Rechambering a Mosin 91/30 ???

[reloading noob]

First and foremost I am a purist. Most beat up Mosins I get my hands on are rebuilt or refinished to as close to factory as I can. But, I have wondered about clambering a 91/30 to something else. Has anyone here had any experience with this? I also remember a old pic floating around the net where a 91/30 had a 10 round fixed mag. Has anyone here tried this? I guess when boredom sets in I come up with foolish ideas and am just testing the waters.

[rhbrink]

I have a beat-up Mosin that bubba got a hold some time ago and the inside of the barrel looks like a sewer pipe so I contacted Jessy Ocumpaugh about reaming it out to 35 caliber. He could do it but at $250 it just didn't seem like a smart move, still think about it once in a while though.

Richard

[Pertsev]

Some people might call you crazy ! [smilie=l:The Mosin does not lend itself to conversion as a repeater.
But ! The Finns and Russians did rechamber/rebore to a 9.3mm based on a blown out 7.62x54R case. Pretty good round for bear or Moose(elk).
Actually had a SVT rifle chambered for the 9.3mm. It had a checkered fore end and pistol grip,bayonet lug ground off.Swapped it off a long time ago after removing the original PU type scope and mount.
AFAIK,SAKO might still offer factory ammo. The Russians produced a self loader based on the SVD/Dragunov rifle for hunting use. Had a fixed,five shot mag.
That might be a neat project if you can find someone to bore it out to 9.3mm/35 cal...............

[Multigunner]

Some cartridges like the .30-06 require alteration of the magazine box for the cases to fit, but the magazine design can allow for some other cartridges to work okay.
Probably should test the fit and feed of the prospective cartridge before going further with a conversion.

I have an old book here somewhere with information on Finnish conversions of the Mosin Nagant to a number of civilian sporting cartridges and homegrown wildcats. Before considering a conversion I'd look up the Finn experiences with these conversions.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Saw some pictures of a 91/30 rechambered to my favorite round, the .416 Taylor! I know what my Model 70 feels like when I shoot 350 gr. J bullets out of it, but this would give a whole new definition to the word "OUCH"!Robert

[Reg]

I knew a fellow years ago who while drilling and tapping somehow blew a hole and drilled down into the chamber. He had to cover his tracks somehow so conned the owner into letting him use a Springfield barrel and set it up for 30-40 Krag. I assumed it fed but couldn't say for sure.

:idea:

[Baron von Trollwhack]

The first edition of the VV powder pamphlet listed a number of 7.62 X 54R conversions used in the European areas.

8 mm for example, among others.

I would think the 35 caliber rechamber/rebore would be especially good BECAUSE the parent case has more powder capacity than the 308 but less than the '06. This would put it in the midrange of 8mm-375 big game power of classic non-magnum bolt gun cartridges. With cast bullets this would be a great range of diameters and throw weights to work with. Easy to cast, more than sufficient for deer, bear , elk, and cheap to do and shoot. Recoil not too bad for a Mosin either.

BvT

[nanuk]

aren't the 45/70 conversions getting more common?

[Nobade]

The bolt face is about the right size to fit a 444 Marlin, don't know if you could get it to feed but it would make a good hard hitter single shot.

[RwBeV]

Although the author doesn't talk about re chambering or rebarreling in the May/June issue of the Rifle Shooter magazine a fellow sporterized a Mosin, I don't care what any one says that is a nice looking rifle. I have a friend that has been pondering a project like your talking, right now he is trying to hash out what cartridge we will be able to make feed, for some reason he is wanting a boomer something over .35, I think in that light rifle even if I do make a brake for it, it will kick you head off.

Bob

[WyomingWhitetail]

LoL I don't know what sort of deranged soul you could be talking about bob. I have been thinking about a Mosin Nagant project on and off for about a year. I've thought of everything from 25 ackley krag to 338/348 AI to any number of wildcats based off the 45-70 ran into 284 family dies. While I have not bought one yet I hope to soon so I can really get serious. Right now I'm thinking about a 6mm AI rimmed (made out of 444 marlin) the the 444 marlin is perfect for making 7x57 family of cartridges and 45-70 is almost right for making 284 family cartridges and if you wanted to get really western I think you might even be able to make 348 win family cartridges work. Can you imagine a 50 Alaskan 3 shot bolt gun (insert Tim the toolman Taylor grunt hear). Like I said I don't have one yet so these are just ideas from the mind of a deranged engineering student.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Now I want these suggestions about wild catting the MN to stop right now! You guys are getting me thinking, a dangerous thing, about a .338 or a .375 MN parented case. Getting over these thoughts is going to be alot like when I quit my 3 packs of cigs a day habit!:holysheepRobert

[indymadcaster]

i too have considered this BUT to 500 S&W!!!!! shooting 400-500 grain cast !!
a bolt action tailored to Indiana game laws! rims are very close and montanna riflesmiths have barrels in stock

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Get a couple of fired brass poison-maggot cases and your 35 long M die or kluge and open them up. Seat a 200 Remington RN out to standard M-N OAL because it's tougher than lead and start playing with the strippers & magazine loading &etc. Sure it won't work the whole way but you will have the first serious step and a good idea of the mag alterations needed.

