Anyone familiar with Ed LaPour Gunsmithing in WA?

[Hobie]

Just looking for some background. Interested in one of his 3-position safeties for the M96 Mauser. www.edlapourgunsmithing.com

[NavyDMO]

Yes I know him, very nice guy. I went to his shop a few times when I lived in the Bremerton a couple of years back. He fixed a Freedom Arms 454 for me. He did the rifle for the gunsmith's guild in 2000 I think and it is beautiful. He also showed me (and my buddy SubDoc from this website who was there as well) the Hagn falling block 450/400 3" in the website. He was custom making it for a guy in Alaska from scratch and then did an exact copy in 30-06. Gorgeous rifle in matte blue. The pictures don't do it justice. I have another buddy who is an avid hunter who trusts no-one but Lapour on any of his guns.

During hunting season he slows down on the custom work to take care of locals wanting quick fixes etc. The work he did for me was great and had it done exactly when he said he would.

Luis

[Old Time Hunter]

Hobie, excellent workmanship. That being said, are you scope'n a M96? If that is your intent, Brownells has safety adapters for the bolt that would move the actuator to the side. Much less cost too by the way. I would like to scope mine, but can't bring myself to alter a perfectly fine rifle...barely a mark on the original. Looking for an 'Elite' diopter set up for mine, or else a scout scope system that mounts on the rear military sight. Still lays 'em in very consistantly out to the limit of my eyesight. That 6.5 X 55 has to be one of the all time best cartridges...almost as good as the .45-70, or .30-30, or .348, or????

[awp101]

OTH, there's been a guy on gunboards.com selling some diopter sights. IIRC they are listed in the Swedish Rifle forum but may have been moved to the FS forum. I think he goes by Anders. Maybe...

For a scout set-up, check this out: http://dutchman.rebooty.com/karlina.html

[Old Time Hunter]

AWP, Thanks...that'd be the set up for the scout scope. Darn near looks to be my rifle! I have checked on the other site for the diopters and most seem to think that I would be interested in "proper" serialized matching stuff...nope, I want to shoot this baby more often and reach way, way out to it's max distance.

[Molasses]

Wow! It's been a long time since I heard that name: I was at the Marine barracks on the Navy submarine base near Bremerton for all of 18 months back in the mid-'80s. My girlfriend moved out there to be close (finally married her after several years of pursuit and we celebrated our 20th anniversary last year) and her place was within a long, leisurely walk of Ed's shop.
I was really into rimfire metallic silhouette back then and got Ed to work on a number of things for me, mostly target-type .22s of one breed or another that I wanted modified to fit within the rules or to (maybe) fit me better. I especially remember the bead blast refinish job he did on a pitted up early Model 52 Winchester: did very good work and his turnaround times were reasonably fast.

[Hobie]

Hobie, excellent workmanship. That being said, are you scope'n a M96? If that is your intent, Brownells has safety adapters for the bolt that would move the actuator to the side. Much less cost too by the way. I would like to scope mine, but can't bring myself to alter a perfectly fine rifle...barely a mark on the original. Looking for an 'Elite' diopter set up for mine, or else a scout scope system that mounts on the rear military sight. Still lays 'em in very consistently out to the limit of my eyesight. That 6.5 X 55 has to be one of the all time best cartridges...almost as good as the .45-70, or .30-30, or .348, or????

No, I'm not going to scope it. I'm happy with the Williams Foolproof. I'd also like to get the bolt handle turned down/changed. I might even look up a neat little stock for it. I have shot MOA groups with it.

[awp101]

Hobie, right now I'm having a hard time finding any sporter type stock in walnut for the 96. If you want synthetic or laminates they are easier to find.

The two places I've found that DO make them (Richard's Microfit and some brand Brownell's sells) have enough complaints of spotty quality to stop me since I'm trying to do as much of this build as I can w/o a 'smith or stock maker.