What to do w/ an M44?

[Kestryll]

I recently bought a Mosin Nagant M44 for $39.99, it looks to be a shooter not a collector. No matching numbers or anything special just a $40 M44.

I bought it thinking of modifiying it but now i'm not sure, I guess the history is getting to me.

The mod's I was thinking of are not severe, an ATI stock, remove the rear sight and put on a scout mount and remove the front sight and bayo mount without cutting the barrel. If I do everything right I should be able to restore it to stock condition very easily but if I mess up I can't go back as it were.
This is what I was thinking of but without he bayonet and front sight.

Or like this but with a scout mount scope.

So what do you all think? Modify it of leave it stock?

 

[TechBrute]

Do what you want, just make sure you shoot the thing and report back to us.

 

[illuminatus99]

I went with the monte carlo stock and scope and bent bolt, works great

 

[Greg L]

I was thinking of getting a case of them (complete with shipping crate) pulling the top off of the crate, replacing it with glass and making a coffee table out of it.

(yes, my safe is full )

Greg

 

[OEF_VET]

If you leave the front sight post on, you could put a removeable muzzle brake on your rifle. Look in Shotgun News, I bought one through a SGN ad last year fairly cheap. The M44 has a tremendous recoil, so anything to help relieve it is a good idea.

Frank

 

[firestar]

I have two M44s and some other mil-surplus guns and I can't seem to mess with them too much. If I want a modern bolt action rifle, I would just buy a used Savage or a Remington and it would cost the same as modifiing a Mil-Surplus gun. Appreciate them for what they are, part of history and war and don't cheapen them by trying to make them into something they are not. Remember, as many of them as there seems to be around, they are not making them anymore.

 

[foghornl]

Your rifle, your call.

That being said, my preference is to not mess with the Mil-Surps. You own a piece of history. Buy ammo and enjoy shooting it as is.

I own a Romanian M-44, and other than clean out all the cosmo, and have a gunsmith look it over, it is the same as the day I bought it