Posted on 06/09/2012 11:47:25 AM PDT by mnehring
Today, I started a project I've been wanting to do for a long time. Take an original Mosin Nagant and turn it into a modern hunting rifle.
I purchased two Mosins at the first of the year. One I want to keep original, one will be my conversion. The top one is the gun I will be converting. I wanted to post this here as a step-by-step process if anyone else wants to do this.
So far, I've purchased an ATI stock and bipod.
This morning, I began the stock replacement process. (Note, this gun has been fired and shoots great).
Removal of the bolt.
Removing the barrel bands and top hand guard. The front barrel band was a challenge because I didn't want to remove the front iron sight just yet (scope is a future project). I did have to bend that but they are very cheap to replace if I ever want to take her back to the original configuration.)
Removing bottom magazine screw.
Removing top receiver screw. 
Remove barrel and magazine assembly.
The magazine assembly with the new stock. This did take a little work with the dremel to help it fit cleanly. 
Anyone who has bought an old Mosin knows there usually is a thin coat of paint on the barrel that was put on in storage. After shooting again, it starts to flake. I took the opportunity to polish a lot of this off. In a future project I will work more on finishing the barrel at which time I'll clean it up better.
Reassembled magazine and barrel assembly.
Added the bolt back.
Bipod before assembly.
Bipod after adding. The barrel is sitting a little high. I will need to go back with the dremel inside the stock and work on that. 
This is all I've accomplished so far this morning. 
Next steps are to work on tightening up the fit on the stock some more. I will then replace the rear sight with a picatinny rail specifically made for Mosin conversions and add in a LER scope. Finally, I plan to do something with the barrel, either have a new black finish (I've seen bedliner paint done awesome) or have it nickel plated.
I’ve got three local shops that call me when they get weird stuff.
That sounds like a fun shoot.
A Mosin Nagant is more difficult to shoot accurately than a modern high quality rifle and they have other deficits also. But that is an apples to oranges comparison.
I have a restored 1941 Cadillac and a 1942 Cadillac that I am working on. They are amazing cars and I appreciate them greatly. They were arguably the finest automobiles in their day. Are they as easy to drive and maintain as a late model car? Obviously not, but they are certainly not junk. And their ride over the kind of crappy roads they had back in the 40s is amazing.
Check here to make sure you aren’t sporterizing a more collectible variation. Some are worth a fair amount of $$$.
Thanks, I have. It is just a 1930 Tula. Pretty common.
The hex receivers are good quality if the bore is good. The 1924 izzy I have with a bit of wear to the bore will outshoot the wartime production ones.
I took her out on a quick shoot this afternoon and even with the crappy bipod and still using iron sights, I was hitting 2” groups at 100 yards. Not great, but my next steps should help. My Weaver rails should be in before the first of July and I’m hoping to source a good LER scope.
Sorry about the mess in the background, I have a lot of little projects going on.
Awesome!
Maybe I missed something.. what’s the side rail for?
For tactical rifles it would be for laser or a flashlight. Not a whole lot of use for those with a Mosin. I may try to out a laser while I am sighting the scope in but until then, it is interfering with my grip so most likely it will come off.
Boyd has some nice ones for $99.
Really nice work. Thanks for sharing.
Ah.
“I had a spare one and wanted to see how it would look there.”
;-)
img for previous post as it didn’t like redirects.
http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/jonathan-gilligan.jpg
This is the ‘it came with the kit like that’ excuse.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/MGR-324
To heck with a spare, you’ve got a PAIR!
Rig like that pretty much obligates you to score some kind of toys to tack on there.
Thanks. I like projects like that, having had some related experiences in schools, jobs and duties. Ingenuity was an important part of the foundation of our particular American nationalism (based on good deeds in the old days). It’s one of the better attributes of what good Americans were about (as a few continue to be).
In the near future, under the general economic/debt trend, lives might depend on that kind of ingenuity in many other kinds of small projects, too (heating energy, agricultural, etc.).
Next on the list.
1. Find a good LER scope (Long Eye Relief). Replace the bipod with one that is stock mounted. Probably will add a laser for initial sighting and just because it is cool.
2. Lighten the trigger (fairly easy mod on a Mosin).
3. Upgrade to a curved bolt (will have professionally bent versus the 'cut-off/bolt-on' style'.
4. Add safety extension ring.
After I'm done here, it is time to work on the wife's Mosin which will be more of a work of art with laminate wood and I may play with some carving.
Of course, we have a gun show in 2 weeks so I may pick up a couple more for future projects. This is a fun gun to work with.
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