Refinishing a Mosin
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dh1633pm
Contributing Member
I am not sure there was a standard finish for the Mosin. However I have refinished my M39 about 30 years ago. I used boiled linseed oil. Below are some great articles on refinishing the Nagant. I am sure that others will add some very excellent advice as well. What model do you have? I have a M39 and a Hungarian M44.
https://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-96-refinishing-a-mosin-9130/
https://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-27-great-firearms-the-mosin-nagant/
https://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-60-stripping-a-stock-with-easy-off-oven-cleaner/
https://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-96-refinishing-a-mosin-9130/
https://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-27-great-firearms-the-mosin-nagant/
https://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-60-stripping-a-stock-with-easy-off-oven-cleaner/
Scooter22
Member
The old finish is shellac. Before you go and strip it get a can of spray shellac and give it a coat or two. The new shellac will melt into the existing finish and level out. You can give it more coats if you like the look. If you don't like it you can strip it. Don't use oven cleaner on the stock. It breaks down wood fibers and can leave a greenish tint to the wood. Denatured alky will melt shellac. If you can leave it original that is a plus. Mosins have trippled in value. They ain't 79 bucks anymore.
herrwalther
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I refinished my Mosin as well. Not because it was needed but I wanted to. I used about 4 coats of boiled linseed oil. Thoroughly dried each time by hanging it up in my office between coats. Once it reached that nice sticky level I used ultra fine sandpaper to take off the excess coats. I sealed the oil in with paste wax and sanded partially smooth. I left a little bit of tackiness in the grip portion of the stock for more traction. The new owner really liked it.
kBob
Member
When 91s we still uber cheap I had the urge to do a 1920-30's Bubba's cousin Clem re work of one complete with pocket knife, hack saw and sodering iron. No conversion to .30-06 though! Apparently the house hold round tuit was missing at the time though.
There was a guy a bit ago (couple or four years) around here that was offering a service to add a sling stud to your cocking piece to be used as a peep sight. He worked on it until he had a means of assuring there was no cant in the cocking piece between shots. Looked nice actually.
For no reason other than just wondering.....the old .30-06 coversions were dangerous because they had the chamber recut longer and the higher pressue of the .30-06 then had a go at a thinner bit of barrel......I wonder if a 3mm bit like the US NAVY .308 conversion plug used in M-1 Garands might not work in a Mosin? What with modern adhesives it could be permanent fairly easy. Still a bit of unsuported case at the base though......
Still a 7.62x54 38/44 length sporter, polished up and blued as deep as one can with cold blue, with a ramped front, peep rear, half stock done half way decent would be a neat thing to be able to claim as "yours."
-kBob
There was a guy a bit ago (couple or four years) around here that was offering a service to add a sling stud to your cocking piece to be used as a peep sight. He worked on it until he had a means of assuring there was no cant in the cocking piece between shots. Looked nice actually.
For no reason other than just wondering.....the old .30-06 coversions were dangerous because they had the chamber recut longer and the higher pressue of the .30-06 then had a go at a thinner bit of barrel......I wonder if a 3mm bit like the US NAVY .308 conversion plug used in M-1 Garands might not work in a Mosin? What with modern adhesives it could be permanent fairly easy. Still a bit of unsuported case at the base though......
Still a 7.62x54 38/44 length sporter, polished up and blued as deep as one can with cold blue, with a ramped front, peep rear, half stock done half way decent would be a neat thing to be able to claim as "yours."
-kBob
Sunray
Member
"...Denatured alky will melt shellac..." Lotta stuff will melt shellac. It's not a great thing to put on wood, but Uncle Joe wouldn't spend the money on anything else. BLO will do as a substitute. It's not a great thing either but it's probably easier to find.
Absolutely don't use oven cleaner on the stock. Oven cleaner is caustic and will chemically burn the wood.
"...US NAVY .308 conversion plug..." Didn't work in M1 Rifles either. The insert tended to come out upon extraction with no warning. And a Mosin doesn't have a .308" barrel. They're .311". And uses rimmed cases that are a lot shorter than a .30-06.
Absolutely don't use oven cleaner on the stock. Oven cleaner is caustic and will chemically burn the wood.
"...US NAVY .308 conversion plug..." Didn't work in M1 Rifles either. The insert tended to come out upon extraction with no warning. And a Mosin doesn't have a .308" barrel. They're .311". And uses rimmed cases that are a lot shorter than a .30-06.
kBob
Member
Sunray,
And yet some of the Navy plug guns served decades.....with 1950's adhesives.
Back before the wall came down and the east opened up folks reloaded 7.62x54 with 308 hunting bullets in the old Winchester commercial cases made from the 20's through the early 60's as loaded ammo with a hunting bullet. .308 bullets were listed for loads in some of the older reloading manuals.
