Mosin with wood rot

[Cump]

I'm considering trading for a pre-war Mosin Nagant with a lot of ammo. It has an aftermarket wood stock, which I am fine with. The owner says he realized the original stock was rotten (under the metal) after purchase, and it had to be trashed. Apparently it broke when he removed the barrel and action. He also says the bore is perfect and there was no damage to the metal. The pictures look good but they are from a cell phone.

It seems the rifle was exposed to significant moisture in storage to cause the rot he described. Do you think the metal really could have escaped without rust? Obviously, I would check the rifle over before making the deal -- but would rather not waste my time to drive and meet if rust were likely. And I'm not sure I'd be able to catch it all anyway, especially if its refinished.

 

[Jackal]

Well, even wood kept dry can rot after sitting for 70 years.

 

[Sam1911]

Well, even wood kept dry can rot after sitting for 70 years.

It shouldn't. Rot is a fungal issue and fungus needs elevated moisture levels to thrive. Even so-called "dry rot" requires pretty moist conditions. (Near 30% moisture.)

I'd certainly be taking that rifle apart to check the metal before purchasing or completing the trade. But I wouldn't necessarily expect there to be damage to the metal. Trust, but verify.

 

[firesky101]

I had an M44 that had absorbed so much cosmoline that the stock lost most of its structural integrity. Very soft wood that would come off on your fingers during recoil. Perhaps that is what happened to this stock?

 

[YZ]

Cump

The Mosin stock is dispensable. It is the least valuable part of the rifle, unless it bears some rare insignia and you are a collector. It may be seen as a sign from above, it says Cump... Get an original Mosin replacement stock... And when you're done... Post hi res pictures on THR.

If the bore, the receiver, the bolt action, the mag, the trigger pass the inspection, you are gtg with a discount.

Mr Moderator, I don't know about central PA, but westward we call 30% humidity a dry summer day.

 

[Sam1911]

LOL. Yeah, sometimes we do, too. But internal wood moisture content is a somewhat different matter from atmospheric humidity. 30% moisture content in wood is WET.

 

[Cump]

I had an M44 that had absorbed so much cosmoline that the stock lost most of its structural integrity. Very soft wood that would come off on your fingers during recoil. Perhaps that is what happened to this stock?

I'm wondering if cosmo could have something to do with degraded wood, also, assuming the metal is as described. Anyone else have info on that, out of curiosity?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The Type 53 Chinese copies of the M44 are notorious for having horrible stock wood.

 

[stubbicatt]

If it's a 91/30 Aim Surplus had some stocks for sale. I bought 3, used 1, and have 2 left over. They are solid, and look to have never been used. All 3 of mine were early wartime, or late wartime stocks.

FWIW

 

[YZ]

The Mosin is unique in being the only military surplus rifle, in fact a C&R, available in large quantities and in practically new condition. Nobody bothered to warehouse the Springfields and the Enfields just in case the enemy invades. Even so, the preservation of Mosin wood is remarkable, considering 70+ years of underground storage.

The Chinese probably even back then had a knack for cutting corners in manufacturing, leaving the Russian originals as a benchmark of quality.

Not everyone will agree, but I feel kind of sad at the wasted money and effort to create a sporterized Mosin and then resell it. Give it back the native stock I say, and keep it real. A sporter is just another custom rig struggling to keep up with the $350 modern hunting rifles.

 

[greenlion]

AIM Surplus had original Mosin stocks with the metal hardware (3 for 49.99) a while back. Buy all 3, keep the best, sell the other 2 on Ebay for 30 dollars each.

 

[caribou]

Its hard to rot some wood and not the metal that imbedded in it.

The rifles were taken to an arsenal and given a good going over, and the stock too, was inspected and replaced if needed. a [/] mark on the butt stock would reflect that.
Then they were placed into a sealed crate and kept in a storage awaiting WWIII

In humid states/country's, wood can rot in a couple months, and Ive never, ever seen a wet/rotten stock that didn't have wet rusting metal, and below the wood line would be atrocious..

The rifles while in the crate, stored or shipped here have cosmoline to protect the metals and shellac to protect the wood.

The 'rot' most likely occurred after the rifle was outta the crate, after they arrive here in the US.

Same for 'sewer pipe bores', that could have only been "Made in America" by the ignorant, the lazy and the unsuspecting, with corrosive ammo and neglect.
Most will blame someone else, or say "It came outta the cosmo that way" .......and it sure as hell didn't.

Either way, or however it happened, another stock is easily purchased and replaced.

 

[theotherwaldo]

A re-arsenaled rifle that has a stock that was dragged through the sewers of Stalingrad might well have pristine metal and rotten wood.

 

[Vaarok]

It's also possible it was a Finn that had a spliced stock that broke at the splice, perhaps?

 

[caribou]

No, a rifle with wood rot would not very likely have passed through the inspection and refurbishment programs of the Soviet Union. Stock inspection, repair and replacement was a matter of course, and well done at that.

But, of course, the Mosin in question may not even be a Soviet refurrb, and arrived well before 1968, but all of these Mosins were sold here by government's that had them in storage; Spain, Russia, Finland, Ukraine, ect, and were all at least inspected and in 'spec' of what ever country they came from, except the US , and if its a Remington or New Westinghouse, it may have never left our shores.....

In the 1980's and 90 most all of the 'damage" on the Finn Mosins was cracked stocks and stock marring from being banded in stacks of 50 to a pallet and shipped over in Conex containers. We bought them 5 for 100$ landed, wired in bundles of 5, M28's ,91/30's, M-27's, M91 and '24's , all out of the Finn arsenals.

Now its Russian refurrbs in crates that arrive.

Theres been plenty of time, here in the states, to rot the wood on a rifle slatherd in cosmo and have no damage to the metal at all, as the cosmo is doing its job. The stock, however, could have been in a warm humid place for just a couple years and rotted there, but it was not in a rotten state when imported into this country

 

[Cump]

Well, I won't be able to report on the actual condition of the metal for a while, if at all. The owner listed it yesterday and we both agreed to the trade, pending examination of the guns, but then he went out of town ... Said he he is committed to the trade, but who knows. I won't hold my breath.