I recently bought a MN M91/30 that was originally set-up as a sniper rifle. It was later refurbished and the tapped holed were filled in and ground off. Should I try to restore it to original, or should I sporterize it? It shoots very well using surplus ammo. If I sporterize it what route should I take? (stock, re-chamber, etc.)

I do not understand why anyone would refurbish that gun and fill in the tapped holes.

I just purchased a Mosin Nagant M91/30 Russian 7.62X54R ,year: 1943 .
I was surprised at how well it shot and accuracy was very good.

If I was you, I would not sporterize it.
old guns like these have a higher value to me and many other people for the way they are. to us they loose some value if they are sporterized.

I just traded in a Spring Field 30-06 that was sporterized. the gunsmith told me that the value on the gun was not as much as it would of been if it had not been sporterized.

the only thing I would, would try to restore it to its original state.
I think you have a nice gun there. I think the sniper mosin nagant may be better than the infantry issued mosin nagant.

just my opinion. I really like the one I have. these guns have some good history behind them.

My understanding is that after the war was over many of the sniper rifles were sent back to the factory and converted into infantry rifles.

PS I just opened the safe to look at it and someone has bent the cover on the front site.

PSS I'm looking for a good bolt-action 30-06.

From my limited understanding on Mosins as my interest does not lie with them is that the Russians simply selected rifles that were deemed more accurate at the factory testing before being shipped off to the front. When a rifle was deemed acceptable for "conversion" they had the bolt handles bent and the scopes attached.

However judging by the number of "ex-sniper" Mosins for sale compared to non-sniper versions its led me to believe that the Russians may have been more "lax" in war time production to get more "sniper rifles" out to the troops when it comes to the accuracy required to be acceptable post war and two that the Russians probably ended up with more "sniper rifles" then they knew what to do with so they figured making them into infantry rifles would be good to arm the forces of other nations as they started to use the SKS after the war while the large scale production and issue of the AKM didn't start till 1959.

Dimitri

Mosin Nagant is only Mosin Nagant. If you like only to shoot cheap cartridges, "sportesering" is ok, because the rifle is so clumsy. Shorter barrel and Mc Millan stock, things are much better.

Why would anyone put a $300 mcmillan stock on a $100 gun. Yeah i see the little 94 hondas with crappy paint and 300K miles with $2K wheels and a $500 muffler. Why would you wnat to do that to your gun. That makes no sense. The 91/30 is a good gun like it is id use it shoot it and have fun like it is. no sense in wasting money on add ons that arent going to help you out and also if you ever look to sell most people interested in nagants want a factory origional one.

David

I think I'd leave it as is or if you wanted to add a scope, have it re-drilled and tapped. I've owned three MNs and still have my favorite, a M38. Just my opinion, but I think they are one well built rifle. Sure they're a bit heavy and maybe not as accurate as most modern bolts, but they should last several lifetimes and are more than accurate for their intended purpose. Amazingly the ammo is still widely available and still fairly cheap to shoot.
Here's a photo of my M38 along with two other rifles I built.
Don

I think I'll leave it as is. $100 for bolt, $450 for scope and mount, $150? for gunsmith to mount it and it still would not be a "true" sniper rifle.

damianss wrote:

Why would anyone put a $300 mcmillan stock on a $100 gun. Yeah i see the little 94 hondas with crappy paint and 300K miles with $2K wheels and a $500 muffler. Why would you wnat to do that to your gun. That makes no sense. The 91/30 is a good gun like it is id use it shoot it and have fun like it is. no sense in wasting money on add ons that arent going to help you out and also if you ever look to sell most people interested in nagants want a factory origional one. David

OK. Cheapist way, hacksaw, Dremel and Black& Decker. No mor clumsy rifle.

K.W. wrote:

OK. Cheapist way, hacksaw, Dremel and Black& Decker. No mor clumsy rifle.

Them fighting words! Bubba does get his hands on military rifles and does this but its a shame!

Dimitri

It is a shame that so many of the various military weapons have been chopped up into customized rifles (and I'll be the first to admit that I am as guilty of this as anyone- Mausers, and '03s). Good representative pieces are becoming harder to find and a piece of history goes with them. Anyone wishing to keep them in as close to original condition as possible is to be congratulated.

without making any permanent changes there are stocks available for under 200, but if there was a side mount on it and these holes are filled, I'm not sure you could ruin it at this point and "historical" ones are still very available and cheap even on a limited budget so I say go ahead and have your fun. work it out of your system, so when the next 98 kar comes along you might not make it a .35 whelen.

you might look down the road a piece and see if you can get to where you want to go before you start though.

I double checked yesterday we still have an advanced technology stock for $75