Just picked up a mosin

[Finster101]

I "picked up" a couple MNs during the late SE Asian war games. The previous owners (funny, they were both named "charley") didn't need them anymore......

Attachment 289560

I think you paid more than most of us for yours.

[samari46]

YYour Finnish rifles will need slugging. You'll need both the land and groove dimensions. If between .311-.312 the Lyman bullet mold number 314299 which casts .304 on the bore riding section and ,314 for the land section. Wheel weights plus 2% tin has worked well for me. I use 20.0 grains at an estimated of 1600-1700 fps. Standard large rifle primer. Have fun. Frank

[Geezer in NH]

Many years ago when I had my shop I bought a couple hundred or more of the 44's and 91's. The 44's were still the arsenal paper wraps, the 91's in wooden cases. All delivered at $49.00 each.

Sold a few cases of the 91's with the top removed and 1/2 inch safety glass tops ground on the sides and corners for 2.5K each as coffee tables. Sweet marketing on my partners idea.

Sold either for cheap $99.99 for 44's and 91's for $119.99 with Bayonet. Both came with the packs of oil bottles, ammo pouches, and bolt tools.

Ammo was also cheap like the rifles.

That was the good old days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a couple of each including original snipers and scope in my own collection. Also many, many spam cans of Czechoslovakian silver tip ammo. Very accurate stuff.

[Evoken]

Started giving the stock a few coats of linseed. It will now sit and soak while I am away thus week.
Probably want to give it a few more coats before final polish and a few coats of wax.

[Evoken]

I decided to switch to tru Oil for the last couple of coats. I wanted to slightly darken the wood just a touch. I think 1 or 2 more coats of oil with some light sanding in between coats will just about do it. I will get some pictures posted this weekend.

Next it will be onto pulling the action out of the other stock and cleaning it up. I started cleaning the little bit of paint of the metal parts and most of it is in really good shape. The original blueing is still fairly nice with just a touch of plum color here and there. The bolt knob is about the worst of it. I think I will start with some nice gentle oil rub with steel wool and see how it cleans up. Don't think I will do too much if any reblueing to it. I've decided I want it to look nice, but certainly not new.

I've also got some cast loads made up with some 314299 powder coats and lyman's minimum listed load of I 4198. Not sure when I will have a chance to try them out.

[LAGS]

Loads with 4198 did well for me.

[Evoken]

That is the powder listed that I have the most of. I've heard re7 is a good one to and I dont doubt that, but I'm running low on it. I've already got a few krag and 45-70 loads that use it and don't want to waste it on development until I can locate some more.

I have been able to locate 4198 relatively easily in my area though.

[Evoken]

Here is the boolits I have made up.

[LAGS]

The preferred powders for the 30-40 and .303 work well in the 7.62x54R also.
But it still comes down to what your rifle likes because of the barrel condition .

[Evoken]

Really starting to shine now. The last coat is currently drying. Then it will be onto final buff and a few coats of Johnson's paste wax.
I've got the action out of the old stock and just about cleaned up as well. The hardest part there was getting the front sight driven out.

I think it will be ready to put together next weekend.

[Evoken]

My lack of patience got the best of me and I put it all together this evening. I think it turned out fairly well and I am happy with the finished product.

I will let everything meld and cure over the next week and hopefully get to shoot some cast loads from it next weekend.

Now I'm going to have to find another project to work on.....

[LAGS]

Any direction on what you would want for your next project.
Or are you going to let product availability , ( and price ) be your guide.

[Evoken]

I'm not sure yet sir. I would like to do an original mauser, but I do not see them come up around here much. When I see them, they are corroded pretty bad or already chopped up and rechambered.
I've also been looking at some of the flintlock kits, but wow are they spendy. Plus black powder is unobtainium around here now and I'm down to a bit more than 2lbs. May be time to start making my own....

[Evoken]

Or perhaps something else, who knows. It will have to be something that I can find brass and dies for, that is to be certain. I do not want to build a wall hanger.

The little surplus shop near where I am working had a nice carcano on the wall that intrigued me. Although it did not need much work and he is a little steep on the price.

I'm gonna need another safe if I keep hanging out in here, that much is certain.

[Larry Gibson]

A standard 2 dies set [FL and seating die} will do (mine are Lee) but I also recommend the Lee .308W collet die. With a washer over the case in the shell holder it will just NS the 7.62x54R cases. They will practically last for ever, especially with cast bullet loads. The collet die body can be adjusted up or down in the press to just size the neck for .002 - .003 tension on any diameter bullet needed from .308 up through .316.

Attachment 290033

[Evoken]

Finally had a chance to shoot the old girl today. Need to drift the front sight a bit. Otherwise I think it did admirably for an 80 year old, rotten bore, war effort garbage rod, haha.
These were shot sitting with a shooting stick and if I benched it I think I could tighten it up a bit. So far so good though.

[LAGS]

That looks pretty good.
I take it that was with military ammo.
Just a suggestion.
Since you just replaced the stock,
I would double check the barrel channel and make sure you are not getting any pressure on the side of the barrel.
That with those long thin barrels , can drift the barrel different directions

[Evoken]

The loads are the ones I posted above. I got the cast boolits from the gentleman that provided me the stock.
I will definately have to check the barrel and stock interference. I will also have to work on the load itself and get the thing on the bench. Some of that may have been me without a doubt.

I have several other powders that will work, I just started with what lyman4 stated was their best load. That certainly doesn't mean it will be my best load.

Heck, I'm happy it fires and is on paper. I can work with that!

[LAGS]

I have found ,
That working with these rifles with Older or Not So Perfect bores makes it a little harder to work up that Perfect Load.
But the time you spend doing it , adds tons of knowledge to you skills.
It also gives you an excuse to get out shooting more often.

[Tokarev]

M44 should be definitely shot with cast bullets. I owned one and absolutely hated its wild recoil even after having properly shimmed the stock. With FMJ it kicked like a mule, not enjoyable at all. Complete opposite of M91/30 which gives a nice push instead.
Check if it is counter-bored. If not, gauge the muzzle end and counter-bore if worn.