Posted on 03/14/2015 6:27:53 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse
This morning I bought a surplus 1942 Mosin Nagant Russian made Sniper Rifle. The purchase included a double leather pouch with a weird device for oiling the rifle, a cloth ammo pouch that attaches to the butt stock (stashed in the double leather pouch), a bag of assorted metal pieces (I assume tools) and a bayonet.
The seller had inspected the rifle and removed some of the cosmoline (there's still a LOT left) and made sure it was in good working order.
I downloaded a manual and I'll break it down, clean it and oil it as soon as I have some free time. Meanwhile I was wondering if anyone has any special tips or tricks that might be of use. I also wouldn't mind if someone directed me to a reliable source for reasonably priced 7.62X54R Cartridges.
1. Get some soft lead fishing weights. Really small cover with a bore cleaning patch. with a wooden mallet, and the rifle resting with the butt on the floor, pound the weights into the first 1/4 inch of muzzle bore. You want to tightly seal the barrel. Put the muzzle in a small plastic bucket on the floor, with the butt straight up. secure it in this position. Pour your favorite bore cleaning solvent into the bore thought where the removed bolt was. Let this sit at least 3 days to soak underneath the crude in the bore. Us a wooden dowel or aluminum rod and a wooden mallet to tap out the lead plug. clean traditionally with brush and patches. Then repeat 4 or 5 times more until you get the bore clean.
2. Take a small shotgun cleaning mop (don't remember if 20 gauge). Chuck a cleaning rod in a variable speed electric hand-drill. Attach the mop to the cleaning rod. Get some automotive polishing compound. Dip the mop in the polishing compound. Then carefully clean and debur the chamber where the cartridge rests (as a rimmed cartridge , headspacing is in the rim). Polishing where the cartridge goes will reduce getting the bolt stuck after a steel cartridge fire forms onto a burr when you shoot the rifle. Very common problem. Lots of folks take mallets to the range to open the bolt.
3. Disassemble the rifle and remove the stock. Grab your 3/8 inch socket set, preferably a deep socket set. take some sandpaper course grit and wrap around a socket slightly bigger than the rifle barrel. Us this sanding block to open up and free float the barrel. Don't forget to very carefully do the top hand guard as well. You an either install a thin leather washer neat the end of the stock for some slight upward pressure on the barrel or leave a little bit of the forward end of the stock unsanded.
When tricked out just a little, the are amazingly accurate with the right ammo. Good luck.
This should help a lot, thanks!
Have fun cleaning the cosmoline & you might want to get a chiropractor.
UPDATE -
Haven’t had a chance to clean it yet but I just purchased two boxes of “TulAmmo Non Corrosive.” Any comments on this brand?
Just so long as you clean up after it yourself ...
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