? about an M44 Stock

[thaddy1978]

Interesting...I traded my 91/30 for an M44 (laminated stock). I didn't notice till I got home with it, that the butt-end of the stock looked like it had a piece glued to the bottom, sure enough, I took off the butt plate and noticed the dovetail joint. I thought, I got ripped, someone broke this thing and then put it back together. Now, I just noticed a picture in a posting by NRAJOE, of a Nagant, that looks like it has the same 'defect.' Is this a normal occurrence? What's the deal?

Also, do 'some' surplus dealers dress up their firearms a bit? When I inspected mine a little closer (other than looking at the butt-end), it looks as though someone took a bluing pen and tried to touch up some rust spots and the like. It seems as though some may pick these things up at a junk sale and coat them with some cosmolene (sp?) to make it look as though they just came out of a storage box from 60 years ago.

[Mooseman684]

You need to study Mosins...The Joint is a reinforcing joint to keep the stock from Splitting...Some later models Have it as well as the Finnish Mosins...
It is OK !!!
Most come packed in Cosmoline so touch up would have to occur after Cleaning...
Rich

[SwedeSteve]

I, along with many others, would recommend going back a few pages in the posts and readng. You would be amazed how quick you'll get to know that rifle! In addition, you should read the "sticky's" at the top of the forum.

[Mosin Shooter]

The dovetail is normal, as the russians are very lazy people (i kno i am one) so they would cut straight blank stocks with a dovetail in them and then build the lower part separately and slide it in.

Look at my Stock ReFinishing pics you might be able to see them.

[texnmidwest]

Originally Posted by Mosin Shooter

The dovetail is normal, as the russians are very lazy people (i kno i am one) so they would cut straight blank stocks with a dovetail in them and then build the lower part separately and slide it in.

Look at my Stock ReFinishing pics you might be able to see them.

From what I understand it had little to do with ambition and everything to do with conservation of materials and strength of stock like Moose said. Have known a few Russians...they were far from lazy. So, stop BSing us about your work ethic there buddy. JMHO

[marion57]

Originally Posted by Mosin Shooter

The dovetail is normal, as the russians are very lazy people (i kno i am one) so they would cut straight blank stocks with a dovetail in them and then build the lower part separately and slide it in.

Look at my Stock ReFinishing pics you might be able to see them.

I think you need to read up on stocks it was done as a conservation method to produce more stocks not because of lazy LOL

It is more difficult to make a stock and dovetail it than to make a single piece stock

[thaddy1978]

Thanks fellas! Ya know, I had looked up a ton of info before I bought the thing, but really, nothing on the stocks, they all looked the same (with exception of length).

Side Note--I have done a little woodworking here and there, but don't by any means consider myself a sexual intellectual...i.e., a 'freakin' know-it-all, but as I look at the stock, depending on how they cut those things out, it looks as though if they cut-leaving out the bottom piece, they could maybe get another stock butted a little closer, thus saving wood. The bottom piece could just be scrap they fit on, wasting as little as possible. Know what I mean? Looks like those Russians were pretty resourceful and efficient.

[SwedeSteve]

You are correct thaddy. If you lay out 2 stocks, and try to fit them as closely as possible to get 2 stocks out of the smallest possible piece of wood, you will see how doing the toe splice helps.