This article by CBA member, Bob Sears, was published in the May/June 1996 #121 of the Fouling Shot.
The Model 1891 Mosin-Nagant is a rifle of contrasts. Although one of the most serviceable bolt action repeating military rifles, almost any other rifle of the type is better suited for conversion for sporting purposes. The Ml891 bolt is unnecessarily complicated while the trigger and sear mechanism is wonderfully simple.
Ml891 rifles take the 7.62x54R Russian cartridge, an early and successful application of metal jacketed bullets. For today's use, handloaded cast bullets suit most purposes better. Ed Harris finds jacketed bullets form the military 7.62x54R cartridges strike from 4" to 12" above the point of aim at 300 yards when the issue battlesight is in its lowest position. Not a good condition for shooting either targets or game. Cast bullets at low velocity can usually be made to strike point of aim at l 00 yards. They also can be made to fill the individual barrel's groove diameter. Groove diameters vary widely, with some measuring as large as .314".
From barrels in good condition, Ed gets satisfactory cast bullet results using powders as fast as 700-X and as slow as H4350.
Designed by Russian Col Serge I. Mosin and Belgian arms maker Emile Nagant, the Ml891 served Russian and other armies well for over sixty years. Early in World War I, Remington and New England Westinghouse contracted to make great numbers for the Czarist Russian government. Collapse of that government in March 1917 and the Bolshevik takeover in November left thousands undeliverable to the contract customer. The U.S. government bought over 280,000 as ''training rifles", selling them after the war at low prices. Those remaining were sold commercially with some eventually reaching Russia.
Others made in France, Russia, Switzerland, and China have long been sold on the surplus market. Plentiful supply at modest cost made the M1891 in all its variations popular candidates for remodeling. Another surge reached U.S. shores after the Korean War of 1950-53 when remodeling military rifles became a minor U.S. industry. Replacing the crude military sights is the usual first step. Better sights improve achievable accuracy while solving the point of impact problem at the same time.
Lyman's No. 36 aperture sight suits the M1891 receiver. As the boh handle is drawn rearward through the receiver bridge, the handle swings the sight arm to the side. When the boh brought forward, - IS spring pressure returns the arm to its normal position with the aperture over the bore. Discussing the Mosin-Nagant in his 1928 book Modern Gunsmithing, Clyde Baker sight for a $3.34 rifle is not nearly as foolish as it sounds. Any Lyman sight is worth its price on any rifle regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude".
Ml891 rifles take the 7.62x54R Russian cartridge, an early and successful application of metal jacketed bullets. For today's use, handloaded cast bullets suit most purposes better. Ed Harris finds jacketed bullets form the military 7.62x54R cartridges strike from 4" to 12" above the point of aim at 300 yards when the issue battlesight is in its lowest position. Not a good condition for shooting either targets or game. Cast bullets at low velocity can usually be made to strike point of aim at l 00 yards. They also can be made to fill the individual barrel's groove diameter. Groove diameters vary widely, with some measuring as large as .314".
From barrels in good condition, Ed gets satisfactory cast bullet results using powders as fast as 700-X and as slow as H4350.
Designed by Russian Col Serge I. Mosin and Belgian arms maker Emile Nagant, the Ml891 served Russian and other armies well for over sixty years. Early in World War I, Remington and New England Westinghouse contracted to make great numbers for the Czarist Russian government. Collapse of that government in March 1917 and the Bolshevik takeover in November left thousands undeliverable to the contract customer. The U.S. government bought over 280,000 as ''training rifles", selling them after the war at low prices. Those remaining were sold commercially with some eventually reaching Russia.
Others made in France, Russia, Switzerland, and China have long been sold on the surplus market. Plentiful supply at modest cost made the M1891 in all its variations popular candidates for remodeling. Another surge reached U.S. shores after the Korean War of 1950-53 when remodeling military rifles became a minor U.S. industry. Replacing the crude military sights is the usual first step. Better sights improve achievable accuracy while solving the point of impact problem at the same time.
Lyman's No. 36 aperture sight suits the M1891 receiver. As the boh handle is drawn rearward through the receiver bridge, the handle swings the sight arm to the side. When the boh brought forward, - IS spring pressure returns the arm to its normal position with the aperture over the bore. Discussing the Mosin-Nagant in his 1928 book Modern Gunsmithing, Clyde Baker sight for a $3.34 rifle is not nearly as foolish as it sounds. Any Lyman sight is worth its price on any rifle regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude".
Stoeger's ''Peerless" remodeling of the M1891 included a Pacific RI aperture sight mounted on the cocking piece. The new stock greatly im- proved the rifle's handling qualities as well as its appearance. Together with the polished and reblued barrel, these improvements helped justify the 1940 cost of $24. Sadly, the long and soggy trigger pull remained unchanged. Although the trigger mechanism is durable and completely satisfactory for military purposes, its possibilities for improvement are limited. Direct interaction of the two parts operates the trigger and sear mechanism The sear is a long thin bar flexible enough to serve as its own spring. It passes under a lug at the top of the trigger to limit sear engagement with the cocking piece while also acting as the trigger spring. The lug also serves as the boh stop. Dennis Bruns' article in CB-118 illustrates the mechanism nicely.
