Bubba Special Spanish 43

[Aragorn243]

Here's the rifle that was brought to my house yesterday and I was made an offer I couldn't refuse. Started out as simply identifying it which wasn't hard, then a valuation. I told the guy about $100 in the condition it was in as it had almost no value to a collector and even most of the parts aren't usable as they've been altered. What was it worth to me. I said maybe $25 but was very reluctant so he went to $20.

So I have almost nothing in it. It is functional so it could be a truck gun or something of that nature. Maybe a tanker carbine fantasy piece.

I just love the front sight. It rotates and you can barely see it when sighting. The bore looks great. Currently the barrel is 20" long, I could get it to 18 by cutting it off back of the sight. I was concerned they went all the way through but I estimate there is a millimeter of metal between the bore and the screw hole.

So today I'll probably start cleaning it up. I have a complete K98 bolt I could put on it if they are interchangable.

Looking for ideas on what to do with it. Barrel is pitted under the wood so best to keep as much of that as possible although I may even the bottom out with the handguard.

Front sight options?

K98 bolt work?

If I start messing with polishing the bolt brazing is it going to fall apart?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

"Ray-bar" front sight off an Ithaca 37. The bolt handle has been prepared for a scope. Maybe you can make a hi grade bench rifle...

[bob q]

Looks more like a M-16 , not a M-43 . If the bolt is total braze in the joint it will have no strength and will break . Brazing is more of a glue for metal to metal bonding .

[Daan Kemp]

Sure does look ugly. Cleaned up it should look better.

Some work would make it look better, 18" barrel, front sight, weld bolt handle, woodwork, reblue, etc. Over capitalising but it could be fun.

[baltimoreed]

Bubba was busy on that build. Like that front sight. Makes perfect sense to me, he left it loose so he could get half a moa to fine tune it by screwing it up or down kinda like the NM rear sight on a Garand. Have fun with it as you can’t hurt it.

[Aragorn243]

You may be right Bob, I didn't look at it all that close and haven't gotten around to checking the caliber yet either. Be nice if it's in 7mm but with my luck it will be 308.

[Aragorn243]

Bob is correct, this is a 1916. It is fortunately in 7mm rather than 308. Bolt appears to be very poorly welded and then an attempt, again poor, was made with brazing to even the weld out. While I hate putting money into it, bolts are available and not that expensive. The safety knob was messed up on this also so will kill two birds with one stone.

[Singer B]

Actually, the wood on that 1916 looks better than the wood on 90% of those rifles imported into the USA. You may actually be able to turn a profit on it if you sell it.

[Aragorn243]

Actually, the wood on that 1916 looks better than the wood on 90% of those rifles imported into the USA. You may actually be able to turn a profit on it if you sell it.

It’s cut and gouged out for the bolt handle.

[usabaker]

I said maybe $25 but was very reluctant so he went to $20.

I'm a sucker for these Bubba rifles. I don't know where... This one is pretty bad.. But yeah I would have handed him $25.00 for it. I've bought worse.