Got my First Mosin today

[bward1028]

well, yesterday actually. picked it up from the UPS store and was very excited to get it home. i'm very pleased with it, and when i got home there was a big box of ammo sitting on the front step.
pictures to come later on.
so now that i've got this thing, what do i do? first step is to try to strip some of the cosmoline off of it, but after that i'm not totally sure. obviously i'm going to have to take it all apart and put it together again, but is there anything else i should do before shooting it?

 

[Garand1957]

Here is some info that may help you with the bolt http://www.surplusrifle.com/finnishmosin/boltdisassembly/index.asp
Did you get a cleaning kit with your rifle and a Mosin tool?
If not you may want to pick one up to check your firing pin protrusion. It's all in the link above and lots of good info at that site.

 

[Fester60]

Check the firing pin depth when you are working on the bolt. Use the tool that probably came with the gun. There are some videos on youtube that should help.

 

[bward1028]

i actually didn't get a cleaning kit or tool, which i'm a little disapointed about. looks like i'll have to buy another mosin to get one! (seriously though, does anyone have a spare tool?)
should i plan on taking the whole bolt apart as showin in that link? down to removing the extractor and firing pin?

 

[Garand1957]

i actually didn't get a cleaning kit or tool, which i'm a little disapointed about. looks like i'll have to buy another mosin to get one! (seriously though, does anyone have a spare tool?)
should i plan on taking the whole bolt apart as showin in that link? down to removing the extractor and firing pin?

You can buy a tool cheap http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Mosin-...892?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a9d4fa44
or
http://www.buymilsurp.com/tool-disassembly-russian-marked-mosin-nagant-rifles-p-126.html
You should completely dissasemble the bolt and clean/oil it. The extractor does not need to come off.
You could also have the headspace checked but if the bolt is serial # stamped matching to the receiver it's not really necessary IMHO.

 

[bward1028]

thanks for the link. i actually spent another $3 to get a whole cleaning kit. i really liked the idea of buying another gun to get the kit though!

 

[fivepointstar]

Awesome!!!! pics when its cleaned

 

[bward1028]

also, is there any reason to disassemble anything other than the bolt?
as show here http://www.surplusrifle.com/russianmosin189130/rifledisassembly/index.asp
or it that going to be overkill?

 

[Garand1957]

also, is there any reason to disassemble anything other than the bolt?
as show here http://www.surplusrifle.com/russianmosin189130/rifledisassembly/index.asp
or it that going to be overkill?

Well now that you mention it
The Russians likely slathered the barrel/action in cosmoline under the handguard and stock. So on a hot day after a lot of rounds the stock may start dripping melted cosmoline. I have a Greek return 03 Springfield that I'm still trying to sweat all the cosmoline out of the stock on .
FYI you do have to be careful sliding the barrel bands off if you decide to take the action out of the stock.
The barrel bands are a snug fit and the shellac finish is old and brittle.
It is not uncommon to scratch up the shellac finish on the stock while sliding the barrel bands off.

 

[offthepaper]

Make SURE-SURE-SURE-SURE you get ALL the cosmo out of the chamber you will be introduced to the disease known as Mosin sticky bolt when trying to cycle the action after firing.
Other than that....enjoy.

 

[bward1028]

well I'm not all that concerned about the finish on the stock as it was actually pretty beat up already.
as far as the cosmoline, i saw someone online suggesting a wrap-in-paper stick-in-garbage-bag put-on-dashboard on a hot day type treatment.
i can already tell i'm going to want another one of these.

 

[bward1028]

just to show that i got it figured out:

 

[BlueHeeler]

Nice looking rifle.

If you take a pic of the stamp on the receiver, the Mosin nerds will be along soon to tell you all about it.

 

[bward1028]

yes yes, have to get all the gunk out of there first.
the internet has told it's a 1942 Izhevsk.

it's amazing how much i like detail cleaning. i cleaned sculptures for the Smithsonian for the last two summers and this is pretty much the exact same thing. lots of cotton swabs and solvents. a lot less bird poop here though.

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

You can use a steam gun too! Do not use a a Heat Gun (due to flash point of cosmoline).

I still have one I need to clean up myself! Be warned, Mosins are like Lay's potato chips: you can't just have one!

 

[bward1028]

here she is, more or less clean.

 

[WatTyler]

Congratulations on your first Mosin. There will be more. I didn't see it mentioned above, but if you take the barrel out of the stock - KEEP AN EYE ON THE TRIGGER PIN. They fall out. Real easy. And if it's got the box 'n slash mark on the stock, I don't think you have to worry about headspace - the Ukrainians checked it at the depot. Their re-arsenal process was pretty obsessive.

 

[KMK1862]

Welcome to the Mosin club. Looks good! Let us know how she shoots when you take her to the range.

 

[Mdtom]

Don't forget the chamber; some rifles may have years of old dried grease built up in the chamber. Use JB Bore cleaner and a .50 caliber / 12.7mm brush and to clean the chamber really well. This fixed my sticking bolt problem.

 

[km04]

nice mosin!!!!