Garrison Joe

Sarco certainly has a couple of models to chose from, here's a flat buttplate model: https://www.sarcoinc.com/m98-mauser-stock-set-for-flat-buttplate/ But they also have the cupped buttplate model, too, per on-line catalog. good luck, GJ

Did some searching for take off stocks. Not much came up. Keep an eye on EBay, as much as you may hate to use it. Mauser parts do come up sometimes. Some of these sites may have gone defunct over Covid collapse.... k98stocks.com is a web site that sells Norwegian takeoffs, which usually fit the K98 Kreigsmodel very well. http://www.continentalmilitaria.com http://www.stewartsmilitaryantiques.com http://fox-military.com http://www.hoosiergunworks.com http://homepages.vvm.com/~histpart/k98parts.htm www.libertytreecollectors.com You may have already found this forum for serious collectors of K98s: K98kforum There was a fellow on there who dealt/swapped/sold military stocks..... handle was mowzerluvr If you can still locate him, he might be pretty helpful. good luck, GJ

Settings in the forum software (which was recently upgraded to Invision Community) prevent the author of posts from changing anything in the post after a short time (maybe 5 minutes) of first saving it. The "edit" option in the action menu (three dots) gets taken away, and you can't edit the post. You have to add a "changes to above post" as a follow-up post, as you just did here. I find no other forum on the Internet (including the Cowboy side of SASS Wire) that is so concerned that the author might fix up wording or add pictures to his post. Sad. As to your original post - Numrich Gun Parts or Sarco would be a possible source of mil-surplus takeoff stocks. The original mil stocks and handguards for the Mauser 98 are pretty scarce at this point. That gun will be chambered in 8MM. The brass can be formed from 30-06. Pretty common to shoot lead bullets (0.323" diameter), 170 grain weight or so. (Jacketed 8MM bullets are just about unobtainable currently, in case you can't find those for other uses of this rifle.) Making 1300-1600 FPS is common for BAMM ammo. 13 grains of Red Dot would give you the lower end of that range. A few matches like Bordertown want velocities held below about 1100 FPS to save their non-armor-plate targets and prevent ricochets from making it to Tombstone village limits. So, that's even more load workup. good luck, GJ

FWR - you are missing my point. The rule that needs clarification and expanding is the "Safe for Restaging" Stage Disqualification rule on page 22 of the current manual. It reads: (SDQ is earned for the following conditions:) THAT statement says a SDQ would be earned with a restaged-for-further-use shotgun being "Open, with a round in the magazine or on the carrier but not in the chamber" (since the action is not closed, and hammer is not down) The rule in SDQ definitions list on page 22 needs to be expanded to include the "Action open, no round in chamber" situation. The rule you pointed out is in the Shotgun Range Operations section, on page 13, The two rules are "out of step" with each other. One on page 13, other on page 22. good luck, GJ

And, while writing this, I think we have a difference between what the rules call for, and what is generally considered safe to do. That would be, matches I have shot in have always considered it proper to restage a shotgun for further use if it is open and empty including magazine. The rule quoted above ignores this condition, and by ignoring it, implies that restaging the shotgun open and empty of any rounds, should earn a SDQ as well. This may be something that needs to be clarified in the next rules revision. From a physical safety concern, there would be no possible danger from "restaging for further use" an open and empty shotgun. In fact, the rules specifically REQUIRE initial staging of an open and empty shotgun if the stage instructions call for no-rounds-loaded in shotgun at the start of stage. good luck, GJ

You understand perfectly. About the only thing that is hard for some shooters to remember to do, when loading 6 initially, is to leave the action closed on round 4 as they complete the first shotgun string. If they open the action, they have to shuck out the two remaining rounds, so the shotgun is safe to leave hands (totally empty), because they no longer can get to the other safe condition (action closed on fired round). Some will forget and earn the SDQ for: So, be ready to deal with explaining the "safe to restage for further use" call to a shooter or two. good luck, GJ

