The Moisin Nagant is a rough, and tumble rifle. It had to be, because the Russians were not gentle with anything. It has some flaws, like stock comb, sloppiness etc. But it was made for Russia, and the fine Mauser's, just locked up in the winter, while the sloppy nagants, and ppsh's just kept on firing. the Germans even had to keep blow torches near the mg34's, and mg42' machine guns to keep them firing when they froze when not being fired. They had to heat the mechanisms. The Russian winters were so cold that the Germans lost more men to the cold, than to bullets. They litterally had frost bite of the rectums when they releived themselves! The T34 was hands down the top tank of WW11. The Panzer's, would have made it ok, if they had the wide tracks of the T34's. But they didn't and they sunk in the melting per ma frost areas. There are pictures of Panzer's up to the turret in mud. You can take the existing bolt out, and remove the internal parts, and clamp it in a vice, and heat it with a welding torch, and bend it down to the angle you want. Then sand, and blue the whole bolt handle. You can twist it, or just bend it. You can grind out the top part of the bolt knob, to give it a little customizing. As for the old finish on the stock, remove it, and coat it with oven cleaner, and let it sit, for a half hour or so, and then hose it off, and then wipe it down, and repeat if necessary, and you will have nice wood to stain and finish to your liking. I prefer the 03-A3. I have three of them. I also have an M1 garrand. The 30-06 will take any North American Game. You can load up to 220 grain bullets, and down to 110 grain bullets. It is very adaptable to various types of shooting. I kick myself in the A&& for not getting a Ruger stainless in 30-06, with laminated stock, when I was at a gun show in Billings, Montana, for $180.00. And there were a couple of them at different tables, for the same price !! But I was tight on a budget, but I still could have gotten them. So I will keep an eye out for them when I go back in April. The Brittish Mark III's and IV's Cal. 303, are excellent rifles. Smooth as butter. As for the SKS, I have a Chi Com SKS, that is VERY accurate, and reliable, that my brother brought back from Nam. I love it. It is heavy, but it shoots very well! You can get soft point ammo for it. It only comes in 123 grain bullets, and is just under the 30-30 in ballistics, of the 150 grain 30-30 bullets. But....you can load it with a 150 grain bullet, if you reload. Recurve if you are able to hit clay pigeons at a 100yds, why bother with a scope, unless you just want it for looks, and possibly for low light conditions.
Check out your gunshows, and see what is available. We still have a lot of Nagants available down here. Also if you go to
www.sportsmansguide, you can get an insert for the 303, and 7.62 rimmed, that will allow you to shoot .32 pistol rounds in it. The 30-30, has and is still taking more game in North America, than any other rifle. I have two Marlin lever rifles in 45-70 that I absolutely love! Very accurate. Good luck in your search, and keep us updated on your hunt.
Wayne
