Puolustuslaitos 1918 Remington M91 - Bubba Restoration

[LottaMosins]

She's finally home and all put together. This was another Facebook find, from about 6 months ago. The rifle started like this, before I got it -





It was posted on Facebook by a guy looking for info on the rifle. Plenty of excitement surrounded the rifle until people saw the holes and destroyed stock. I left it be for a few months, guy wanted way too much for it at the time. I didn't want to see it back in bubba hands so I decided to throw an offer up a few months later and he accepted.

Now, after having the holes filled and metal reblued, the bubba "7.62x54r" etched by the rear sight base removed, and finding all the appropriate parts, here she is. I know it'll never be what it once was, but I feel this is quite a leap ahead of what it was and definitely what it could have become if it was bought by another bubba...

Hope you enjoy!

[boltaction]

Hello, Nice to see that the rifle had a resurrection. Would be nicer if you could have found a remington stock for it. But in time one will show up. It will be interesting to see what the purists have to say about it. Nice job at bringing it back though.

[steelbuttplate]

There is not many of these around in good original condition. I saw one a couple years ago that had been turned into a deer rifle, it sucked. It would be nice to see the before pictures of the thing all together, It might justify what's been done to it. Lets see what the Junk yard Dog says. Great looking 91. I'd be proud to have it.......SBP 63MN's

[redspoon]

Nice save For the right price I would have tried to get it also. Don't see PL marked Remingtons everyday. Pure happenstance how these came to be, I have a Tikka M91 PL in a Remington stock.

[LottaMosins]

I appreciate the comments, however in this case since the rifle went through Finnish hands any Finnish made/owned stocks would be correct, as was the original Finn-made stock before someone destroyed it.

Hello, Nice to see that the rifle had a resurrection. Would be nicer if you could have found a remington stock for it. But in time one will show up. It will be interesting to see what the purists have to say about it. Nice job at bringing it back though.

[LottaMosins]

Unfortunately I never received pictures of the rifle all together from the previous owner before the work as it is seen now was done by me. As the first three pictures show, along with my explanation, the rifle had the stock cut nearly in half near the splice and inletted for some kind of scope mount, the receiver had been drilled/tapped, and "7.62x54r" had been etched into the barrel by the rear sight base.

I assure you, as in my initial post, that the rifle complete as seen in the final set of pictures is my attempt at restoring the rifle to some semblance of what it once was. Obviously it will never again be a complete original unmolested PL marked M91, however I think its a far cry from what it was in the previous owner's hands as well as what it may have become if it became another bubba's project.

There is not many of these around in good original condition. I saw one a couple years ago that had been turned into a deer rifle, it sucked. It would be nice to see the before pictures of the thing all together, It might justify what's been done to it. Lets see what the Junk yard Dog says. Great looking 91. I'd be proud to have it.......SBP 63MN's

[LottaMosins]

Thanks! It certainly wasn't a fast or cheap endeavor, but it was worth it to me.

I can't say I've seen another PL marked Remington out there, let alone a 1918.

Nice save For the right price I would have tried to get it also. Don't see PL marked Remingtons everyday. Pure happenstance how these came to be, I have a Tikka M91 PL in a Remington stock.

[Miller Tyme]

That looks great Lotta, that is a very hard to find rifle and you saving it from Bubba must give you a special feeling all to itself.

[tjtM38]

As is, you have and absolutely beautiful Remington; congratulations on a great restoration.

[racerguy00]

I agree with how uncommon this rifle is. I'd never seen ANY PL Remington before. You had something to work with since the barrel hadn't been cut. Like mentioned, it's not as-imported and never will be but it looks great now. I would be happy to have that until I could upgrade, but I have a hard time believing that would be quickly possible.

[bunkysdad]

Likely searching a lifetime might not turn up another one. When you can buy them for a price that is in your comfort range and can improve it back to the original as much as possible then I can see how prized that rifle is in your collection. Very nice

[Luthierseye]

Great rescue!!

[davesstuff1]

[zeebill]

That is the kind of save I like to see! At least it isn't lounging in Bubba's closet or something. Really looks good and everything on there could conceivably have been put on there by the Finn's. Very tastefully done with all the apparent right parts and assembly. You won't hear any complaints from me on that kind of work. Now if you are going to resniper something or the like of that I would state my complaints long and hard. By my way of thinking upon tear down a good collector would spot things that would maybe at least let them know something may not have been original there and make him have questions. I have more than a few rifles I have questions about but to me that does not make them any less collectable in my collection. This is just a personal thought of my own and can freely accept anyone feeling different about it. The keep it original thought over powers some purists but things like this rifle will even make them think twice before knocking it or what has been done to it I feel. Great rifle with great pictures and I Thank You for sharing it with us. Bill