The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

I picked up a 1944 M44 arsenal rebuild for cheap because the bayonet lug had been removed. Looks like they cut off the sight portion and put it back on. I hear it's a nightmare to take the lug off let alone reinstall. The rifle is otherwise in pretty nice shape and shoots well. I'm thinking about finding a lug and returning it to original configuration. Any advice or threads you can point me too? Thanks!

Personally it sounds like a lot of work for limited returns. I think I would use it as a shooter/truck gun and try and find a unmolested M44.

This operation entails putting heat to the barrel as these sights are soldered on. This is an operation that should only be attempted by an experienced gunsmith who has a clear understanding of metallurgy and heat treatment. Keep it as is, none of the M38's can mount a bayonet either, and they are perfectly good carbines without bayonets.

I'm not for certain that the entire bayonet lug/sight base is soldered on or not, I do know that it is pinned in place however. You would probably end up having to carefully dremel off the one currently on it, and I'd be surprised if you could find one that someone managed to remove.

Well, decided what the hell and I gave it a stab. Once I knocked out the pin, the chopped sight came off undamaged with a few firm whacks. Here's what I have now. I think the challenge will be installing the new lug straight and lining up new pins. I can always put the old chopped sight back on I guess. Wish me luck.

If your set on trying this, try putting the barrel in the freezer a couple hours first, and heat the bayonet lug a bit. Oil the barrel too.

Well you guys (and the rest of the internet) got in my head over this. It seemed straightforward to me and I came loaded for bear. A few taps on. A tap to line the pins up. All over in 90 secs. No torch or headaches.$66 in Ebay parts.

Rich32501 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:55 pm Well you guys (and the rest of the internet) got in my head over this. It seemed straightforward to me and I came loaded for bear. A few taps on. A tap to line the pins up. All over in 90 secs. No torch or headaches.$66 in Ebay parts.

Good deal, sometimes they are a bear, then you prepare for the worse, and it literally just falls off too damn easy and you wonder what you did wrong.

Glad it was an easy one, and went well for you.

Nice job and congratulations on getting it done.

Very good job. It looks great

Glad to be proven wrong. Congrats on the good work.

Bravo!

Get 'er Done.

Great job! Where'd you buy the bayonet lug?

Always nice when things go smooth. Good work

It does look great. Ignore the PM I sent you.

Glad that worked out for you. I would have had bad luck with something like this.

Well I'm glad you got it done. I too have the same task ahead of me, as well as the rear sight base. Did freeze the barrel and heat the lug or did it not need it? I removed the rear sight and installed another one slightly crooked. So have to remove. I would love to take it to an experienced gunsmith, but none within driving range of me.

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