new Mosin project - accurizing 1930 Mosin Ex Dragoon

[rjmt]

I'm retired and board - looking for another firearm project
this will be my son's Mosin, actually the first one we ever acquired
a pristine 1930 Izhevsk ex Dragoon - probably never saw combat in the Winter War or WW2
my son want me to:
shim receiver with kit from Smith Enterprises
tune the interrupter
tune magazine spring
hone the chamber
polish the bolt and lap it into the receiver
relieve the stock and cork the barrel
replace front and rear sights with MOJO sights tuned without bayonet
perform a Finn 2 stage trigger mod
torque the receiver for beast accuracy with Brown Bear 174 gn ammo, not Mil Surp 147 grn ammo

will send photos step by step

Read More

 

[Dr Prepper]

My first reaction was: "DON'T DO IT!" But I'm glad I read more. Sounds like a fun project. I'm interested.. I'll stay tuned for more. I want to soup mine up as well but mines a beater worthy of "destroying".
Glad to see your keeping yours in somewhat the spirit of its traditional roots. (Theres enough bubba'd mosins out there, well... Minus one more!)

 

[rjmt]

My first reaction was: "DON'T DO IT!" But I'm glad I read more. Sounds like a fun project. I'm interested.. I'll stay tuned for more. I want to soup mine up as well but mines a beater worthy of "destroying".
Glad to see your keeping yours in somewhat the spirit of its traditional roots. (Theres enough bubba'd mosins out there, well... Minus one more!)

one can have a Mosin Nagant wall hanger or a shooter - we all know the 91/30 was tuned with the bayonet attached
remove the bayonet and it's shoots high and right - like 12" high at 100 yrds
I don't consider accurizing a Mosin a Bubba job
a pre War Hex receiver Dragoon has great potential for an accurized rifle
my son wants a classic looking Mosin that can shoot to it's full potential, with a good trigger ( he still has young eyes)
both the Russians and the Finns accurized their Mosin - I have an English translation of the Russian accurizing manual from the mid '30s

 

[Dr Prepper]

I have an English translation of the Russian accurizing manual from the mid '30s

Oh cool! Where can we find copies of that? I never knew such a thing existed.

 

[rjmt]

Oh cool! Where can we find copies of that? I never knew such a thing existed.

The Mosin Nagant Performance Tuning Handbook: Gunsmithing tips for modifying your Mosin Nagant rifle: Watson, David: 9781976700941: Amazon.com: Books

The Mosin Nagant Performance Tuning Handbook: Gunsmithing tips for modifying your Mosin Nagant rifle [Watson, David] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Mosin Nagant Performance Tuning Handbook: Gunsmithing tips for modifying your Mosin Nagant rifle

www.amazon.com

 

[rjmt]

I inspected the bore of my son's Mosin and found it badly pitted - not a candidate for accurizing - will leave it as a collectable
decided to go with my '32 Ishevsk, it has a beautiful bore and crown and does not suffer from sticky bolt
also acquired a late War laminate stock, rated as the most stable and accurate of the Russian Mosin stocks
installed a Finn trigger out of a M39 last night, gave me a true 2 stage trigger, but it was a stock sear and breaks at 8 lbs
I'll start slowly bending the sear to lighten the pull, yet keep the angle the same - I have broke a sear before, so I'll go slowly with this
I don't like the method of installing a washer under the sear

 

[Member 34319]

I've done a handful in the past. They can be made into really good shooters. Enjoy the project!

 

[rjmt]

did this come through?

https://www.gunandgame.com/attachments/finnishmod1-jpg.44277/

 

[ma96782]

Your project sounds interesting.
So then.....how accurate is accurate enough?
In other words.....what are you (or your son) expecting out of this? Shooting with iron sights and with or without the bayonet.

Off the bench or prone (use the standard dog collar sling or not).
Say a five-shot group (fed from the magazine).
Say maybe a 2.5 mins (or ___?___ mins) for the string.
___?___ inch group at 100 yards or __?__ yards?

Anyway.....set some parameters to the test.

Don't forget to, please post some pics.....
Before and after pics and groups.

Aloha, Mark

PS.....personally, I'm too old (and lazy) to get all crazy over my Mosins. Anyway, I can't see my sights worth a dam. So, I limit myself to off the bench, no sling used, light ball corrosive surplus ammo, at 25 yards with the standard/issue iron sights. No bayonet. Because I don't believe that they "HELP" at all.

