Milsurps: Original vs Modified

[Slater]

I own a motley assortment of Mosin-Nagants, Mausers, and one Lee-Enfield. All are in their original military configuration. I know that some fellows like to sporterize these old rifles, but I'm kind of a purist. Leaving them untouched (for me) kind of preserves the history that went with them. Any thoughts along these lines?

[Ssarge]

I'm the same. I do, however enjoy bringing one back to it's original glory from "sporterized" hell. I have re-built 2 Remington 03A3 sporters. It used to be easy to get a really nice, correct stock. Not so anymore.

[charles isaac]

Personally, sporterized US milsurp makes me sick.

I bought a US Krag 1898 about two years ago that still had the sawdust on the magazine from someone sawing off the forearm without even taking the gun out of the wood! Someone turned an $800 rifle into a $200 rifle in less than a minute. :eek:

I splice new forearms back on to butchered rifles like this giving them a new lease on life. I don't sell them, I'm too greedy when it comes to guns.

Myself? I would not even saw off a kit FAL. I like them the way they were meant to be.

[Squint]

Generally, messing with them will reduce the value.

[stanley75]

My personal opinion is that you buy the rifle for the history. There really is no reason for buying a $100 rifle and putting $300 in it just so it looks cool. I would much rather have an old rifle with a lot of history in it than a cheap rifle made to look expensive. But that is just my opinion.

[skfullgun]

You won't see me chopping anything I don't have at least two of. And...I have a rule of thumb. Generally, only $50 rifles get sporterized, and that is to turn them into a firearm I can hunt with.

[bookertbab]

I don't chop up my old mil surplus rifles. I do like to take a old beater and bring it back to life though. I have a few going right now, three M44 Mosin's and a couple FR-8's. I ususally buy CIA's ufixems and do just that I fix um.

[Tim W]

Those old war horses deserve a good life. I have quite a few in my collection and for the most part,they were cleaned in every nook and cranny and a couple coats of tung oil added to the stock. Presently working on a VZ24 that was really in sad shape.This one will take some work to look presentable.
I am guilty of sporterizing a few,but they are the $30 Turks that looked like tomato stakes. I have four nice Turks in my collection and feel the ones I tore down for the actions were not worth the time and effort to restore.

[Tony.]

The only thing that I do to them is clean them down to the last screw and reoil them. The stocks I degrease and reoil.

I am guilty of drilling and tapping a VZ-24. The only reason I did it is because I have three and this one was a $50 Century cracked stock.

In fact I saw a great Springfield 1903 today at a gun show for $400, the tragic thing was the guy refinished the stock to a blonde gloss and it looked like a Louisville Slugger.

[xtremerange]

It's not like you can reduce the value of most of the sub-$100 dollar milsurps.

Once I determine that there is absolutely no historical significance to rifle, I feel no need to keep it in original condition. I also don't automatically get the dremel tool and welding torch out either. It is just a whim thing at the time.

I did recently run across a mosin that was a Finn capture, recaptured by the Soviets (had a hammer and cycle stamped on the Finn barrel). Now, that is odd. Wouldn't touch that one. Otherwise, I have yet to run across a common surplus rifle that was interesting.

[Queenie]

I have an Izzy K98 that I "sporterized" when I bought it 15 or so years ago. I just recently brought it back to military dress. I'm glad I did. It is a much better rifle now. :cool:

[Rawles]

Picked up a sporterized Enfield sniper No4MkI*T at a pawn shop recently. Yes, it is a Savage made No4MkI*, VERY VERY rare, no one knows exactly how many made, best estimates are well under 2000 produced. Butchered forearm, no handguards, scope mounts taken off of side of receiver. Took a 800 dollar minimum rifle and turned it into a crappy 50 dollar "deer rifle" Currently bringing that one back to military dress.

[Mad Dog 7.62]

I don't believe in "sporterizing" them...if you want a deer rifle, buy a Remington or Ruger. I do belive in preserving and sometimes some restoration. At a minimum, I always tear them down and clean and inspect. I will often rub some tung oil into the stocks if they need it...a dried out stock is just waiting to crack. And I'm not opposed to touching up blueing or parking in some cases...it's there to prevent rust, which is not something we want to see!! Unless I bought the gun strictly as a shooter, I would probably never completely refinish it.

[ByronF]

Sporterize them for hunting? Shucks, I just hunt with them as-is. With the Turk M38 I can knock a porcupine out of the tallest branches without firing a shot. It'll work as a crutch, boat oar, and a flag pole. With fixed bayonet I can cook a rabbit over the fire from the comfort of my tent.

Byron

BTW, I took the Turk out for its first range trip since I got it. I think the old girl was pissed, perhaps enjoying retirement. Didn't shoot worth a dang. I think I'll try fire lapping to blow the junk out of the barrel, then maybe recrown it WECSOG style. Maybe the old ammo was to blame. Certainly neck splits don't make for tight groups. Too bad for me, I'd figured this was going to be my varmint rifle. After all, the sights ARE calibrated out to 2000 meters.

[ March 25, 2002: Message edited by: ByronF ]

[DUCTTAPE]

I see it both ways. If the gun is to far gone ,or if it's a low cost ugly duckling and minor mods.or re-plating /blueing/park. will dramaticly increase it's re-sale value then I go for it.
If it is more or less intact and in more then servicable condition ,then yes, I will restore to it's original configuiration.

[COLLY]

RE: Topic: Milsurps: Original vs Modified
TO: Slater
You answered your own question correctly.

"but I'm kind of a purist. Leaving them untouched (for me) kind of preserves the history that went with them."

It's a piece of History, LEAVE OT ALONG.
Although there is some point to be said about the old Turks, or using a Beat up VZ-24. to make a nice new Rifle, or in the case of the Turks, a bang around Rifle.
However with all the other Rifles out there, why spend much money on a Turk?