Mosin Nagant conversion to another caliber

[creatinewarrior]

I have seen a lot of stuff about ppl converting mosins to .45-70's, 444 marlins,etc and ive seen them shoot converted mosin 45-70's on youtube. But dont know how to do the conversion although fully aware of the concepts involved. Cant seem to find an online smith thatll do it, and since i am really into black powder alot,so is my smith,so he doesnt do that kind of work. i was looking for guidance on the process i can copy down or referral to a person that can convert them. Most of the barrel places like Douglas, Shaw, PacNor seem to like certain Enfields and Mausers for this. But the way i see it, a Mosin should work with 45-70,450 Marlin,or even 350 Rem Mag and still be a repeater. my questions are:

is a new barrel required, or can the old one be"bored out"to .35 cal say for a 350 mag?

does anyone sell mosin threaded barrels in different calibers? so all thats necessary is action work?

is anyone a smith a person can take/send their mosin to and theyll convert it?

can any person with a lathe look at a mosins threads and thread a barrel blank properly,like a machinist?

any input appreciated.

[Reg]

350 Rem Mag ??? You had better check pressure capabilities on that action first. I see feeding issues on the 45-70 and 444. Possible yes but some work involved. Best conversion I ever saw was a "poor boy" using a Springfield barrel and chambering it out to 30-40 Krag. This worked very well with minimum work.

[Hardcast416taylor]

A .416 Russian Express conversion is fairly simple. We retained the parent cartridge case, but opened it up to use .416 dia. boolits. A machinest friend did the work involved so I`ll try to explain what he did. The barrel was changed out with an E.R. Shaw .416 blank, then threaded and chambered and installed. I elected to have an 22" barrel. A window was cut on either side of the magazine box to allow the fatter boolet dia. cartridges to work in the magazine. He modified LEE reloading dies so we could reload the rounds. I installed an Timney trigger with side safety for a better trigger pull and a better operable safety. I put a Boyd`s prarrie hunter stock on the action and glassed it in. We devised a type of semi-scout top scope mount utilizing the forward reciever ring as part of the scope mounting. Thus far I believe there are 5 of these that have been done this way.Robert

[Tokarev]

45-70 conversions have been done. new barrel required.

[creatinewarrior]

A .416 Russian Express conversion is fairly simple. We retained the parent cartridge case, but opened it up to use .416 dia. boolits. A machinest friend did the work involved so I`ll try to explain what he did. The barrel was changed out with an E.R. Shaw .416 blank, then threaded and chambered and installed. I elected to have an 22" barrel. A window was cut on either side of the magazine box to allow the fatter boolet dia. cartridges to work in the magazine. He modified LEE reloading dies so we could reload the rounds. I installed an Timney trigger with side safety for a better trigger pull and a better operable safety. I put a Boyd`s prarrie hunter stock on the action and glassed it in. We devised a type of semi-scout top scope mount utilizing the forward reciever ring as part of the scope mounting. Thus far I believe there are 5 of these that have been done this way.Robert


that's kind of the idea I had I just lack the knowledge and proficiency to make a wildcat like that. do you think the same thing done in your case by putting a shaw 416 barrel would work with using the 416 Taylor caliber?Or if the pressures are too high, then do you think a single shot 416 Rigby could be made in the way you described? it operates at less pressure than the 7.62x54R.
In my case,making a wildcat is too advanced skill level. hands on help would be needed. you seem to be knowledgeable. If I had a .416 barrel blank from somewhere, could I just take it to a gunsmith and say take this barrel out and put this barrel on? maybe a little bolt work too? then have a single shot?

[creatinewarrior]

350 Rem Mag ??? You had better check pressure capabilities on that action first. I see feeding issues on the 45-70 and 444. Possible yes but some work involved. Best conversion I ever saw was a "poor boy" using a Springfield barrel and chambering it out to 30-40 Krag. This worked very well with minimum work.

I might have had the way they measure the pressures mixed up I think youre right that a 350 rem mag would be overpressure. but the Finns did convert a 91/30 to .300 Win Mag and do match shooting with it.thats the Finns though.

[DeanWinchester]

I was at a gun show several years ago and saw a 91/30 tula hex rebuilt into a 405 winchester. It had about a 20 inch barrel and a Mannlicher type stock of some of the prettiest burl I've ever seen. The amount of machine and hand work he had in it was........extensive.
What caught my eye first was the bolt handle. It was a really thick, butter knife type but the way he attached it. He milled the old handle off and used a woodruff key cutter to cut a slot. Then fitted the bolt handle kind of like a tongue and groove. Sliver solder and polished, you couldn't see the solder and and it was awesome!