This is from a test I ran in Feb. 2022. M91/30 factory stock (except for the extra washer under the sear and extra spring added to the trigger that my son put on). Check for the vids on YouTube. Of course, the rifle had to be cleaned of cosmoline and the chamber was polished a bit with a 20 gauge bore brush. The "sticky bolt" has disappeared with much usage and numerous cleanings.

 

[rjmt]

Mark, this is just a take up retired time project
at 72, I can't see worth a Fig with iron sight and I'm not vain enough to get Lasik surgery just so I can shoot a 90 year old Mosin
we will see what my son can do with this rifle
today, I decided to adapt a Tula Sniper bolt to this Ishevsk Mosin, I like the bent bolt so I don't have to move my cheek weld on the rifle
slathered the bolt with J&B non imbedding compound and cycle the bolt 500 times - while drinking a bottle of Elk Cove Pinot Gris
retired guys can do this
cycles smooth as a Mauser now
tomorrow, I'll polish a sear with Mothers Mag polish to match the trigger and bolt

do I need to do this since I can't shoot the rifle worth a FIG - no - just something to keep me busy in my retirement

but I will end up with the smoothest cycling Mosin in Clark county

one of these days, we need to get together with our Mosins - and let the kids shoot them for accuracy

 

[rjmt]

and if we ever do get together, I'll bring my Mosin PEM sniper, I can shoot this Mosin

 

[Dr Prepper]

I was very close to taking my mosin out shooting today. I'm very glad I didn't. Me and a buddy won't to check out our old shooting camping haunt by Mnt. Rainier. It used to be right where HWY 7 turns into 705 I believe it is (going off 9 year old memory here) i think used to be the copper creek, and turned right by the copper creek inn. Anyway I heard a few seasons back on the news there was a mudslide that came over the road blocking 7. I've been curious about it ever since. How bad it was etc. Well it was pretty dang bad. Immediately of the hwy was blocked with builders, there was a path around. We got 5 mins. up and totally gone washed out. Zero access accept bikes. We hiked for 40mins up it and we passed 5 washouts. It looked like it was at least two washouts we kept going back and forth over but they were massive, at least a mile long I'd say. It will never be a forest service road again that's for sure. We used to love shooting shotguns and clays and camping at the very top where the clouds pass right through your camp at night.
Anyway. I was pretty glad I left the mosin at home today only took two backpacks and 6 pistols & ammo. It Beat me up, I'm out of shape! We hoped for the best but got pretty much the worst. We never did see the top end or beginning of the slides. Mnt. Beljica was the top gorgeous view of Mnt. Rainier from there.

Anyway sorry for the tangent escapade story. Still fresh on mind, kind sad I'll probably never see that spit again. There was several people laid to rest up there, it was the perfect view/spot for that.

 

[rjmt]

if anyone needs one to be able to shoot your Mosin at 100 yrds without the bayonet

2 pcs. MOSIN Front Sight Long Post Pin for M91/30 M38,M44 *-*- | eBay

This will get your Mosin shooting dead on. They have been professionally black oxided and look great. A drop of super glue will help too.

www.ebay.com

I have 2 already - ordering more

 

[rjmt]

Your project sounds interesting.
So then.....how accurate is accurate enough?
In other words.....what are you (or your son) expecting out of this? Shooting with iron sights and with or without the bayonet.

Off the bench or prone (use the standard dog collar sling or not).
Say a five-shot group (fed from the magazine).
Say maybe a 2.5 mins (or ___?___ mins) for the string.
___?___ inch group at 100 yards or __?__ yards?

Anyway.....set some parameters to the test.

Don't forget to, please post some pics.....
Before and after pics and groups.

Aloha, Mark

PS.....personally, I'm too old (and lazy) to get all crazy over my Mosins. Anyway, I can't see my sights worth a dam. So, I limit myself to off the bench, no sling used, light ball corrosive surplus ammo, at 25 yards with the standard/issue iron sights. No bayonet. Because I don't believe that they "HELP" at all.

