Need Help: Checking/Cleaning Old Firearms...

[BigBear]

Brother in law number 2 is coming into town and bringing two rifles he'd liked to get checked out (family pass downs). All he knows about them:

- a 1938 mousin nagant (7.62)
A. Not sure if it's in working condition
B. A few signs of rust, but no "pitting"
- hawken black powder (.50)
A. Knows the powder trigger and fire chute needs to be cleaned


He would like them to be inspected, fixed if need be, cleaned, checked for safe firing, etc... Who would I take them too and about how much might this run to get them in working condition? I know it's hard to quote without pics etc and I'll try to post some tonight, but in the meantime, guess away or things that I could look at, etc....

[jreifsch80]

What part of the state are you in? As for the mosin take it to the range to test it for firing condition

[BigBear]

I'm in the Springs. I would prefer to have the guns checked over before firing... I value my fingers and face, lol.

[BPTactical]

I'm in the Springs. I would prefer to have the guns checked over before firing... I value my fingers and face, lol.

Hickman Rifles

[BigBear]

Hickman Rifles

Have any contact info or should I just google?

[BPTactical]

Have any contact info or should I just google?

Just Google them Bear- good bunch of guys.

[BigBear]

Just Google them Bear- good bunch of guys.

Just got back from Hickman. Can say enough GOOD things about them! Close to my house, very knowledgable it seemed. Were willing to explain things over and over to me, etc.

Intersting things, they checked out the guns.

Seems like the Hawken .50 is in great shape, just needs a quick clean. It could stand to have the trigger replaced as the bar for the set trigger was slightly bent and it made the first trigger have like a 10lb pull. They don't know where to get the part except from the manufacturer and it's easy enough to install that I can do it and clean, etc. The gun is valued at over $600 apparently... wow.

The Mosion, likewise is in great shape. It just needs a little rub down with some cleaner and steel wool to take off some of the beginning rust. The grooves were in excellent condistion, trigger was fine, no blockages, etc. Interesting thing about this was is that it is NOT a conversion model. Apparently sometime in the early 1900's someone took all teh Nagants and chambered them in a losser .324 and stamped a big "S" on the recievers indicating this. This firearm does not bear that mark and the bore is measured at .318.
- So, can anyone dig up anymore info/background on this firearm?
- And apparently I have to look for specific .318 7mm ammo,.. can someone explain that, I didn't quite understand what the good fellow said and didn't want to ask for the 15th time to reexplain....

AND - they can thread my .308 with teh barrel still attached to teh reciever!!! I've been to umpteen number of shops that said they had to take off the reciever, but on the HOWA, the barrel is "stuck" in there tight.... and there was no reason to cut off a barrel that isn't completely shot yet.

So, Hickman Rifles, big +1 FTW from this guy.

[rondog]

The Mosin should be 7.62x54R caliber. Surplus ammo for it is plentiful and cheap. .318 on the bore is way too big, sure they measured it right?

[BigBear]

Well, no cause I had no idea what they were doing. All I know for sure is that they said it was a pre-conversion Mosin (No "S" stamp on the reciever) and that I should only fire .318 ammo and not the "standard" .324.... it's not too hard to find but I'm supposed to make sure it's not "overloaded" (hot loads?)

Didn't make sense to me either.

[rondog]

Well, no cause I had no idea what they were doing. All I know for sure is that they said it was a pre-conversion Mosin (No "S" stamp on the reciever) and that I should only fire .318 ammo and not the "standard" .324.... it's not too hard to find but I'm supposed to make sure it's not "overloaded" (hot loads?)

Didn't make sense to me either.

Yeah, that doesn't make any sense at all. "Pre-conversion?" What conversion? Is GUN! Is meant for SHOOT GERMANS!