Mosin Target/Hunting build

[Pinski1015]

Bought a modified 91/30 and plan on building a target/hunting rifle. The rifle currently has a floated barrel,compensator,bent down and longer bolt handle and a rail atop the reciever for a scope. The rifle shoots great.

Pics are what I'm working with.


My plans include a slip on butt pad, camoing the stock, scoping it(need suggestions) modifying trigger for a lighter pull, adding a rail on the underside for a bipod, anything else to improve accuracy, and shooting the heck out of it!

Understand I'm 18 so I'm not the most experienced gunsmith. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

For you purist's I'm gonna purchase another 91/30 and keep it nice and stock.

 

[Vaarok]

You're about to make a giant money-pit, but good luck. The Huber Anti-Friction Ball Trigger is probably the best one you can find for the Mosin. For adding rail and scope, there's no really good solution, but you might want to consider a Mannlicher-Schonauer styled two-point base system.

 

[neededausername]

Do you plan to reload? I enjoy shooting my cheap surplus x54r rounds, but if you want target rifle accuracy you are going to have to reload. Just so you know the surplus brass can't be reloaded. I believe you can buy some modern production ammo that can be though.

 

[7mmsavage]

If you haven't seen them already take a look at these sights, http://www.gswagner.com/mosin-nagant/mnsporter.html. and http://www.sporterizing.com/index.php?showtopic=8864. There are things that can be done with the right tools and know how. I installed that same side mount scope base from GSWagner's sight. Matter of fact, I did something similar to his bolt handle too, but I do have a drill press, taps, etc. I found it at Gander Mountain if your interested. There are definately easier ways to get a scoped hunting rifle, (something you'll be told again and again) but you've already got a hacked Mosin, these sights may give you some ideas to help do it right.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Mosin...

Pinski 1015--Vaarok is right, you'll never get your $$ back out of the rifle, BUT, you'll keep yourself off the streets and out of mischief, learn a bunch about home gunsmithing, and probably enjoy the process.

And Needed A User Name is also right, if you want more than casual accuracy from your Mosin, you'll have to reload. You can get into this with a Lee Classic Kit, which uses a hammer-it-in resizing die and is kinda crude, but will only set you back about $25 brand new. Then with perhaps $50 in supplies, you're off and running, and the first ammo you make with this kit will outclass the milsurp ammo eight ways from Sunday. Many of us reloaders started with the Lee kit, myself included. It works. You can go from there to spending wads of $$ on fancy reloading equipment, when/as/if you have wads of $$, or you can be happy with the Lee kit and just make cheap good ammo with that.

Anyhow, welcome to the club, and enjoy.

Contact Lee Precision: www.leeprecision.com Have a look @ their catalogue. You want the Lee Loader Rifle kit, in 7.62x54R. Lee has it for $36; you probably can find it cheaper on the I'net.

 

[ball3006]

I have several "stock" Mosin Nagants that will shoot minute of angle with Privi 150grsp. You don't need to spend big bucks on a trigger. Just get used to the on you have. It is called practice.......chris3

 

[HGUNHNTR]

^ Yeah practice is #1, but a bad trigger will negate much of the ground you gain through learning trigger control. A trigger is a great way to gain some accuracy instantly.

 

[NCsmitty]

Take a look at MidwayUSA's listing for Mosins including the Timney trigger.

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...ategoryId=11439&categoryString=649***20766***

Your "target potential" will be dependent on your barrel to bullet fit. It is essential that you reload if you want seriously tight groups.
Prvi-Partizan/Wolf Gold offer good ammo, made with reloadable brass, at reasonable prices. The 7.62x54R round is a potent game cartridge, and is capable of handling most anything that you choose to hunt.
The Mosin does make a rugged hunting rifle, and are heavy, but you're 18 and should be able to handle it.
Just spend your money wisely in the make up.



NCsmitty

 

[dnthmn]

A 100 dollar trigger for an 80 dollar rifle. Seems odd.....

