I bought two of these rifles, one to modify, the other to leave as-is.

 

I got some stuff from Combat Tactical. A Monte Carlo stock (plastic), and a scope mount and bolt handle kit.

 

Anyone ever modify their bolt handle? Basically, the old bolt handle gets cut-off and a new bolt handle gets mounted so it clears the scope.

 

Took 5 minutes to remove the guts of the old rifle and put it inside the new stock. Almost makes it look like a brand new rifle. Feels much better to hold too. Not cutting the old bolt handle off, drilling and tapping for the new bolt hanlde, and drilling and tapping for the scope mount. Well, that's going to take a lot longer than 5 minutes!

My link

Please post pictures when you are done!

USNMARS, that was an interesting way to do it. How has it held-up for you so far? I can weld, but it would be a mess with my MIG welder. I have access to a TIG welder, but that is still pretty fine work to be doing. Your silver solder method is one of the easier routes to go (for the typical home user). The kit I bought involved no soldering/welding. I will take pictures along the way once I start the modification.

I have shot literally thousands of rounds from my snipers without any problems. There are a bunch of members using them without any problems either

Question for Eric, can you silver solder with a regular, homeowners propane torch or do you need something "hotter"?

Propane is what i use

Thanks!

Almost have the scope mount and bolt handle conversion finished. I had to take the firing pin out of the bolt. There was a line scribed in the end to line-up the screw with. How important is setting the depth of the firing pin? Too short and it won't hit the primer hard enough to fire the round? Too long and what happens?

 

I should have measured it before I took it all apart, but I had no idea how the stuff worked. I have a second gun and measured that one, the two of them are very close, maybe .1mm different.

Didn't you get one of those "Mosin Tools"? It has a gauge to set the firing pin to the correct depth.

I just saw this thread. Oh the horor of replacing wood with plastic.

John, I will have to look. I was just wondering what difference there really would be if the firing pin depth wasn't "exactly" correct.

 

Tim, I left one of them unmolested.

 

The plastic stock makes this old gun look like a brand new gun, plus the scope looks killer on it. Hopefully it still works after I took everything apart and put it back together.

 

I bought a Mossberg and lemme tell you, the difference between that gun and my wifes Remmington 870 is night and day!

 

Plastic certainly makes a gun feel "cheap".

Pics!

Ok, found the magic firing pin depth checking tool. I had it set for .073", just short of their minimum of .075", pretty close. I checked my other rifle, it is at .077", just barely in-spec. I adjusted the newly modified rifle so it is at .080", middle of the road.

 

I did find a LOT of sites devoted to the Mosin's. They explained the importance of setting the firing pin depth correctly. Too little, and it may not hit the primer enough to fire the round. Not the end of the world, but still not correct. Now, having the firing pin depth too great can cause real ugliness! According to what I read, the firing pin can puncture the primer too far and when the round actually fires some of that blast can come backwards shoving the firing pin backwards and the hot gases will be escaping pretty darn close to your eyes. Is it possible? Don't know and have no plan on learning if it can happen.

 

Will post some pictures of the rifle tomorrow.

 

Sorry Tim, made a Frankenstein out of one of the rifles, but it looks cool, sorta like a new Remmington 700.

Sorry, not the best pictures. Was hard to get back far enough to get the entire gun in. Original front site is still on the barrel, not it the way of the scope at all.

 

 

Ooh I like it. How much was that stock and bolt handle?

I hope doing links like this are legit:

 

Stock: http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Technology-59589-Nagant-Replacement/dp/B000HOT2SK/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1313631430&sr=8-17

 

Bolt handle and scope mount: http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Technology-MOI0600-Excellent-Performance/dp/B004986O5E/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1313631528&sr=8-20

 

The scope is a cheap Pentax, think it was $60 or so.

I might have to pick up that stock for my M44. I have a scope mount on it.... it's setup as a scout rifle now. Just gotta sight it in

Thanks for the pic's, I bought 2 so I could do this to one of mine also, have the stock ready to go, just haven't gotten around to do anything yet. At least I will know what it will look like when I am done with mine now.

