The rifle you have is a good candidate for whatever YOU want it to be. As I'm sure you're aware, in past decades when surplus Mausers as well as other ex-military rifles were plentiful and cheap, "sporterizing" them was a popular pursuit by both basement tinkerers and master gunsmiths. As would be expected, the respective results usually showed in the finished product.
That said, many gunsmiths of the second half of the previous century - real genuine professionals - started out with just such a project. Not at all unlike many master mechanics developing their interest by tinkering with their own car. The era of "self-taught" trades has passed. The ability for someone truly interested in learning to perform DIY work of a tradesman on his own property however is as relevant today as ever. Perhaps even more so with the easily available equipment, tools, supplies and most of all, knowledge, which the internet has made available.
Using the same analogy, just as many of what we'd today call "historic cars" (and motorcycles) were chopped and turned into abominations by backyard "customizers," today when the supply of surplus 20th century rifles is quickly drying up, they've become collectible in their original form. So much so that they're now worth more "as-is" than they could possibly be as a utilitarian working rifle and in many cases, even the fine rifles many were made into by GOOD gunsmiths. As a side note, all those original Mausers chopped and varnished in the 60's, 70's... have added considerably to the scarcity and hence the value of the originals that remain.
Sadly, the best of the originals were also the most desired for past conversion. So much so that a pristine Argie or pre-war kar98 sold for less (in adjusted dollars) in 1980 than a Yugo or Turk today! Oh and all those sweet little Mexican 7X57's...
...Anyway, you already know this. What you have has already passed the point of collectability - by current standards. Just as a backyard T-bucket project in 1970 ruined a perfectly good Ford, it is itself now a collectible!You can either sit on the rifle for another thirty years and sell it (if that's still possible) for a crazy amount of profit, or you can enjoy it today by pursuing YOUR own project. My vote is is for the latter... with the caveat that you take the time to learn to do it correctly, then apply that knowledge.
Your rifle has great potential to be a handsome sporting arm. Most of the work needed to make the transformation can be performed with simple hand tools you may already have. It needn't be a "brush gun" or a "truck gun" or any of the other names usually used as an excuse for an ugly, poorly cared for rifle. If you're going to put the time in, why not make it something to be proud of instead of the equal of some abused $200 third-hand gunshop trade-in? In the process you will gain some very worthwhile knowledge applicable not only to "sporterizing" a mil-surp, but to virtually any firearm, as well as an appreciation for the genius of Paul Mauser. I look forward to following your progress.
So, how do you really feel?
Actually, what you wrote really goes to the point of what I am doing.
Thank you.
TP
