Gospel is one of my own personal projects. Hebrews 4:12 states “For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The word of God is beautiful and while the beauty of this rifle pales in comparison, this rifle has had a complete revival. This Mauser 98 was previously a weapon of war and came to me in dire condition. Most people would have taken one look and said “its not worth it.” It was just an action, no barrel ,no stock and the corrosion was everywhere. The rust pitting was so severe it looked like it had been sitting in the Northern Atlantic Ocean since first World War. Needless to say, a ton of work went in to this rifle. I started by welding up all of the rust pits then filing everything smooth. I cut off the original bolt handle and made a new one with knurling to provide better grip. I forged it into a new position to allow the use of a scope. For the barrel I decided to chamber it in 8mm Mauser as it was originally. I did this to keep some reminder of what it once was. I cut the outer taper from a blank then threaded it to fit the action, all the while making sure to keep proper head space. I decided to replace the military trigger with a Timney, as I prefer the safety on it opposed to the original shroud safety. I cut the trigger guard thinner, with a nice radius to blend it. This allows a more comfortable trigger pull, as well as adds a beautiful aesthetic change. In addition to the custom work on the lower, I also made the bottom plate into a hinged door with a Winchester style release button. I replaced the military shroud with a sleek after market shroud to provide a better looking bolt. Once all of this was done I began polishing… and polishing… and even more polishing so I could Nickle plate it for a rust free and beautiful finish. From there it was onto the stock. I got a 90% inlet walnut stock and began inletting it to perfection. I finished the stock with true oil for a weather resistant coating. I finished by bedding the stock with Acraglas Gel for added accuracy. An exert from Isiah 2:4 says “ They will beat their swords into plowshares” , in that example I have “beat” this weapon of war into a beautiful hunting rifle.