Mosin trigger rattles?

[Shrinkmd]

I shot my Mosin 91/30 for the first time today, and had fun! No sticky bolt, not very accurate, but loud. After cleaning with windex, then my usual cleaning regimen, I put everything back together.

Funny thing is, now the trigger just wiggles back and forth, unless you pull it all the way, then it works. The bolt also seems like its making some sort of extra rattle, and I noticed that if I cock it and close the bolt, it seems too easy to reopen it again. This seems odd.

The safety still works, and the bolt comes out when I hold down the trigger. It still fires (well, dry fires that is)

Before I break the entire thing down again, any ideas on what might be wrong? I was following the surplusrifle.com directions for bolt reassembly, and it seemed to go ok. Before I order a zillion rounds of surplus I want to be sure I didn't break it already...

Any thoughts?

 

[dm1333]

Did you tighten down the screws that hold the action and trigger guard together? Did you take apart the trigger and then not tighten the screw that goes through the spring into the action?

 

[GD]

It is not unusual for the magazine latch to rattle when the rifle is empty. Also, it is not unusual for the trigger to be loose when the rifle is not cocked. If it is real loose when cocked, I would check out the trigger and sear and make sure the trigger pin and sear bolt is in place. I have had the trigger pin fall out when reassembling a Mosin. The Mosin was designed with loose tolerances so that things work well in all sorts of conditions. Loose is generally okay.

 

[tpelle]

The striker is cammed into the cocked position when you lift the bolt handle to open it. If you close the bolt, then re-open it without firing or dry-firing, then the striker remains cocked. Since you aren't doing the extra work of cocking the striker the second time, then naturally it's easier to open.

Normal.

 

[Shrinkmd]

Just took it all apart...

I guess everything is ok, since nothing looks broken and I made sure all the pins and screws are in place. Maybe shooting it loosened it up a bit.

It really seems like the bolt can almost fall open when its cocked, and I just don't remember it being that way before. Maybe it's time for a wolff replacement mainspring?
I just don't remember the trigger being that loose before...

Boy, compared to the K31 or a Yugo m48 the Mosin seems kinda cheap.

Thanks

 

[dm1333]

I don't know if cheap is the word I would use but I know what you mean. It is a very simple gun and I like that. I have been putting a lot of time into my scout scoped M38, especially the trigger and bolt. Then I picked up my Enfield last night and dry fired and thought "Wow, all the work and the M38 trigger and bolt STILL aren't as nice as this". Glad it all worked out for you.

Don

 

[rangerruck]

the scre that goes thorugh the leaf/trigger spring may be loose, before you tighten it up though, get you a thin washer that thtrigger screw will go through. put it between the bottom piece of tha action ,and the leaf/triggerspring. this will shorten the takeup and pull weight dramatically. use a thin washer dont put too thick a washer or you might get a "surprise!" fire. start with very thin ones, then add on if you need more.

 

[Cosmoline]

Mosins are designed to be far looser than Mausers. A good Mauser has a nice "tight" feeling to it, with minimal play in the bolt or trigger. Mosins are the opposite. A tight bolt is usually a bad sign. The bolt should feel loose and rattle a bit compared with a Mauser. The trigger often has a little play when it's cocked but not fired. There are aftermarket triggers that will reduce this, but as long as your spring is tight, don't sweat it. It really doesn't have any impact on anything.

I would only suggest moving to a heavier mainspring if the safety feels easy to put on and off with your wrists alone. It should feel pretty heavy.

To increase accuracy, make sure your receiver screws are in nice and tight and check the barrel floatation with a dollar bill while the handguard is removed. If the dollar sticks, take the screws back out and shim up the barrel Finnish-style with either shims stolen from a Finn or ones you cut out from some soft brass. Usually a shim under each contact point in the receiver will raise up the barrel enough and also help iron out any pityness in the wood.

 

[Shrinkmd]

We need video

I will try and make a quick MOV file with my little camera and zip file it so it can be downloaded. You just have to see what it is doing! I know my little ones aren't sleeping lately (teething at the moment ) so maybe my memory is bad, but I'm just so sure it wasn't THIS loose when I first got it.

Unless it just needed a couple dozen rounds through it to get it nice and loose and back to factory spec, after sitting in a warehouse for 50 or 60 years after the war.

Who knows. I just want to make sure it isn't ruined or junk before I buy a zillion more rounds, maybe a mojo clicksite, a hubert trigger, etc...

Here are a couple quick videos of the trigger shaking back and forth, a look at the bolt release wiggling with the trigger, and how the bolt seems to "snap" open with not much pressure once it is cocked and closed. Of course, there are no rounds (I don't have snap caps, yet) in it, so maybe that affects it? Hmm...

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0983.MOV

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0984.MOV

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0985.MOV

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0986.MOV

Tell me what you think...

 

[Shrinkmd]

Videos work!

Neat, eh?

 

[Cosmoline]

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0983.MOV"]http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0983.MOV

That looks perfectly normal. Mosins will do that to one extent or another. It's just the way the trigger is designed.

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0984.MOV

There's a bit more play there than usual. Your trigger spring/bolt stop is probably a bit weak. Check to make sure it's screwed in tight. You can get another off Numich or any other Mosin and it will probably tighten things up. Heck you can just bend it tighter, since it's steel. Just be careful not to break it.

http://h1.ripway.com/ShrinkMD/DSCN0985.MOV

Yes, this is also perfectly normal. If you want to really lock the cocked bolt in place, engage the safety and it ain't going ANYWHERE.

BTW, here's a faster way to cycle that bolt:

 

[Shrinkmd]

Bend it like Mosin??

Cool soccer movie, beckham, that is.

Which way do I bend it? I figure if I break it another cost $5 bucks, right?

Maybe I should just get the Huber trigger...

 

[Cosmoline]

Remove it, bend it back towards the receiver a wee bit and re-install it. That will tighten it up. Your problem isn't with the trigger.

You could also just leave it. The extra play won't impact anything.