Mosin Nagant 24" barrel and target crown ?

[professional redneck]

I want to have my Mosin Nagant barrel cut down to 24" and have a 11 degree target crown put on. I read online that this is a pretty nice set up for what I'm wanting to do. My question is my barrel is 28 and 3/4 inches long so when I cut it down to 24" should I actually make it 24 and 3/4 inches long so that the rifling of the barrel ends the same as it is now? I am not sure if that helps with accuracy or not. I want to have this done tomorrow and send the bolt off to get bent for a scope and I can have the stuff returned at around the same time. I have a gunsmith who says he can cut and crown it for $80.00 but its a 2 week turn around. Is that normal? Why so long to cut the barrel and crow it? I was going for some input from you guys..

Any thoughts?

 

[Joop]

I want to have my Mosin Nagant barrel cut down to 24" and have a 11 degree target crown put on. I read online that this is a pretty nice set up for what I'm wanting to do. My question is my barrel is 28 and 3/4 inches long so when I cut it down to 24" should I actually make it 24 and 3/4 inches long so that the rifling of the barrel ends the same as it is now? I am not sure if that helps with accuracy or not. I want to have this done tomorrow and send the bolt off to get bent for a scope and I can have the stuff returned at around the same time. I have a gunsmith who says he can cut and crown it for $80.00 but its a 2 week turn around. Is that normal? Why so long to cut the barrel and crow it? I was going for some input from you guys..

Any thoughts?

Buy a Savage Axis or Remington 770. You'll be way ahead.

 

[professional redneck]

I know that but I rather do this project it don't cost as much and its perfect for what I want to do. I just want a cheap project gun to play around with and shoot as much as I want at .17-.20 cents a round. This gun is perfect for that and I can hunt with it to.

I have 179.99 for the Mosin which is higher then most M/N's cost but the barrel seems to be in better shape then most and groops OK in the out of box shape.

I'll pay $80.00 to have the barrel cut and 11 degree target crown. I ended up making it to the gunsmith today and gave him my gun. He was worried BC I painted over the american s/n and you had to really look at it to see it. But the new American S/N wasn't to visable anyways before I painted it. I originally wanted 24" barrel but the gun smith talked me into 20".

I also asked him to put a scope mount on it. He told me that there is a mount called b square I think he said that replaced the rear sight but you also drilled and tap the receiver to screw it. Sounds very solid so I told him I would like to have him do that mount as well as cut the barrel. I caught him on his way closing up shop and we were in a hurry so I forgot to ask him whats the new price with him adding the scope mount but I'm sure it is reasonable. I'll call tomorrow to find out. 2 week turn around seems long to me but he said if it goes well 2 weeks.

He acted like you and said I should jut get a .308 I would be ahead. But a Savage or Stevens or Remington 700 cost more up front. I can build a m/n how I want just like the other model guns. It is also fun to build a gun. I'm not trying to make a living tricking out Mosin Nagant and I know I'm not getting my money back..

But I have:

179.99 for the rifle & 40 rounds of brown bear 203 gr ammo and 80 of 148 gr fmj ammo.
99.00 for Boyd thumbhole stock
80.00 for the barrel cut and crown.
??.?? For the scope mount and install right now..
200.00 max is my price on a nice scope.
180.00 for 880 rounds of playing around shooting ammo.

So all under a $1,000.00 I have a rifle with a stock I picked a scope I picked and the gun is practally built to my needs. The rifle is capable of 1,000 yards give or take and I can practice shooting that far with the cheap surplus ammo. The more the trigger time the better. 880 rounds for 180.00 to my door is nice. I think this project is perfect for what I want to do.

 

[Nuttshooter]

What size target you going to be shooting at when you shoot 1k?

 

[Tempest 455]

Been there, done that.

What kind of accuracy are you looking for? That is the big question. As posted above, you will get better accuracy for less money w/ a Rem 700 or Savage. That being said, if you want to do this as a project, that's cool, I have done it before as well.

I did a 24" cut barrel, polished barrel, target crown. bedded stock, Timney trigger, Rock Solid scope mount and a host of other modifications. I can machine parts in my garage, so it was a fun project. I hand load and it has been best of a .750" MOA at 100 yards and 1 MOA out to 400. Everytime I take it to the range, people ask about it and what it is. So it's been a fun project. However, by comparison, my box stock Savage 10 BA is a 1/2 MOA gun at 500 yards with hand loads. So there is no comparison in accuracy.

Just wanted to point out the upside and downside. Have fun if you do move forward!

 

[Tempest 455]

I know that but I rather do this project it don't cost as much and its perfect for what I want to do. I just want a cheap project gun to play around with and shoot as much as I want at .17-.20 cents a round. This gun is perfect for that and I can hunt with it to.

I have 179.99 for the Mosin which is higher then most M/N's cost but the barrel seems to be in better shape then most and groops OK in the out of box shape.

