Sunday Musings part: dunno

One thing that I really like about being a "jack of all trades,," (besides being self-sufficient) is being able to adapt an object and personalize it. Making something from scratch or modifying something for better performance (or just ease of use for your particular needs) is very self satisfying to me.

I have been looking at a bolt modification to the Mosin-Nagant over the last few weeks as I have been thinking about putting a scope on that rifle. (I freely admit my eyes aren't what they were in the 80's and early 90's) Unfortunately there has been a serious run on those at the website I buy most of my parts through. I hadn't liked the way the ATI modification looked. I wanted something as close the the original intent of this rifle.

SO, Looking at the modification that was done using a TIG welder I figured I could probably do the same thing with a MIG: just a little more grinding needed to polish out the product. After much internal deliberation I bit the bullet and broke out the cutting disk and hacked apart a perfectly good Mosey Bolt.(I can hear the Howls from some collectors now) I had a piece of solid stock steel in my 'bin' that measured .315" where the original measured .311"(wonder if there is a reason for that since the rounds are also .311")

Here is the end result of that and fitting pieces for the welding that is coming(my apoplogies for such a crap pic. My Flash decided it wanted the day off so I had to use a set up flashlights to illuminate the 'scene')

Trip out to the MIG and an hour worth of regrinding and some minor polishing up(more to come when I get a flap wheel for my Dremel) and THIS is the end result. (also notice that my Flash came back from whatever vaca it had gone on. I really need a new camera)

end result. Clearance for a scope mount, but more importantly easier cycling of the bolt while maintaining position with the cheekweld. Even if I don't go with a scope in the future I LIKE this modification. My neighbor asked if it 'devalued' the rifle and I had to think about that one for a minute. I don't think so. Maybe to a collector but these rifles tend to be pretty common and really cheap in comparison to a U.S. made rifle. I "re-valued" it to me though and I think that is more important than worrying about the monetary value. If this were a collectors item I wouldn't have even considered it.(and very probably wouldn't own it right now. Money is too tight to be owning collectibles. I buy tools I can use.)

P.S. I am not a C&R holder, I have thought about it but I tend to like modifying my guns so I just go through the usual channels.