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Simple Gunsmithing on the Mosin Nagant.
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- Created on Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:02
- Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 23:23
- Published on Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:02
- Written by seedspreader
- Hits: 1122
If you've never heard of a Mosin Nagant, it's a bolt-action Russian Rifle that was used in WWI and WWII and gained some notoriety during the winter siege by the Nazi's as being a sniper rifle in the hands of the Russians.
They were made from 1891 - 1943 and use the 7.62x54R ammunition. They are an excellent homesteading rifle as they are inexpensive and plentiful, and can be used to bring home meat for the table or used to defend the home. They can be had for anywhere from $85.00 and upward. The more expensive rifles being rifles that can be traced to being the actual "sniper" version used during the winter sieges in Russia. Most of the inexpensive rifles are the M91/30 which were produced during, or after 1930 So aside from trying to convince you they are a great gun, blah, blah blah, I'm just going to show you what I did to mine to lighten it up a bit and get a scope on it.
I bought the rifle (2 of them, I gave one to my neighbor who is a vet that is wheelchair bound) for $89.00 at Fin, Feather, and Fur over in Ashland, Ohio (Now selling in their flier for $99.00). I bought this fiberglass stock and scope mount for the rifle, and I purchased a scope for it. Now some folks say (and it CAN be argued) "Just buy what you want, spend the money up front and get a good gun at the start". I think that's a valid argument, but let me argue another way for a moment. If you're like me, you use only cash (or debit card) to make a purchase. If you're also like me, it's easier to break up purchases at different times of the year. Example: I purchased these rifles months earlier, and then the stock and scope mount, later. If you want to learn some minor gunsmithing and modification, it's far better to practice on an $89.00 rifle than $389.00 rifle, and finally, there is a satisfaction when you do something for yourself.
Here's how I went about making the changes that I needed to make:
Before I proceed, let me just make sure everyone knows a couple of things. 1.) always treat every gun as a loaded weapon. (Unlike this guy... ) If it has the possibility of firing, it can. 2.) Don't point a weapon at someone else unless you intend to use it. 3.) Make sure all ammunition is removed and that the firing chamber, in the barrel, is empty also.
Now that we have the horrible example of how NOT to handle a gun (Unlike this guy...) let's proceed with the minor gunsmithing.
Because we are adding a scope mount that goes over the top of the firing chamber and interferes with the straight "throw" of the bolt action, we must modify it. There are several ways to do this. One way involves heating the bolt and stretching and bending it downward. This particular scope mount came with a screw-0n bolt. It required cutting off the lever on the bolt at 1/4 inch. So I used some electric tape to mark the .250 inch line and cut just a little bigger, figuring I could always grind away the material easier than trying to ADD material.
Now gently mount the bolt in a vice. Don't over tighten it, you can damage the bolt and hinder it's action.
You are going to use a hack saw to remove the lever from the bolt. As I said, there are other methods for modifying this bolt. They are a better quality and more aesthetically pleasing too, of course, that means they are more expensive. Here is an enterprising fellow who modifies and charges $55.00 for his bolts. But for the price included in the scope mount, I just went with that option.
You're committed now, so go ahead and saw off the bolt. Keep it straight. The secret is to make sure it's mounted straight and then saw slow full strokes.
There will a lot of pictures on the next page. Dial up users beware.
Fit the new bolt lever over the old stub to test fit it.
Grind down the excess to assure the proper fit. A small bit at a time is the best method.
This spacer ring comes with the kit. It helps assure a tight fit. The cap will go over it and you will locate the hole to drill and tap for the screw.
- Cut into the bolt with the tap. If you've not tapped anything in a while (or ever) there is a lesson about tapping you need to know.
- Lesson to be learned??? Slow and steady wins the race. Even if it's cutting well, don't speed this job. It also helps to tighten (cut) a little and back it off, then go a little further.
INTERLUDE: At this moment, it's important to note that I had to go buy a new tap. This almost defeated me because it broke down there pretty good, with most of the tap below the hole surface. I had to use my bench grinder and shape a small tight point to use a small hammer and tap this thing loose. Again, though... the lesson is diligence. We give up on things way too easy. Don't give up, keep trying.
- Preparing to drill and mount the scope rail. The most difficult thing here is the wedging under the barrel to make sure it's level and square. I used multiple pieces and built a small jig.
- The drilling and tapping of the barrel is both easier (thinner steel than the bolt) and more difficult (if you fail it can be costly). The actual tap cut this steel easily. I made sure to drill no deeper than the scope screws.
- Changing the stock is simple with just a few screws and a washer to strategically place based on how the barrel fits into your new 'glass stock.
