Yes I know its such a shame to see it when people do these things but. I was looking at 1903 sprgfld 600k serial, had replaced the stock and somehow the rear sight too. How much should you expect to pay for these type of guns and other mil-surp rifles. I'm mostly interested in making them look original but not for resale. For keeps and shooting. thanks in advance. Josh

I don't think its a shame to sporterize a mil-surp rifle.

My Mosin 91/30 cost me $80.00, ATI Stock $50.00, ATI Scope mount $35.00, MOJO sights $35.00 = $200.00 invested in a sporterized rifle. I doubt I would get more than $125.00 for it.

I bought a second bolt to use for the handle conversion because I wanted to keep the serial numbers original when I convert it back to OEM if I want to.

It's kinda fun having a Sporting Rifle that can have a bayonet mounted on the muzzle if I want to.

I can certainly see your point on the nagants. I have an m38 that I may sporterize at some point. I wouldn't do anything permanant. I would saw that Springfield and $225 was the best I could haggle for and I thought it was too much. What about you? josh

I should have added that the only Mil-surps I wouldn't Sporterize would be the collectibles....espescially the ones with a known History. An example would be the US built Mosins, which as I understand, are sought as a collectible, as well as the Sniper versions.

I'm sorry, I don't know that much about the Springfields, I have seen a few at Gunshows and they were selling around the price you have quoted. I have seen Mausers go for $250 - $300 that looked (exterior wise) in worse shape than my Mosin.

I do wish there was some way to track the history of a military firearm. My Mosin was built in 1943 which put it near the end of WWII....was it used in combat?.....did it march towards Berlin?.....Inquiring minds want to know

Sad to say most of the conversions are worth less, often far less, than the origninals. The 1903 and 1903A3 Springfields are a case in point. I have an "As New" 1903A3 Smith Corona that is 100% military AI except it is sitting in a Fajen Sporter stock - I've been searching for the past couple of years for the correct stock and hardware to return it to AI condition, complete. At a collectors show, 1945 and earlier vintage, just this past weekend I was told by a Springfield collector/dealer that I could expect to pay about the same for the stock and hardware as I would pay for the complete rifle - if I could find a set!
And I want to sit down and cry when I think of all the ones I have taken apart for the actions - Mausers, Springfields, I don't know what all. I sure would like to have some of them back, like the complete box of FN '98 Mausers! Ah, well - they sure were nice actions!

Have you looked here at Numrich Arms? scroll down into the NI and there are several different stocks listed.

My MN91/30 is currently back in it's "Military Dress" as I needed the scope for another rifle.

Question:
which is a more fitting answer to what to do with a milsurp rifle:
A. build a beautiful sporting/hunting rifle and use and enjoy it, or

B. take a valuable "One of less than five million made" and stick it in the closet.

If the rifle has provenance and value, keep it as is. Even restoration destroys collector value. If not, make something you will enjoy using.

Example: my great-grandfather and his first cousin thought they were signing up in St Louis in 1898, to go join Teddy and go whip some cubans. They ended up in the Philippines instead. Bought their Krags and brought them home. My GGF bought his cousins and shot the NRA matches with both. The more accurate one he "modified" using the NRA allowed blueprints. He shot until WWII broke out. The other is box stock. Which one has more value?

Rich
DRSS

If both guns were acquired "New" and you are still in possession of them, I would guess the "Box Stock" one would have a higher collector value as it would have a known traceable history behind it while still being OEM.

I was looking at answer "A" for my Mosin since it has no collector value at all (that I know of).

I can see just about everyones point here. I like having shooters, I would like to have some that don't get fired but are kept nice they can mean something to you too. I like 'em all and want 'em all. I've been looking around for parts and you right their expensive. I would like to get some nagant 91/30s and restore them. They are much less expensive. As long as you enjoy them its however you want it. josh

The choices aren't limited to A or B above. Personally, I keep mine original AND take them out to shoot and enjoy. Considering the original intended purpose of these rifles, they're well suited for field use just as they were made.

Yep my M1 Garands go to the range and so do my collection of Swiss rifles and my Lee Enfield. Love shooting those old War Horses the way they were built.

Not every one who keeps their rifle original leaves them collecting dust in a closet. To me at least, and I know this opinion is not original around here, sporterizing a 50,60,70 year or especially older military rifle is just about as bad a scratching your name on the Lincoln Monument. They are pieces of history which are less and less prevalent. Worse even is that few people treat them as historical relics. If you want to go bubba on it, please do not do anything permanent. Think of all the people who would love your rifle in it's original state and would give a whole lot to be it's care taker. It you want a light weight hunting rifle, go get one at Big 5 for 200 bucks. But please don't go sawing up something that a guy trusted his life to back in WWII.

Take a $600 Springfield, then do $600 worth of gunsmithing, and voila, it is as good as any of the sporterized Springfields at the gunshow for $150.

I recently purchased a Yugo 24/47 from Big 5, and had no compunctions about removing the handguard and cutting back the forend. Since these rifles are of such recent production, I don't think they have as much collector value (bottom metal is mismatched anyway) as they do utility as a fine knock-about hunting rifle in an excellent caliber. I plan to add a Lyman 48 or 57 receiver site and swap the front barleycorn for a gold or ivory bead, rasp off some of the military chubbiness in the stock, and call it good.

Maybe it'just an "Oregon" thing, but I'm with Bill/Oregon on this one. I have no compunction whatsoever about modifying ANY military rifle for my own pleasure and use.

I have a Springfield 03-A3 for instance that I bought brand new from DCM in 1963 for $14.50...delivered.

It now has a Presentation-grade French walnut stock, skeleton buttplate and skeleton grip cap, Ruger front sight assembly and barrel band, shotgun trigger guard, custom trigger, blind magazine, and a blue about like the highest grade the old Colt Pythons had. Also has a B&L Balvar 8-B scope in Lyman QD lever mounts, and a Lyman 48 rear receiver sight. It still has the original two groove barrel, but that has been profiled to about featherlight dimensions.

So, it is no longer "original", but I love it anyway. And since they only made about a million and half of those '03 rifles of one configuration or another, well...someone else is gonna have to play the museum curator with his own if he thinks they need to be "saved". I'm gonna use and enjoy mine just the way it is....just as I have for the last 44 years.

BTW, it shoots well under 1" groups with that military 2-groove barrel and is wonderfully light and handy in its new dress. Truly a silk purse out of a sow's ear as far as I am concerned.

quote:

Originally posted by Dm45winmag:

I do wish there was some way to track the history of a military firearm. My Mosin was built in 1943 which put it near the end of WWII....was it used in combat?.....did it march towards Berlin?.....Inquiring minds want to know

Here is a great page for the history of Mosins, covers pretty much all there is to know about them: http://mosinnagant.net/