There was certainly very little competitive advantage to loading a loose round into a 1911. 😄 Keep a Barney Fife mag (one round in) if you often need one more round. good luck, GJ

I used a smith I am sure is still in 1911 business - they did an excellent job on one of mine. Mars Armament in Salt Lake City. https://marsguns.com/ Send them an email or call about sight service they can do. good luck, GJ

You can contact Boggus Deal to see if he can install new sights. Do a member search to contact him. Traditional category shooters have a limited number of sight replacements they can choose from. Examples (Harrison, 10-8) are listed in the rule book. Modern category shooters - a wider range. PS (You may have to send him a message. There's no contact info for him on his profile any more.) Good sights help a lot. GJ

Firing pin and extractor channel clean out in in my annual maintenance list. Mainspring, channel and strut cleaning too. Fire control parts (trigger, sear, safety, mag release, slide release) clean annually, visual inspection and pull weight verification. Relube all with syn grease (I like Battle Born) or Rem Oil. Those areas don't get NEAR as much fouling blown into them as do the slide, barrel, link, recoil spring, barrel bushing, frame. Those are done between days of big multi-day match. Or end of small matches. Especially because I use conventional bullet lube, not coated slugs. It's that lube that gets blown around much more than powder fouling (since I run WST powder). good luck, GJ

Now, that stuff above may seem like a long list. The newer your gun and the higher quality build that was done with, the less you probably will need or want to have done. Since you didn't tell us what 1911 you plan to campaign (vintage, model, existing work done), that list above covers the main areas which at least should be checked, if not tuned and improved. Nor did you tell us the expected category and level of competition you are setting your sights on. You can easily get started without glitches if your 1911 is reliable and you have reliable, good feeding ammo and magazines. But I have seen many pards start with much less, and unfortunately (for both them and our sport), they get pretty discouraged after their first match. Many soldier on. But some bail, to our mutual loss. You will learn a LOT by attending your first WB match, and even more by shooting your first match. Get out there, before great shooting weather takes a vacation. good luck, GJ

Reliability work is first on my list. So, that would include barrel, throat, link and ramp adjustment as needed to shoot the ammo you will use. If your gun is tuned to shoot hollow point jacketed ammo, it is probably going to shoot lead bullets that we use extractor set to be 100% reliable when feeding and extracting ejector set to be 100% reliable and preferably toss all cases up, to the right, and behind shooter all magazines feed and drop freely from gun, never letting slide return on empty gun recoil spring and mainspring matched to the power factor of ammo you will shoot. (Hint - 15# recoil spring and 19# mainspring work real well in my WB 1911s). This will lighten the effort to rack the slide. As will radiusing the bottom of the firing pin retainer plate. mainspring housing may need polishing of the bore in which the mainspring lives to let you use the lighter mainspring very good magazines. Tripp mags are highly valued in WB because they FEED so well, and the follower design prevents rounds nose-diving into the feed ramp. Cheap (gun show, no-name) mags are the friend of nobody's 1911. Trigger and other fire controls second 3.5 to 4 # trigger, smooth break and no creep mag release lightened with a lighter spring, can easily be actuated to drop mag without shifting your grip slide release 100% reliable and can easily be actuated to drop slide without shifting your grip as mentioned above, as good a set of iron sights as you can use quickly and stay within the rules for your intended category Accuracy third 4" groups at 25 yards will be plenty good enough. General tuning, deburring, polishing to take care of all of these three major concerns. Dehorning and fancy thumb safety Since we don't carry concealed and we NEVER have to put on the thumb safety, worrying about these things is in the weeds Prettiness Since this is not a beauty contest, you can suit yourself and ignore the rest And probably the two MOST important things - reliable feeding ammo and PRACTICE. If you shoot WB, you will probably need to load your own ammo. Both for big cost savings, and much easier availability during shortages (like now). good luck, GJ

