338 WM Build X Piper Rifles

[Magnum_Willys]

Smart on the straight comb! 

[jhawk13]

Ben and I both started sourcing parts for the rifle once I got back to Washington.

Parts slowly started to come together and I ended up with a sweet 1909 Argentine Mauser 98 for the action. I went with a Lothar Walther barrel, which Ben put on his lathe and custom cut a contour that he modified to his specs.

Next steps included cutting the bolt handle and rough fitting the action into the stock.

[jhawk13]

Best part of my week was getting a random build picture. It made the wait just slightly more bearable! 

[jhawk13]

I drooled all over my phone when I saw this come across. I didn’t have a clue what was possible with engraving and originally I wasn’t going to have any engraving done. Ben quickly told me that he wasn’t going to let that be an option with this build. He dug in his parts box and pulled out an engraved bottom plate and told me it would be worth every penny. I told him I would take it…. Thank the lord that I did!!!

Details on the bottom metal: Talented engraver Dereck Fernelius did the engraving on the bottom metal. I believe Ben put a “French gray” blueing on it after the fact.

[jhawk13]

Fast forward a bit, the rifle is screwed together and fit to the stock.

[jhawk13]

I spent quite a bit of time Facebook stalking Ben and his page to try and see what the stock was going to look like oiled down. I was curious if it would darken up or still show all the figure and flame running through the stock.

Eventually I got a picture from Ben after he rubbed in the first coat of oil and my question was answered. Still a very long way to go.

[jhawk13]

Finally all the parts arrive and Ben is able to put it all together for a quick picture before taking it apart again. He tells me there is still a lot of finish work to do. But it was enough to get me all wound up about it again.

He sent the action off for case color hardening and he prepped the barrel for blueing.

He added Buffalo horn for the forend cap and Buffalo horn cross pins as a custom touch.

I went with a leupold VX3-HD 4.5x15 50

[jhawk13]

This is what the case color hardening looks like on a Mauser action   

[jhawk13]

I promise I’ll quit teasing… lol

Last post before the final product!! The stock was hand checkered by David VanBoxtaele, “get a grip checkering”.

At this point the stock only needed 2 more finish coats of oil and checkering.

[jhawk13]

Final product pics!

[jhawk13]

More pics

[jhawk13]

Absolute money!

[jhawk13]

Last update!! Side profile shot.

If anyone is interested in reaching out to Ben Piper with Piper Rifles just DM me. He does great work.

I hope you guys enjoyed the build as much as I did. I can’t wait to get my hands on it this week.

[jackelope]

Wow.

That thing is a work of art.

[TVHunts]

Beautiful work!  Congrats on a one of a kind rifle.