Idea for a build

A-10 · 03-25-2008, 05:51 PM

Since I already have a nice example of an original Mosin Nagant and my conscience is clean, I have decided that I would like to make a project out of another Mosin rifle. I would like to take a nice action and bore (original stock or not) and with a little work turn the rifle into a decent medium to long range rifle ( about 200 to 500 yards and beyond). My question for you ladies and gents is this: Is this a realistic plan? Is it possible to take a mass produced Nagant and make it reach out farther, more accurately? Any suggestions?

Thanks - A-10

texnmidwest · 03-25-2008, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-10

Since I already have a nice example of an original Mosin Nagant and my conscience is clean, I have decided that I would like to make a project out of another Mosin rifle. I would like to take a nice action and bore (original stock or not) and with a little work turn the rifle into a decent medium to long range rifle ( about 200 to 500 yards and beyond). My question for you ladies and gents is this: Is this a realistic plan? Is it possible to take a mass produced Nagant and make it reach out farther, more accurately? Any suggestions?

Thanks - A-10

You bet it is! The Mosin Nagant is capable of great accuracy. Their sniper rifles are very accurate. I would start with a 91/30 and build your rifle off of that platform. Shotgun news has a series about building just the rifle you are suggesting.

Cyrano · 03-25-2008, 06:56 PM

Certainly it is, A-10! If you've been firing your current Mosin, you know the cartridge has enough power to reach out that far easily. So what you need to do is come up with a way to accurize your second M-N without breaking the bank. Here are my suggestions. Please don't flame me, everyone.

The first thing is to bed the barrel, either in a new ATI synthetic stock or in the existing stock. Louie, my local Mosin Kahuna, maintains the best bedding for a M-N is a latex sealant normally used to seal bathtub surrounds. You squeeze it into the stock and seat the barrel into it. Once it sets up, it dampens the firing vibration to make the platform steadier.

The next thing is to lose the dog collar sling and replace it with sling swivels that will take a modern shooting sling. This will further stabilize the platform when you go to shoot a round.

Next thing is to get your rifle slugged to find out the precise bore diameter. This in turn will tell you what kind of ammunition to buy for it, presuming you don't handload. Mosin ammo varies not only by projectile weight, but also by bullet diameter over a range of about 6/1000ths depending on where and when it was manufactured. Knowing which kind of ammunition to load in your Russian Doll for best performance will do a lot more than it sounds like.

That's the simple stuff. Now we get into details. Are you going to be using a scope? If a scope, are you planning to use a scout mount, a custom Mosin scope mount or a Soviet type sniper mount? Which scope will you use? You get the idea. And don't forget about having the bolt handle bent by a machinist or a proper gunsmith, not bubba'd with one of those nasty ATI screw-on bent bolt handles.

If you are planning to keep her in iron sights, you can tweak the front sight. Folks on the forum have talked about everything from painting the front sight to filing it a tad. And of course you can drift it to move your point of impact a little left or right.

One thing that's almost a given for long range work is a better trigger. Numrich Gun Parts Corporation sells a Huber Concepts adjustable, anti-friction, ball bearing match trigger, Item No. 932140, for about $75.00 that will go a long way toward improving your accuracy. Supposedly, you don't need a gunsmith to install it for you. You may also want to replace the striker spring and the firing pin spring. Between Numrich and Wolff Gunsprings, you should have no trouble getting the parts. The Blitzschnell striker spring made by Wolff is supposed to be especially good. If you could find or have made a titanium firing pin for your Mosin, that would speed up lock time and would help your accuracy, too.

It's just a question of how much you want to spend, and how quickly you choose to spend it. Apart from the scope (if you go that way), the most expensive item on the list is the Huber match trigger. I think your question is answered. You can indeed fine-tune your Mosin for long distance shooting.

texnmidwest · 03-25-2008, 07:37 PM

You are proposing altering a valuable Military relic?!!!!

