Actually Scott.....I have been pretty interested in your idea and have been watching the thread for updates. Seems like a neat project for my old Nagant. Keep us posted!
I looked over M38 carbine last night. I admit to be rather ignorant of the MN rifles, but did fire off a M39 Finn last weekend, which is what got me thinking of this project. Anyway, the two major issues that I see currently with the conversion are:
1.) Magazine, primarily the cut-off feature. This may drive a bore reduction i.e. the 10.6X52R may become a 9.5X53R.
2.) Creating an ergonomic bolt handle, which is also "stylish". I do use the latter term loosely.
I admit is was difficult to concentrate on the MN, as the Mausers kept calling to me.
I plan on visiting Williams Gunsight soon and looking over their inventory. Stay tuned.
Scott
Posts: 1662 | Location: USA | Registered: 27 November 2003
I doubt it will feed anything but 7.62x54R very well - without a lot of modification anyway. That's one long skinny magazine designed for that cartridge in particular. I have been kicking around a 45-70 conversion for my M44, but the prospect of all those magazine mods has kept it on the back burner. Plus, there is the issue with the goofy safety. I'd want to adjust that as well, if I were investing effort into a custom on the M-N platform. I still haven't figured out a way to get around that one. maxman
Posts: 337 | Location: Minnesota, USA | Registered: 23 December 2002
i love my two sporterized m44s, one polish and one hungarian. turned one into a lightweight single shot with turned down bolt handle welded to rear of the bolt body (idea came from a c.e. harris article in an old nra american rifleman article); notch cut in receiver bridge, making in effect a third safety lug; cocking piece milled to a fare-the-well; simple williams rear sight; remmy front ramp and bead; much slimmed military stock; maybe 6.5 pounds max after all the weight loss. ain't no show piece but it works. i'll probably return it to original five-round use with a mil-surp mag assembly and install an original cocking piece since i ain't got the skills to cobble a different kind of safety. check out this board for MN sporter techniques:http://pub86.ezboard.com/bmilitaryfirearmrestorationcorner the finns re-built mns into all kinds of sporting chamberings for hunting. i figure they must have gotten them to feed, at least through 9mm or so or they wouldn't have messed with it. i think the mag assembly could be re-built and ramp machined to feed larger-caliber rounds based on the 7.62x53r. you could widen the front step of the mag with some judicious cutting and welding. mag assemblies are cheap enough that you could mess with three or four to get it right. hope you do well. these mns may look a bit a bit ungainly but man do they ever work. in an after-market sporter stock, they look right nice, though, with a well-shaped butterknife type bolt handle hugging the stock.
Remember the title of the thread "BUDGET". This is what worries me. I am concerned that I will get "caught up" in the modifications and blow far more money than planned for. I don't know about your gentlemen, but my boss, well she DOESN'T appreciate cost overruns!
I am still shopping around. I really want a hex receiver if I can find one. I think that they look "classier" if that word can truly be applied to a MN. I know that the Finns rework these rifles into 9.3X53R, so I figure that I can get the magazine to work for a 9.5X53R (.375" bullet). However, the 10.6X52R (.416" bullet) is the desired wildcat.
Using Graf brass, the 10.6X52R has a case capacity of 72.1 grains of water (actual weights are at home if anyone is interested I will post them later), which should yield a muzzle velocity with a Beartooth 334gr GC of ~ 2230 fps with a chamber pressure of only ~ 50,000 psi. Not bad ballistics at all. Should may a descent, if not ideal, deer rifle.
Scott
Posts: 1662 | Location: USA | Registered: 27 November 2003
have you measured the width of spaces between the front and second steps of the mag? if that second step has enough room for your intended caliber, i do not see why you could not widen the front step to the same width with some skillful cutting and welding. because of the way the interrupter works on the rear of the cartridge, and because the follower is of a constant width, there should be no problem with feeding that bigger round. there certainly is enough space between the two sides of the bottom of the receiver for such a thing. maybe a finnish company offers an aftermarket mag; certainly an enterprising finn must have published instructions on such conversions at some point. i say go for it. if it were me, though, i'd go for a 375 caliber wildcat.
I think that the MNs are just plain B&%T ugly. I did buy two of them at Big 5 when they were $40 though and they do shoot good. There was a thread on the Wildcat forum awhile back about cheap wildcats on a 45-70 case useing regular reamers for the H&H case magnums. So maybe you could use a .416 rem mag reamer to chamber the barrel? Or rent one for a lower cost. Maybe get an Adams and Bennet barrel blank from Midway for $98. You'd still have to get it threaded, chambered and installed on the action. Midway does have 416 Taylor barrels already threaded and chambered for Mausers though. So the budget would say spend a little bit more on a Surplus Mauser and have a better looking gun and better platform to build from. Ocasionally at a local gunsmith shop, then he has Nice Walnut stocks for Mausers with small blems on them for $60 or so. This would fit in the Budget theme of things also. A casual inspection of the 7.62x54R and the 45-70 showed them to be pretty close, so If you could get the 54R case to feed, then you might be able to get the 416-70 to feed as well and be able to use comonly availible Winchester brass in 45-70. Get a dremel, grinder and cheap wire feed welder and make/ modify your own magazine box to get them to feed?
I know you've been tossed alot of c&%*&P on this forum, but this actually sounds interesting. Build one and post pics of your work in progress.
Posts: 2924 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 23 December 2002
Scott, I'm glad you've finally come to realize you need professional help. I hope the psychiatrist can help you. If you need a little money for the meds, I'm sure AXEL and Judy and Mauser and Todd E and the rest will be glad to chip in.
Posts: 19677 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: 23 May 2002
The case in question is a 7.62X54R necked up to 416 (although I must admit the 375 option is also appealing) with no other modifications. There is a picture of a dummy round in a preceding post. Graf sells 7.62X54R brass and it is cheaper than dirt. The plan is to procure a A&B barrel blank from Midway, a pattern stock (got a line on a nice looking sporter), and lots of sand paper . I will farm out the bluing. Have heard the barrels are tighter than M1917 Enfields, oh boy!!
I will post pics as I go, just for fun. This weekend I hope to look over a few more samples. When I get rolling it shouldn't take too long to get results.
The entire point of this exercise is to try and make a MN rifle look descent. The magazine and bolt handle are the most concerning to me now. I am also still kicking around custom reamer, or do it the cheap way (lots of straight reamers and a 7.62X54R chamber reamer rental).
Scott
Posts: 1662 | Location: USA | Registered: 27 November 2003
Mouser, I haven't read many of your posts but I don't respect any of them because you are the lying clown Scott Sweet playing the endless games for attention.
Posts: 19677 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: 23 May 2002
Pecos45 aka Todd E aka James Smith - a useless POS dumb troll!!!
Quote: Mouser, I haven't read many of your posts but I don't respect any of them because you are the lying clown Scott Sweet playing the endless games for attention.
Posts: 204 | Location: Michigan, USA | Registered: 13 January 2004
George, if you do not do something about his crap, I must agree with Mike that you are the grand master troll and this is your forum the "Troll Center".
Scott
Posts: 1662 | Location: USA | Registered: 27 November 2003
