Here is an example of an M28 rifle that has clearly been through arsenal refurbishment due to use at least one time, but likely many. This is typical of M28's. Although the bolt is numbered matching, it is a replacement as the original bolts to M28 rifle had the rifle's Civil Guard district number that also appears on the barrel shank stamped on the flat of the bolt body and also the last two digits of the rifle's serial number stamped on the bolt knob. The rifle is also counter bored, which is typical of M28's considering the amount of use most saw.
The stock is also an obvious replacement. Original stocks are of one piece construction; made from cut down and modified M91 stocks and typically with a "SYT" in a oval stamped in one of the finger grooves. Original stocks also have the last two digits of the rifle's serial number stamped on back of the buttplate. One positive about this rifle's stock though is that the rifle likely saw a fair bit of actual use with it due to the wear patterns on it present. However, the coolest thing about the stock is the wood used to make it. It appears to be made from a New England Westinghouse M91 stock that had a fore end spliced onto it that was from a very well figured piece of Finnish birch. The birch is a dark orange in color and contrasts very starkly with the dark brown walnut of the rest of the stock. The stock has a lot of extremely rough sanding on it that is cross grain. This is typical of Finnish military Mosin stocks as it provides better grip at the expense of the attractiveness of the wood.
In term of rarity, this rifle does not rank very high apart from it just being a Tikka M28. Tikka M28's are somewhat less common than SIG M28's due to production numbers and are therefore slightly more desirable (~20,000 SIG vs. ~10,000 Tikka), but this rifle has what can be considered fairly common conditions and features for M28's.
Here the counter bore to restore accuracy is clearly visible. Note the bent left front sight protecting ear.
Typically, the rear barrel band of an M28 is retained by a single screw that goes all the way through the fore end and screws into the band itself. On this stock however, it is retained by two screws on either side that screw directly into the stock.
This is another interesting feature of this rifle. The rear sight base was originally part of a Finnish M91 type rifle as evidenced from the 200m setting cut. M28 rear sight bases are supposed have their lowest setting be 300m, and this rear sight base is marked in the M28 fashion over the old Finnish M91 markings. The rear sight still is not able to be set lower than 300m because the M28 sight leaf interferes with the slide.
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