91/30 MN Sporter

[KCSO]

I have in front of me a 91/30 Mosin that a fellow brought in to be sporterized. He gave $86 for the gun shot it twice and decided he wanted a sporter. SO... the barrel was bobbed and crowned at 24" and a ramp front sight added. The rear sight was removed and the holes filled and the dovetail base rounded front and rear in the lathe and a folding rear sight added. The action was drilled and tapped and a Weaver #1 side mount added for the Leupold scope. I had to forge and weld on a spoon bolt handle and am waiting for the Boyd's thumbhole stock while I manufacture a sliding safety for the triggerguard.

Now here is my problem... If I had done this all myself for me i wouldn't question it, but to pay someone a ton of money to make an $86 dollar rifle into a half way decent sporter? He doesn't want the barrel and action smoothed and reblued because it will be to EXPENSIVE but he will put a $350 scope on it and pay to have the spoon bolt handle made. By the time he pays for the conversion work he could have went out and bought a new sporter and had money left over, and the Mosin would have been a good old user gun. But if you HAVE to do somthing like this why cut costs at the end of the trail, I mean all this work and dura coat over rough turnings? And in a new laminate stock to boot!

[Ecramer]

Sounds like a "bragging rights" project. "Yeah, my custom Mosin (at home) will shoot MOA at 300 yards."

[nhrifle]

You never can tell what the rifle bug will do to a shooter. I have done some crazy things with several guns over the years that did not make financial sense. Just remember, it's his rifle and money and he is free to do with it as he sees fit.

[nicholst55]

And when he's finished, he'll have an ugly, awkward rifle worth maybe $300.

[RustyReel]

Actually, I love those kind of guys. In about 18 months I'll be able to pick up his "sporter" less the scope at a local gun show or garage sale for $150!!!!

Unlike a lot of people these days, I am not opposed to sporterizing a military rifle. But unless you can do almost all of the work yourself it does not make economic sense. Even if a person could do most of the work themselves you would probably spend more than you would if you bought a factory rifle.

One of my new favorite pastimes is buying old neglected and abandoned converted military rifles that no one seems to want. I'm not a big mosin fan but have seen a few nice looking sporters. I'll keep my eye out for his........think I have an extra $150 around here somewhere.....

[KCSO]

Still waiting on the #1 Weaver side mount.
66111

[Hamish]

And the guy now has a one of a kind to pass down. That doesn't look like no bubba rifle to me. Maybe it's no some folks cup of tea, all that matters is if HE likes it.

[nagantguy]

Doing a new nagant project now hope it turns out this nice.

[RustyReel]

OK, maybe $150 was a little optimistic.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Still waiting on the #1 Weaver side mount.
66111

Never have figured out why Boyd`s puts those venting cuts on the forearms? Other arms makers seem to be doing the same thing. Are you firing that rifle that rapidly that you need extra air circulating under the barrel? Nice looking work that you have done thus far.Robert

[rhbrink]

Looks good to me the spoon handle just kind of sets it off. Hey it's his money if it makes him happy and trips his trigger more power to him.

RB

[TheGrimReaper]

The thumhole doesn't do anything for me, other than that it is the best one I've ever seen on a Mosin!

[rhbrink]

I'm with you The GrimReaper, the thumb hole stocks just don't do any thing for me but this one looks good. I always thought about making one up with a Mannlicter (spelling?) it would have to have the spoon handle. This one above would look even better with a classic European stock, my opinion. But I would never ever put that much time and money in a Mosin, ever! As much as I enjoy them and I own several, never put that kind on money on a Mosin.

RB

[nekshot]

I like it except for thumbhole, had one and no more. I don't understand the ribbing about taking a simple solid proven action and spending some money on it, to each his own and thank God for the trickle down economics of it. I can't for the life of me figure out why some folk restore 4 door cars instead of the sporty 2 door model (ex 4 door chevelle vs 2 door) but hey its what floats your boat!

[KCSO]

Don't mind the sporter job what gripes me is stopping at the finish line. If you are going to put that much money in a rifle why not finish it? Dura coat over machine marks? It would have been much nicer to turn and polish the barrel and action and do the job right. Now whenever he shows off his CUSTOM gun any one who has a lick of taste will say , boy Bubba sure did a nice job on that finish.

