RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
Gentlemen,
I hate to be a wet blanket, but not all surplus firearms are safe to shoot. The ammunition is even worse. Just about all of it have corrosive primers and only God knows the manner in which it has been stored all these years. The kar 98 of the german army during WWII, is a good example. This action has been used for the foundation of countless custom rifles. However the quality of the actions varies greatly between those made in 1938 and those made in 1945. The steel and the tolerances are totally different. I've seen some, one of which was brought home by my father-in-law that was down right dangerous. Yet another one was customized into a very nice sporter and is still used by my step-daughter for deer and elk. Take care guys. Good luck.