My 91/30 Delema

[usabaker]

Back in September, I picked up an M44 and as part of the deal, I gunshop tossed in a 91/30 Barreled receiver for $25.00 missing allot but I just happened to have most of the parts including a stock The only thing I will need is a complete bolt to make it back into a shooter.

I found a POS bolt assembly that I will have to rehab as well but its cheap. So my dilemma; The rifling in the barrel on this 91/30 is really good, the issue is that it has been, like a lot of Mosins, factory counterbored.

know I know that counterbore of itself is a good thing if the crown is damaged but I that's about it. So since this barreled receiver is just the original reciver, barrel, trigger guard and trigger group. There is much value in it.

I've always wanted to do a project rifle and this would make the perfect one; cutting the barrel to 26" like the Finnish M39 barrel and dropping it into a handmade custom or modified stock made from a damaged 91/30 stock.

So here is my Dilemma, I hate... really hate taking an original chunk of history and in reality destroying it (in this case just the barrel and bolt handle. I know that I would have a rifle I would enjoy shooting and hunting with but just can't get over messing with a historical item, no matter how sad it is right now.

That's my world though, I have a lot of rifles that I have brought back to life and it almost always cost me more then the rifle is worth if I had bought whole and in shooting condition.

As a matter of fact, just bought a Remington Model 12 on Gunbroker that need a lot of tender loving care which I will give it. (http://www.gunbroker.com/item/702087436) but I don't care because I have a love affair with model 12's it was my first rifle, my grandfathers rifle passed to me (I still have it and another 5 variations of the model 12)

What to do!!!!! Crap-o-la....

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[Ridolpho]

usabaker: Since I assume you're looking to come out of this with an accurate rifle, why not start out by simply putting it together as a normal 91/30 and then playing with the usual shimming/ wrapping to see how accurate it is with the counterbored barrel. They can be as accurate as any M39 or other Finn Mosin. I have a $200 (Can) refurbed upgraded '27 Dragoon that I've played with a lot (bedding only), ending up with a very good shooter in-spite of a rather worn bore. Best of all it still looks like a proper 91/30. I don't think I've ever seen a customized Mosin that didn't look goofy- to me anyway.

Ridolpho

[usabaker]

I don't think I've ever seen a customized Mosin that didn't look goofy- to me anyway.

Ridolpho, you are right about them looking goofy, I don't even like how they look in those Archangel stocks. I was leaning more toward making it look like the M39 or M27 but with a handmade laminated stock so not something that looked sporterized too much. I already have two 91/30, two Chinese 53's, One 91/30 SCW and one M44. Maybe I should just restore this one and trade two 91/30's for an M38 or M39 Hmmmmmm.

[Aragorn243]

My opinion, I'd restore it and trade it for something else. A 91/30 is about the last rifle I'd want to sporterize. Triggers are miserable, bolt is often miserable and that safety is just a killer. Considering what they are going for these days, you can get a good chunk of money for something else out of it for very little cash out of pocket.

[usabaker]

I'd restore it and trade it for something else

Yeah, I've pretty much decided against modifying anything on the rifle. More because I couldn't bring myself to do it to a part of history. Picked up a bunch of Izhevsk parts for it. So I will have $25.00 Barreled receiver $75.00 Bolt assm. (on the way), $20.00 stock/guard, correct sight ladder $8.00, trigger pin $3.00, trigger guard screws $7.00. Had most of the small stuff already really only bought the bolt and a stock. so looks like I will have a complete rifle for a total of $140.00 if you don't count a sling.

[rcathey]

so looks like I will have a complete rifle for a total of $140.00 if you don't count a sling.

Hell of a deal these days. Good call!

[usabaker]

Hell of a deal these days. Good call!

Now the problem is what do I do with 6 Mosin Nagants, I hate selling my rifles running out of space in my gun safe LOL