:ran t:

: silly:

Go for it!!!

thebluesbox · 03-25-2008, 07:57 PM

Dont you know that sort of blasphemy can get you banned from other forums?
you wait till they get word, your gonna get it you heathen!!!!! LOL

A-10 · 03-25-2008, 09:13 PM

[quote=thebluesbox;458209]Dont you know that sort of blasphemy can get you banned from other forums?
you wait till they get word, your gonna get it you heathen!!!!! LOL

Yeah, yeah I know it's a sin, but that's why I keep the other rifle original.

I could have bastardized that one, but I have karma to maintain.

By the way, I really appreciate your input guys! Thanks!

texnmidwest · 03-25-2008, 09:19 PM

A-10 in all seriousness, HAVE FUN WITH YOUR RIFLE!!!

There are a lot of ways you can customize your rifle. Anything from putting a 50 buck plastic stock on it drill it for a scope and call it good to working it up with a custom walnut hand checkered stock. Just depends on how much money you want to spend. Mosins are beautiful rifles any way they come. Take your time with customizing and have a great time! Let us know how the work progresses. I am sure once you get it all done that you will be pleased with the accuracy.

A-10 · 03-25-2008, 09:23 PM

Thanks, brother. Will do!

Geo M44 · 03-25-2008, 09:43 PM

Tex is right... how could you consider taking one of 17,000,000 (!!!) $80 rifles and using it as you please? The Russians are probably laughing their asses off at the guys who are "collectors". that's why we make fun of them here.

After all of us in North America have finished "modding" our MN's there are probably only 16,000,000 originals left. Rare indeed.

Unless you have a picture of Vasili Zaitzev or one of the other Soviet sharpshooting snipers holding your 91/30 (sniper) it's no different than modding a 10/22. Every once in a while you will find a gem, so be careful.

The cool thing about 91/30's and M44's is that they are cheap, plentiful, and beg to be modified. Simple and powerful.

Don't forget to take pictures and post them along the way.

billy · 03-25-2008, 10:02 PM

buy a bent bolt,bed it,put great glass on it.slug bore,new trigger
take up reloading.
make us proud son!
fight the good fight!
sniff sniff............

there goes a brave lad!

bigbuddy21 · 03-25-2008, 10:12 PM

ITS YOUR RIFLE, DO AS YOU PLEASE

fullMetalJack · 03-25-2008, 10:12 PM

my friend,
about a month ago i asked the same questions. what you need to do is get yourself i nice 9130 and milsurp case of rounds and have at it. you will find five hundred yards isnt as far off as you think with a mosin. i shot a targetabouta week ago at 475 with iron sights. theres dem dang numbers on the leaf for some reason! lol

SwedeSteve · 03-25-2008, 10:16 PM

Just Have fun with it! And post pics along the way.

fullMetalJack · 03-25-2008, 10:25 PM

cyrano,

your local mosin kahuna that seats the barrels so well. you have to get me a good recipe. what he uses, how much, where, etc that kind of stuff. or anyone thats seated the ati stocks. i have one 9130 with the ati monte carlo black. the only trouble is evey mosin is like a fingerprint, there all different. mine fits pretty snug except for the very tip of the stock is just a tad loose. definently something ive thought about doing to "black betty"!
any advice on this matter

SanDiegoRedneck · 03-25-2008, 10:40 PM

I agree with everyone else on you modifying your rifle. An ATI stock and a scope will do just fine. Definately send pics.

marion57 · 03-25-2008, 11:15 PM

I was kinda hopeing my 91x30 stock wouldnt sell and I could start a new project hehe but alas its sold same day as I listed it. So guess Its back to my SKS project

Geo M44 · 03-26-2008, 12:11 AM

Actually if you want a real challenge try a Richards walnut stock. No, I haven't finished mine yet! But I have a good excuse (not really).

Here are some pics.

marion57 · 03-26-2008, 03:38 AM

Now that is a gorgeous stock!!

SwedeSteve · 03-26-2008, 04:46 AM

Nice stock Geo!

texnmidwest · 03-26-2008, 07:38 AM

Geo, when you get that gorgeous stock and rifle together please post some pics! That is a stock to be proud of! Bent bolt, shortened and recrowned barrel, high polish reblue...and a scout scope.

