Mauser M03 - Rifle Box

Update - the completed rifle box can be seen in the background of this barrel change video.

I've built a box for my Mauser M03 rifles. My design criteria were that it needs to

- carry three rifles, with barrel and scope fitted
- hold the rifles so they're ready to use, with the bolt open and drawn back
- fit sideways across the rear of my Landcruiser and also on the back seat
- cushion the rifles during rough off-road driving
- protect the rifles and scopes from rubbing against abrasive high density foam
- fit under the rear cargo shelf when it's installed
- have a lid that's virtually airtight and that comes completely off
- be long enough to hold an M03 with a magnum or Africa barrel
- be high enough to allow a tactical scope with big turrets to 'float' in free air
- be strong enough but also light enough
- look good enough if any of my friends see it
- keep my rifles out of sight and secure during transit

My home-made Mauser M03 box is made with good quality 9mm plywood. There was hardly anything left from a 2440 x 1220mm sheet, meaning it would have been very heavy if I'd used 12mm ply.

Here's some pictures taken during construction.



I used 25mm high density foam for padding.

Photo's below show the padding on top of the dividing panels, to avoid bumps when lifting and replacing the rifles in the dark. I spent half a day on my knees reducing almost a full sheet of foam to pieces, sculpted to line every surface of the box.

The first trial fit of a Mauser M03 with a Kahles K624i scope put a smile on my face. This amount of clearance is just what I was looking for. The bolt is open and back. The scope's turrets are free floating. And there's room for an S&B PM II, one day.

Once all the pieces were cut my son and I spent a couple of hours gluing them into place with contact adhesive. The spray can ran dry just as we glued the foam on top of the dividers into place, so for the moment the bottom pieces are simply pushed in. They're a tight fit.

While we were glueing, my wife was sewing, to make up a piece of satin wide enough to drape through each compartment. This is the first trial fit. Great colour!

And now with some Mauser M03s added. :-)

The jpeg artefacts in this picture are crazy, but it does show that the rifles are snug, protected and ready for quick action. Just what I was looking for.

Next, we'll trim the edge of the satin a little and sew a casing for a shock cord and toggle. When the lid is off the satin will drape over the sides of the box by about 150mm, held in place with the shock cord. Before putting the lid back on the satin will be draped loosely over the top of the rifles. The inside of the lid will be lined with 25mm foam.

I'm happy to provide construction tips if anyone wants to build a similar box. :-)