Mosin Mods

[CZ 42]

I've got a M44 carbine, and I'd like to make it more useful and fun. Apart from the usual accurizing, refinishing, (scout) scope-mounting and cleaning-up, I'd like to try some less traditional changes. There was a picture posted somewhere here of a SBR mosin with AR furniture and an Aimpoint, and that's more the direction I wanna go. I already know that lopping off the barrel to 16", crowning, and muzzle-braking aren't problems, because my dad works in a machine shop. So let's hear some opinions, keeping in mind all the tools I've got access to:
1. Folding stock- is there a safe way to just saw off the original and hinge it?
2. Pistol grip- could it be bolted on like an AK grip, and right behind the trigger?
3. Can I saw off the forearm wood?
4. Who wants to test fire it?

 

[Wedge]

I sensed a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of crufflers cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced...

If you're going to hack apart a M44, at least start with one that needs to be recrowned and has a stock that is in VERY rough shape.

Other than the scout scope, and "maybe" the barrel (if it actually needed to be recrowned), none of the other modifications do anything useful and in fact I think would reduce the utility of the rifle.

 

[Joe Demko]

Your gun, do as you wish with it. When you are done, though, the chances are that you will have turned a useable old carbine into a worthless POS.
If you really must make a joke gun that is punishing to shoot, why not start with a handi-rifle in .45-70? Then you'll be butchering a gun that is still in production.

 

[esmith]

Some people might want you to use an already poor shape mosin, but really, i don't care what you do. It's your gun, you paid for it, do what you want. Theres only been millions made of em.

I actually think that what that one guy on here did to his mosin was pretty cool, if you go through with this, the only thing i'd want you to do is show from start to finish, everything you do to the gun.

 

[coyotehitman]

I believe the M44's are designed to be fired with the bayonet extended and the sights are calibrated accordingly. You might use a 91/30 instead. Seems like you would be spending alot of time and money on an essentially worthless gun, though. I saw a 91/30 used as a patrol rifle that was shortened, scoped, and placed into an ATI stock. It didn't look too bad and if I felt like chopping one, this is what I would consider doing. I also saw a custom rifle based on the 91/30 action used in a sniper competition on tv. It was a strange looking gun to say the least.

 

[AmishFury]

even talking about doing this gets a nice BUBBA stamp on my mental image of you

IF there is no stopping this madness DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES chop any of the following M44s

1943
Tula
1946
1947
1948
"hex" receiver
laminate stock
non refurb
east german marked (1 in a triangle)
finnish marked (SA in a box)
non-russian manufacture

in other words an import marked 1944 or 1945 Izhevsk refurb with regular hardwood stock

i still advise against creating such an abomination

 

[35 Whelen]

Your gun, do as you wish with it. When you are done, though, the chances are that you will have turned a useable old carbine into a worthless POS.
<snip>

LOL How ironic...I thought he was trying to turn a worthless old POS into a useable carbine... I own an M-44 and in it's military guise, it's about as impractical and unuseable as any rifle I've ever owned. Enter Dr. Bubba.

CZ42, I bought an old rusty M44 with the intent of making it something practical. I started working on it last winter, but when the days get longer and warmer, I leave the depths of my shop and spend most of my time outside. As soon as it cools off and starts getting dark earlier, I'll finish the rifle. Here are some of the things I've done and plan to do:

1: the trigger job: 2¢, No Creep, Adjustable Mosin Trigger

2: I carefully filed down the right side of the reciever behind the bolt until that portion of the reciever was the same height front to back. I got this idea from pictures I saw of a Mosin super-duper target rifle that had been modified by the Finn's in such a manner.

3: I cut off the bolt handle and made a butterknife type handle to take its place.

4: I will be mounting a receiver type aperture sight on this rifle. Steps 2 & 3 will allow the bolt handle to slide under the sight when the bolt is worked.

5: I took the original front sight base, off, hacksawed off the ears, ground off the sight base, then turned it in my lathe until I could slip on a sight either off a 1903A3 Spingfield or off a Finnish M39. Either is a VAST improvement over the original Mosin sight, plus you can adjust your front sight so that your rear sight can be high enough to allow th bolt handle to clear.

6: Went to eBay and bought a Scout type scope mount that takes the place of the original rear sight leaf. Also purchased a handgun EER scope for the Scout mount.

When finished, I'll have a rifle that will be practical; a rifle that I can use day to day. When I do get back to work on it, I'll be writing an article complete with pictures, detailing all the modifications. Much like the sticky I did on the 2¢ trigger, only much more detail.

Sorry, can't help you with the tacticool stuff...I'm sort of a traditional guy

35W

 

[Vaarok]

Go buy a $50 Omega Weapons Systems T-53 and have fun.

 

[jrfoxx]

LOL How ironic...I thought he was trying to turn a worthless old POS into a useable carbine... I own an M-44 and in it's military guise, it's about as impractical and unuseable as any rifle I've ever owned. Enter Dr. Bubba.