I was scared to ask what it was worth.

[aspangler]

I bought a Green mountain blank in 45 cal. turned it on my old Southbend 9 " lathe between centers. Cut and crowned to 22". threaded 16 tpi for the MN 91-30 action. Opened up the bolt face, Chambered and head spaced. I rented the reamer. (cheaper that way) opened the mag to accept the larger round. Welded on the MN bolt handle conversion instead of screwing it on, drilled and tapped for the Scope mount. Mounted a 4x Tasco scope and sighted it in. Works like a charm. I have shot BP in it but those things will take your arm off. I shoot 25 gr. 2400 under a 405 Lee FN cast in accoww. 1450 fps over the Chrony and very accurate. Just my two cents worth.

[Piedmont]

Do it the easy way. Send your rifle to JES reboring and get it opened to .35x54R, or .375x54R, or .33x54R. Then you won't need a new barrel and will have something no one else you know will have.

[creatinewarrior]

thats a great idea except im not at the skill level to do that kind of reloading i.e. opening up the neck.id need training or help or send it off to get cartridges loaded. I was thinking about get JES to rebore it to 9.3x62 Mauser.pressures would be alright but do you think theres a way to lengthen the magazine to hold the 9.3x62's? if not i may get jes to try something like a 338 marlin express or maybe even 358 win if they think itll handle it. what do youu think about this? thanks for helping

[creatinewarrior]

I bought a Green mountain blank in 45 cal. turned it on my old Southbend 9 " lathe between centers. Cut and crowned to 22". threaded 16 tpi for the MN 91-30 action. Opened up the bolt face, Chambered and head spaced. I rented the reamer. (cheaper that way) opened the mag to accept the larger round. Welded on the MN bolt handle conversion instead of screwing it on, drilled and tapped for the Scope mount. Mounted a 4x Tasco scope and sighted it in. Works like a charm. I have shot BP in it but those things will take your arm off. I shoot 25 gr. 2400 under a 405 Lee FN cast in accoww. 1450 fps over the Chrony and very accurate. Just my two cents worth.

Sounds like something i would like, id like to shoot the 500 grain fn's at around 15-1600. i just dont have the tools or skill to do what you did. id pay someone to do it though,reasonably.otherwise id have it rebored.

[Mk42gunner]

thats a great idea except im not at the skill level to do that kind of reloading i.e. opening up the neck.id need training or help or send it off to get cartridges loaded. I was thinking about get JES to rebore it to 9.3x62 Mauser.pressures would be alright but do you think theres a way to lengthen the magazine to hold the 9.3x62's? if not i may get jes to try something like a 338 marlin express or maybe even 358 win if they think itll handle it. what do youu think about this? thanks for helping

While I applaud someone wanting to jump in with both feet, sometimes that isn't the best idea. In this case, I am recommending that you buy a couple of reloading manuals and read them until you understand how to reload a centerfire rifle cartridge.

Then gather up the necessary reloading components and gear, and shoot your rifle and develop loads for it as a 7.62x54R before even thinking about rebarreling. By the time you wear out the barrel through use, not abuse, you will have a better idea of what you really want/need.

Frankly for most of the calibers you list, I would go with a 98 Mauser, not a Mosin Nagant.

Robert

[Hardcast416taylor]

While I applaud someone wanting to jump in with both feet, sometimes that isn't the best idea. In this case, I am recommending that you buy a couple of reloading manuals and read them until you understand how to reload a centerfire rifle cartridge.

Then gather up the necessary reloading components and gear, and shoot your rifle and develop loads for it as a 7.62x54R before even thinking about rebarreling. By the time you wear out the barrel through use, not abuse, you will have a better idea of what you really want/need.

Frankly for most of the calibers you list, I would go with a 98 Mauser, not a Mosin Nagant.

Robert

No offense upon your wanting to do something exotic to the Mosin, I have to agree with Mk42gunner about getting your feet wet without jumping into the deepest end of the rock quarry.Robert

[creatinewarrior]

While I applaud someone wanting to jump in with both feet, sometimes that isn't the best idea. In this case, I am recommending that you buy a couple of reloading manuals and read them until you understand how to reload a centerfire rifle cartridge.

Then gather up the necessary reloading components and gear, and shoot your rifle and develop loads for it as a 7.62x54R before even thinking about rebarreling. By the time you wear out the barrel through use, not abuse, you will have a better idea of what you really want/need.

Frankly for most of the calibers you list, I would go with a 98 Mauser, not a Mosin Nagant.

