Mosin Nagant Bolt Question

[dak0ta]

Hi,

I was reading the bolt disassembly instructions and it says that the firing pin notch should line up with the notches cut out in the cocking piece of the bolt. My firing pin notch is slightly out of line, not by much, the bolt works as it should and the firing pin passes the tests using the tool supplied.

Do I need to adjust it or is this ok?

 

[vellocet]

Leave it as it is. Have fun shooting.

 

[courtgreene]

mine don't line up either... sometimes it happens that way. That means you just have to check it every time. To be sure, you should anyway. So it's really not an issue.

 

[carbine85]

You should use the tool with the notches cut into them to determine if the firing pin is threading in to the proper distance.

 

[jpwilly]

Don't worry about the mark lining up but do check the firing pin protrusion.

 

[Clipper]

Rule of thumb is for the pin to be flush with the cocking piece.

 

[leadchucker]

You can only adjust the firing pin depth in half-turn increments. When it's right, the rear of the pin will be flush with the back of the cocking knob, plus or minus a half turn. The slot in the rear of the firing pin may not exactly line up with the cut on the back of the cocking knob, but it should be close. Once you know the rifle, you can tell by eye.

Until you are sure you can eyeball firing pin depth, check it with the supplied tool. There are several Youtube videos on how to do it. It's important.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

You need to check to make sure, I've punctured a primer on firing before and got a face full of hot gas and unburnt powders. I've had the headspacing checked and it's fine and dandy, but too deep of pin strike can do it.

 

[dak0ta]

My pin is flush with the cocking piece. I was talking about the slot in the pin lining up with the notches cut out in the cocking piece (2D view)

 

[Shadow 7D]

YOU HAVE A GAUGE
ever wonder what those notched on the hand dandy screw driver like too are for???
yep you got, it's the FP gauge, but usually it was set at the factory when the bolt was refurbed so that the FP is FLAT and lined up with the scratch.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

My pin is flush with the cocking piece. I was talking about the slot in the pin lining up with the notches cut out in the cocking piece (2D view)

If with the gauge on the tool you get, you'll want to make sure it isn't out too far, there are two slots to check protrusion, some use the smallest (75 slot), some use the larger (95 slot), but you want to keep it between both of those, otherwise you'll puncture a primer. Leave the slot in the cocking piece alone, as that is usually factory setting. If you disassemble your bolt, you'll need to readjust the FP protrusion.

 

[leadchucker]

My pin is flush with the cocking piece. I was talking about the slot in the pin lining up with the notches cut out in the cocking piece (2D view)

If you disassemble the bolt, notice that the firing pin has flats on the front section. Now notice that the hole through the front part of the bolt connector/guide bar, where the firing pin goes, is not round, but has flats of its own. The firing pin can only be inserted into this part in one orientation, with these flats up and down. You can only adjust the firing pin protrusion in half turn increments. Thus, the slot on the rear of the firing pin will always be vertical, plus or minus a little slop in the fit of the parts.

Don't worry so much about the orientation of the slot. It will take care of itself when you assemble the bolt. More important is to assure that firing pin protrusion is correct. Too much protrusion may cause pierced primers. Too little protrusion may cause hang fires.

 

[dak0ta]

FP protrusion is good, it touches the small notch, but doesn't touch the large notch. I think it's safe.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

That's good, I had to turn mine back a while ago, it's sitting at the 95 slot now, haven't had a punctured primer since.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Oh, and the bolt head guide, notice how it's slotted on the back, you can use it to screw in the firing pin, the flat sides are the same size as the slot.

Oh and when dealing with the FP, place a book or similar and NEVER point it at you as you unscrew it, it's a 20ish pound spring, an it will launch the firing pin complete through a card board box.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Better yet, find a block of wood and drill a pilot hole the size of the very point of the pin, about half as deep as the thinnest point is long, and use that. Push down, twist cocking peice off, let off slowly. Done. Reverse for reassembly, then double check FP protrusion.

The wonderful think about the Mosin Nagant is that it lends itself to simplicity. It was made for uneducated conscripts to use in combat. Nice thing is, it's fairly straight-forward to understand how the bolt comes apart. If you need help doing so, PM me and I can make you a video.

 

[Gunnerboy]

when i dissasemble the mosin bolts i put it in a vise with a bucket of dirt under it so the firing pin launches into the dirt instead of my leg or elsewhere.

 

[dak0ta]

Alright, so all the metal work is completely free of cosmoline. WD-40, soap, and boiling water did wonders. Now to tackle the wood.

On the outside it's pretty thin, but on the inside there are caked up places full of cosmoline. How do you guys get rid of this stuff? Steam? I just don't want to damage the shellac finish or warp the wood using steam. And mineral spirits will strip the finish.. should I use a combination of both?

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Heat it up, anyway you can find, and it should seep through the shellac. However, if you feel like doing so, you can refinish the rifle (that shellac can flake pretty bad). It's pretty easy to pull cosmo out of a stock that way, just heat up and wipe off. Doesn't take to long.

 

[Shadow 7D]

If it was summer time you can put the stock in a trash bag full of kitty litter and put it in a car's truck or somewhere similar, the heat and kitty litter pull the oils out of the stock

Others take a large trashcan or similar and put a heat source such as an incandescent light bulb or small personal heater at the bottom of the over turned trashcan. You can wrap the stock in newspaper or papertowls or something similar to catch the oils. The key is a gentle heat (120ish) and something to pull the oils out/catch it.

 

[Slyy]

to clean the wood parts (I got my a few months ago, so it's been too cold to warm it outside) I disassembled the rifle and then used a non-ammonia windex sprayed onto a shop towel and just rubbed the thing down till my arms hurt. It stills smells a little of Cosmoline (which I kinda like actually) but even after a long firing session I saw no boiling Cosmoline come from near the business end of the rifle.

As I side note, I did try a homemade hot box with cardboard boxes and several 100W bulbs, it got very hot in there and I didn't notice an appreciable amount of Cosmoline come out so I think the towel/windex worked well without damaging any of the guns original finish. My gun was heavily covered in the stuff before my initial cleaning as well so this method seemed to get most of it.

 

[dak0ta]

I just used a rag soaked in boiling water and it seems to be doing the trick, at least on the surface. My stock doesn't appear to be saturated with the stuff. And I do like the way it smells, almost like antique vaseline haha.

 

[leadchucker]

You will think you have removed all the cosmoline... until you take it to the range. After a few rounds, when the thing heats up, the cosmo will start oozing out of the pores.

Oh, BTW, once the bolt is assembled, don't try to adjust the firing pin depth by turning the pin with a screwdriver. It won't work. It is locked into flats in the bolt conneector/guide bar. All you'll likely do is bugger up the slot, making bolt disassembly difficult.

 

[dak0ta]

I have question regarding cleaning the brass on the handgaurds. It seems like some of the cosmoline has hardened to almost become a lacquer on the brass. What methods can I use to remove it to get the brass shiny again?

 

[leadchucker]

Are you sure that's not shellac on the brass, like what is on the sling slot escutcheons? A little lacquer thinner or acetone on a rag will probably get it off. Just be real careful not to get any of that stuff on the wood.

Anyway, if it were my rifle, I would leave that patina alone.