Mosin 91/30 to 91/59(ish) barrel chop

[Old Ironsights]

Over a year ago I bought a 91/30 to keep as a cheap truck gun.

Unfortunately the thing is longer than my cab is wide (well, the seat scabbard anyway)

So I'm a-gonna try my hand at Bubbaizing and lop 6" off the barrel - yet keep the original stock.

Here's the start - wood first:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_6528.jpg
Here's where I am today:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_6531.jpg

OAL for the rifle is now down to 42" from 50". Bbl length is 21-3/4"

Polish & crown.

I thought about leaving some file marks just to keep it in character, but changed my mind...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_6540.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_6546.jpg

Sorry for Shake, Flash looked worse.

Here's my problem:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_6537.jpg

This is apparently milled into the barrel, as I had it red hot (to melt braze) and it wouldn't come off.

I need to either use the original or get a duplicate made that I can dovetail in so I can still mount the bayonet and use the original sight.

Anybody ever heard of a sight base being milled into the barrel?

[S.R.Custom]

Anybody ever heard of a sight base being milled into the barrel?

Seems awful wasteful, if true. I'm thinking it's prolly welded. If I were a Russian, that's what I'd do. Partucularly if it had to withstand the rigors of a bayonet mounting and use.

[nicholst55]

I'd cut the extra barrel material off, file (or mill) it to fit the contour of the barrel, and silver solder it on.

I've never heard of a sight base being milled as part of the barrel on anything other than a top-end custom - it would be cost prohibitive (as well as time and labor prohibitive) on a mass-produced military rifle.

[JIMinPHX]

I think that a MN is a great choice of rifle to chop. The problem area on most of them is the bore near the muzzle due to cleaning wear. Many of the MNs on the market these days have very long barrels that allow you lots of room to remove a big hunk of barrel & still stay over the minimum legal barrel length.

[Three44s]

There a lot of ways you can go from here,

It's too bad that the NEGC banded front sight system costs so much ..... it would sure be a sweet heart on that now naked tube!!!

If you want a more versatile system, look at AR15 gas blocks ......... I have often thought about one with a weaver rail and then finding a front sight that clamps onto that ......... the thin barrel of the Russian would require a block for a "pencil barrelled" AR ....... If you want a real hoot get a gas block that has the bayo lug on the bottom and you may well be the first kid on your block that has a Russian that wears an AR15 bayonet!!! Talk about turn of events!!!!

If you want to retain an original line to things ........ then I'd make or have made a new base like the one welded onto your original muzzle and then cut a dovetail to match that and reinstall your old front sight back in the new one. It may well cost as much or more than the known expense of the NEGC or gas block idea if you need to have it done.

I would think that trying to move the old one over to your now shorter barrel would 1) be a butcher job at best and 2) cost more than just making a brand new base for your old front sight.

Another thought would be to use a Williams front sight that is fastened with screws and has a standard dovetail. My personal favorite would then be to install the Lyman 17 front globe and have an interchangeable insert system for a pretty low sum of cash.

I have two 91/30 that I'm fond of in their original dress .......... but ...... I have two m44s and a M38 for shorties! (The M38 is my fav).

VIVA Mosin Nagants!


Three 44s

[Lively Boy]

hate to awaken a sleeping tread but, how did this project turn out ...wich front sight did you end up using? i would like to do this but, am concerned with the front sight and can't afford a high dollar sight. bayonet is not needed but would like to keep the "military look" thanks

[Old Ironsights]

The project is also sleeping. Summer is the busy time for work... I will probably go ahead with the scope mount/bent bolt first and deal with the Irons later.

[waltham41]

Just a thought.... mill the OD of the new end of the bbl down a couple of inches....cut the old bbl off right in front and rear of the sight base..... drill it out so the ID of it matches the now smaller end of the OD of the shortned bbl..

Slide it on and silver solder it and it will probably be there forever.

[markinalpine]

The project is also sleeping. Summer is the busy time for work... I will probably go ahead with the scope mount/bent bolt first and deal with the Irons later.

