Did somebody say Mosin?

[woodsman]

They all look very nice Neil i think i need some more

[TRX]

I have an absolutely ordinary 1943 91/30, re-arsenaled and with the accessory kit. I also have, in my plastic tubs full of unfinished projects, a Mosin pistol conversion. When complete, it will be a bolt action target pistol similar to a Remington XP-100. Considerable extra work is involved to comply with my local laws, and I needed another receiver along with various parts.

I found a vendor who had "rusty, incomplete Hungarian" Mosin barreled actions for less than the price of the odd parts I needed. Since they were very cheap, I ordered two. I was bitterly disappointed when they arrived. They were 1946 Izhevsk M44 carbines, apparently brand new in perfect condition, with sidefolder bayonets, missing only the wood and stock screws. I just couldn't strip them for parts, so I sat them aside and pretended they weren't there.

Later, a friend sold off all of his guns to handle a financial emergency. Since friends don't let friends have empty gun safes, I gave him one of the M44s. Then I bought a laminated sporter stock and inlet the other into it. Since I passed 50 I've been dragged unwillingly into the age of optical sights. I'm still deciding which way I'm going with that.

By the way, US gun publications often dismissed the 7.62x54R as "obsolete" and ".30-30 class." .30-30 shooters are used to being sneered at, and I never gave the Established Lore much thought until I had cause to look up the ballistics for myself. Just in case anyone else cares, modern Sellier & Bellot 54R throws a slightly heavier bullet faster than NATO spec 7.62x51. Yep, the 54R is a wimp cartridge...