The Nicest Mosin Sporter I've ever seen.

If you want to modernize a Mosin I would agree its probably best to leave the ones that are in excellent condition alone and work over the junk ones.

The rifle in my pictures has;
1. A new Green Mountain 24" barrel blank, which I turned down and fitted myself
2. A hand made walnut stock.
3. A new bolt handle welded on.
4. A Timney trigger.
5. A pre-war style steel butt plate
6. A steel grip cap.
7. An gaboon ebony forend tip.
8. A barrel band front swivel base and ball-head rear swivel, both made by me
9. Williams front sight and base.
10. A hand made rear sight with 2 blades for 150 and 300 yard zeros
11. a side mount scope and ring set.
12 a Weaver 1.5 to 5 scope.

So as you can see, about all I saved from the old junker was the action and magazine, and the bolt.

Such rifles cannot be made anywhere near as inexpensively as you can buy some new commercial rifles, if the mission statement is simply to get a rifle to hunt with.
 
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> the only suitable calibers are the original and
> wildcats based on that case.

I know of at least four Mosins in .45-70. They'd probably feed wildcats based on that case as well.
 
They can be converted to other calibers. I have seen 45-70s done as well as one 444 Marlin. But the ballistics of the original 7.62X54R are between the 308 and the 30-06, so for an all-around rifle, I can see no reason to change. Conversion to anything is going to require some action and magazine work. So you can change, but I can't understand why you would want to.
Brass and bullets cost the same as 30-06 , dies cost the same, and it uses the same primers and powders. If you don't reload, nothing you convert it to would be any less expensive to shoot, and no more available.

But......... I am the gunsmith and not the customer. I cater to what the customer asks for, so if someone was to want a 45-70 or a 444 I am not one that would have turned it down. I can even hand forge an extractor and bush the bolt face to work with a 22 Hornet or a 222 Remington as a single shot, so there are a lot of possibilities.
But if you want a magazine fed hunting rifle for deer, bear, elk, moose, and fun shooting, I see nothing out there that is as good as the Russian shell to put on a Mosin, let alone better.

Now days I am backing away from more orders for general gunsmithing jobs. I am buried in work, and I have more than I can handle now, so I need to stay on task and get the flintlocks done that are on the book.

But I am always happy to help other gunsmiths and students if I can. Sometimes just giving advice gained over 48 years is more helpful than anything else I can do for them.

A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, so he doesn't have to make them himself.
 
I think Clark did one in .300 mag. I did one in 30-40 once. I have seen others, but the cartridge change was about lack of ammo at the time. Most do not remember the import laws years back and the unavailability of the ammunition. The only game in town was Norma and RWS. A box of either cost more than buying the rifle.
 
I do not like the work they did to the cocking piece. When using the crook of one's elbow to help work the safety, it really isn't that hard to use. Also it looks harder to cock the cocking piece which can be useful in some situations, and the job they did essentially removes the ability to let down the striker with the thumb. They should have just cut the whole thing off.

I like Wyo's rifle much better!
 
They should have just cut the whole thing off.
Click to expand...

How would you propose to hold the firing pin? :confused:

It's very common to "bob" the cocking pieces, usually in conjunction with a Timney trigger which provides the side safety. I've been asked on numerous occasions to offer them modified but won't because of potential liability.

Reduces weight which reduces lock time. Combined with a heavier firing pin spring from Wolff makes a real difference.
 
Make a new, modified safety. What is the difference between that and installing a Timmney trigger, or installing a used part? Either way you will get sued if there is a problem.
 
IMO it's an unusable and therefore unsafe modification IF it is still to serve it's original function as a safety.

It's impossible to grip that nub on the cocking piece and pull back and turn it with over 20 lbs. of resistance reliably (if at all) ...which makes it a rifle without a "usable" safety. No thanks... I've got enough liability on the table already, I don't need to go looking for trouble over a $20 part.
 
^^^ Lol...

Oh, they're out there...Brass Stacker and countless other iterations.

Hideous! :eek:

I have thought about possibly turning it down like the picture, and welding on a "swing" type short lever instead of those unsightly rings, sorta like a Mauser but it could be vertical and still work with a scope because it would be lower. Maybe if I ever have the time.
 
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