Happy coincidences, really. It truned out great though and is a great centerpiece.Thanks - I'm pretty happy with it too. Of course it was the result of necessity - with all of the pitting, sandblasting the surface was really the only way to go. Would I have preferred a pristine Mauser? Of course... but this is what I've got. Plus, if I had a pristine Mauser, I'm sure that I wouldn't have converted it into a blaster!