I'll pay $80.00 to have the barrel cut and 11 degree target crown. I ended up making it to the gunsmith today and gave him my gun. He was worried BC I painted over the american s/n and you had to really look at it to see it. But the new American S/N wasn't to visable anyways before I painted it. I originally wanted 24" barrel but the gun smith talked me into 20".

I also asked him to put a scope mount on it. He told me that there is a mount called b square I think he said that replaced the rear sight but you also drilled and tap the receiver to screw it. Sounds very solid so I told him I would like to have him do that mount as well as cut the barrel. I caught him on his way closing up shop and we were in a hurry so I forgot to ask him whats the new price with him adding the scope mount but I'm sure it is reasonable. I'll call tomorrow to find out. 2 week turn around seems long to me but he said if it goes well 2 weeks.

He acted like you and said I should jut get a .308 I would be ahead. But a Savage or Stevens or Remington 700 cost more up front. I can build a m/n how I want just like the other model guns. It is also fun to build a gun. I'm not trying to make a living tricking out Mosin Nagant and I know I'm not getting my money back..

But I have:

179.99 for the rifle & 40 rounds of brown bear 203 gr ammo and 80 of 148 gr fmj ammo.
99.00 for Boyd thumbhole stock
80.00 for the barrel cut and crown.
??.?? For the scope mount and install right now..
200.00 max is my price on a nice scope.
180.00 for 880 rounds of playing around shooting ammo.

So all under a $1,000.00 I have a rifle with a stock I picked a scope I picked and the gun is practally built to my needs. The rifle is capable of 1,000 yards give or take and I can practice shooting that far with the cheap surplus ammo. The more the trigger time the better. 880 rounds for 180.00 to my door is nice. I think this project is perfect for what I want to do.

As posted above, I think I have made the most possible accurate Mosin I could and it's very fun. However, being capable and accurate at 1,000 yards are two different things. We shoot 1,000 yard F class and use a rifle (Savage F/TR and 10 BA) that shoot around 1/2 min (or better on some days) so I feel I know the Mosin limitations.

To shoot anywhere near accurate at 1,000 yards, you are going to need a rifle near or around 1/2 MOA at shorter distance. A Mosin, is not a 1/2 MOA gun with surplus ammo. Never was, never going to be. You would need something in the order of a 175 SMK bullet to have any chance at 1,000 and as I posted above, I've only personally had a best of 1 MOA at 400 with those and a stock Mosin barrel. Surplus 147g ammo will barely get out to 500 with VERY limited accuracy. Yes, I have shot a ton of it and trying this at 1,000 would be akin to beating your head against the wall.\

Don't get me wrong, they are fun and cheap and as I posted above, fun to modify. But you have to know the limitations.

 

[professional redneck]

Different sizes due to me just shooting at junk washer machines and what not. Smaller targets like the metal plates that hold down rail road tides are nice targets but are pretty small. 1k yards is hard to find and shoot any more people seems to be private. I was shooting on powerlines in the mountains of Tennessee but I was told to stop or go to jail lol so now I need a new spot. My longest range is 500 yards vs a glass beer bottle with a marlin .22lr and Simmons 3x9x40mm regular cross hairs. I fairly new to long range and still learning but that isn't to bad. I try to focus on cold bore shots, long range small targets (aim small miss small), and large targets. Also do fun games like trying cold bore shot at unknown distance. Use maps for distance instead of range finder. Try to sharpen the judging distance with out a range finder. And just mix it up have fun and learn about the rifle and what I can make it do. That's my range days I guess. Now I am stuck to 500 yards or less my 1k range is gone but I am trying to buy some land here to homestead here in Tennessee I guess BC I can't find a place to hunt or shoot by my self or with a buddy or my kids. People here seem to be very private which I like and hate. Any one around Scott co. TN know any land or places to hunt or shoot I'm all ears..

 

[Joop]

I get it. Almost had me, though.

 

[professional redneck]

Look guys I just medically retired from the military with PTSD from Iraq and afghan. I walked away from my house took my family and moved to the mountians. I have a lot of issues with stuff and shooting and hunting calms me. I never shot a gun before the military or never hunted. I lost all interest in almost everything I ever loved but for some reason shooting long range and hunting helps me. I want a cheap gun with cheap ammo to shoot long range. If it don't make the 1k yard mark and 600 yards is all she is good for then all well that's less property I need to buy. But I think I might be able to hit some junk at 1k yards. I got to try right?

 

[professional redneck]

Tempess I did not see one of your post but what you said is right on. Its just for fun and to see what I can do with this gun. Some people spend money to go to Disney world, well.... this is my Disney world. Could I get a better gun? Yea a 30/06 Remington 700 would be nice 1k rifle no problem. I doing it to have fun nothing more it helps me and ammo is cheap!!!!

