I went thru a few years of tinkering hard on Milsurps. I prefer to start with an already "defaced" (I have no issue cutting up pretty much anything, but others really value the original configurations. Thus I prefer to send along those that arnt already molested or are restorable) sporter.... preferably one without TOO many holes in the wrong places.
I just realized ill need to sit at my pc to post relevant pictures and descriptions lol.
I had a 1903 before any of these guns listed but its pictures died with Photobucket. The gun was already nicely sporterized in a bishop stock when I got it, including a professionally installed bolt handle and low throw safety. All I did was have our local smith screw in a new rem 2 grove barrel and drill and tap for a set of vintage scope mounts. Gave that gun to a friend of mine 10 years ago or so.
Gun went thru a few iterations and was one of my first "major" projects. started life as a common 91/30 eventually ended up as the ubiquitous ATI stocked Mosin sporter.
A different and less heavily modified 91-30Mosin, rounds fired were 174SMKs.
Both of those Mosins actually shot SMKs REALLY well. The full sporter job would hold MOA +/-
Next up are the Arisakas
First one I got was a midwar T-99, already wearing a fajen stock. I modified the bolt to turned down and drilled and tapped for a scope mount. also added a thumb stud on the safety so I could use a thumb to get it on and off.
Next was actually THIS thing.....
This one got a lot of work, including sitting at the smith's place for a long while before i got it back.
Stock went away, so did the barrel. bought all the parts to put the bolt back together stripped it and hot blued it, then sent it to shaw for a 6.5-284 barrel and having the action tapped for a savage scope mount.
It had a couple stock changes and got some random add-ons as well as a Timney trigger.
Bought this next one off Gunbroker, but from a local seller. This was already in 6-284, with a fajen stock and bent bolt handle, as well as leupold mounts.
all I really did to that one was install a new extractor, re-profile the bolt handle a bit to give it the lines rather than being a lumpy....lump, and installed a savage centerfeed mag box so it would actually FEED the rounds i wanted to use.
Family picture.
only animal picture I have a picture of that was taken with one of my milsurporters
6.5-284 at a whopping 40+/- yds.