Keep in mind, the things you did were to impove the sights, bolt, etcfor accuracy, which obviously IS an imrovement. However, the OP is talking about doing none of that other than a scope, and adding a folding stock, shortening the barell, and bolting on an AK pistol grip, none of which are really imporvements to the usefullness, utility, or accuracy of the gun.Thats why some were giving him a little flak for bubba-izing, whereas what you did was simply accurizing. Big difference.

Either way, everyone is free to do as they please with thier guns and thier money, so have a ball.I just dont think what the OP plans on doing is going to make the gun shoot better, handle better, be more accurate, more useful, or make him/her like it any more, IMHO.

I think the OP would be WAY happier with the rifle in the end by doing things like you did, as opposed to trying to turn a M44 into a tacticool, EBR looking thing.

 

[Floppy_D]

what's wrong with 46's?

 

[AmishFury]

considering production numbers for 44 and 45 where in the millions (each year) while 46-48 were all under 200,000 rifles each year

 

[Drgong]

My M44 is Hungarian..but sadly I could not save it before bubba got ahold of it...

 

[KC0QGL]

44 and 45 where in the millions (each year) while 46-48 were all under 200,000 rifles each year

My M44 is a 1944 and my wifes M44 is a 1946. The bolt on mine works a little better. Her bolt jams every 3-5 rounds. Mine only jams every 25-30 rounds. Both M44s are Russian.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

I hear adding a cupholder is nice. Look at RONE's thread.

 

[spyder1911]

Go buy a $50 Omega Weapons Systems T-53 and have fun.

Do they still have the T53? I looked on their website and couldnt find it.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

I. Would. Never. Do. That. To. A. Mosin. Ever.

 

[Mp7]

...

plz document all tuning steps!

(my personal project of building a ak-underfolder
patriot pistol has been on hold so far.)

(Anyone know where i can get the mounting part
for the underfolder, that goes on the gun - plz pm)

 

[Cosmoline]

I thought he was trying to turn a worthless old POS into a useable carbine... I own an M-44 and in it's military guise, it's about as impractical and unuseable as any rifle I've ever owned.

This sort of attitude really boggles my mind. If you view it as a worthless POS, please sell it off and get something you really want. You'll spend more on the mods than a new fully Americanized and modernized rifle would cost.

 

[buttrap]

If you are wanting to mod a 44 best idea is take the stock off and get a maul if you need a really really short fence post or a tent peg. They do just fine as is and most mods on the things just make a tent peg out of a good beater gun is all.

 

[35 Whelen]

This sort of attitude really boggles my mind. If you view it as a worthless POS, please sell it off and get something you really want. You'll spend more on the mods than a new fully Americanized and modernized rifle would cost.

That rifle is what I really want. I have plenty of modern hunting rifles. You see, I don't follow the typical run to the gunshop and buy a new gadget mentality. I get infinitely more satisfaction out of taking something that has no practical use, and turning it into something useful.

Lest ye think I turn military rifles into hideous pieces of garbage, here's the results from the first time I decided to do this:

Before:


After:


The Mauser above cost $140.

I paid $50 for the Mosin, so when finished with, I'll have less than $100 in it.

MP7, I will document each and every step.

35W

 

[NCsmitty]

If you indeed cut the barrel back to 16", you need to carry a small fire extinguisher for shooting in dry areas.

Ncsmitty

 

[Jason M]

I am in the process of refinishing my 91/30's stock, but that is it. No hacking things apart for me.

 

[Wedge]

35 Whelen. That rifle looks nice, handy and useful. Your plans for the M44 also will make the rifle much more useful. I will be looking forward to your M44 scout rifle setup.

However, in the OP's case, making a wooden hinged folding stock, pistol grip and hacking off most of the forend on a M44 would destroy any utility.

 

[RonE]

I used the modification recommended by 35 Whelen and not only did it work as he said it would, it was perhaps the best modification I made to my snipper rifle. Snipper Rifle: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=369278

I encourage you to go foreward with your plans, if things don't work out, you haven't lost much. Don't worry about destroying part of history, should you destroy something, everything left will have more value (you will be doing a favor for people that care about such things).

 

[CZ 42]

Alright - for all you Mosin 'collectors' out there you should know mine is your run-of-the-mill, inaccurate, heavy, folding-bayonet equipped POS. I love to shoot it, I just don't like seeing the target afterwards. Why do people get flamed so much for talking about having fun with a -$100 rifle? I mean, this is basically THE gun to experiment with. It's the perfect starting platform. You don't feel bad about chopping it up, because the things were damn near just thrown together in Russia. The ammo is cheap, the gun isn't historically important- I mean, I paid $125 at a garage sale for it! Quit being so condescending! Now just tell me, what's wrong with the folding stock idea? Wouldn't it be cool, using the original wood (refinished, of course. looks horrible now) and extending LOP a bit? I'm thinking of a simplified Arsenal type folder. And as far as the grip goes, I wouldn't be bolting on an AK grip. It would be home, or shop-made, and molded to fit my hand. If this is done the way I want, it would be very subtle. The stock would be refinished, and tastefully shortened- is it wrong to hate the full wood barrel shroud thing? I guess I really just want to know, will the gun be safe to fire with the changes to the stock? I'm doing things to this rifle no matter what. Leaving it as it is seems wasteful and lazy to me.