No. 36 on Russian 7.62 m/m Shipping Weight 4 oz. 
FOR RUSSIAN RIFLES Model Rl for Russians adjustable for windage and elevation. It is the only practical sight for this type of rifle. Allows the full use of the safety, a very important item with any rifle, is close to the eye, making it especially good for a quick follow shots and built strong enough to stand hard useage. Price for one hunting or target disc.................................$4.00.EN6. Similar to Rl, but for use on bolt sleeve of Enfield Model 1917.
Lightening the trigger pull by thinning the sear from the underside is safe enough. It reduces force on the trigger, but does not change the engagement of the sear with the cocking piece. Consequently the trigger
pull is lightened but is just as long as ever. Lowering the sear adding shims as descnl>ed in CB-118 should be done cautiously because it can change sear engagement as well as lighten the trigger pull. Cardboard shims are adequate to establish a safe thickness. For final installation I would prefer shims made of metal.
Fred W amer of Ogden, Utah descnl>ed a more complete solution in the June 1931 American Rifleman. He hoped his sketch shown here ''would be of use to those trying to make a gun out of something that is a rather tough proposition". The sear is hinged on a pin forward of the trigger. A block brazed to the back of the trigger holds a light coil spring to operate both the trigger and the sear. This arrangement allows independent adjustment of spring resistance and sear engagement. Mr. Warner notes that he "made the whole layout in a few hours with a hacksaw, file and drill, with the services of a welder to braze the block to the trigger and harden the sear block." I have never seen a M1891 trigger altered this way, but the operating principle appears completely sound.
pull is lightened but is just as long as ever. Lowering the sear adding shims as descnl>ed in CB-118 should be done cautiously because it can change sear engagement as well as lighten the trigger pull. Cardboard shims are adequate to establish a safe thickness. For final installation I would prefer shims made of metal.
Fred W amer of Ogden, Utah descnl>ed a more complete solution in the June 1931 American Rifleman. He hoped his sketch shown here ''would be of use to those trying to make a gun out of something that is a rather tough proposition". The sear is hinged on a pin forward of the trigger. A block brazed to the back of the trigger holds a light coil spring to operate both the trigger and the sear. This arrangement allows independent adjustment of spring resistance and sear engagement. Mr. Warner notes that he "made the whole layout in a few hours with a hacksaw, file and drill, with the services of a welder to braze the block to the trigger and harden the sear block." I have never seen a M1891 trigger altered this way, but the operating principle appears completely sound.
''Russian Springfields" sold by Bannermann for $14 are nothing more than ordinary M1891 Mosin Nagants with the 7.62x54R chamber reamed to take the longer .30-06 cartridge. Bad idea. The rear of the 7.62x54R chamber is about .02" larger in diameter than the .30-06 case. This invites the case to rupture on firing. M1891 actions do not handle es- caping gas well.
No amount of alteration makes the M1891 rifle completely satisfactory for sporting purposes. Yanking and twisting the cocking piece to make it serve as a safety is not really satisfactory for a game rifle. Cranking the cumbersome bolt from its far forward position is slow and awkward. Nothing can make the Russian rifle the field or target range equivalent of a remodeled Springfield or Mauser.
The best M1891 rifles are increasingly preserved as issued. Well finished specimens produced by Remington and New England Westinghouse are proudly shown as ''king of the klunker klass". Even the roughly finished newer rifles made in Russian and China are now altered less and less. The Lyman and Pacific sights for the rifle are no longer made and the days of low cost remodeling are past. As issued M1891 rifles of any kind nearly always bring a higher price than those that have been altered.
M1891 Mosin-Nagant Rifles are still widely available at comparatively low prices. Cast bullet handloads provide an interesting and inexpensive way to enjoy a rifle of particular historical significance.
No amount of alteration makes the M1891 rifle completely satisfactory for sporting purposes. Yanking and twisting the cocking piece to make it serve as a safety is not really satisfactory for a game rifle. Cranking the cumbersome bolt from its far forward position is slow and awkward. Nothing can make the Russian rifle the field or target range equivalent of a remodeled Springfield or Mauser.
The best M1891 rifles are increasingly preserved as issued. Well finished specimens produced by Remington and New England Westinghouse are proudly shown as ''king of the klunker klass". Even the roughly finished newer rifles made in Russian and China are now altered less and less. The Lyman and Pacific sights for the rifle are no longer made and the days of low cost remodeling are past. As issued M1891 rifles of any kind nearly always bring a higher price than those that have been altered.
M1891 Mosin-Nagant Rifles are still widely available at comparatively low prices. Cast bullet handloads provide an interesting and inexpensive way to enjoy a rifle of particular historical significance.