If you want rules changes to be considered, of course, see a WB Rules Committee Member, and they may pass along a rule change request if they feel it's got a chance. But with those dotted sights already allowed in Modern, and wide spread use of age-based classes, things don't discriminate much against older Wild Bunchers, as I "see" it. Nothing FIXES eye sight problems better than the best surgical techniques or good eye wear, though. Been there myself (surgeries and glasses) and still enjoy the game as it is. good luck, GJ

Not that I am aware of in Traditional. That line of "same as issued" has been pretty clear since the beginning of SASS Wild Bunch. A polished sight that reveals the silver of the natural metal give a pretty vivid sight picture. good luck, GJ

Wild Bunch shooting never uses buckshot. But, a properly fitted mag tube / spring / follower should be able to handle well made buck shells too. You seem either VERY confused on how the follower works, or you haven't written clearly. Or maybe it's too early for my mind to wrap around your statements that first the follower won't go far enough forward in the mag tube, then your next statement that the follower pushes all the way through. Cannot be both. The skirt of the follower faces forward (toward muzzle end). The mag spring fits into the skirt. Rounds loaded in the tube have their tip against the follower face. So, what limits the capacity of the mag tube is either the follower skirt is too long (jams against the mag end cap out near the muzzle) or the spring won't compress enough because it's very strong coiling, or because it has compressed to a solid stack of coils. Or the mag tube is too tight at some spot. Thus, either taking coils off a strong spring or metal off the skirt length often results in enough room in the 97 mag tube for the 6th round to fit. Briley Shotguns in Houston is a VERY good shop and can usually fix any shotgun. They will be rather pricey, and they don't see many Cowboy shooters in their shop. https://www.brileygunsmithing.com/ 1230 Lumpkin, Houston, Texas 77043 . Steve's Gunz in Lampasas TX is very good and he knows more about shotguns that most pards. Even if shotguns are not a big part of his Cowboy guns specialties. http://www.stevesgunz.com/ Lampasas, TX 76550 512-564-1015 good luck, GJ

Short follower would work fine in your takedown, if the skirt is short enough. BUT - Sounds more like there is a dent or flat in the top end of the mag tube. TAKE A PIC of where the follower stops, from the top end. Pull your follower out and see if you can get a pic down the tube at the spot where the widest diameter of the follower sticks. Post 'em. Common to have the mag tube holding clamp have been over-tightened or torqued and have the thin wall of the mag tube dented just enough to hold up the follower. Either YOU have to use your sensing abilities (eyes, feel) or a shotgun gunsmith needs to use his or perhaps a barrel caliper to find the trouble with your mag tube. My advice would be find another gunsmith who knows what he is doing and won't damage your gun. Tell us your location and you will probably get an answer with contact info of a local gunsmith that folks trust. good luck, GJ

Correct name for this part is either the right or left cartridge stop. About your 6-shot kits. Did the kits include a new magazine follower? I've not installed one of the WBT kits, but some of those kits have a follower that has a shorter "skirt" on them than the original follower was. Going into a solid stop with 1/2 inch left to get the 6 rounds in kinda hints that the problem is with the follower, not with the shorter spring. Try pushing the follower all the way through the mag tube, with the end cap and mag spring totally out. If follower hangs up, look for a dent in the mag tube, which can be raised by a shotgun smith with a "dent raiser" tool. If that seems good, then try 6 rounds in the mag tube and just follower setting on top of those. Maybe get a picture of how far the follower goes up toward the forward end, and if you can get all 6 rounds into the tube that way. You need to FIND the problem area before you can really FIX the problem. good luck, GJ

Drift adjusted rear sight is allowed in Traditional (or Modern). Screw-driven adjustment mechanisms are what makes an Adjustable Sight. Adjustable Sight is not allowed on a Traditional gun, only on a Modern. Rules don't talk about the "dove tail" mounting design of the rear sight because ALL mechanical rear sights on 1911's are secured to the gun with some sort of dovetail. It's not the dovetail that is important, either front or rear. It's the adjustment capability which is important. Drift adjustable sights are "earlier" design (WW I and II) whereas the adjustable sight on 1911s became available in the 1960s as a target sight, and about 1980s as a combat sight. Tell us what model you have/have looked at and someone for sure will be able to pin down it's allowed category, or tell you what would have to be removed/replaced to make it fit a category. good luck, GJ

