Tex is right... how could you consider taking one of 17,000,000 (!!!) $80 rifles and using it as you please? The Russians are probably laughing their asses off at the guys who are "collectors". that's why we make fun of them here.
After all of us in North America have finished "modding" our MN's there are probably only 16,000,000 originals left. Rare indeed.
Unless you have a picture of Vasili Zaitzev or one of the other Soviet sharpshooting snipers holding
your 91/30 (sniper) it's no different than modding a 10/22. Every once in a while you will find a gem, so be careful.
The cool thing about 91/30's and M44's is that they are cheap, plentiful, and beg to be modified. Simple and powerful.
Don't forget to take pictures and post them along the way.