Bannerman made quite a few modifications of the M91 to .30-06 as did gunsmiths around the country back when the US made undelivered guns for WWI were sold off as surplus in the 1920's. I certainly understand the concerns about the weakened chamber and there was a fairly recent article in the American Rifleman (or a side bar anyway) about the issue.
I actually tried to find such a modified M91 in military configuration or returnable to such while in high school with the idea of using .30-06 blanks in the unrestricted barrel for JROTC training. I had even gone through some adds in a "Shotgun News" underlining parts I might need to re-mil a sporter and was thrilled that one supplier seemed to have the front sight and bayonet assembly for M44s. One of my teachers (actually the Librarian) had brought her son's 1967 bring back M44 to school and loaned it to me for a couple of weeks and I was enamored of them as a results........imagine a teacher today bringing a military rifle to school and loaning it to a young teen! After cleaning it up I also took it to JROTC class and a history class. The day I gave it back to her she displayed it in the library office window all day.
There is currently a guy that is well known for his little cartridge/chamber adapters that makes something like the M-1 .308 plug for .30-06 rifles to use the M43 series 7.62x39 cartridge from single shot of course. The device is supposedly removable and if removed carefully reusable.
There have been some gonzos that are regulars on You -tube that have fired .30-30 from M91s in a mount and I have wondered if a plug adapter might not be developed for that.......
Just wondering seldom hurts.
-kBob
And yet some of the Navy plug guns served decades.....with 1950's adhesives.
Back before the wall came down and the east opened up folks reloaded 7.62x54 with 308 hunting bullets in the old Winchester commercial cases made from the 20's through the early 60's as loaded ammo with a hunting bullet. .308 bullets were listed for loads in some of the older reloading manuals.
Bannerman made quite a few modifications of the M91 to .30-06 as did gunsmiths around the country back when the US made undelivered guns for WWI were sold off as surplus in the 1920's. I certainly understand the concerns about the weakened chamber and there was a fairly recent article in the American Rifleman (or a side bar anyway) about the issue.
I actually tried to find such a modified M91 in military configuration or returnable to such while in high school with the idea of using .30-06 blanks in the unrestricted barrel for JROTC training. I had even gone through some adds in a "Shotgun News" underlining parts I might need to re-mil a sporter and was thrilled that one supplier seemed to have the front sight and bayonet assembly for M44s. One of my teachers (actually the Librarian) had brought her son's 1967 bring back M44 to school and loaned it to me for a couple of weeks and I was enamored of them as a results........imagine a teacher today bringing a military rifle to school and loaning it to a young teen! After cleaning it up I also took it to JROTC class and a history class. The day I gave it back to her she displayed it in the library office window all day.
There is currently a guy that is well known for his little cartridge/chamber adapters that makes something like the M-1 .308 plug for .30-06 rifles to use the M43 series 7.62x39 cartridge from single shot of course. The device is supposedly removable and if removed carefully reusable.
There have been some gonzos that are regulars on You -tube that have fired .30-30 from M91s in a mount and I have wondered if a plug adapter might not be developed for that.......
Just wondering seldom hurts.
-kBob
kBob
Member
fpgt72,
Ian does great stuff and I love his work even if most is backwards. Just a little joke at his wrong handedness.
Yes something like the rifle in that video is just what I was talking about. I must admit I have often wondered about using those bannerman types with low velocity/pressure/light lead bullet pistol powder powered loads but seeing the tiny amount of steel left where the new chamber extended into the barrel proper area of the M91in the NRA drawings I value my admittedly troll like face too much for possible further rearrangement.
Oh darn I hear the after noon thunder shower approaching I will have to extend my trip inside to cool down and wait until tomorrow to go out in the 95/95 weather to finish mowing...pout, pout (Hee-hee)
Wish Ian still posted around here. Or did so by a name we might recognize.
-kBob
Ian does great stuff and I love his work even if most is backwards. Just a little joke at his wrong handedness.
Yes something like the rifle in that video is just what I was talking about. I must admit I have often wondered about using those bannerman types with low velocity/pressure/light lead bullet pistol powder powered loads but seeing the tiny amount of steel left where the new chamber extended into the barrel proper area of the M91in the NRA drawings I value my admittedly troll like face too much for possible further rearrangement.
Oh darn I hear the after noon thunder shower approaching I will have to extend my trip inside to cool down and wait until tomorrow to go out in the 95/95 weather to finish mowing...pout, pout (Hee-hee)
Wish Ian still posted around here. Or did so by a name we might recognize.
-kBob
Scooter22
Member
Anyone who wants to check the rarity of their Mosin can go here.http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRarity.htm
There are as many Mosin variations as Mausers. Some are run of the mill but many are very uncommon that will fetch a very high price. Check what you have before messing with them. Like I said they ain't 79 bucks or 3 for 100 anymore.
