Why? Because you're never too old to learn new stuff

[Duffer]

So, a couple weeks ago I saw the Cabelas sale ad and couldn't resist going down there to piss away $150 on a piece of history. I bought a Mosin Nagant. 1943, Izzy mfg, all matching numbers (luck of the draw) with a war-time stock and a nice looking bore

And ya know what.... three weeks ago I didn't know ANYTHING about these Russian Mil-surps. In fact I didn't even know what Mil-surp meant! 

I know....pics to follow

Both my wife & I know that I can't leave stuff alone (the obsessive part of my O/C personality).
Wonderful innerwebz! Typee typee on the computer and I now know how to completely disassemble it. Typee typee and I now know that it's not anything special, which works well since I have no guilt fiddling with it!

Typee typee and I now know numerous 'easy' methods for removing cosmolene. The metal clean-up was easy. The stock clean-up is ongoing and I'm not sure it's possible TO EVER get all of that crap out of the wood! But it's a challenge and I'm actually enjoying it! ...as long as my wife doesn't look in the guest bathtub! 

Typee typee and now I know how to improve the horrible 50# trigger pull! and I did that yesterday  Now sports a two-stage trigger with 3.5# pull  (was 4.5#s without any lube) and I did the drop test on it a dozen times. I enjoyed it and it cost me $5!

Typee typee and I've learned some stuff on stock refinishing. I'm done screwing with the cosmolene removal and have started the mineral spirits wiping & sanding. Just enough to clean it up some but not so much as to remove the numerous marks and stampings. Gave my arm a good workout but I enjoyed it!

Typee typee and I learned a bunch about different methods of bedding this beast, which is supposed to improve the crappy accuracy from mostly worthless to muzzleloaderish.  Before work I decided to take a break from wood prep and started the bedding process. I hope that can of spray release agent that I've had for 10 years still works!  as stressful as it has been tonite worrying about getting this thing apart in the morn.. I'm enjoying it!

and still more typee typee, I think next I'll try my hand at cold-blueing plus I need to spend some more time on wood prep and then decide on how to oil her up. One day I suppose I should actually shoot it, eh? 

Somewhere between "why did you waste your money on that piece of crap" and "OMG you're desecrating a piece of WWII history!" is some old dude who spent $150 on a beater rifle... and he's having a ball with it!

[Duffer]

MinWax applied and the bedding released just fine 

[coachcw]

better than a hooker and a six pack !

[Wazukie]

Mines going to get all cut up this winter, chopped barrel, new stock, detachable magazine, new trigger, muzzebrake.  Should be a fun project.  Again, Why?  cause I can 

[Duffer]

Mines going to get all cut up this winter, chopped barrel, new stock, detachable magazine, new trigger, muzzebrake.  Should be a fun project.  Again, Why?  cause I can 

Enjoy!   

I'm gonna stop on my way in tonite and pick up some Tru-oil (or something like that) so I can finish the stock tomorrow

[lokidog]

Not sure why yours has "crappy accuracy" but both of mine shoot bowling pins just fine at 200 yards with surplus ammo, probably sub 2 inch groups at 100, I can't remember as it has been a while since I last shot them.  One is a carbine even.  Got a deer with one a few years back in WI.

If you use surplus ammo, be sure to check your cases.  I had one batch that would split one out of three rounds.  Of course, I didn't notice until I was picking it up after shooting.   

Do you have a link for the trigger adjustment?

Here's a link if you haven't already been there for some info.   http://7.62x54r.net/

[Duffer]

Hey Loki! Long time no chat 

afa accuracy, I was just spewing what I've been reading. I suspect that some of these units have accuracy probs from: Loose fasteners thru shrunken wood (which mine had), lack of rifling from use (which mine does not have), questionable surplus ammo (I bought a couple boxes of Herters. We'll see), the horribly stiff trigger (fixed!), 'worn out' crowns (mine looks ok. alot of these units have been counter-bored which is also a hit-or-miss deal) and I've read some about the long thin barrel 'flexing' (is that the right term?) where floating may not be optimal and on the field I guess it was not uncommon for folks to lay a piece of oiled denim or burlap under the barrel to dampen vibration. There are vids of folks laying cork under the barrels now with improved results.

Anyway, just another example of my need to fiddle with stuff. It's pretty much a disease.  I've not even shot this unit and I'm already 'improving' it!  It may shoot just fine but it will be even better now 

Here's a vid of massaging the trigger parts

How To Episode 4: Mosin Trigger Job

and here's a vid of the "$5 2-stage trigger job"

Mosin Nagant, $5 2 Stage Trigger, How To

I've worked on lots of mechanical things thru my life but never really fiddled with something like this. Years back, I probably would not have appreciated it as much. Too boring. To labor-intensive and slow. Now that I'm just a few years from retirement I can appreciate this activity more. In fact, I'm enjoying it so much that it has occured to me, once I finish her up and fine tune her on paper, to just sell her and go buy another one and start over!

I'm tellin' ya. It's a disease.

[lokidog]

Too bad you can't still by them for $80 or $90.... 

I would hope that Herters ammo is better than than one bathc I got.