Or: Hare-brained scheme. The board is slow, so here's the whole sordid bit.
A year or 2 ago, I scored a U-Fixem M.95 from gunbroker for a $35 BIN. No bolt, but I had one of those rat-holed. Got it & not only was the bore pitted, but it miked .334!
But! I bought a bucket o' M.95 actions for one money a couple years before that to get the rare M.95/24 and Budapest M.95M barreled actions. I figure I had like $6 in each action. Among those was an antique M.95 long rifle - still in 8x50R that had been crudely hacked off. I figure the barrel was bulged & someone wanted the front sight for something. But there was sufficient rifling left under all the crud.
Last year at a gun show in Cheyenne, I bought a gaggle o' parts - among them a K31 front sight for a fiver. I had all the stuff for the hare-brained scheme. Next was to find a machinist to turn the muzzle down for the K31 sight. A close friend from the RR was an expert machinist, but after he retired, I found out he had a massive stroke & was permanently laid up.
A cond who quit was an amateur machinist & I tried to get ahold of him. Seems after he quit the RR here, he hired on in Alliance as an electrician's helper. He was working in the **wiring behind the cab of the engine** where multiple signs say to discharge all capacitors before beginning any work....
You guessed it; he did not and was nearly shocked to death. He is legally blind now so that was out. An internet friend mentioned how he was working on barreled actions & I sprung my idea on him.
Amazingly, he went for it and got it done. Just got the barreled action back today! He had to pull the action from the barrel so the barrel could be jambed through the head stock of the lathe. Major pain, but he was able to get it off. Also had to remove the rear sight base. EXTREMELY difficult!
Seems it's not soft-soldered... silver soldered and meant to remain on the barrel permanently. But he was able to get it off in one piece.
Man, was I ever impressed!!
I just got the carbine put together & it can actually be shot, but I'll finish up a few small details first. Then I'll cast up some straight linotype boolets.
The ultra-rare Budapest Pioneer carbine is shown below with a standard carbine for comparison. The barrel is legal but was longer than the stacking hook so that came off - no room for a bayonet & I amputated that, too. I sure felt like Bubba running that hack saw! But I scarificed my worst front band - it was all pitted & I figure the Steyr collectors will never miss it.
Already did a trigger job - got a few rounds loaded up. Now to shoot it!
Thanks, Dave!!!
SW
Pics: The top 2 show the barrel & K31 sight before the trip to the machinist. Then how it looked after machining and assembly. Then compared to a standard carbine. Life is good!!