Mosin sporterization project.

[colonelsanders]

To start off, I bout a mosin nagant m44 carbine 9 years ago for $50 and it has been a project ever since.

It was in bad shape when I got it. Most of the finish was gone, rust all over the outside and a cracked stock.

I quickly polished the metal and lopped the handgaurd portion of the stock of and removed the bayonet.

I then discovered that the removal of all that wieght made the gun punishing to shoot and the new sights I soldered on failed to stay put.

I eventually turned down the bolt handle, using a bolt meant for a mauser.

Added a Boyds stock and a timney trigger and a king armory muzzle break. But the front sight was still problematic and I really wanted to use an m14 front sight sooooooooo.

[colonelsanders]

Continued

[wallenba]

To be continued.... ?

[nhrifle]

Will be watching this one. Nicely done!

[colonelsanders]

It has been a long time since I started this one and pics are hard to find, but this was the start.

I will update as it moves along (standard snails pace I'm afraid, wife and kid..........).

[nagantguy]

Looks real purdy, how's she shoot? Have had my eye on a similar stock fer a spell.

[webradbury]

Ahhh...the ol M44 "thunderclap". My brother has one and it's the only rifle I ever shot that kicks up leaves BEHIND you! When he shot it, I couldn't stop laughing cause clumps of dirt were falling off my truck chassis with each shot!

Looks good so far and good machining work. Is that a new barrel or just polished?

[colonelsanders]

Got the rear sight mounted and the front sight drilled for its pins last night.

The rifle shot pretty well before I removed the sights 7 years ago, haven't really shot it since. should be much nicer to shoot with a good set of sights!

[1Shirt]

Lots of work and effort, but if you are satisfied with what you have all is right with your world. Good Luck!
1Shirt!

[colonelsanders]

I wanted a scout rifle.......... before ruger was selling the gunsite scout rifle. $50 was a cheap place to start.

$10.00 for a bolt knob,
$80.00 for a boyds stock
$90.00 for a timney trigger
$13.50 for a nice rear sight
$10.00 for an M14 front sight
$50.00 for the king armory muzzle break.

$303.5 Total outlaid cash prolly $200 more to get it parkerized.



I also suffer from projectitis, the delusional believe that a project will be cheaper in the long run than just buying what I want.................. because it only looks good if I ignore the value of my time.

[bruce drake]

Just keep at it! I build project rifles a piece at a time as well so you aren't alone!

Bruce

[Artful]

Looking good - keep us posted

[colonelsanders]

The only thing left to do is get it parkerized.

[colonelsanders]

Got to the range and got it sighted in at 100 yards and i found two issues that needed correction.

1) the recoil was pretty stout after removing so much of the original guns weight.

2) the stock was too damn short.

Both issues were corected with the installation of a kick eez magnum recoil pad. Now its an absolute pleasure to throw up to my shoulder and i am very happy with it.

About the only thing I might still do is mount a Ruger quarter rib to replace the rear sight as I would like the option to pop a scout scope on it!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Two easy ways to go about finishing that gun. If you must Parkerize it then I would suggest buying the solution from Brownell's and doing it yourself. Believe me it is about as hard as boiling water! I did tons of machine parts like this at my last real job as all of our tooling ran in water based coolant as fixtures on surface grinders.

You drop a little of the solution into some hot water and bring it up to about 180F and then hang the parts in it. They start to fizz and after a few minutes you take them out and rinse them in clean water Dry and apply the sealer which is nothing more than LPS2 Rust Preventative Oil. Believe me you can handle it!

The second method and the one I'm now using is Cerakote. It is paint, however it is unlike any paint I have ever used! Bead blasting forms a surface profile on your parts and once this stuff is cooked on it is on there for good. No need for any rust preventative application after the fact as the Cerakote is completely weather proof.

I have done one CZ82 auto pistol and have shot about 200 rounds thru it so far. The Cerakote on the slide rails has not worn at all.

I am about to use this material on an Enfield rifle I have been working on, and the only kicker is that I have to build a small oven that is 36" long to cook the parts as my wife won't let me use hers.

My gun also has a Boyd's gray Laminate stock and fore end so my gun will overall look a lot like yours.

Randy

[enfield]

Any reason why the you want the rear sight so close to the front sight, it looks like lots of room back by the receiver.

[LoopSoosStroop]

Looks great!

[docone31]

As I got older, my eyes needed the rear sight to be closer to the front sight. Same with my caplocks.
They moved them back then also.

[colonelsanders]

Bump, cause i couldn't find it.

special projects seems to only have two active pages.......

[LAGS]

Nice Build.
I wish I had all of your Machinery.
I sold all mine before I moved from California 20 years ago.
I still turn out nice rifles, but it takes me forever to do it by hand, and am sometimes limited in what i can do , unless I find someone to let me use there shop.
Keep us posted on how it prints on paper.