03-25-2008, 05:51 PM	#1
A-10 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 732	Idea for a build Since I already have a nice example of an original Mosin Nagant and my conscience is clean, I have decided that I would like to make a project out of another Mosin rifle. I would like to take a nice action and bore (original stock or not) and with a little work turn the rifle into a decent medium to long range rifle ( about 200 to 500 yards and beyond). My question for you ladies and gents is this: Is this a realistic plan? Is it possible to take a mass produced Nagant and make it reach out farther, more accurately? Any suggestions? Thanks - A-10 __________________ If there's nothing worth dying for, there's nothing worth living for.

03-25-2008, 06:56 PM	#3
Cyrano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 2,356	Certainly it is, A-10! If you've been firing your current Mosin, you know the cartridge has enough power to reach out that far easily. So what you need to do is come up with a way to accurize your second M-N without breaking the bank. Here are my suggestions. Please don't flame me, everyone. The first thing is to bed the barrel, either in a new ATI synthetic stock or in the existing stock. Louie, my local Mosin Kahuna, maintains the best bedding for a M-N is a latex sealant normally used to seal bathtub surrounds. You squeeze it into the stock and seat the barrel into it. Once it sets up, it dampens the firing vibration to make the platform steadier. The next thing is to lose the dog collar sling and replace it with sling swivels that will take a modern shooting sling. This will further stabilize the platform when you go to shoot a round. Next thing is to get your rifle slugged to find out the precise bore diameter. This in turn will tell you what kind of ammunition to buy for it, presuming you don't handload. Mosin ammo varies not only by projectile weight, but also by bullet diameter over a range of about 6/1000ths depending on where and when it was manufactured. Knowing which kind of ammunition to load in your Russian Doll for best performance will do a lot more than it sounds like. That's the simple stuff. Now we get into details. Are you going to be using a scope? If a scope, are you planning to use a scout mount, a custom Mosin scope mount or a Soviet type sniper mount? Which scope will you use? You get the idea. And don't forget about having the bolt handle bent by a machinist or a proper gunsmith, not bubba'd with one of those nasty ATI screw-on bent bolt handles. If you are planning to keep her in iron sights, you can tweak the front sight. Folks on the forum have talked about everything from painting the front sight to filing it a tad. And of course you can drift it to move your point of impact a little left or right. One thing that's almost a given for long range work is a better trigger. Numrich Gun Parts Corporation sells a Huber Concepts adjustable, anti-friction, ball bearing match trigger, Item No. 932140, for about $75.00 that will go a long way toward improving your accuracy. Supposedly, you don't need a gunsmith to install it for you. You may also want to replace the striker spring and the firing pin spring. Between Numrich and Wolff Gunsprings, you should have no trouble getting the parts. The Blitzschnell striker spring made by Wolff is supposed to be especially good. If you could find or have made a titanium firing pin for your Mosin, that would speed up lock time and would help your accuracy, too. It's just a question of how much you want to spend, and how quickly you choose to spend it. Apart from the scope (if you go that way), the most expensive item on the list is the Huber match trigger. I think your question is answered. You can indeed fine-tune your Mosin for long distance shooting. Last edited by Cyrano; 03-25-2008 at 06:58 PM.

03-25-2008, 07:37 PM	#4
texnmidwest Listen to yur Inner Hippo Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 3,439	You are proposing altering a valuable Military relic?!!!!:ran t:: silly: Go for it!!! __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)

03-25-2008, 07:57 PM	#5
thebluesbox Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 95	Dont you know that sort of blasphemy can get you banned from other forums? you wait till they get word, your gonna get it you heathen!!!!! LOL Last edited by thebluesbox; 03-25-2008 at 08:05 PM.

03-25-2008, 09:13 PM	#6
A-10 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 732	[quote=thebluesbox;458209]Dont you know that sort of blasphemy can get you banned from other forums? you wait till they get word, your gonna get it you heathen!!!!! LOL Yeah, yeah I know it's a sin, but that's why I keep the other rifle original. I could have bastardized that one, but I have karma to maintain. By the way, I really appreciate your input guys! Thanks! __________________ If there's nothing worth dying for, there's nothing worth living for.