 

[RRSponenberg1968]

Personaly I would leave the Mosin alone keep it the way it is. Mosin's for the most part shoot fine the way they are,they are a piece of history and I hate to see them cut up. Remember they are the guns that stopped the Germans in Stalingrad.

 

[Tempest 455]

They made something like 5M of the 91/30's, so I don't see a problem cutting one up. Now the carbines M38/44/59 and Finns, yes leave those alone. I have some and they are stock.

 

[MJ1]

If your going to do it do it all the way. I have been reading pages and pages about this process and there are some very interesting people very involved with getting sub MOA long range rifle and scope mounts married. They have some skilled machinists with years of Mosin Nagant rifle history.

I have asked one of the builders for permission to post some pictures if your interested.

 

[peaceatwar]

I respect what you are trying to do 100%. You will be in it less money and have more ammo/fun with a savage axis in .308

 

[Mike Radford]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think you can order a Savage in 54r. Then you can have it both ways.

I understand the fun it is to try and build something unique. On some forums you would be slaughtered though. The biggest problem is gonna be the barrel weight/thickness. No way to make a std Mosin barrel act like a heavy barrel so the heating up, throat errosion, etc. problems will not go away. You may elect to have a boss type system coupled with carefully tuned handloads. Otherwise it is pretty much impossible to equal a modern rifle with a heavy barrel, etc..

Have fun.

 

[MJ1]

I have talked to Savage a few time over the last ten years about other calibers and had the door shut each time. I wanted a 110 long action in 6.5X55 then 7.98X57. The best I could come up with was doing it myself and the Savage lends itself to that well.

Here is a rifle I have been following.



I will post some of the build steps and suppliers used and skills needed. A great deal of effort went into barrel and scope mount alignment.

Mike is correct on the barrel whip problem with a standard barrel. Try an Enfield some time. The Enfield has barrel whip built in and tuned around to get long range accuracy.

...MJ..

 

[0933]

I say go for it... Mosin's are fun!! Here is the first Mosin that I modded.

Here is a video I put together of shooting her at various distances out to 1,000 yds. http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/range-report-exterior-ballistics/230877-plinking-mosin.html

As long as you're aware that there are limitations to the original barrel (i.e. finicky, and heats up very quickly) they can be made to shoot alright.

I will echo what Tempest 455 said about ammo... just about anything will be better than regular surplus. If you mexican match, or just use the primed steel cases for your own loads, those will be 10x better than the original surplus ammo. Re-loading would be the best way to get ammo that shoots well... but I understand if that's an issue. You might want to check out this russian match stuff (when you can find it available) if you don't want to roll your own. Surplus Russian 7.62x54R 182grn FMJ Match 225rd can

Also it sounds like you already have a Mosin in hand. The Russian barrels aren't the best... especially the wartime ones. If you could find a Finn barreled action, or one already bubba'd, you'd have a solid platform to start from. Here is a project I'm finishing up with a Finn M28/76. http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-vintage-sniper-rifles/232331-finnish-m28-76-a.html

Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[shooterfpga]

I say go for it... Mosin's are fun!! Here is the first Mosin that I modded.

Here is a video I put together of shooting her at various distances out to 1,000 yds. http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/range-report-exterior-ballistics/230877-plinking-mosin.html

As long as you're aware that there are limitations to the original barrel (i.e. finicky, and heats up very quickly) they can be made to shoot alright.

I will echo what Tempest 455 said about ammo... just about anything will be better than regular surplus. If you mexican match, or just use the primed steel cases for your own loads, those will be 10x better than the original surplus ammo. Re-loading would be the best way to get ammo that shoots well... but I understand if that's an issue. You might want to check out this russian match stuff (when you can find it available) if you don't want to roll your own. Surplus Russian 7.62x54R 182grn FMJ Match 225rd can

Also it sounds like you already have a Mosin in hand. The Russian barrels aren't the best... especially the wartime ones. If you could find a Finn barreled action, or one already bubba'd, you'd have a solid platform to start from. Here is a project I'm finishing up with a Finn M28/76. http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-vintage-sniper-rifles/232331-finnish-m28-76-a.html

Good luck, and keep us posted!

What scope mount/base is that? All the ones ive seen are forward of the ejection port and not like yours. Is that a bent bolt to mod as well?

 

[0933]

What scope mount/base is that? All the ones ive seen are forward of the ejection port and not like yours. Is that a bent bolt to mod as well?

It's a Rock Solid Industries mount... they make several bases for the Mosin Nagant. Rock Solid Industries | Dedicated to Precision, Quality, and Strength.

They also have pre-fabbed bent bolt bodies that are drop in. Big Gorilla Gun Works also sells bent bolts, as well as some aftermarket stocks. Mosin Nagant Stocks, Custom Gunstocks for your Mosin Nagant - Home