1984Landcruiser
Member
I recently found a DUV 41 at one of my favorite LGS. The receiver, bolt, front sight, and floor plate all had matching numbers (428 I) and it came with a cloth bag that a GI placed the disassembled rifle barrel and/or duffle cut stock in with his stateside address here in Denver. It was adorned in a solid walnut stock with non-matching barrel bands and buttplate. It also had a non- matching rear sight base, spring and leaf that bore witness to the original having been removed to make way for a rear peep sight (evidenced by two small holes just in front of the bolt handle. The rifle’s bluing was in outstanding condition, but the former owner had placed his initials in several discreet locations on the rifle’s metal.
I debated on whether to buy, but I had some store credit from a couple of consignment sales burning a hole in my pocket. I also liked the fact that it was made in Lubeck as I had visited there as an exchange student back in the mid-1980s. So, emotion prevailed over logic and I decided to make this my first former sporter restoration.
After the purchase, I pulled out my trusty K98k Vol II books and learned that this rifle should have a laminate stock with an early cupped buttplate. So I sorted through a pile of stocks in the warehouse at that favorite LGS and found a Yugo captured one marked with a 1941 production date and a waa 214 marked bayonet lug. I got waa214 barrel bands and rear sight components off of eBay, along with an early cupped buttplate. The front and rear sights came off with the help of a propane torch and some gentle persuasion with a rubber mallet and a wood block. The correct rear sight base and original firing sight base went on fairly smoothly after some guidance from YouTube. I refinished the Yugo stock with BLO cut with mineral spirits and then used Tom’s 1/3 mix to make the splinters from the unsanded stock less painful on the hands. Finally, I found a nice early war sling in the LGS warehouse and here is the finished project.
Lessons learned:
1. It really is an expensive undertaking to restore a former sporter.
2. I’m definitely upside down in this rifle but that is ok as I don’t plan to sell it.
3. It will never be an untouched original, but it has some neat qualities that endear it to me.
4. I learned a lot in completing this project (most importantly, try to avoid brushing a finger up against hot metal ever again).
5. It was a fun project that kept me out of all sorts of other trouble (including my wife’s honey do list) for awhile.
6. It gave me the chance to look up the former owner and develop some internet sleuthing skills.
I debated on whether to buy, but I had some store credit from a couple of consignment sales burning a hole in my pocket. I also liked the fact that it was made in Lubeck as I had visited there as an exchange student back in the mid-1980s. So, emotion prevailed over logic and I decided to make this my first former sporter restoration.
After the purchase, I pulled out my trusty K98k Vol II books and learned that this rifle should have a laminate stock with an early cupped buttplate. So I sorted through a pile of stocks in the warehouse at that favorite LGS and found a Yugo captured one marked with a 1941 production date and a waa 214 marked bayonet lug. I got waa214 barrel bands and rear sight components off of eBay, along with an early cupped buttplate. The front and rear sights came off with the help of a propane torch and some gentle persuasion with a rubber mallet and a wood block. The correct rear sight base and original firing sight base went on fairly smoothly after some guidance from YouTube. I refinished the Yugo stock with BLO cut with mineral spirits and then used Tom’s 1/3 mix to make the splinters from the unsanded stock less painful on the hands. Finally, I found a nice early war sling in the LGS warehouse and here is the finished project.
Lessons learned:
1. It really is an expensive undertaking to restore a former sporter.
2. I’m definitely upside down in this rifle but that is ok as I don’t plan to sell it.
3. It will never be an untouched original, but it has some neat qualities that endear it to me.
4. I learned a lot in completing this project (most importantly, try to avoid brushing a finger up against hot metal ever again).
5. It was a fun project that kept me out of all sorts of other trouble (including my wife’s honey do list) for awhile.
6. It gave me the chance to look up the former owner and develop some internet sleuthing skills.