The 200 RCBS RNFP @ 2200 or a little more is serious CB and the M-N is truly a light rifle,with a decent rear sight on it already. It can be rebored out to 35 with a .600" outside diameter barrel. It would be a great rifle even if you have to rework the FS and bob the barrel and stock a little. I wish I had kept my 1938 Tula just for this kind of project.

BvT

[rhbrink]

I've entertained the idea a few times of reboring to 35 and building a Mannlicher stock for mine. Never have seen one offered for sale anywhere and don't really want to build one from scratch but oh well that would keep me out of trouble for a while.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Everyone is throwing around a bunch of different calibers here but for a hard hitting,accurate,do anything cartridge it would be hard to beat the 7.62X54R with a Douglas orLothar Walther prime barrel on a MN reciever in a nice stock! The Russian and Finns have done incredable work with these!

[bravokilo]

Get a copy of the 2000 Gun Digest. "Children of the 7.62X54R" by Janne Pohojoispaa. He lists a 5.7, 6.3, 7, 8.2, 9, 9.3, .375, .416, 11.6 on the 7.62X54R case.

BK

[Hardcast416taylor]

Boyd`s Gunstocks has an inventory reduction sale on now for their MN Prarie Hunter stock. Finished and drop in fit for $69.Robert

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Now if someone has an intrest in all this, I can help. Back in the late 90's I bought a new 25-06 Remington classic that would only shoot one bullet. During the 80's I had chased Mannlicher-Schoenauers and had several of those fantastic carbines, including a 1908, 8 X 56.7( with the Lyman swinging Peep) , but could never get my hands on a 1910, 9.5 X 56.7 Both those cases are slight changes to the 8mm Mauser, but neither interchange with it. This 9.5 is also known as the 375-400 Rimless Nitro Express 2 1/4" by the British Shooters and both are listed in COTW with dimensions. It is very close to the 8mm Mauser necked up to 375, not 9.3 mm.

Voila !

I got Clymer Reamers to spec out a finish reamer and go gauge compatible with the Redding custom 9.5 X 56.7 dies. I worked with Mr Dave Manson at Clymer and Mr. Pat Ryan at Redding to get it all correct. I ordered a # 4 Wilson Arms, 1/12 twist, 375 barrel 26" long. My machinist buddy did all the work on rebarreling the Classic. I went to the max M-S load for the 270 JSP bullet, and there it was, cloverleafing @ 100 yards. I got a deer with it later and still take the rifle out occasionally. In the M-S it is a 42,000 PSI cartridge, higher in the Classic.

Then a couple of years later I fell into the idea of reworking a Mosin carbine. Turns out that the 9.5 M-S is very like the 375 JD Jones, the 444 Marlin is like a rimmed basic 8mm mauser case blown out, I had seen the VV loading data for the Mosin conversions. So I ran out and bought a new model 1959 Roumanian carbine to work with and another 1/12 barrel.

That's when my machinist friend went throught mid-life crisis, took up IRONMAN tricathalons, met a tough as nails honey, gave his wife the boot, and left the scene.

I still have the complete Mosin including carbine stock, less barrel, the new 375 barrel, and the chambering reamer and go gauge. If anyone is intrested in these things as a unit, seng a PM and I'll give you a price. FFL needed of course.

Thanks for listening. BvT

[bstarling]

The Mosin can be rebarreled to 450 Marlin easily from what I have gathered. I've actually looked into doing just that with mine sometime after the two other projects on the burner are finished (started?).

Look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVkHGqnwi4I

Bill

[rhbrink]

O-Boy thats trouble now you really have stirred the pot. Man-o-man that would be something!:Bright idea:

[Gee_Wizz01]

I keep thinking about a 338X54R. I have a beautiful 91/30 with a sewer pipe barrel, that would be perfect for the project. Actually have been wondering about re-barreling to .338 Marlin Express, as I already have the dies and brass.

G