 

[WardenWolf]

You don't need a slip-on buttpad. You can go one better: a good rubber buttpad that's designed for these rifles:

http://www.buymilsurp.com/butt-pad-mosin-nagant-rifle-p-7758.html

It replaces the metal buttplate and attaches with the original screws. I have one of these on my unmodified all-matching 91/30. Works great. I shot 20 rounds through my Mosin and my shoulder wasn't even slightly sore the next day.

Ditch that compensator. It's designed for an M44 and is dangerous to use even there. People report they misalign and get sheered off, sometimes taking the front sight with it. If you want it done right, have your barrel threaded and install a proper brake. King Armory makes muzzle brakes that work fine for Mosins. When choosing a brake, it's important to know that Russian .30's are actually .311, whereas Western .30's are .308. It's not much difference, but if your brake is undersized you won't like what happens.

For the scope, get yourself a Simmons. Inexpensive, but very high quality. I have a Simmons 6-18x50 on my PSL, also a 7.62x54R rifle. Just make sure whatever you get clears the bolt handle.

Good luck. Looks like someone else has already done the hard work for you. Now it's really just a matter of choosing your components.

 

[Red Tornado]

Since it's ready for a scope, you've got the perfect project. I'm of the opinion that fixed power scopes are more reliable for your money. The mosin snipers only had a 3x or 4x, I believe. I could be wrong on all counts. Anyway, a 4x or 6x fixed power shouldn't set you back too much, and should work for anything you need to shoot.

Don't drop any money on a trigger until you try the SurplusRifle trigger shim trick. It's easy, perfect for beginner gunsmith/tinkerers, and is actually very effective. http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/mosinnaganttrigger/index.asp

You might consider learning to use the sling for shooting instead of adding a bipod. Less expense and a great skill to have.

There are various accurizing tricks, so have fun with it and keep us posted.
RT

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I'd just shoot it as is and not throw a pile of cash at a cheapo rifle. I doubt if any of these "mods" will make it shoot any better than it already does.

 

[WardenWolf]

You might consider learning to use the sling for shooting instead of adding a bipod. Less expense and a great skill to have.

+1. These rifles are BRUTAL if you shoot them from a sitting position, recoil pad or not.

As for scopes, there's nothing wrong at all with adjustable magnification scopes. Modern ones are plenty durable. Also, a 4x or 6x scope is pretty poor by today's standards, particularly on a rifle as powerful as a Mosin. He may want to actually SEE where he's hitting without having to invest in secondary spotting scope. That's the huge advantage given by higher-magnification scopes: you can zoom in until you can see the actual bullet holes in the target.

 

[Clark]

I have been sporterizing and re barreling 91/30s and M44s for 10 years.
I have made one 45/70 and one 30-30.

There are a couple guys in the greater Seattle area that are winning long range matches with some cheap 91/30 gear.

I ordered 3 of those bull barrels and they should be here Thursday.






Welded these two things together to make this..

 

[dirtyjim]

A 100 dollar trigger for an 80 dollar rifle. Seems odd.....

i just happen to have two of those triggers & they are worth every penny. if you can get at least 10 people together timney will do a group buy at $75 each, or at least that what we paid when they first came out.

i also have a lyman 36 swing sight for one of mosin projects too. a $300+ sight for a $100 rifle may seem odd to some people but if you blink when one comes up for sale you will have missed it and have to wait several more years for another one to come along

 

[Clark]

dirtyjim
A 100 dollar trigger for an 80 dollar rifle. Seems odd.....
i just happen to have two of those triggers & they are worth every penny.

I don't have one yet, but I bought one for someone else and handled it.

I fooled around for years making trigger mods for years to 91/30, and the Timney is my key to kicking the habit.

$100 is cheap to avoid any more of MY hillbilly gunsmithing on Mosin triggers.

 

[Pinski1015]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I started sanding the finish off the stock this past weekend and I'm about 70% done with it.