Robert

I agree with you. Thats kinda why i was looking for someone to do it for pay in a standard caliber. There was a guy that mentioned wildcatting the 54R round to a .416x54R. that would be cool for someone that is an expert reloader.Since im not a reloader yet, i was just trying to figure out how to turn a Mosin into a 45-70 really,since i saw several good conversions to that caliber. But without someone to do the smith work, i cant thread a barrel and all that. But i can send it off to someplace like jes and let them bore it out,since thats what they do. Theres nothing wrong with the Mosin, it was just a fun project.And until proficient in handloads, an easy to find caliber would be a better idea. And until pops lets go of his 98 Mauser, thats that:)
i totally agree that this is not a beginner do it yourself project.theres a long way to go.for me,i load black powder,and thats totally different.thanks for replying.

[1Shirt]

Just my 2cents here: I would find it hard to spend the money on a mosin to have a different cal. Have two that I paid 82.00 and 91.50 for respectively. To me they are a poor mans 308, adequate for most deer hunting stiuations out to at least 100 yds. That said, I was at Cabellas the other day and they had a rack of 91's, with a price tag of $199.95, so guess the flooded market has been dammed! I would and did have the bolts worked on, and had KCSO do a long turned down bolt on my 91 & 38, at a reasonable price. Makes shooting them a whole whoop easier particularly if you want to keep it on the shoulder between shots.
1Shirt!

[HollowPoint]

Greetings Creatine Warrior:

I came across this youtube video while looking into rechambering my enfield a while back. It may be of interest to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IekTNJDHGB8

This guy did his Mosin in 45-70 and since he's a gunsmith he may do someone else's Mosin for a price.

HollowPoint

[Cosmiceyes]

Here is a link to someone who has a really good idea that should work. It's starts with picture of a 30-06 conversion,and next post by the same person looks promising as he describes in detail,who,what,where,and why!

http://curioandrelicfirearmsforum.yuku.com/topic/15474#.UesmYm3Xv2k

[creatinewarrior]

thx i found him

[creatinewarrior]

thanks!

[Clark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZp6R2sim7kI converted a Mosin Nagant to 45/70 11 years ago.
5 years ago I converted a Mosin Nagant to 30-30.
This year I converted one to .223 and one to 7mmRemMag.

The 7mmRemMag is 3.34", like a 30-06 and too long to extract unfired ammo.

So I made an ejector defeat button so I can unload the rifle.
I made a one minute video.
This is just a $10 take off Rem700 barrel.

[roverboy]

Clark, that's pretty cool. I like the idea of a .30-30 and .223 too.

[richhodg66]

I read an article somewhere that was all about wildcats the Finns had made on the 7.62x54R case. Seems like that would be the route to go for me.

The idea of a .405 one is intriguing, though.

[swheeler]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IekTNJDHGB8 91/30 to 45/70 looks neat

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Just for info, the first few VV powder brochures when the powder was introduced to our market listed 4 or 5 wildcats based on the 7,62X 54 R case. Now If one can be located ?

BvT

[Frank46]

Go over to nitroexpress.com and about halfway down look for a post regarding a moisin. Gen in Finnland did one in 9.3x54r had to tweak the mag a little. better conversion would be 9.5x54r uses .375 dia bullets versus .366 bullets. 1x14 twist would be great. Frank

[Tackleberry41]

Most of these projects were done by people who either have the equipment and spare time to do them, or extra money to pay for it done. A 45-70 H&R, NIB was a little over $300. A mosin is over a hundred now, plus a GM barrel, bought a fast twist 458 barrel not long ago that was just under $90. Then you have to pay for the work, which is seldom cheap. So you might have $500 in it before your done. 45-70 is just an easy conversion with the bolt face, thats always been the big obstacle in converting a mosin, not much else will fit that bolt. And why the finns went with wildcats based on the 54r case, saves alot of effort.

And if you dont do any reloading probably not a project you want to get into. I have a lathe in the garage with a 36in bed, and do reload, and still havent had a big desire to start swapping barrels on my mosin. I bought it as a cheap rifle I wouldnt be upset if it got beat up. Tho now some of the wildcats might get me a little more interested. If I dont have to mess with the bolt, and its just machining a barrel.

[mikeym1a]

Mosin-Nagants are not pretty. They are exquisitely functional. One can make of them what they want, it just takes more time, and money. The Mauser used to be the 'thing' to make a gun on, but, cheap spares have pretty much dried up. Now I guess it is the M-N's turn.

[nanuk]

I have a Ruger3 barrel in 45/70.... figured I'd just screw it on a MN and shoot it single shot if it won't feed the rounds....