acquisition and disposition record book?

[Guest buttonhook]

I just recieved my mosin nagant in the mail today and I'm trying to complete the acquisition forms and I have a few questions.

Code:?

Manufacturer/importer (I bought it from AIM) so is that what I put down?

Model (91/30?)

serial # (I got that much)

type (rifle?)

Caliber or gauge (7.62x54 I assume)

date (Got that)

From whom (is that me? or is that AIM?)

I just dont want to screw this thing up and I cant read the electric pencil stuff on the side of it.

[DaveTN]

Manufacturer/importer will be who made the gun and/or who imported it. The importers name (if one was required at the time) will be on the rifle.

AIM is who you acquired the weapon from or “From Whomâ€.

“Code†I think is used by an 01 FFL.

It’s a C&R; as long as you have the basic information you can’t screw it up.

[Guest buttonhook]

is the serial number the one stamped into the reciever or the electric pencil? and it is a c&r and it is marked 1921r is that the date of manufacture?

[kb4ns]

The one on the receiver is the actual s/n. Yeah, 1921 is the year of manufacture.

[Guest buttonhook]

well I'm pretty happy with it....I'm never going to get all of this grease off of it...

All numbers match except for the bayonet I can live with that for sure. the stock is in good shape it has one very very small repair done to it. I cant wait to shoot it!!

[Capbyrd]

Take the gun completely apart. Hang the parts out in the direct sunlight when it gets around 80 degrees and the cosmoline will literally drip off it.

[Guest last1is4me]

Nice tip Capbyrd. I will give that a try myself.

[Capbyrd]

No problem. I used that method and it worked great. I used a coat hanger and a pallet to hang them up.

[kb4ns]

Cap's idea is a good one. If you can't wait, though, you can do what I always do. Completely disassemble it. Boil the small parts (all the cosmoline will come right out). Then soak everything with Breakfree CLP and wipe dry. Then, take the barrel and stock and hold them in the steam above the boiling water. The cosmoline will melt off of the metal and start seeping out of the stock. The metal parts require one or two quick wipes with a paper towel. With the stock, you'll go through several dozen paper towels and could probably continue forever as I don't think it's possible to get all of it out. Just get a good bit out and you'll be good.

While you're doing it, just keep telling yourself that "cosmoline is our friend... cosmoline is out friend..."

Good luck!

[Guest buttonhook]

what about a hair drier?

[kb4ns]

what about a hair drier?

I tried that once. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but it was taking me too long. An actual heat gun may do better, just avoid burning anything.

BTW, with the boiling water / steam method, I always use a BIG pan of water. It works on a good size area of the stock all at one time.

[Garufa]

Mineral spirits will dissolve the cosmo as will Hoppe's from the metal. Use the hair dryer on the inside of the stock if there is any soaked in. The stock itself is finished in shellac so just wipe down the outside with a clean, dry rag.

[Guest buttonhook]

well I used 0000 steel wool on the stock and removed the realy bad/rough "shellac" finish but did not remove any one the stampings on the stock....it is now a very blond wood (not sure what kind.if you know please tell me) with a very nice grain to it the only repair is about 1" long X 1/4" high and is mostly hidden by the rear ring. I'm going to restain and refinish the stock.

On a side note when I removed it from the stock I looked on the underside of the barrel assembly behind the trigger next to the rear mounting screw it has the date 1918r stamped in to it? is that the original date of manuf. or a code for something else? it has 1921 stamped on the reciever and the the last 1 has been over stamped with a 2 for 1922 which is the date code correct?

it appears to be this

this is the marking I was talking about on the bottom

Edited February 19, 2011 by buttonhook

[kb4ns]

I think the wood most commonly used was birch and beech. IIRC, I think the Fins used mostly beech and a lot of your 91/30s were birch. I could be wrong though.

As far as the rest of your markings, I'm not 100% sure. I think you're thinking correctly, but someone with more knowledge than I have will be along soon.

[kb4ns]

Just found this: Mosin Nagant Rifle Specifications

Looks like most Russians are Birch. I was wrong about the beech. Apparently Poland, Hungary, and Romania used birch, but the Fins used Arctic Birch.

[Garufa]

Well, since OP has already removed most of the original finish of the stock....denatured alcholol dissolves shellac fairly quickly. You might want to get some and go over the stock with it before staining. Birch is not easy wood to stain. You may want to Google Mosin refinishing and/or get some alchohol based stain that penetrates the wood better that the average Home Depot Mixwax junk. The leather dyes at Tandy are what many people use.

[Guest buttonhook]

Yeah I figured i screwed up...I used alcholol to get the remaining finish off after the steel wool. it really is a pretty stock the way it is. almost "mauser" looking. It's not the original stock as from the research I've done tonight it should have had a the older model stock witht he solid bands and wooden bolt pin so I'm not too worried about it now. The "finish" on the stock was not chipped or anything but it was very course and the bands did not want to come off of it because of the lip that was present. it was like they shelaced it with the hardware and all metal pieces in place. the bare wood since it really doesn't have any blems. or anything looks really good with just some oil on it. I might do a lite colored stain and varnish.

[Garufa]

If you do want to try to duplicate the arsenal finish I have a big bag full of shellac flakes and could part with some if you wanted for a modest price.

I bought an M44 at a nice price coupla years ago. Metal is 100% but stock had about 30-40% of the shellac flaked of. Being the purist that I am, started doing some (alot) of reseach on trying to put it back how it was. Well, shellacing is fairly easy, getting it to look like it was is not. That M44 is, uh, very red right now.

Anyway, bought a 1lb bag of flakes from Woodcraft, enough to finish 138 Mosins, so if you want to go that route let me know. You'll still need to tint it with some leather dye and then probably strip it a few times before it's just right.

Or go the easy way like everybody else.

[Guest buttonhook]

if I could find an original date correct 1918-1922 stock I would change it out in a heart beat and leave it original but I think with this one I might try to refinish it for function and appearence

[ttocswob]

buttonhook: "Type" generally refers to type of action, "bolt" in this case.

[Guest buttonhook]

thank you! BTW I stained the stock a red mahogany....it's really pretty and all of the arsenal marks still remain

[Will]

First hot sunny clear sky day this summer double bag in black plastic garbage bag. Put on dash of your auto mid day for a couple hours and it will

boil most of the cosmoline out.

Wipe down and go from there.