Drift the Mosin's Sight?

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hi Folks,

I was trying out my YouTube contest's target today after making some adjustments to the Mosin's shims, namely replacing some of the rubberized cork with actual shim stock I had laying around and put about 5lbs of upward pressure on the barrel while countering that with the upper handguard -- pretty much I was aiming to duplicate the idea of the Gew88's sleeved barrel, since it shoots so well with it.

This is what I got:

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I'm sure the rifle will do better than this; the limitations were my own.

Do you suppose I should drift the front sight a bit to the right, or wait until I fire a few more strings so make sure the error wasn't me?

Thanks,

Josh

 

[vtuck2]

Josh,

In my experience, as a right handed shooter, I tend to string shots a little to the right. Not that my judgment's any better than yours but I suggest you'd do well to shoot it a little more. It would appear that the slightest compensation in your sight picture (or even a slightly different technique) might get you where you need to be.

V

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Thanks.

I'm a lefty, by the way...

Having grown up with 'scopes and just recently having discovered the joys of shooting over iron sights, I am having to learn things all over again.

I thought that irons weren't as precise as 'scopes. Found out I'm wrong on that as I can keep up with a lot of folks shooting with 'scopes out to 100 yards or so, with my iron sights.

What 'scopes give is range of the shot.

I'm still trying to figure out what the acceptable error is with irons, as opposed to 'scopes.

Thanks!

Josh

 

[Old Time Hunter]

Joshua, you are so close that it might be better to just tweek the front sight over to the right about .010". The front sight is just heavy wire.

 

[BCRider]

The front sight base and hood on a Mosin sits in it's own dovetail. It would not be more than a minute's work to tap it a hair to the right and see how subsequent groups work out. No need to bend the pin to shift it.

I'd also like to speak for legions of iron sight lovers that suffer from less than stellar vision and say that I/We are impressed with your ability to shoot so tightly. 50 yards may not seem like that big a deal to those with eagle eyes. But for the rest of us it's a battle to simply see the bullseye on the paper.

 

[BCRider]

Double tap... sorry

Move along... nothing to see here....

 

[caribou]

Even better is an AK front sight drift press, one that encircles the post and uses a screw to drift it very very fine and slow , rather than tapped, smacked or whapped.
be sure that whenyour sighted in you stak/witness mark that sight into place.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Thanks folks.

Old Time Hunter, this is not a wire sight. It's actually my Target sight and is a bit harder.

I think I'll throw some more groups on paper. The bedding changed. Before this I was able to snip twigs at 30 yards or so offhand.

Now I shoot tighter but to the right about half an inch. Dangit!

BCRider, I sort of just figured that if I can see the front sight clearly, I don't have to see the target clearly. Whether this is fact or fantasy, I dunno, but it works for me!

Regards,

Josh

 

[InfamousLegend]

My Mosin shoots to the left, funny thing is the marker for center is lined up, gonna have to push the front sight to the left to fix it.

 

[Jeff H]

Even better is an AK front sight drift press, one that encircles the post and uses a screw to drift it very very fine and slow , rather than tapped, smacked or whapped.

I don't think this will work on a Mosin. The front sight is totally different than the AK/SKS that the tool was invented for.

 

[mortablunt]

I think putting the bayonet on, or taking it off might fix it. Try it before you do anything to the sights.

 

[mberoose]

Elby sight tools are excellent, fyi. Check em out.

http://elby.yolasite.com/mosin-nagant-sight-tools.php

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Yup, Elby's part of the Mosin Guild at my website!

Good people. He made my jigs for machining sights!

Regards,

Josh

 

[moon928]

I was surprised at how accurate a $75 rifle the Mosin turned out to be once i got it shimmed properly. I believe they were sighted in with the bayonet fixed so some adjustment would be expected. Your grouping certainly looks close enough to kill whatever you were shooting at.

 

[caribou]

Im useing a tapco aftemarket sight drift, it moves the Mosin sight nicely, but I do use a shim of brass to make it work against the sights base.

My M-39, of course doesnt have such need, just a screw driver.

 

[ALAN THOMAS]

I shot 2" group today with mine. 75 yards. Mil Surp ammo too. Same deal as you though, All shots seven ring high three inches to the right. Then the barrel got hot. Katy bar the door on that one. Bolt got sticky as well. Can't imagine trying to rack one out with some SS SOB coming over the hill. Still and all though, a hoot to shoot!
Alan

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

ALAN:

You've likely got some cosmoline in the bolt recesses. That'd probably be why your action is sticking. Your camming surfaces might need a little polishing too.