter bored, and you will now have the original factory accuracy, plus the bayonets still fit. thats what the russians used to do. doesnt alter the appearance, unless you look down the barrel.