Best $70 bucks you can bolt on to your Mosin Nagant - Lessons Learned Files

I am not a gun smith, a professional sharp shooter, or a subsistence hunter. I am a plinker. Being prior service I am naturally drawn to military hardware (as though I need an excuse) so when I decided to get a civilian plinker I went with a common entry level weapon: The Mosin Nagant. Specifically, a 1934 Soviet M91/30 (Thanks for the find, Brian!). Here I show you how I increased my satisfaction with this weapon significantly with a couple bolt on mods.

I found this weapon to be an exceptionally straight shooter and enjoyed great success, and a very sore shoulder, at the local 50 yard plinking pit. One weekend I went out of town for a conference and brought along the Mosin to go shooting with a friend who was also attending and knew of a great rifle range in the area. After attempting to shoot pop cans at 100 yards with iron sites (approx 50% success) I decided it was time for a scope.

Part of the reason I own a Mosin is because it is a relatively inexpensive weapon to purchase. I realize that for some of you the basic mods I've made to mine might represent doubling your investment in your 7.62x54r, but I promise it will also double your enjoyment.



MOD 1: Butt Stock Pad

This takes about $10-15 and two minutes with a flat head screwdriver. It also saves your shoulder, and allows you to waste way more money on ammo per trip to the range. Easy find on the inter-nets. 

MOD 2: Cheapo-Scope and Scout Mount

Now I know they say a good scope is worth it, and I don't doubt them, but I also can't afford one. The scout mount is a weaver type rail that replaces your rear sight and, like the butt pad, is a completely reversible modification. Easy though it is, there are some steps you can take to ensure success. I learned the hard way so you could learn the easy way. Isn't language great?

Step one: Buy the thing. I bought a scope/mount/rings combo on an online auction site for about $40 + $10 shipping. The important thing to remember when putting a scope on a Mosin scout mount is that you need about 10" of eye relief! Most scopes give you about three inches, which will not work in this configuration.

Step two: Buy new hardware. The scout mounts are cheap, and the hardware that comes with them is junk. Any self respecting hardware store should be able to hook you up with stainless steel replacements for the included metric hardware, just bring it in with you to be sure it matches. You will need (2) M4 cap screws for the sides, (3) M5 leveling set screws, and (3) M4 set screws to lock the leveling screws. Match lengths to what you get with the mount. I promise you that if you spend $50 on this setup and skip the extra $7 for new stainless hardware you will be disappointed. Also, don't forget to get some thread lock while you are at the hardware store. You will need it.



Step three: Disassemble your rear sight. This may vary according to your specific rifle. Some of you may have screws, whereas I had to tap out a pin. Once the screws/pin are/is removed, the site and leaf spring simply fall off the weapon. KEEP THEM.

Step four: Get ready. Pull the bolt out to make your weapon easier to handle. Remove the barrel bands and take off the top of the wooden hand guard so that the actual barrel is exposed. I then used a small padded clamp and some crap lying around on my desk to get the rifle in a nice level position. Level it by the barrel and nothing else. Get as close as you can but remember, this isn't rocket science, and your scope will have some adjustment.

Step five: Install mount. Note: You'll want to keep a rag handy to deal with any renegade thread lock. Take all of the hardware out of the mount and place the mount into the rear sight cavity. Get the holes lined up for the side screws, then go ahead and put the side screws in dry. Now put that level on the mount and get it where it needs to be (um, that would be level). My mount was a tight enough fit that once it was in position it didn’t go anywhere when you let go. Now remove your level and your side screws. Place a small drop of thread lock on each side screw and re-insert. Remember: You are putting a stainless steel screw into a machined aluminum hole - do not over-torque, snug is enough. You should have at least ten minutes working time with your thread lock so don't get nervous and rush it. 



One at a time put a little thread lock on each of your leveling screws and gently thread them in until they just barely make contact. Then front to back put a light torque on them and re-check your level. It is easy to get the back to come up a bit, but not the front. If you are good and level, snug them a bit to put a little tension in the mount and re-check your level again. Once you are confident that you are level and your screws are snug so there is a little tension in the mount, put in your final set screws. I found it easiest to put them on the tool, then add the thread lock and put them in. Best thing to do now is set it aside for 24 hours or so to let the thread lock cure.

Step six: Mount the scope. I would go ahead and put one ring on somewhere you like it, probably the back one between the eye piece and the adjustment knobs, but leave it loose. Now set the other ring under the scope, and get them both lined up with grooves in the weaver mount. Once the scope is mounted loosely, ensure it is in the proper orientation (if the "up/down" adjust isn't on top it wont really be adjusting "up" and "down," same thing for "left/right") and tighten one of the rings onto the scope. There will be a little play foreword and back within the grooves. By pushing the rings together or pulling them apart, you will eliminate the play of the scope and make it less likely to come out of adjustment. Now tighten down the hand screws on the bottom to secure the rings to the mount. Finally, tighten your second ring to the scope itself.



Next step: Buy some bullets and some zeroing targets and hit the range! Next time I'm near a long range, I plan to try the 200 and 300 yard positions on for size.

Happy plinking!