[vabuckbuster]

Just got my first M44.

1. First it's missing the cleaning rod. Any one know where I could order one?

It is in excellent shape with the exception of the stock. The stock is very beat up with lots of dents and gouges. Worst one I've ever seen. In fact it's hard to believe that the metal/blueing is in such good shape and the stock is in such bad shape.

I'm going to refinish the stock. Before everyone has a fit, I will never be selling the gun, so I'm not worried about the value as far as ruining the original finish.

2. Is it possible to get the big bolt out that runs thru the middle of the stock? I can see that they have pinged it on one side, and just wondered if this makes it impossible to remove?

3. It has all matching numbers with the exception of the bolt, which doesn't have a number at all on it. My 91/30 has a number on the bolt. Is this normal for an M44 bolt to not have one?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Dirtcowboy]

Its your rifle to do with as you wish. That said my vote would be to leave it as is. I would not mess with the cross bolt. Really no reason to take it out. It is kinda unusual to have a bolt with no number but I'm guessing it was scrubbed during refurb.
Here is a cleaning rod from a board sponsor. I like Apex, they have been good to me. https://www.apexgunparts.com/product_info.php/cPath/39/products_id/201

 

[clayshooter2]

The cross bolt was never made to be removed period. You will ruin it and the stock if you remove it.

 

[LukeTheDrifter]

Can you please post some pics? That will help us give you better advice. Also, please don't remove the cross bolt. No reason to.

 

[trainsktg]

Most '03 Springfields were bubba'ed years ago by folks who never sold their firearms, but now they are dead and their work lives on.

Keith

 

[mustang69]

Well sounds like a nice project. First and formost, leave the cross bolt alone. You can steam some of the dings out with your wife;s steam iron. If ya don't know how just ask here. I would use some denatured alcohol on the stock. Put a little on a rag and lightly rub,. Let it dry and use a carbuba wax on the finish...This method will smooth and leave almost all the original finish.....If ya do decide to refinish, don't sand too much if at all as there may me markings you might want to save...Good luck, go slow and enjoy working on it....

 

[vabuckbuster]

It is completely brokedown right now. I've been baking the stock about 10 minutes at time on 170 (with the door open) for hours now in the oven, and it just keeps coming out with just as much cosmoline on it every time. I will try and throw it together tomorrow for a pic. It is a 1945 russian. What kind of wood is it made of? kinda looks like walnut?

 

[vabuckbuster]

Definitely interested. HOw do I steam the dings out?

 

[Lancebear]

Va,

Have a '45 Izhevsk similar to yours. Near perfect bluin' and a stock that has little shellac and many dings from use. Had a choice of four M44s at a show, three perfectly refurbed and the used one I bought. It's obvious the metal was reblued and the stock left alone, that's why I bought it, and the other three were CB'd. This one is not and has a fine bore. Kinda' unusual to find one that has refurbed metal and an original stock not messed with. You might have a wartime stock, no dimple behind the lower band. Another good reason not to refinish. Think the wood is birch.

Grease? Wrap the wood with paper towels, put it into a black garbage bag and leave the package on the dash of your truck for a coupla' hours on a hot sunny day. Wipe off after, and repeat as necessary. If your carbine has as much grease on and in it as mine did, good luck gettin' any kind of finish to hold up. Just bleed the grease outa' the wood and leave it alone. Non-reworked stocks are not too common and look cool, not everybody has one.

LB

 

[Richard in NY*]

vabuck:

This is a collector's forum on a collectors board. Most here do not enjoy reading about the rape and pillage of guns we hold dear as pieces of history worthy of preservation.

You should consider posting this on the Work Bench Forum. It's a much better fit. I absolutely guarantee that no matter how badly you butcher your rifle, someone there will advise you that it "looks great" and someone will gleefully ask you "How's it shoot"? All your sins will be absolved there.

 

[mustang69]

VAbuck,
Leach the cosmo as suggested with the plastic bag dashboard......For the dings, take a moist terrycloth towel fold it twice(2 layers). Lay it on the ding and put the iron on steam. Iron the towel til ya feel it is moistening the wood a bit. Should see the ding lifting. Repeat as necessary. Not all dings will become perfect but all will improve...If you don't take your time with this rifle you will never know how good it can really be...These war horses went through hell and back, were refurbed and packed in grease forever so being in a hurry to reverse that process is futile if ya want to achieve the best she can be.....

 

[Lancebear]

Haha, be happy that Richard is in a good mood tonight...

LB

 

[mustang69]

Haha, be happy that Richard is in a good mood tonight...

LB

Va, Richard is right....

 

[vabuckbuster]

Gonna try the dent removal tomorrow. Lookin forward to this project

 

[Caribou]

1945.....I bet the stock is much older than the barreld action.

 

[azPrimeLand]

I'd agree with Richard on this one as well

These history pieces just don't deserve to be modified, butchered & altered to look new

With that said, It is yours to do as you wish

As for my 140+ Mosin Nagants I own or had owned they ALL stay original

AZ

 

[bananas]

My M44 is just like yours, great bluing but beat up original stock

the beat up original stock is the reason I bought mine over 2 other refurbs with perfect "new" stocks

all of the dents and pock marks have a story behind them

 

[Lancebear]

Va,

Practice the experience you have been gifted with tonight. It was free...mistakes with old military firearms are not. And you will always regret effin' somethin' up, once you acquire old fart status.

Like a rifle project, buy a good one, detail clean it, research the markings, etc. Then shoot it. That's enough. Then buy another and do the same.

LB

 

[Ronbo6]

Definitely interested. HOw do I steam the dings out?

It is not all that complicated a process. Once you get as much finish out of the stock as you can, you only need to start up your wife's clothes iron.

In very simplified form, you take a wet (damp) rag, lay it over the ding you want to steam out, and apply the hot iron to the area of the ding. Repeat as necessary.

The steam created will penetrate the wood and expand the compressed fibers back towards its original contour. Sometimes the whole ding steams out, sometimes it doesn't, but in most cases you end up far better off than you started out with.

In a pinch, I have also used a soldering iron in place of the clothes iron.