Hello everyone! My name is Michael and I'm now officially addicted to Mosin Nagants.
I picked up my first Mosin at the last gun show here in Portland. $100 with all the usual stuff. It's a '31 Izzy, good lookin bore with hex receiver. It started pouring rain here and we just picked up a new puppy, so I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. I decided to go through and clean it up good and at the same time, bastardize it a tad (not really, but some of you may think so from reading past threads lol). The only thing I'm doing to it other than adding a scope is staining (dying) the stock black. I prepped the stock with steel wool so I retained all the markings (they sure are cool!) I used Transtint, and so far it's looking great (pics once it's all done, almost ready for sealer). The next one I buy will remain as I purchased it.
This is my first mil surplus gun, and I must say it's really cool to hold it and feel the depression in the wood from whoever's thumb when they looked down the sights and fired it so long ago...Crazy to think about what any one of these rifles potentially went through...
Here's pics of it before I started going to town on the stock. I took it all apart before I took pics, so the bolt and receiver are just kinda sitting in the stock...
Welcome to the sickness, I just got my first one about a week ago so I know how you're feeling. The guys here a great sources for info and they usually wont get on you too much for doing anything to your rifle. It is your rifle after all, isn't it? So it is your decision to do to it what you may. The only time they will blast you is if you are going to truly bubba-ize a more rare version or totally destroy your current piece. Be sure to post some pics and let us know your range report. Good luck.
Nice looking Ukrainian refurb. I won't castrate you for staining the stock (BLACK, of all stains! ) BUT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A POST WAR STOCK! If this was a Pre-War stock more correct to the rifle, I might have had to make a trip to Portland.
That is a beautiful, very good condition stock though. Is there any way I could convince you to save it, and find a junker stock to stain? You may be sorry when you need an original beautiful stock, otherwise.
And in agreement with the first reply, Welcome to the Sickness.
Edit - And please don't drill and tap that receiver... Please... Get a '43 Izzy or something more common if you MUST have a drilled and tapped receiver. Scout Scope this one, if you have to have a scope on it. Please?
Last edited by Whootsinator; 10-22-2009 at 08:34 PM.
Thanks for the info on what kind of stock it is...Sadly it's already stained, but good to know it's a post-war stock. If you were to have said it was the correct stock for the gun, I would have been very sad!
I would NEVER think about drilling into the receiver. I have a PM into jmeck right now to see if I can pickup one of his mounts...
Where the sling goes, the sling slot, look at the metal pieces. These are called escutcheons. If they are screwed in, it's pre-war. Stamped in, post-war. If the rear sling sling slot has no escutcheon, but the front has a metal liner, it's a wartime stock.
Last edited by Whootsinator; 10-22-2009 at 08:48 PM.
welcome to the madness!
i certainly don't like the idea of staining that stock black, but it is yours to do what you want with. hope it turns out awesome and makes me change my mind!
why are we so sure it's a post-war stock? pressed sling escutcheons first appered in 1943.
__________________ Badges? We got no badges! i aint gotta show you no stinking badges!
I'll definitely get some pics up so y'all can see it. I'm walking the fine line of keeping the grain visible but not turning it into a dark purple looking crapfest.
I was actually poking around ebay for another used stock, to refinish up to look original and new. Knowing about the esutcheons now will help me get the right stock.
Nice looking Ukrainian refurb. I won't castrate you for staining the stock (BLACK, of all stains! ) BUT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A POST WAR STOCK! If this was a Pre-War stock more correct to the rifle, I might have had to make a trip to Portland.
That is a beautiful, very good condition stock though. Is there any way I could convince you to save it, and find a junker stock to stain? You may be sorry when you need an original beautiful stock, otherwise.
And in agreement with the first reply, Welcome to the Sickness.
Edit - And please don't drill and tap that receiver... Please... Get a '43 Izzy or something more common if you MUST have a drilled and tapped receiver. Scout Scope this one, if you have to have a scope on it. Please?
+1 here. Definitely find one of those as they are the most produced 91/30. But, it is your rifle and you can do what you want. Doesn't sound like you're doing anything really bad. I've certainly heard of, and unfortunately seen much much worse. Hacksaws and crappy spray paint jobs aren't a good combo.
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Mosin Nagant evangelist on a mission to convert YOU!
) BUT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A POST WAR STOCK! If this was a Pre-War stock more correct to the rifle, I might have had to make a trip to Portland.
