Hard-Chrome Mosin-Nagant M44, and a Q.

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Ad Astra

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Jul 30, 2004
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Classic Arms hard-chromes firearms in-house... they've done pistols in the past, with a good reputation for the work.

Surfing the C&R dealers one day last week, I saw they had hard-chromed some Mosin-Nagant carbines- 5 or 6 each of M38 and M44.

The idea grew on me. This isn't really a finish (if I get it) but a surface molecular change... this would be next best thing to stainless steel- ideal corrosion-resistance for my high-humidity (boating & coastal flooding) applications.

Always wanted a Mini-14 in stainless for a boat rifle- hard-chroming a $79 rifle was looking like a good idea.

I ordered an M44. Wasn't going to get one, since I have an M38, but this isn't really duplication, since the finish was different.... and it IS rare, since at this point, they only made 5.

hc3ti.jpg


It's really good work. It passes for stainless steel, appearance-wise.

hcfg2pw.jpg


M44 left, M38 right.

OK, here's my question for the forum:

Is this
A. Sacriledge to change/mutate/alter/bubba a classic milsurp, or
B. A great idea, as there are about a billion M44's out there and they are value-less, collector-wise.

Questions, comments, opinions, and any thoughts about hard-chrome are especially welcome.



Mike
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Modify away! It's your money, your gun, Go for it. I like the hard chrome look. I hope they do some 91/30's next - my favorite model.

kuraa pokha, manmaa naraakha
Jeremiah
 
Your gun, and if it's not that rare, knock yourself out. Whatever hard chroming is, they're not changing the surface atoms to chromium, since chromium is an element, and cannot be created. Is it some kind of process which is supposed to make the chromium stay on more permanently than the standard dips or whatever?
 
JimmyJimenez said:
What amount of cash did they charge you for applying the hard chrome finish?

Thanks in advance :)
Click to expand...
They were $150, and sold out the whole dozen in 2 days. But that's for the gun and the job, not just the HC-ing. Classic sells stuff, not a 'smith/shop.

Hmm, they sell Star B's for $319 hard-chromed, $259 reg., so it's about $60-70 for the job, I guess.

They had CZ-52's in HC, beautiful.... and aren't going to get any more. That one got by me.

They do other pistols too, Makarov?, or some other small auto.

I don't like real chrome- gaudy, even on a lady's garter gun- but this is a dead ringer for stainless steel.



Another pic, with a clean unissued Yugo 59/66. The buttplate, bayo- all the metal- is like new SS.

They are going to be making (dipping? dunking?) more soon, I think.



Ad Astra
 
The price is right, that's for sure.

Hard chroming was pretty popular not to long ago with handgunners. Companies like Checkmate and others were doing pretty good business appying this to customers guns. Also, there were quite a few handgun manufacturers offering complete and/or partially hard chromed finished weapons. I believe the trend has waned, but it was catching on for a while. It's still not a cheap thing to have done to a weapon, especially a complete rifle, so overall I feel the pricing is extremely good.
They probably choose the rifles that have the most blue wear and such as the specimens that will receive their hard chroming process. These are probably the guns that would sell for the lowest dollar amount, so the chroming may be a way to bring in more dollars with them.

IMO:
As a user/shooter only, I feel it's a great idea.
For collecting purposes, I would definitely not recommend it.
 
AA, is the bore hard chromed too? Do MN come with HC bores from the arsenal?

I'd like that finish on my chi-com sks beater gun.
 
Exactly right, JJ. Classic's web site has more info; also I talked to them. There were guns with good wood and bores, patchy or poor bluing. I figured they would pick really good condition Mosins to do this to... mine's nice; matching factory serials bolt & barrel, mag and buttplate.

Stevo, a Chinese SKS already has the HC bore (as you know) a difference from the Yugo SKS's which don't...

But I don't know much about the process, kinda threw it out here because there's lots of folks here know lots 'bout metal. :D

HD: some are collectors, some are users, some are both. This one's practically disposable... some of my valuable milsurps I try to get period-era slings and bayos for, and would never conside "bubba-ing".... but I understand the controversy.



Mike
 
Uncle Bill used to say, "It's your knife do whatever you want with it."


If I had enough money, I'd buy the Mona Lisa and draw a moustache on it.

Since I'm poor, I have to settle for drawing on the free newspapers at work. :) :rolleyes: :p
 
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