Bought a Mosin M44 today

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kd7nqb

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So today was the day, I went to Big-5 and picked up a beautiful Mosin M44. I walked in and handled two of them found that one had a MUCH nicer stock than the other. So I told the guy ok I will take this one, he then proceded to get me a different one out of the back room. I looked at it and he told me that I could not have the display model. I asked for a manager the manager said "If the man wants a display model give him the display model". So I got the one that was much nicer looking.

First I found that there is very little cosmoline left on it, I think this might be because it was the display one but I found a few spots of it but not the "slathering" I was expecting. However the oil bottle and sling did have a LOT of cosmo on them, but I can take care of that.

Second, I was a little ticked that they did not have any 54r ammo, but thats fine I am planning on ordering online.

So then I went to buy a .30cal cleaning brush and found that they had a good price on boresnakes, so I got one of those instead.

I cant wait until I get to take this one out the woods.
 
The guys at Big 5 and I are now friends. They let me cherry pick whenever a new batch gets received.
 
Same-o-same-o

Me two.
I've had one on lay-away and picked it up Friday. Took the new guy to the range on Saturday, after I thought I had all the cosmoline out of it. Wrong...

I use a rag with gasoline on it to wipe and wipe the stock. Each time there was a yellow stain. I repeated this for almost 45 minutes, and I'll bet there's still some left in the stock. Next I neutralized the gasoline largely windex with ammonia, but finally hit it with several coats of Pledge. Now the stock is fine.

My barrel has nice crisp rifle grooves, but I ran the same technique with a couple wipes soaked in Gasoline then thorough Hoppes #9 and finally 60 pulls of J&B bore shiner. Then more brush and patches. Lots of black goo came out and I thought I was done.

At the range it didn't like to eject the copper washed surplus Hunkie heavy ball. So Sunday I took a better look. sure enough, in the sunlight, I could see some cosmoline still in the chamber section. It took 30 q tips and a lot of futsing with newspaper on a cleaning lug to get it totally out. Then I polished the chamber with the same J&B paste. This time I spun a wad of patches with a quarter inch drill until after rinsing out the chamber is nice and shiney.

The 44's are fun to shoot. Some of the ammo will cause a nice 6 inch flame to blast out of the muzzle, but my son and I cannot figure out what ammo causes this. The Hunkie stuff didn't do it. Only some of the FMJ heavy ball stuff we purchased at the range, and even then it was only every 4th of 5th round.

Still like my 91/30 for the accuracy, but that's cuz my eyes are old. My son, on the other hand loves the open sights.

KKKKFL
 
The guys at Big 5 and I are now friends. They let me cherry pick whenever a new batch gets received.
Click to expand...
If a gun shop has a lot of surplus rifles do they not usually let you choose? This is not supposed to be a sarcastic question if it sounds like one.
 
I just ordered three from Centerfire--battlefield pickups and not arsenal refinished, but for 50 bucks a pop I'm hoping I can clean 'em up.
 
Being a sporting goods store Big5,USUALLY will let you buy the 'display model' if requested,at least here where I live.Sometimes you get a sales clerk who is 'sandbagging' for a friend or specific customer.The wife and I have bought so many MN and other rifles from Big5 (like a really TactiCool Mossberg 500A),we walk in and if we want to buy another they ask 'this one or one in the box'?

Just got 2 primo M91/30 and M44 (both under $80 each)..stocks in excellent condition with minimal cosmoline,and the bolts 'moved good on them' didnt have that (sometimes) tough slide.Yeah they didnt have 54R rounds but I have a stash of 1000,and will be going to shoot next week.
 
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