[AMMOe]

I am about to embark on an ex sniper restoration. I have a bolt and an original '44 dated PU scope and accessories. I have read all the pertinent posts here and I thank you all for the contributions.

My question is whether the holes are plugged with pins and screws or just pins. I have a buddy who swears his 91/30 had only pins lightly welded into the receiver. He said he used a punch to tap them out, breaking the tack weld that held them, easily.

I am expecting otherwise. I have full machine shop so I am familiar with the removal process. I am hoping that they weren't too aggressive with their welding!~Andy

 

[66rdster]

Hi Andy,
Its hard to say exactly what you have. The couple I have removed the screws and pins from where pretty easy to do. I don't know if thats always the case though. On mine, the screw holes had plugs screwed in them and then welded. They where pretty easy to break loose and remove with a screw extractor. The pin holes had the original pins ground off and welded over. Again. pretty easy to remove by just tapping them out. One one gun, the rear pin hole was tappped and had a plug installed in it then welded, just like the screw holes. On that one I just re-drilled the pin hole. You just have to look it over and take whatever steps are necessary to remove them. Hopefully yours can be removed as easily as mine.

Mike

 

[AKBLUE]

My experience on four ex-sniper reworks is that the inner two main screw holes are threaded and filled with screw shanks and welded I have never been able to remove one of these with an easy-out and do not bother to try. I drill them with a 3mm (+/-) small bit first from inside the receiver and then a 5mm bit from the outside of the receiver. I then tap the two main screw holes.
I drill out the pins last after fitting the base onto the rifle and tightening down the main screws to mark their position and the pin hole locations. The pin (outer) holes are drilled smooth and filled and welded with a pin. I use a 4.9mm drill on these. On a few I have been able to drive the pin out after drilling a bit from outside the receiver.
For final fit on the main screws I use a hammer blow impact driver to tighten the screws down so they are pretty tight. You will likely find the capture screw slots in the main screws do not align properly to allow installation of the capture screws. Filing the underside shoulder of the main screw will allow them to rotate far enough to align the capture slot to the capture screws.
This works for me but I'm sure there are other methods.
Have fun. It is a nice project to complete.

 

[AMMOe]

Thanks for the advice. Again, it seems hit or miss. My buddy said he just took a file and gave the outside of the holes a few strokes, then drove out the pins with a punch and mallet. I guess someone got lazy with his.

Good tip about the impact drive! Thanks again, ~Andy

 

[robertscheib]

AMMOe - I have just finished the second of two '43 Iz. exPU restorations. First one - screw plugs/pin plugs had almost zero weld over them so they were super easy to remove: tapped pin plugs out w/punch from inside the receiver, drilled small pilot hole in screw plugs and used "easy out". Second one - solidly welded pin and screw plugs: after lots of carefull measuring etc. I drilled a small pilot hole through each plug then used a round "jewelers file" to get a perfectly centered hole - very simple then to drill out remainder of original plugs. I ran tap into screw holes from inside the receiver, using original threads to start tap - so all holes/threads are exactly per original.
I used mounting "kits" from John Zhukov - pin holes and one screw hole aligned perfectly on each base plate, had a friend weld the misaligned hole up for me then redrilled new screw/lock screw holes as required. Worked really well. If I do another PU project I will probably just order the "undrilled screw holes" baseplate as I have acquired the drill/milling bits to make perfect copies of the holes.

 

[AMMOe]

Thanks. I'm really looking forward to completing the project.~Andy

 

[Capt Zorro]

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a retired machinist at the gunshow yesterday about doing an ex sniper. He said that he wouldn't do them anymore as he had broken too much carbide tooling trying to drill and mill out the welded in screws. Said that if you broke a bit or mill you had lost what you would have made on the job. As the guy's have said some aren't a problem and some will make you pull out your hair. I've got a PE that I'm about afraid to start on...

 

[AKBLUE]

The pins and screw shanks are fairly hard but not that bad really. The weld is the hardest portion of the metal, IMHO. I use quality bits and have never broken one in 5 restorations of ex-PU sniper rifles. The tapping is the more difficult part in some instances. The weld spots are really hard and getting the tap started can be a problem.