From Sportsman's Guide:

Mosin Nagant Scope Mount (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=408094)
$14.97 / Club Price $13.47

Looks like a Picatinny style mount.
According to reviews posted by purchasers, no drilling required.

Mark :coffeecom

[Junior1942]

From Sportsman's Guide:

Mosin Nagant Scope Mount (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=408094)
$14.97 / Club Price $13.47

Looks like a Picatinny style mount.
According to reviews posted by purchasers, no drilling required.

Mark :coffeecomThat mount will work fine if you don't mind re-zeroing your rifle every second shot.... The rifle recoils to the rear, and the scope and mount follows Newton's Law and wants to stay at rest. The result = the scope twists to the front of the rifle.

[nanuk]

Junior, I don't follow your logic

how is this any different than the kind of setup used by B-square, or our own Dutchman?

[JIMinPHX]

I'm not sure of the exact reason that has Junior making his unfavorable comment, but I expect that it is true.

It looks to me like that thing mounts up to the old pivot pin from the original rear sight. That gizmo is heck for strong when being used to hold a rear sight in place, but the added weight & leverage of a scope would probably be a bit of an overload on a tiny little mechanical system like that. I would expect trouble.

[Junior1942]

Junior, I don't follow your logic

how is this any different than the kind of setup used by B-square, or our own Dutchman?

Read and see http://www.castbullet.com/misc/smount.htm about my experience with an identical-looking mount on a Mosin-Nagant. If it's designed the same as mine, as it looks like it is, you'll have to tie it down in the rear or it will rise, and also you'll have to wedge the front so it won't go down.

[JIMinPHX]

Read and see http://www.castbullet.com/misc/smount.htm about my experience with an identical-looking mount on a Mosin-Nagant.

Your a crafty one Junior.

[Junior1942]

Your a crafty one Junior.Nope, I'm just a child of parents who were teenagers during the Great Depression. My momma didn't throw anything away, and my daddy didn't spend 1¢ fixing anything.

Here's an example of my dad's 1¢/free plumbing: I live in his old house. The hot water line starts under the house as galvanized pipe. It becomes cold water PVC. It becomes galvanized again. Just past midway of the house, it L's up. Then the top of the L becomes a T. Out of each side of the T sticks 2 short nipples. Attached to each nipple is brass hose bibs. Rigged to each brass hose bib is air hoses. Attached to the end of each air hose is copper gas pipe. One copper gas pipe becomes galvanized pipe and goes to the bathroom lavatory hot water supply. The other one goes to the hot water supply of the bathtub.

I kid you not. All the above is far under the house in a place where a fat man wouldn't dare crawl.

[nanuk]

just an update long overdue

I have read your stuff long before. Thanks for taking the time to write stuff up Junior.

after re-reading your link, I now can understand what you were refering to

I had often wondered, when I've seen other setups about recoil affecting things. Nice to see some real world experiences.

I have recently bought some stock rails to make mounts from. as I have no concern of collector value, I plan on beefing up the pivot pin, and using multiple screw supports A LA Junior's experience.

thanks again

[tomme boy]

I did one of these a few years back. The barrel was very pitted the last 8 inches. I cut it off to 18"s. I had a front sight off of a M44. I cut off the bayo mount and shaped the sight to fit on the barrel. Then I silver soldered it to the barrel. The sight still has the dovetail so I made a extra long sight post to be able to file it down to get it sighted in. I ended up giving it to a friend for his truck gun. He loves it.

[markinalpine]

OK, even after getting (rightly) smacked for recommending that cheap scope mount, I've come across something that might work, but it costs much more (naturally!) :groner:
Go here: http://www.classicfirearms.com/accessories.htm and scan down almost to the bottom of the page, and look for what they call Mosin Nagant Scope Mount with Bolt Handle
Item # NAGANT-SC.................$39.99
There is also a link to the PDF instructions at the item manufacturers web-site: http://www.atigunstocks.com/img/cms/instructions/moi0600.pdf
This shows that they apparently include not just the mount and a turned down handle to install on your straight handle bolt, but also drills and a tap to modify your receiver to install the mount firmly to the rifle. You could also visit the manufacturer's web-site, but they charge even more for this kit.
Good luck,
Mark :coffeecom