I'm pretty close to having it in firing condition, so I thought I'd share.

I picked it up at J&G Sales last year for $69.95.





It's a 1932 Tula hex receiver, none of the numbers matched.





I originally wanted to put a Shillen .308" 1-10 barrel on it, but several things influenced my decision to keep the original barrel... for now.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

I wanted to keep it in the original 7.62X54R caliber. The rifing was nice and defined, just the bore was a little dark. It slugged at .311" and very consistent the entire length. After almost a whole can of never dull, this is how it looks.







When I first got it, the bolt was almost impossible to close. It wouldn't even come close to closing on a dummy-round or a go-gauge. After seeing the bore and wanting to lap the lugs untill the headspace was good, I decided to keep the original barrel. I bought the scope mount and bent bolt body from Rock-Solid industries. Both were outstanding peices and Ken at Rock-Solid was the one that introduced me to this forum.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

To lap the bolt lugs I cut a case in half and cut down a worn out 1911 recoil spring to fit inside. I initially had to just use the spring and shoulder portion of the case because the headspace was so out of spec.



It turned out that I had NO contact between the lugs and the receiver. I had to take off some metal at the back of the bolt head untill I got contact. I finally got contact with about 20% of one lug and it still wouldn't close on a go-gauge. This was the most time consuming part of the whole project. I spent atleast 1-2 hours every night for three weeks untill I got about 90-95% contact with both lugs. It closes on a go-gauge now. After that, I checked the firing pin potrusion and had to tun the firing pin in a couple of turns. I had about .105" of potrusion, that would have been interesting to pull the trigger on.





I removed the rear sight and turned down the dovetail. I cut about 3-4" off the end of the barrel, and recrowned it.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

I decided to put it on a Boyd's thumbhole sporter in nutmeg laminate.



I installed the Rock-Solid bedding Pillars and bedded the receiver. The barrel is free floated.



I bought a Timney Trigger for it... all I can say is BEAUTIFUL!! the only thing I don't like is all the material I had to remove from the stock. Even part of the rear bedding pillar.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

This is where I departed from the "norm". I haven't been one that likes the exposed magazine on the MN. So here is what I did about it. I eyeballed three rounds of 7.62X54R on the magazine and marked where I wanted to cut.



I had to relieve the front of the magazine untill the follower was the right height.



I then welded the floorplate on... yes my welding skills need work.



I used JB weld to form the contours. It's easy to keep where you want it... masking tape. Plus you can form it with sand paper.



The floorplate drops bellow the stock ever so slightly... but I wanted to be able to fit three rounds in it. I put everything together and tested it with dummy rounds (no primer or powder in them), everything works perfectly! It feeds fine, and no problem what-so-ever with rimlock.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

amazing job so far!!! cant wait to see the end result!

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"I love the smell of cosmoline in the morning"

I was going to Dura-Coat it, but my compressor broke and I wanted to try Aluma-Hyde II. I degreased everything and went over the entire thing with steel wool. I masked off what I didn't want painted, and stuck a foamie in the end of the barrel.





I heated the whole thing with a hairdryer and ended up putting a total of four coats, ten min apart, on it.



After the Aluma-Hyde you can't even tell that there is JB weld underneath.




I'm going to let it set for a couple of weeks... in the mean time, I'm going to seal the barrel channel and fix my oops when I was cutting out for the bent bolt. I've got some S&B 180 gn. factory stuff... but once that is gone, I'm going to load for it. I'll give a full range report once it's had some lead down the barrel.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

Looks great!! I love the work you have put into it!!

-Dane

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An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.

-Robert A. Heinlein

Thanks guys!!

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

Very clean work! I'm planning on a winter project mannlicher mosin--I really like the magazine modifications.

keep the photo's coming!


ROnn

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The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference.
The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.

Elie Wiesel

Good luck with your project ROnn! I really didn't know how it would work, or how it would look, to shorten the magazine... but it has turned out pretty well.

It's been sitting for about two weeks now... I finally put it together this morning and here is how it turned out.



The left side...

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

Here are some right side veiws...

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

I have a pair a millet low 30mm rings that I will use to mount the scope. I'm leaning toward an SWFA SS 6X42mm... Once I get some glass on her, I'll take her out to the range!!



Here is an overall side veiw. She has a 26" barrel... balance is pretty good, and she's suprisingly light.

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"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

best mosin sporter ive seen so far! now lets see how she shoots!

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"I love the smell of cosmoline in the morning"

Wow! You've done this kind of stuff before?

Take a look at what this guy did with his. He cut the barrel down to 14 inches and added a compensator, put it in a tactical stock, scope, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K2bAgvF ... ure=relmfu

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"Hurray, boys! We've got them. We'll finish them up and then go home to our station."
-- General George Custer, before battle with Indians at Little Big Horn.