UN-bubba-ing a 91/30

[Buck Kramer]

A friend of mine got in a tight spot and decided to sell his 1936 Tula 91/30 to me with 200rds of ammo for $150. It also has a BSA pistol scope mounted on the dovetail that is below the rear sight base. I am planning on restoring it to it's former glory by getting a new rear sight base and a new handguard.

My question is, is it possible to replace the rear sight base without silver soldering it? It seems like A LOT of overkill when you consider it already has 2 pins and a dovetail holding it on. I found a complete RSB on ebay and I think I could get it for about 20.

 

[Captain Capsize]

They are pinned on. If you have the rear should be no problem.

 

[Buck Kramer]

They were also silver soldered when they were referbed after the war, I'm just wondering if I have to replace it.

 

[carbine85]

Some are brazed and some just pinned. They shoot a lot better scoped.

 

[TurtlePhish]

They obviously soldered it for a reason, or they wouldn't have wasted the time and manpower to do it when they needed so many rifles so quickly.

I'm sure it'll hold without the solder, but for how long is the real question.

 

[docsleepy]

about a third of the ones i've seen were not soldered, and they were plenty solid. If the pins go in firmly, they are a LOT more solid than the threads you were dpending on with your rings/scope. There is SOME lateral give in the original rear sight! I wouldn't worry about it one bit unless the pins didn't feel solid when you bang them home. Heck, you could put jbweld in there if you are convinced you are never going to want it off again....but I could only get 5-6" groups iron sight; 3" with scope, and 2" or better once recrowned & scoped.

 

[bainter1212]

Some of them, especially the pre-war models, were not pinned at all. They were soldered only. Good luck with your resto job.

 

[YZ]

Mine was pinned only but it was 1946. Seems to me out of character for the Russians to rely on silver soldering anything to a heavy caliber combat rifle. Was it welding you meant?

 

[stan rose]

If you are sure you are never going to remove it again I would suggest pins and acraglas or a high strength loctite. There is a loctite developed for mating cylindrical pieces that requires over 600 degrees F to release. I've used it to attach banded front sights and it works beautifully. Good luck with your project.