 

Harry

Ok, finally got to take the modified Mosin to the range yesterday. At this point I would have to say it was not a wise decision to put this type of scope mount on the gun, had a slight problem. When I get a chance I will take a picture of it and show you all what the casing looks-like after a shot.........

 

I had drilled and tapped the holes for the scope mount as per the instructions, that was a mistake! The holes went all the way through into the chamber. No metal was hanging inside the chamber, the screws did not protrude into the chamber either. The bullet fit into the chamber just fine. I slid it in by hand just to be sure.

 

Well, after we fired one round we couldn't get the bolt handle open. My friend had shot the round, I was spotting for him. I took the gun and couldn't open the bolt either. I said screw-it, it is going to open, and I got that baby open! Well, the used bullet casing had two holes in it! I have not measured yet to confirm, but the only way I could think of this possibly happening is that the brass expanded into the two holes for the scope mount and got stuck. When I ripped the bolt handle back it yanked the empty cartidge with it. One of the holes still had the piece of brass that had been punched out of it! Looked like it was on a hinge..............

 

If anyone has any ideas post them up. In the meantime I will hang the gun on a wall, at least it looks pretty.

If anyone has any ideas post them up. In the meantime I will hang the gun on a wall, at least it looks pretty.

 

The only thing I can thing of that won't cost you a lot of coin is to replace the screws with ones that will sit flush inside so the case wont blow out like it did and get stuck.

 

ETA: Here is another Website that has some Mosin info that I had saved, it's not as good as the 7.62X54R website but its' more info for ya. Mosin Headspace

Screws arent designed to take chamber pressure, flush or not...

Screws arent designed to take chamber pressure, flush or not...

 

Thanks for that Glen, so its a welding job totally or plug and weld.

without rebarreling the rifle is TRASH. Do not shoot it at all. Welding and screwing is not a safe option. the chamber is fugged so the only way to feasibly fix is to remove the old barrel and spin a new one on.

without rebarreling the rifle is TRASH. Do not shoot it at all. Welding and screwing is not a safe option. the chamber is fugged so the only way to feasibly fix is to remove the old barrel and spin a new one on.

 

I've been trying to post a lot less lately, so I'm glad you came in here and posted this Eric. Spot on!

without rebarreling the rifle is TRASH. Do not shoot it at all. Welding and screwing is not a safe option. the chamber is fugged so the only way to feasibly fix is to remove the old barrel and spin a new one on.

 

I feel the same way. Now the gun is a cool conservation piece. I don't mind ruining a $99 gun, it can now hang on the wall and I will remove the firing pin from it.

 

I did not think a screw would be able to handle the pressure developed in the chamber either.

 

I guess if I ever try this experiment again I will set the drill stop on my press so I do not go into the chamber again. Glad these are cheap guns and there are a ton of them out there...........

I'm the new guy, here's my 2 cents. I like the Darrell Mount, just knock out the rear site pin and install the mount. The only one problem I haven't found a decent LER scope. I have the ATI stock but was looking Boyd's Mosin stock when I get bucks ahead

 

 

Here's close up of the Darrel mount if anyone is interest my Mosin collection

 

 

I am no gunsmith, but the OP said it was blowing out the brass into the two holes? Doesn't that mean the holes are under the shells? Could you not either weld the holes or put in a screw just to support the cases? I would think it is is flush fit, it would work? Of course, for a $99.99 rifle, it probably isn't worth the time or risk?

Welding it would screw up the metal and make it brittle there and you risk exploding the chamber when you fire it. Not worth the risk...

USNMARS has offered to help me replace the barrel so that's what I will do. This gun is more a project than anything else. Never using it for any sort of competition, just a really BIG plinker!

 

I took a picture of the shell, I will post it on Monday when I get to the shop and find my cameras cable.