*UPDATE 9/30 ON PAGE 3* $5 Moist Nugget... to bubba, or not to bubba?

[Frizzle Fry]

Snagged a Mosin Nagant 91/30 for $5 - did my due diligence and it is absolutely not a special/valuable model in any way, shape or form. Not my first Mosin (and probably not my last) but definitely the ugliest I've owned. Having spent a few hours getting rid of rust, dust and cosmoline, checking the bore and test firing, I've discovered that there was in fact a functional rifle in there somewhere.


The bad:
-A previous owner didn't clean up after shooting corrosive ammunition
-The stock was bad, someone shellac'ed it poorly, then wore it out more
-Barrel may have been used as a pry bar at some point
-Receiver may have been used as a hammer at some point

The good:
-100% complete rifle (ugly as sin, but all there)
-Shoots reasonably well considering its condition
-Bore isn't FUBAR despite the corrosive ammo stupidity
-It cost a measly $5 and a few hours of my time


Now the big question... Do I "bubba" it? Just looking at it, I've got terrible redneck plans.


So I could just leave it as is, cleaned up some and functional - a beater Mosin to toss around.

Or I could get to work cleaning it up more, have another bone stock M91/30 in decent shape.

Last year I did the Wasteland Challenge with a CBC 12ga that cost like $40 and had a lot of fun doing terrible things to it - it was so cheap and undesirable, I didn't feel the least bit bad about it. That was a lot of chopping and welding, and I took third place. Total bubba job, and a hell of a lot of fun. That's what I'm leaning towards; Mad Max inspired chop-job Mosin carbine, likely with an absurd homebrew muzzle device.

The other option is to go with one of the many tactical stocks, magazine extensions or conversion kits, and whatever other tacticool crap I can toss on there. Apparently there are AICS chassis clones, and other weird modern look-alike stocks that let you own something that looks vaguely like the guns in the over-the-top action movies. Could easily toss as many Chinese airsoft-only accessories on there as my heart desires, too. This is also a totally valid option - not my style, but potentially fun.

 

[Mountain]

Yeah, Mad Max carbine. If I found a $5 Mosin, I'd chop it for sure. Obrez maybe...

 

[FancyGunz]

No point in restoring it. Mad Max! Then, post pics.

 

[413guy]

for 5 bucks, chop her up to your liking and have fun. like you said you've got other plane jane mosins, how many mad max apocalypse carbines do you have?



post pics cause the direction your leaning sounds cool

 

[kevin9]

Turn that puppy into a Cuisinart.

 

[UNSUB]

Do it! Do it now!

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[PATRON]

MAD MAX it all to hell.

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Seems like the votes are firmly in the "Mad Max" category, which was the direction I really want to go anyway. Let's see how this goes.

I considered the Obrez route (picturing something like the Enfield the Jawas carried in Star Wars) - frankly a $200 Form 1 doesn't sound so bad on a $5 rifle that should have been at least $200 on its own, but I'd rather be a cheapass and put that money into whatever parts I end up needing. At this point I'm thinking if it goes Mad Max, I'll pin/weld whatever the ridiculous muzzle device is so that it becomes "part of the barrel" - that should buy me some looks/length and keep the correct OAL.

 

[Al-Jim19]

Cut the barrel to 16" and the stock as far as you can to get it to 26" in oal. Probably would be a cool flame thrower.

 

[Lowbird]

Slap Chop the shite outta it and have fun.

 

[Fixxah]

Any before pics?

 

[The Usual Suspect]

Chop it.

 

[drumenigma]

Any before pics?

I second this. I am curious what a $5 mosin looks like.

 

[MisterHappy]

EVERY SURPLUS RIFLE WITH BOLT ACTION IS CHEAP SOME TIME IN HISTORY. MOSIN NAGANT RIFLE IS MOST NUMEROUS OF ALL INFANTRY RIFLE. IT IS RIFLE THAT WINS OCTOBER REVOLUTION. IT IS RIFLE THAT CARRIES INFANTRY OF ALLIED FORCES IN EUROPE THROUGH GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR. MOSIN NAGANT RIFLE SERVES FOR MORE THAN CENTURY, OLD STOLEN RUSSIAN RECEIVER IS STILL USE BY SNIPER OF FINNISH ARMY.

YOU CAN BE HAPPY WITH 40,000 ROUBLE RIFLE WITH NO HISTORY AND PLASTIC STOCK WHO KILLS PAPER TARGET AND DEER WITH NO WEAPON OR FIGHTING HEART.

I CAN BE HAPPY WITH 2,000 ROUBLE RIFLE THAT IS ARTIFACT OF MILITARY HISTORY AND KILLS TSARIST AND NAZI ALIKE.

JOY OF HAVING MOSIN NAGANT RIFLE IS JOY THAT MONEY CANNOT AFFORD.

