Maybe someone here can tell me if this is a crazy idea. I have a Polish M44 Mosin carbine in original military condition that cost me $50.00. It's got the permenantly mounted swing out bayonnet, normal sights, etc. What I was thinking is to cut the barrel back about 5 inches to remove the bayonnet, recrown, etc. I would then mount a scope mount kit and a fiberglass stock. The scope mount and bolt handle kit is $40.00, and the stock is $55.00. I'll probably pay a smith to cut, recrown, add scope mount, and install turned bolt handle. I figure total parts with a cheap scope should be under $200.00. I don't know what normal gunsmith fees would be for the work, but this seems like a fairly cheap way to have an extra deer rifle. Am I crazy?

Big_R,

No, your not crazy, but you might try a slightly different approach.
First, keep in mind that to shorten the barrel of that M44 carbine will give you a muzzel blast that will "really brighten your day". 7.62x54 is a powerfull cartridge and is meant to work in a longer barrel than what you suggest. I'd think about keeping the barrel as long as I could.

Second, if you look around you can probably find a reproduction of the original Soviet mount that won't set you back too much, and it's quick detachable.

Last, I'm not too fond of those screw on bolt handles. It wouldn't be a hard job to extend and bend the bolt handle as the Soviet sniper rifles were done. It would look better also.

I like the Mosin-Nagents and the 7.62x54, it's a combination with lots of history.

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Surely we must all hang together, for separately we will all surely hang.

Yes, you are crazy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing...

The bayonet lug and front sight are on a removable sleeve. It's held in place by two pins and friction. You can remove the sleeve, cut off the bayonet lug, and reinstall without too much trouble. This would negate the need to cut and crown your barrel.

I agree with the earlier comment about the "bolt on" bolt handles. For about the same price, you can get a much nicer looking handle installed (or buy one pre-made) by one of the fellows that specializes in this work. Check the message boards at http://www.gunboards.com , there are at least 2 guys there that do these bolt handles often but their names escape me at the moment.

Good luck!

Out of curiousity I simply cut off the part of the bayonet system which didn't include the collar around the barrel --as I recall, that collar also was the base for the front sight. The result was a simple carbine, much lighter, maybe a bit less steady than the M44.

The carbine-length barrel cuts the power of a service load from roughly that of a .30-06 back to about that of a .30-30. If reloading for this carbine, take the prior post as a suggestion and select faster powders in order to get the most efficiency and least flash.

Some people use the rear sight base to add a mount for a long eye relief 'scope. I prefer iron sights. There's a limit to how much is practical to spruce up these actions, and in my opinion it stops short of adding glass sights, etc.

The 44 is a clunky, slow, crude,nasty, obloete curiosity. The design is poor and the exicution is marginal. Fun to shoot though, I have one and enjoy it. Usually have to pound the bolt open after every shot though. It will never make a sporter.
I would start with a Turk. They are as cheap, and have some potental as a decent sporting rifle. The Nagant will never be a nice rifle. Someone once told me, "You can't polish a road apple". It is a message that applies here.

I have to agree with Scot (and really like his "road apple" expression).

I guess it comes down to whether you want to be practical or just have a "different" project to play with. If it's the latter, then take your M44 and have lots of fun being the first on your block to have such a thing.

Otherwise, there's a bunch of Mauser variants out there that would make into a much better rifle. Plus the selection of stocks,scope mounts, and even reasonably priced aftermarket triggers is much better.
Following hunting season a lot of semi-completed sporter rifles similar to what you are talking about wind up in gunshop racks and can be had pretty cheap too.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I totally missed the pins holding the front sight/bayonnet on. They did a good finishing job on this one. I think I'll go with the suggestion of removing the sight/bayonnet apparatus and removing the bayonnet. That will be a start. Also, I have heard that these rifles were set up to be fired with the bayonnet extended and firing them with it retracted changes the point of aim. If this is the case, would recrowning cure this? I know there is enough adjustment in the iron sights to compensate, but if I do decide to add a scope, I want to make sure there is enough adjustment. Thanks again.

There is already Mosin Sporter made by Arms Moravia in my country. Bolt handle is modified, there is weaver style scoope ramp on it and it is with synthetic Monte carlo style stock, thats all for I think 250U$D or so . . .There are also original iron sights, scoope ramp allow to use them if scoope is not mounted on it . . .

Jiri

Big_R,

I'm no scientist, but that bayonet story sounds like B.S. to me. I'd go ahead and do what you want and then shoot it to ckeck out the story. you can always do something else later.

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Surely we must all hang together, for separately we will all surely hang.

Already been there, done that, but with the Russian Carbine that didn't have the bayonet.Sold it to a young man the went to Colorado with eight of us last year on an elk hunt. It was all he could afford, and guess who the only one in camp was that killed an elk? Yep. And about a 400 yard shot to boot. Not taking him anymore.The screw on bolt handle worked ok. The main thing about it, though, is it will hold the bolt in perfect position for welding.By no means would I make the barrel any shorter. I also did this to a full size rifle, the 91/30(I think), and it worked well also.

[This message has been edited by Bubba John (edited 11-05-2001).]