I don't know what you are referring to with "dove tail rear sight" in your question. Almost all sights on 1911s are attached to the slide with dove tails. A few older guns have front sights attached by staking. Fixed sight blade is what is required for Traditional pistol, not a screw-adjustable modern rear sight. Two commercial replacement fixed sights are called out by the rule book by name - the Harrison Design 03 and the 10-8 National Match. Existing mil spec fixed blade sights as found on WW I and WW II issue guns, the current Colt Government, the "straight blade" Remington R1 (now discontinued, I believe), Springfield MilSpec (but not the new Garrison model) are legal examples. There are several others. The fixed sights which do not fit in the mil spec dovetail and which extend the sight blade back to the very rear edge of the slide are not legal. Contrasting dots or other aiming devices (bars, triangles, glowing widgets) on the sight are not allowed, but can be recolored to match rest of sight. These are in the rules under Traditional Pistol Modifications: Harrison: https://shop.harrisoncustom.com/hd-003-retro-rear-sight 10-8: https://www.10-8performance.com/1911-nm-rear-sight/ Many sight designs are allowed for a Modern category gun. See the rules for a complete definition. good luck, GJ

Shooter has confused the match-1911-gunsmith guidance to not free-drop slide on an empty chamber with "don't drop hammer". Dropping slide when gun is empty has been found by gunsmiths to bounce the trigger and sear contact and even chip the sear or hammer ledge. (Dropping slide on rounds from magazine allows some of the energy to be scrubbed off due to the round being stripped and chambered.) But dropping the hammer by pulling trigger - THAT IS WHAT THE GUN IS DESIGNED TO HAVE DONE TO IT! TOs do need to see that the rules are followed! good luck, GJ

Only about 12 or so of those fellers are looking forward to getting a Minor Safety call for finger on trigger when not safely on the firing range. 😄 Hope our veterans were well remembered on Armed Forces Day yesterday. Thanks for your service, GJ

Marlin guns can be made fairly slick. Winchester 1892 designs - not so much. Why do you think you need a .44 Mag? .44 special or .44-40 are PLENTY of gun for Wild Bunch. If this is also going to be a hunting gun, PERHAPS it's a reason to have one in .44 Mag. I'd run .44 Specials in it for WB though. good luck, GJ

Addition: If you are thinking of the lever plunger (built into the lever's trigger guard), that has a small coil spring which helps hold the lever latched closed. Normally that is very soft and folks don't notice it much. If it gets jammed up or installed wrong, I guess it could provide some stiffness in the very end motion of closing the lever. Those are available as a replacement in some hammer spring kits for a Marlin 1894. good luck, GJ

How are you so sure it's a "stiff locking block"? (There is no part named "lever block") It would be rather rare to have a locking block be stiff and hard to move. Errors in reassembly are a common cause of a Marlin being stiff or even locked up. Most of the spring resistance in a Marlin action is the mainspring (aka hammer spring). Lighter main springs are available from several sources. So cheap, it's not worth trying to lighten the coil mainspring yourself. Check that the locking block really is or is not what is stiff. Does locking block move up and down in it's track when just block, bolt and lever are installed? Check that running the action with gun empty is stiff. If not, but gets stiff running dummy rounds, it's the ammo or the carrier dragging on the loading gate or cartridge on the carrier. Check internal parts for wear and gouges. Something may have not been machined or installed correctly. Longhunter Supply carries springs, firing pins, lots of other parts for Marlins: https://www.longhunt.com/storelh/index.php?route=product/category&path=88_93 good luck, GJ

More than altering a web page to entice clicks. The PRODUCT NAME is T1897! This is a manufacturer's decision.