Source:

http://m1-garand-rifle.com/ivan-chesnokov.php

 

[Frizzle Fry]

I've always wanted to try to accurize a MN with a synthetic stock, trigger work. possibly a new barrel and scope.......not tacticool but tactful

The ballistics on 7.62x54R are conducive to being a good longer range shooter......if you have good loads and an ok gun to shoot it from.

I won't lie, I'm kind of impressed by the features of the ProMag stock/magazine kit - 10rd box mags, adjustable cheek and buttpads, and what looks like a very comfortable stock overall. It's not my style but I feel like this thing would be a serious shooter if done right. I never realized there were so many decent trigger options; all I've ever done is the return spring on mine. Frankly, it wouldn't cost much for a decent, practical/tactical setup. With the stuff I have onhand, I don't think that'd be more than a $200 investment all said (I have optics, rails, bipods, etc).

Spotted this in my google wanderings:



As far as the wasteland route goes (which seems like the winner at this point), I'm figuring cut to 12-14" then pin/weld a large, ugly muzzle device to get to 16.5"+ barrel and as close to 26.5" OAL. In my mind I'm picturing a scout rifle - carve the stock down a good bit 90% for looks and 10% for ergonomics, slap some rings where the tangent sight is now OR re-purpose an M1A mount (for looks; jury rigged), make myself a heavy and block-y muzzle device, fab an oversized bolt handle, and wrap liberally in leather/grip tape wherever it looks like it's necessary or not necessary.

Whatever happens there will DEFINITELY be before and after pictures.

I CAN BE HAPPY WITH 2,000 ROUBLE RIFLE THAT IS ARTIFACT OF MILITARY HISTORY AND KILLS TSARIST AND NAZI ALIKE.

JOY OF HAVING MOSIN NAGANT RIFLE IS JOY THAT MONEY CANNOT AFFORD.

Love it! Apparently I have a 300 rouble rifle right now, I guess I've got $28 USD left in the budget for this build.

 

[spcantwell]

I'll give you $100
That is basically exactly what I've been looking for for years. I want to build an obrez so bad...

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[Tyke]

You had me at moist nugget.

 

[Glockster30]

By your description of the rifle, I think you overpaid at $5.

 

[Frizzle Fry]

OK so the $5 Nugget is cleaned up as it's going to get (except for bolt polishing, and some cold bluing after cuts/welds/filing).

The sad fact is, after some further cleaning of the bore, and further test firing, it just doesn't shoot as well as an unmolested 91/30. It really can't keep up with its brothers at the range, and based on that I'm not going to make it into a modern tactical sniper or anything of that sort. It will gain a little accuracy chopping the barrel down, and as is it's not bad, it's just not good. I don't have a bore scope in this state unfortunately so I can't show it off, but it's not great. Always clean after corrosive!

Here are some "before" pics (after a good scrubbin')...



This big rectangle might be an armory fix, or might be bubba'd. It is a little loose in the back and makes the most interesting vibration noise when fired. Much lighter/softer wood than the rest of the stock, for sure.



This is definitely an armory fix - a much better match, better job. As you can see, the bolt needs some time with the machines to get it back to a mirror finish.



Here's a bit of the barrel that was definitely used as a lever/prybar at some point, and a shot of the receiver (excuse the tape, it's just for the trigger pin).



The only thing I'm second guessing here is that the numbers all match, which is nifty. It's almost a shame to chop it, but it's a round receiver Tula from 1943 and clearly the guys who made it didn't whole-ass this job.

Was sketching out to a friend what I'd like to do... here:



Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Pleas to not start cutting?

 

[Al-Jim19]

Some sort of barrel shroud? Like a heat shield on a shotgun

 

[amm5061]

Definately needs one of those scary "thingy's that go up"

Needs a bayonet and grenade launcher as well!

 

[knoxy]

Chop it! I just chopped, faced, and crowned a beater sks by hand. It was quite satisfying.

 

[mclina]

Your sketch reminded me of this:



I chopped a Mosin a couple of years back that turned out to be one of my favorite guns.

 

[Frizzle Fry]

*UPDATE 9/30 ON PAGE 3*

Bubba-ing in progress!

So far we've got a long eye relief 2x magnification scope on a cantilever mount, attached directly to the barrel. AK-style underfolder stock with AK pistol grip on a polish stock assembly installed. Barrel has been chopped/crowned at 13", threaded, and an MFI G36 flash hider pinned and welded for an overall length of 17". Trigger and action filed down for a more glass-like break, and return spring installed. Howling Raven 10rd magazine extension and spring installed and functional.



Special thanks to David Hilf @ Saxonville Armory for the flash hider job!
As usual, his work is top notch. Incredibly neat weld; you almost can't see it.

Next up - install forward sling swivel stud, mount Harris-style bipod, get to work on bent bolt, and do SOMETHING about the safety!

 

[thormx538]

This is awesome, hahaha

 

[Frizzle Fry]

This is awesome, hahaha

Thanks!

 

[mclina]

Now there's something you don't see every day. Very cool.