This is from a test I ran in Feb. 2022. M91/30 factory stock (except for the extra washer under the sear and extra spring added to the trigger that my son put on). Check for the vids on YouTube. Of course, the rifle had to be cleaned of cosmoline and the chamber was polished a bit with a 20 gauge bore brush. The "sticky bolt" has disappeared with much usage and numerous cleanings.
View attachment 1271100

and if we ever do get together, I'll bring my Mosin PEM sniper, I can shoot this Mosin

View attachment 1271122 View attachment 1271123 View attachment 1271124

p.s. - this is 100 yrd target with Wolf 174 gn ammo, not Russian Mil Surp
we all know a Mosin is not going to shoot point of aim at 100 yrds with factory iron sights and the bayonet removed
that's why I have tall post on many of my Mosins - and 4 more on order to upgrade the others
Josh Smith makes an adjustable height front sight I have on one of my Mosins - works GREAT

 

[rjmt]

Huber trigger

I found a Huber adjustable trigger for a Mosin in my parts box - still in the wrapper
I spent 3 hrs polishing a Russian sear yesterday
installed both today - adjusted it down from 7 lbs down to 4 lbs
no slack, no creep or grit - mousetrap trigger spring not needed
It works for me and cheaper than a Timney

Military Surplus Triggers – Huber Concepts

 

[Dr Prepper]

Wow! Ok, clearly I don't know JACK about mosins! I thought the timney was the only option. Huber is quite the name drop..

 

[rjmt]

Wow! Ok, clearly I don't know JACK about mosins! I thought the timney was the only option. Huber is quite the name drop..

it took me most of a day with a dermal to get my Timney to fit in a Mosin stock
some Mosin stocks, like the Finn M39 and late war Laminate stock are drop in with a Huber
it wouldn't fit in my M38 Mosin Carbine without a little inletting
but well worth the time

and I know Jack from Medford, but he doesn't have a Mosin

 

[Dr Prepper]

I'm looking at the layman's mods. Boyds stock Timney module trigger. Have to maybe do some inletting when I figure out a optic mount, not trying at all to stick to the motif or honor the form. Mines a beater. Doing it more for fun than anything and since I have no common sense of the value of money.. I do have some decent brass I want to shoot off and reload for it just to see out of curiosity what it can do. I also have a few hundred rounds of Yugo brass case machine gun stuff (from what I read) I MIGHT use but I'd have to mod the cases.
I guess its because I don't have a nice bolt action and would be wise to just out the money towards that, but I totally lack common cents.

That Huber is interesting though I'm glad I found out about them. I'm not totally counting them out.

 

[rjmt]

I'm looking at the layman's mods. Boyds stock Timney module trigger. Have to maybe do some inletting when I figure out a optic mount, not trying at all to stick to the motif or honor the form. Mines a beater. Doing it more for fun than anything and since I have no common sense of the value of money.. I do have some decent brass I want to shoot off and reload for it just to see out of curiosity what it can do. I also have a few hundred rounds of Yugo brass case machine gun stuff (from what I read) I MIGHT use but I'd have to mod the cases.
I guess its because I don't have a nice bolt action and would be wise to just out the money towards that, but I totally lack common cents.

That Huber is interesting though I'm glad I found out about them. I'm not totally counting them out.

a point I want to bring up - I have 11 Mosins
some Mosins tend to be hard to cycle after firing with brass case ammo (sticky Mosin Bolt on extraction)
BUT Brown Bear with lacquered steel cases cycle just fine
from inspection with a magnified bore lite, it appears some Mosins have very pitted chambers and the brass cases stick due to these pits after firing, where as the lacquered steel cases do not

I use a .308 800 grit Flex hone with krill oil to solve this issue

Flex-Hone Rifle Chamber Hone 30-06 Springfield 12 400 Grit

This hone features a twisted steel wire shaft with abrasive globules on flexible nylon filaments. It allows you to remove any imperfections or machining...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[ma96782]

RE : MN and my Timney Trigger

I got a Timney in my parts box somewhere. Not selling. But, there is a reason why.....it's currently in a parts box. I got it awhile back, looking like this......



I wanted it because, at the time.....it came with an Archangel stock and it looked "bubblegumin" (to me). To me, the Timney trigger and the muzzle brake was just "extra frosting on the cake". Not to mention, that the entire package came at a good price.

BUT, But, but......it shot like cr@p.

Then one day while shooting it, the muzzle brake flew off. OMG, the groups improved. Hummm? So then, the muzzle brake stayed off and I also changed out the action into another surplus MN stock and removed the Timney trigger too. The groups were still good enough (for me).

So there it is......today, it's back to "stock configuration". Except for the "Bubba" trigger job.

Aloha, Mark