Highly Polished presentation...yea, right....question

[SA1911a1]

Before I start, my camera died yesterday and won't be replaced for a week or so.

I ordered a beater Mosin M-44 at a bargain price and it arrived yesterday. The rifle is a '45 Izhevsk that I needed to fill a date slot and is about as uncollectable as a Mosin can be. Only the butt-plate matches the barrel, but It has a near perfect, mirror bore, nice crown and bolt face and a good stock with no shellac.

The rifle came from a dealer and was packed with cosmoline, inside and out. So much cosmoline the bolt would not function until cleaned. [/i]The finish on this rifle is near zero on everything above the wood line. I am talking no blue at all on barrel bands, exposed barrel, receiver, butt-plate, bayonet and magazine. Even in places not usually exposed to normal abrasion like the tang and the metal on the hand guard, no blue.

My question is what in the world would you do to remove all of the finish? It almost looks intentional. Cleaning with sand?
It looks like it was being prepped for re-blue and Germany surrendered. "The war is over boys, dip it in the barrel then throw it in the pile". (end of refurb) Bad original blue job or abrasion?

I actually kind of like this rifle, especially for the price, it looks honest. I will be terrorizing some paper with it tomorrow. I'll let you know if it shoots around corners.

[desdem12]

You have peaked my interest!! I will have to see such a gun that is reportedly "UNcollectable". I have looked at many guns lately from perfect to some kind of basterdization and haven't seen some quality in them (one exception type 99 rechambered for savage 300 and modified bolt). I'm waiting on a 53 hungary m44 that i deem as the worst condition i have seen so hurry up with the camera and we will see which one is worse

[Longcolt44]

" My question is what in the world would you do to remove all of the finish? It almost looks intentional. "

Nothing. Wipe it down with some lemon oil and let it be. It took a long time to get that ugly, leave it.

[SA1911a1]

" My question is what in the world would you do to remove all of the finish? It almost looks intentional. "

Nothing. Wipe it down with some lemon oil and let it be. It took a long time to get that ugly, leave it.

I didn't phrase my question properly. The question was what did the Russians do to remove the finish. Just like most of you all, I like 'em natural.

[Darryl]

I actually kind of like this rifle, especially for the price, it looks honest.

I think you said it best. I have a couple of M44's like that. If you "refinish them" the value in my eyes (as a collector) will diminish. It is worth more now in all it glory. All you can do is hurt the value.

Post some photos up and see what the others will say when you do. Photos tell everything.

Here is just one of my M44's and it isn't my worst. This is my favorite M44 to shoot also. You can bang it and can't mess it up!



Hardly any blue and the stock is really dark. But it is my most accurate M44 (go figure, it always seems to be that way)

Dolk

[Junk Yard Dog]

The only rifles I have seen like that came out of some of the worlds forgotten corners in north Africa, or Afghanistan. Places were tribal warriors liked to shine the metal, my Persian Mauser carbine shows this sort of thing. Perfect bore and all, but looks like the blue was rubbed right off on every part, yet the stock shows signs of light handling and it's oil finish is untouched. Russia has it's lost corners as well, but the rifle probably came in from Eastern Europe, most of the issued, and packed in axle grease ones did, rifles Russia sent as aid to it's socialist brothers in the newly formed communist buffer states after WW2. Look at the Hungarian M44 I have that came through Romania, Polish stock, well worn blue, parts from any and all Mosins with new serial numbers EP'd on with the original numbers left in place, nothing refinished, that was how they "refurbished" the rifle. Yours sounds like it might have gone through a similar program.

[SA1911a1]

Thanks for that JYD.

It really does appear that the blue was removed on purpose, and diligently. This one has no ep numbers, just mismatching parts. Who knows, maybe sometime in the future every Mosin collector will be paying big bucks for a "sand buffed" M-44, and worrying if their's is faked.

Like I say, it is going to get aired out tomorrow. The heat wave has finally broken and it just may be cool enough in the morning to shoot long enough to badly bruise my shoulder.

[Junk Yard Dog]

My favorites have always been the one that got the look of having been there and done that

[bunkysdad]

Me too. I have some refurbs and my first one looked practically new to me. But then I found my SA marked 91/30 that is all natural and I just love it. It doubled in value the second I received it, likely tripled even, because it isn't for sell for 3 times the money! I am wondering. Is this one of the rifles recently offered by Allan's? I thought they were some great deals. We sure need some pics. Dang ol dead camera.

[SA1911a1]

Yes Dad, this was one of Allan's rifles.

[SA1911a1]

Pics and range report:

This rifle shot well and did indeed bruise my shoulder. Shooting at 65 yards I was able to keep all of the rounds fired on a 9" paper pie plate and 2/3 of them in a 3" circle. I have a feeling this rifle shoots a lot better than I do.

Sorry about the photo quality, I have to learn a new camera.

[Ban-One]

Uncollectable? Nah...I love'em all, even the ugly ones. Personally I like the look of the worn off blue against the dark wood finish. Your M44 looks great and it sounds like she's a shooter...and definately a keeper. Congrats.

It looks like someone may have polished the blue off a bit but its hard to tell. I rescued a carcano that had all of the blue polished off so much that the metal looked like the dang thing was chromed. Some yahoo thought pimping out the rifle to look like it had been chromed was a good idea...ugh.

[desdem12]

Nice wood on that "ugly". Looks great