There are as many Mosin variations as Mausers. Some are run of the mill but many are very uncommon that will fetch a very high price. Check what you have before messing with them. Like I said they ain't 79 bucks or 3 for 100 anymore.
bangswitch
Member
I agree with this. Unless the finish is completely gone, or the gun is in obvious poor condition otherwise, I wouldn't touch it. You could do a "non permanent" finish like a good wax, to protect the exposed wood, but stripping and refinishing just wouldn't look right. Luckily, mine has a decent finish, and I don't shoot it much; even if it were in poorer condition, I still wouldn't change it.
Thanks for all the replies. Rifle is a M44, nothing special. Probably try the shellac first, see how it looks. Need to do something as current finish is all flaking off most of the forearm an hand guard. Looks terrible! No oven cleaner that's for sure, maybe citrus strip.
entropy
Member
Zinsser makes a good red shellac that approximates the Mosin shellac.
I hunt with .308 dia. bullets in my Mosins. While not as accurate as my .223 deer loads, they are more than accurate enough for the 'driving' deer that I do. My driving gun would be my AK, but my kid hunts with that.
Scooter22
Member
ID it. There are certain years, makers and variations that will really increase value. A basic M44 is 2-300 bucks now that sold for less than 100, 10 or more years ago. I have a un issued/ shot Polish and Russian 43, 47, 48 models. All bought for less than 100. They weren't special but now worth much more. Don't think Mosins are bottom of the collector barrel.
TrickyDick
Member
Why not use .311" bullets. You just need to switch out your neck expander with a .303 one. You'll get better results. I use 47.3 grains of IMR4320, under a 150gr SP spitzer, @ 2.900 COAL.
I achieved 1.5 MOA with a standard 91/30 at 100 yards. No scope.
You could probably shorten the COAL. I went off a 150gr surplus round, but they're steel core, so actually protrude more into the case. I get a bit of soot around the neck, but nevertheless, it shoots great.
holl
Member
I stripped mine with oven cleaner, did absolutely nothing bad to my wood. Just wash with warm soapy water after. After a thorough dry hit it with 0000 steel wool. I used 10 coats of Formbys tung oil, using 0000 steel wool in between. Beautiful looking gun and I can now clearly see all of the markings in the wood that were filled in by the origional finish.
entropy
Member
Because I get acceptable accuracy with .308's. I had to take the larger expander out of the 7.62x54R die set and put a .308 expander in it to do so. I had a huge amount of .308 150 gr. moly coated bullets bought in bulk from Midway on hand when I loaded my 7.62x54R up the first time, so that's what I used. I am still hunting with them 10 years later. When I run out, maybe I'll buy some Sierra .311's; I ironically often recommend those to beginning Mosin reloaders in another forum, based on a friend's use of them.
I also have loaded up .310 AK bullets over light loads for new Mosin shooters. I start them with a magazine full of the Czech 46 gr. training ammo, then some of the light loads, then Czech Silvertip. If they think they can handle it, or get smart with me, I load up some Czech heavy ball or 203 gr.SP commercial 'hunting' loads ....
And now it's worth absolutely nothing to a collector.
TrickyDick
Member
My Lee die set came with a .308" expander. For some reason, the load data in the Lee manual calls for .308" bullets.
I slugged my barrels and came out .310"-.312" (3 different rifles). So it just seemed logical to use .311" bullets. It just sucks that the options aren't as great as .308".
I slugged my barrels and came out .310"-.312" (3 different rifles). So it just seemed logical to use .311" bullets. It just sucks that the options aren't as great as .308".
holl
Member
"And now it's worth absolutely nothing to a collector."
That only matters to people who sell guns. I paid $100 for this Mosin, and now it's a beautiful gun! I also added a set Mojo microclick ghost ring sights and it's shoots wonderfully. I customize my guns to my liking not a collectors. Sharkman, do to your Mosin what makes you happy!
That only matters to people who sell guns. I paid $100 for this Mosin, and now it's a beautiful gun! I also added a set Mojo microclick ghost ring sights and it's shoots wonderfully. I customize my guns to my liking not a collectors. Sharkman, do to your Mosin what makes you happy!
Steel Horse Rider
Member
I do not buy guns based upon their resale value in some fluctuating market, but rather I buy firearms for their historical value or familial connections so the value attributed by the "collectors" has not been a concern. I think that the rare Mosins have already been scooped up.....
No, In the last six months, a pawn shop that I frequent got a case of converted dragoon rifles--they charged about $300 or so. Might have bought one but got a good deal on a Finn Mosin 1928 model with a Sig barrel that some one tapped the receiver ring for a scope mount.
Very true...it is only worth a penny if you ever sell it....and with the mosin about a billion got made so some are just not ever going to be worth much.
However even the most common model has history, and I think that history should be preserved....some want to toss the baby out with the bath water, fine you bought it you own it....do with it what you want....just in knowing if you ever HAVE to sell it it will be worth far less over one that has not been destroyed.
Perhaps...but you never know....you might just come across an old "type writer" that was worth nothing like this guy.
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/...er_turns_out_to_be_45000_euro_enigma_machine/
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