03-25-2008, 09:19 PM	#7
texnmidwest Listen to yur Inner Hippo Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 3,439	A-10 in all seriousness, HAVE FUN WITH YOUR RIFLE!!! There are a lot of ways you can customize your rifle. Anything from putting a 50 buck plastic stock on it drill it for a scope and call it good to working it up with a custom walnut hand checkered stock. Just depends on how much money you want to spend. Mosins are beautiful rifles any way they come. Take your time with customizing and have a great time! Let us know how the work progresses. I am sure once you get it all done that you will be pleased with the accuracy. __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)

03-25-2008, 09:23 PM	#8
A-10 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 732	Thanks, brother. Will do! __________________ If there's nothing worth dying for, there's nothing worth living for.

03-25-2008, 09:43 PM	#9
Geo M44 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: The Desert Posts: 2,197	Tex is right... how could you consider taking one of 17,000,000 (!!!) $80 rifles and using it as you please? The Russians are probably laughing their asses off at the guys who are "collectors". that's why we make fun of them here. After all of us in North America have finished "modding" our MN's there are probably only 16,000,000 originals left. Rare indeed. Unless you have a picture of Vasili Zaitzev or one of the other Soviet sharpshooting snipers holding your 91/30 (sniper) it's no different than modding a 10/22. Every once in a while you will find a gem, so be careful. The cool thing about 91/30's and M44's is that they are cheap, plentiful, and beg to be modified. Simple and powerful. Don't forget to take pictures and post them along the way.

03-25-2008, 10:02 PM	#10
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 12,106 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 146	buy a bent bolt,bed it,put great glass on it.slug bore,new trigger take up reloading. make us proud son! fight the good fight! sniff sniff............ there goes a brave lad! __________________ Last edited by billy; 03-25-2008 at 10:04 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

03-25-2008, 10:12 PM	#11
bigbuddy21 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: new albany in. Posts: 974 Images: 5	ITS YOUR RIFLE, DO AS YOU PLEASE __________________ LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!

03-25-2008, 10:12 PM	#12
fullMetalJack Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 119	my friend, about a month ago i asked the same questions. what you need to do is get yourself i nice 9130 and milsurp case of rounds and have at it. you will find five hundred yards isnt as far off as you think with a mosin. i shot a targetabouta week ago at 475 with iron sights. theres dem dang numbers on the leaf for some reason! lol __________________ -What we do in life echoes in eternity...

03-25-2008, 10:16 PM	#13
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,346 Images: 1	Just Have fun with it! And post pics along the way. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-25-2008, 10:25 PM	#14
fullMetalJack Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 119	cyrano, your local mosin kahuna that seats the barrels so well. you have to get me a good recipe. what he uses, how much, where, etc that kind of stuff. or anyone thats seated the ati stocks. i have one 9130 with the ati monte carlo black. the only trouble is evey mosin is like a fingerprint, there all different. mine fits pretty snug except for the very tip of the stock is just a tad loose. definently something ive thought about doing to "black betty"! any advice on this matter __________________ -What we do in life echoes in eternity...

03-25-2008, 10:40 PM	#15
SanDiegoRedneck Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 49	I agree with everyone else on you modifying your rifle. An ATI stock and a scope will do just fine. Definately send pics.

03-25-2008, 11:15 PM	#16
marion57 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,880	I was kinda hopeing my 91x30 stock wouldnt sell and I could start a new project hehe but alas its sold same day as I listed it. So guess Its back to my SKS project __________________ You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers!(Charlton Heston)

03-26-2008, 03:38 AM	#18
marion57 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,880	Now that is a gorgeous stock!! __________________ You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers!(Charlton Heston)

03-26-2008, 04:46 AM	#19
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,346 Images: 1	Nice stock Geo! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-26-2008, 07:38 AM	#20
texnmidwest Listen to yur Inner Hippo Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 3,439	Geo, when you get that gorgeous stock and rifle together please post some pics! That is a stock to be proud of! Bent bolt, shortened and recrowned barrel, high polish reblue...and a scout scope. __________________ "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (If all else fails play dead)