I picked up a nice '42 Izhevsk ex-sniper a few months back. It was hanging in the rack with the other 91/30s - just below my MN sniper repro - and I got the urge to restore it to its sniper glory. I started accumulating the parts and found a gunsmith who did the restorations- and then AIM put the recent batch of snipers on sale at $200 less that they had been selling for through RGuns. Of course, that happened just as I bought a beautiful '42 Progress scope for my project rifle.

The lower price made restoration more expensive than buying an original (of course, original as in refurb since they have been through at least one post-WWII refurb process similar to the US M1 Carbines). So, I bought my '43 Tula sniper and decided I'd just not complete the restoration.

Of course, that lasted about 2 weeks before I changed my mind - I'd invested in the major components so why not just go ahead and finish it. So, I decided that I would make this my "personal" sniper since I've wanted to start re-loading my own ammo and try my hand at long-range sniper competition shooting.

My '42 Izhevsk ex-sniper is on the Big Brown Truck headed to a scheduled "surgery" with the gunsmith. He will re-tap the scope rail holes in the receiver , inlet the stock and mount the rail. He will restore the bolt to the turn down model and then spend some time fine-tuning the rifle for accuracy - float and polish the barrel, polish the feed ramp and bore, adjust the trigger to a smooth and lighter pull, and recrown the muzzle.

All of the parts I'm using are original with the exception of the scope mount - I'm still looking for an original Izhevsk-marked one but I bought a repro from Accumounts in the meantime. Here are a few pictures of her as she looks now having been returned to standard Infantry rifle status. I'll post some post-durgery pictures after she returns in a few weeks.

MN 91/30 Ex-Sniper Restoration ProjectMN 91/30 Ex-Sniper Restoration ProjectMN 91/30 Ex-Sniper Restoration Project