Today I built my Moisin scout project

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Gordon

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It's labor Day so I knocked off the chores and assembled the pieces I have been collecting for this project for a few years. I had already put on the very nice Pachmyar recoil pad an also glued on the leather cheek piece riser when I range tested this brand new condition Bulgarian Cold War redo of the Moisin. The bore metal and wood were perfect and beauty with a great metal finish and great figure in the wood. The bayonet assembly had been removed lowering the price to $200 a year ago. I wanted a 7.62 Russian blaster and this fit the bill. I have to confess I sold my two Finnish rifles last year for exceptional prices in my opinion , and have a crate and a half of Bulgarian heavy ball hanging around.
Any way I found a pristine Burris 1-4 pistol scope on eBay for a little over a hundred and found on line this rock solid scout mount on line on sale for $100 . I had the Warne Lever mounts. I found a piece of walnut that I can fit in future to cover the mount and should look kewl I have to put swivels on gun.
When I tried it on the range O found it was 1" 1/2 " accurate at 75 yard range I had, sights on but about 3" high . With the scope off those sights still will work.The action is slick, the trigger ok 5-6 pounds reasonable creep, I'll work on that latter. Straight bolt is fast and positive, a rugged gun ! This is an M91/59 with all matching parts marked with 3 digits . Built in Bulgaria in early 60s for last ditch Cold War use and put into storage. Appears new barrel and nice bluing and finish. They had no bayonet but sombody removed the forward handguard wood which was separate from the stock .

IMG_20210906_182013077.jpg IMG_20210906_182024615.jpg IMG_20210906_182035204.jpg IMG_20210906_182116261.jpg
 
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These rifles have become collectible in recent times. I wouldn’t do this normally but you mentioned the bayonet was removed so not much value to be lost anyway. Nice setup.

This is a M91/59 and had no bayonet actually but someone remove the front separate handguard pieces and the bands that held them on. Gun is as new including barrel with great blueing, made in early 60s and put in storage by USSR for SHTF .
 
This is a M91/59 and had no bayonet actually but someone remove the front separate handguard pieces and the bands that held them on. Gun is as new including barrel with great blueing, made in early 60s and put in storage by USSR for SHTF .

Very nice. I once owned a pristine Romanian M44. People say the Mosin rifles are not made well. They have clearly not seen the post war ones, as some are gorgeous. Mine had a mint bore and very smooth machining, I took a large Oklahoma boar with it.
 
That nose isn't finished, is it? Aren't you going to blend it with the stock's lines?
 
That nose isn't finished, is it? Aren't you going to blend it with the stock's lines?

It doesn't really match, but that abrupt end to the stock where it was cut at the rear handguard band needs something. ;)

I think a block of horn would be a better cap to the forend.
 
I have not fit the piece of figured walnut to the stock yet, but will blend it in Weatherby or schnable style, we shall see. I originally was gonna spray Krylon Camo job EVERYTHING on the gun except cheek piece and recoil pad. Because of nice bluing and the grain in wood decided not to. The bolt assembly is very bright, like chrome ! So just the scope will be sprayed flat black carefully, it is certainly a distraction .
I lucked out and hit the distance to eye of scope and length of pull and comb height. You throw the little carbine to the shoulder and the cross hairs are right there ! I am gonna look into my trigger options , nothing too exotic or expensive, this is a rough rifle after all . It is no longer very light after my modifications ! it is 7.8 pound as it sits. This is a good thing as the weight is forward over the barrel now. The carbine even with the hi tech slip on (glued now) Pachmayr pad was brutal when I tested it naked . I would imagine the edge is off it now . I have a Ching sling to rig up and the wood repair ahead. Then the sight in. If I get 2-3 MOA out to 200 yards I will be more than happy.
 
It doesn't really match, but that abrupt end to the stock where it was cut at the rear handguard band needs something. ;)

I think a block of horn would be a better cap to the forend.

Doesn't matter if it's black buffalo horn, ebony or what not. What matters is that it is tastefully blended in so the lines appeal to the eye. Me? I'd pour a pewter nosecap and add a patchbox. But that's me.
 
I just ordered a Timney trigger for it, preset to 3 pounds, because it has a safety and it is a Timney. Got it for less than a $100 delivered with coupons and a discount I had coming from Optics Planet.
 
How come you didn't work on the trigger to smoothen it out yourself?

If you read Pavlichenko's book, Lady Death, she talks about tuning up her own sniper rifle. I used to think that was BS but then I found documentation instructing people how to tune up the M91/30.
 
How come you didn't work on the trigger to smoothen it out yourself?

If you read Pavlichenko's book, Lady Death, she talks about tuning up her own sniper rifle. I used to think that was BS but then I found documentation instructing people how to tune up the M91/30.


#1 not interested, still have a swinging loose POS #2 Because it's a Timney and I have excellent luck with many Timney triggers over many years . #3 because the Timney comes it a trigger safety which would be handy considering the near worthless safety of the moisin, this one is very hard to apply compared to my former Finnish rifles. #4 I had 15% off optics planet coupon if used in Sept. and had $5 of their "bucks" credit + 4.50 "coupon" on the product = about $79 with free shipping and in stock !
 
Practice using clips to reload and you've got a potent defensive arm with practice.

Don't have any unless they are in three un opened spam cans I have full. I had 4 boxes of ball to try out gun with no clips in them. Ill look on ebay. Obviously the gun is open for their access.

PS I just got 5 circle 10 "new" ones on ebay for $15 with free shipping
 
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Don't have any unless they are in three un opened spam cans I have full. I had 4 boxes of ball to try out gun with no clips in them. Ill look on ebay. Obviously the gun is open for their access.

PS I just got 5 circle 10 "new" ones on ebay for $15 with free shipping

Extremely cool. I've got a number of Izhevsk ones that have given me good service. Mosin clips run the gammit from horrible to very good. Sadly most current repro clips are awful. Bulgarians make great stuff and I'll bet those clips are smooth.
 
Modern Engineering meets Antique Design. If this is a solution for your needs and the rifle works better for what you intended by all means and don’t forget to do a range report. Good job on a functional rifle. :thumbup:;)
 
Very cool; and as a Mosin 91/30 owner & shooter I hope to see more on this in the future. Last summer I put on a Leupold scout scope that I wasn't using. Used an S & K no gunsmithing mount so there's no "Bubba" type stuff involved. Love those scout scopes on old military guns as my older eyes don't get along with those iron sights like they once did. Never did any other modifications to mine although I did consider a trigger at one point but decided against it as mine isn't too bad for an old Mosin; averaging 5 lbs. 7 oz. on a Lyman digital gauge with a nice, clean break. Lots of fun and I have found that the 7.62x 54R is a good reloaders cartridge, too. I like how your scope is lower than mine; I'm still deciding on what to do for a cheek piece. .. IMG_9324.JPG ..
 
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