In fact, my current plans are to take two restored Husqvarnas, an 8mm and a 9.3X62mm, on my return trip to Africa. With a little tender loving care, old Mausers can be brought back to their former glory and continue life as a very effective bolt action sporting rifle. I know that as long as the bore is good and the action sound, these old rifles can be lifted from the dead and brought back to life. Sometimes they are just the victims of shoddy conversion work.

These old hunters usually have badly scarred or weak stocks, are in need of a good cleaning, or bluing, or have some other surface imperfections. I do not have the patience, the training, or the inclination to do fine work but I love to take a good old Swedish Husqvarna Model 96 sporting conversion, or a German Model 98 Sporting Mauser in rough shape and restore them to modern looking sporting rifles. I prefer the middle of the road sporting Mausers, especially those that were converted in the 1920's and 30's by a skilled gunsmith, although some of the newer M48 conversions are not bad. Some of these rifles are nothing more than chopped up pieces of trash and others are beautiful examples of the gun maker's art. You can find sporterized 8mm Mausers within any price range from $75 to well over $1,000, depending on the quality of the work.

And, while you may read the arguments of other writers who curse the sin of sporting conversions of these fine rifles, especially the ones in original pristine condition, I search them out. I log onto the Internet gun auctions and the first search term I always enter is 'Mauser.' The second is usually '8mm.' I pass by the new rifles at gun shows and search out those dark corners of the sales racks where some old Mauser has been shoved out of popular inspection. Foremost among my 'gun nut' afflictions, even greater than my interest in the in-line muzzleloader or slug shotgun, is a fascination with the Mauser bolt action rifle. I have a flaw in my character, an Achilles' heel if you will allow.

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