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Need a little input, refinishing project

Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
edited August 2002 in General Discussion
I bought an M-44 Soviet carbine a few months back and was wondering-

Is it going to ruin this piece if I strip the wood and re-stain and re-finish it? What about using some Brownell's glass and bedding the stock from the reciver to the barrel? What about bobbing the stock at the point where the first barrel band is??

If I strip the bluing off and re-do it, should I just go ahead and sporterize it? By sporterize I mean to grind off the bayonet mount and "bob" the stock at the 1st barrel band.

Is it possible to turn the bolt down with cutting it off? Can it be heated and bent downwards??

What would be the best way to re-polish the bolt assembly, there are several blemishes I'd like to remove.

The rifle has an excellent bore, no dark spots, sharp lands and grooves, it holds a decent pattern. The wood is very dark and stained with cosmoline, but is has no repairs, dents or dings, the only mis-matched serial number on the piece is the butt-plate, which has the original number "lined" out and has been re-stamped to match the reciever, bolt, and baseplate of the magazine.

On the 1945r stamped reciever it has the hammer and sickle crest, a circle "Y", a circle "C", a triangle with a rectangle and an inverted heart above it and a triangle with an ordinance bomb in it. The problem I can see is that there is an import stamp "InterOrdinance, Monroe NC...ect"

The bolt also has several stamps, beside the serial number, as well as the barrel near the bayonet mount, and the magazine housing underneath.


Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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Comments

  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    That's a lot of issues. I'll only address the stock. Staining goes into the wood some distance, but you won't know how far until you start sanding. I was able to take a very stained, marked up, initial-carved wood stock from a Blue Sky M-1 carbine and hand sand it (I emphasize HAND sand) down to what looked like new wood in an evening or so of work. Rather than laminate it, I simply used a good wood oil to give the old wood a drink. The darn thing looked so good after that that I stopped. It looks and feels a good today as it did the day I did the restoration. Everyone should hand sand a wood stock at least once in their lives. It's a great feeling of accomplishment when it comes out looking so nice. I took the gun back to the shop where I bought it and showed the gun to the young man behind the counter. He was amazed, called friends over to see it, etc. Somebody exclaimed, "I can hardly wait to get MINE done!"



    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • TOOLS1TOOLS1 Member Posts: 6,133
    edited November -1
    Matt
    I used to have a site bookmarked but lost it when my last computer died. It was Guns of the golden lokie. He went step by step through a project like you are talking about. He turned one into a realy neat guide rifel.
    There are so many M-44 around that I dont think I would worry about it hurting the value.
    The lokie started by cutting the barrel off right behind the bayonet mount. Then he cut 1 inch off of the stock and added a butt pad. The bolt can be bent down by wraping it with wet rags. Then heating it with a torch. Just dont bend it to far. Then he added a scope mount and a red dot scope. On the site he also went into detail about how to improve the triger.
    Good luck TOOLS
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    Thanks so far guys, I've tracked down a Nagant forum on "another site", (yes! They do exist Admin!)But I would like for some more input from the folks here-

    Matt

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • TOOLS1TOOLS1 Member Posts: 6,133
    edited November -1
    What more would you like to know? can you ask a more specific question?
    Why dont you post that site so everone can check it out?
    TOOLS
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    Tools-

    Sorry!

    http://pub109.ezboard.com/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm25

    As far as my other questions, I think I might know the answers but would like to hear them anyhow-

    Am I going to ruin this rifle if I modify it?
    Is it worth it?
    I need some more info on turning the bolt, I've never done that!

    I'd also love for any other input or advice that anyone is willing to lend......

    Matt

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • TOOLS1TOOLS1 Member Posts: 6,133
    edited November -1
    Unless your rifel is Russian unissued or Finnish dont worry about it. You can get M-44 for firty bucks all day long.
    To bend the bolt just put it in a vice with soft jaws. Then wrap it with rags and pour watter on them. Heat the bolt handle about a third of the way out and bend down buy sticking a pipe over it and slowly bending down.
    I used to check out the site you posted a long time ago. It was pretty lame then. But looks better now. That is where I had came across the Guns of the Golden Lokie site link. It was posted it a fourem on sporterizeing.
    Also if you cut the barrel down cut right behind the bayonet mount. You can do this with a hack saw. Then take a tapered grinding stone and use a drill to camfer the end of the barrel.
    Thay do make neat Guide or Scout type rifels.
    Good Luck TOOLS
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    Tools-

    Thanks for the info on turning the bolt, I assume that a propane "Benz-o-matic" torch is plenty enough fire for the task?

    My rifle is in pretty much the same if not better condition as the 1945 version shown here:
    http://www.russian-mosin-nagant.com/M44%20Comparison.htm

    Again the biggest problem (Is this a problem?) is the Import marks that are digitally (Dot Matrix?) stamped on the reciever,
    "Inter Ordinance, Monroe NC"
    "M-44 RUSSIA: 7.62 X 54"
    and the serial number.

    I don't know for sure if this rifle is un-issued or an aresenal rebuild, but, it's in really good shape, mirror bore, very distinct lands and grooves. I haven't "slugged" the Bbl yet, but I think it will be pretty close to .311.

    Matt

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • TOOLS1TOOLS1 Member Posts: 6,133
    edited November -1
    The propane torch wont get hot enough. You will need to use an Oxagen and Accetelyn torch.
    The import stamps don't increas the value of a gun. If anything thay take away from it. What dose make it valueble is where in was manufactured, And when. Or if it has a laminated stock. Some of the russian made ones had them.
    If you want to collect milatery guns for value the british Enfields are a good way to get started. But the US milatery wepons are all wort collecting. Since the US has never wanted to sell its weapons to citizens. There are not a lot of thease out there. Hope this helps you out.
    TOOLS
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