[Bored1]

It could be that he just can't afford the finishing touches. I've been in the situation before that you have XX amount of money and can only afford 3 of the 5 things so want so you pick the 3 most inportant to you. Maybe he wants the majority of the work done now from a skilled craftsman with the knowledge that any gunsmith can add finishing touches for him later when he can afford it. I can definately understand it!

Either way that is one hell of a good looking rifle!!! Nice work.

[TheGrimReaper]

I'm with you The GrimReaper, the thumb hole stocks just don't do any thing for me but this one looks good. I always thought about making one up with a Mannlicter (spelling?) it would have to have the spoon handle. This one above would look even better with a classic European stock, my opinion. But I would never ever put that much time and money in a Mosin, ever! As much as I enjoy them and I own several, never put that kind on money on a Mosin.

RBYep, Manlicher stocks are the cat's meow!!!

[nekshot]

count me in on the manlicher also, they are harder to hack out of a piece of wood and look correct than the pictures aren't they. I never had a russian bolt but this stirs my wheels for one, spoon handle with it. That is a super job on the handle. Did you forge that yourself KYSO? If you did share how you did it, thats nice.

[Hang Fire]

I have in front of me a 91/30 Mosin that a fellow brought in to be sporterized. He gave $86 for the gun shot it twice and decided he wanted a sporter. SO... the barrel was bobbed and crowned at 24" and a ramp front sight added. The rear sight was removed and the holes filled and the dovetail base rounded front and rear in the lathe and a folding rear sight added. The action was drilled and tapped and a Weaver #1 side mount added for the Leupold scope. I had to forge and weld on a spoon bolt handle and am waiting for the Boyd's thumbhole stock while I manufacture a sliding safety for the triggerguard.

Now here is my problem... If I had done this all myself for me i wouldn't question it, but to pay someone a ton of money to make an $86 dollar rifle into a half way decent sporter? He doesn't want the barrel and action smoothed and reblued because it will be to EXPENSIVE but he will put a $350 scope on it and pay to have the spoon bolt handle made. By the time he pays for the conversion work he could have went out and bought a new sporter and had money left over, and the Mosin would have been a good old user gun. But if you HAVE to do somthing like this why cut costs at the end of the trail, I mean all this work and dura coat over rough turnings? And in a new laminate stock to boot!

Just asking,. but would you be proud if said customer saw this thread?

[Four Fingers of Death]

That is one of the nicest looking Mosin Sporters I have ever seen. The thumbhole looks ok, but I would think that it would slow you down some. Got it looking that good, shame not to finish her properly.

[texassako]

I like it, one of the best Mosin sporters I have seen. A bolt handle like the ones on M28-76s would have really looked good with that stock.

[CLAYPOOL]

Cut him some slack,...this AMERICA i'm all for him...you only live once..think of all the jobs this helping...Botd's, truck drivers. ladys loading the stuff in boxes to ship...etc..

[Four Fingers of Death]

I reckon that bolt handle looks great. Better than those silly looking ones made from bolts with plastic knobs, yuk!

[Junior1942]

I reckon that bolt handle looks great. Better than those silly looking ones made from bolts with plastic knobs, yuk!I resemble that remark!
http://www.castbullet.com/makeit/photos/rr/rr23t.jpg

[JudgeBAC]

Junior definately fits the definition of utilitarian and practical.

My take on this whole thread, I wish I lived close to KCSO, nice work.

[cattleskinner]

KCSO,

I can't tell what color that stock is. Do you know if it the brown laminate or forest laminate they make. Excellent work by the way!!

[Four Fingers of Death]

I resemble that remark!
http://www.castbullet.com/makeit/photos/rr/rr23t.jpg

Yours is a unique 'object' da trash' Junior I was referring to those skinny SS bolts converted into bolt handles with the bright black knobs. No doubt they work well enough ( they probably would be a bit hard on the hands if you didn't actually grab the bolt knob, the handle being so durned skinny, it would not be nice to chop it up or down),but in my mind they look like sin and make the conversion look cheap. The butter knife bolt handle on this one looks brilliant. I have a professionally built Mannlicher stocked SMLE that would look great with this sort of bolt handle (don't ask me why anyone would spend the serious dollars that this sort of stock wood and work must have cost, but I bought it a year or so ago pretty cheap).

[KCSO]

I think they call that colour nutmeg. Junior, I withdraw all my comments about the M/N sporter, your bolt ATTACHMENT has left me speechless.

[nekshot]

jr, were you all sober when that classic knob was attached or does Jack Daniels get the compliment! It does look great!