I have intents about something similar, but I want to take it to something else than just cosmetic... For my part, i don't want to cut/hack/drill,mess-up, just drop-in.
The rifle is of too light construction on certain places around the receiver and it affect its accuracy, i've got my ideas on a "bedding block interface" which will strengten the receiver & holding it real stiff ! I mean, just at the barreled action, it is held by 1 screw at the front of the receiver... I'm not a rifle expert but i'm sure that just one screw at no so critical place + soft wood stock = POA shift along with the twisting receiver issue...
Well, this block that i talked earlier should also be made that the front area allows to install some sort of handguard system by whatever way. Be it : 2-pieces or not, if possible low enough that the iron sights may still be used. Also its needed to be long enough to protect the operating rod & piston as much as possible... And the most important if its one-piece, enough clearance to be slid from the front (clearing the bayonet lug & front sight) for cleaning purposes. I though about the AR-10 Badger Stabilizer, modding the installation interface but still using the 6 screws directly into the bedding block, the gas tube channel would be perfect for the operating rod and to put the whole setup as low as possible. Plus its floated, doesn't cost 400$ & looks quite good. But I don't know yet if the diameter at the front would allow easy removal, any idea ?? Or any other handguard system suggestions
Rear portion of the bedding block would be made that a stock may be installed i though about either a ajustable G3 type stock directly onto the block or with an ajustable ar-15 type through an ACE stock adapter. A pistol grip is mandatory, ar-15 type sould be good; but it should be installed that trigger group removal would not be a problem
Here's is a funny part : putting a scope on the damned gun. As I said earlier, i don't want to hack or grind anything. My own gun isn't a sniper model, so putting an original or repro tokarev scope/mount is out of question, both on economical & ethical sides. The way i though, is to use soviet type side-rail: AK/SVD/SKS. They are known for good zero-keeping capabilty, many of the scopes using this interface are military issue & rugged enough. The rail would be installed directly on the bedding block, if the block holds the receiver correctly it should be stable enough to see what the 67 years old fishing cane is really capable of ! A detail to note too, is that the position of the rail and the thickness of the block at the sides of the rifle. Mag changes are next to impossible due to lack of magazine availablity and putting a round at time isn't fun; so stripper clips should still be possible to be used, then the rail position is important if its too close the the centerline of the the rifle: scope turrets/tube could block the way of the clip. To help this, i though about one of the 1P21 POSP scopes, they sit a bit more to the left the gun, it may help a lot without requiring to use shims of some sort around the block plus they have all the bell & whistle a scope can possibly get for the price.
All of this without bubba-ing the gun, everything could be put back in its original appearance, no bad feelings.
Whats needed is :
-Measurements around the gun's setup minus the stock.
-A way of bedding the receiver real tight, M14 EBR Setups seems the best exemple to follow.
-A few machines : Milling machine, Drill Press
-Titanium bar
-A lot of patience
First can be done easily, the second can be hard since I do not own any of the ebr setups, but i've seen pictures of the JAE-100 and thats what gave me my ideas. The third can be done too, the welder shop at job has everything needed. But the 4th and last needs are the hardest to get by a mile. For now i can just imagine how hardcore the SVTM or SVT-07 may look like...
