Adding a PU scope on a Mosin Nagant 91/30

[Gabriel Cale]

Hello everybody, I'm a proud owner of a "basic" Mosin Nagant 91/30 and I'm thinking about adding a PU scope because I'd like to take it at the shooting range to practise some "sniper shooting".
I've seen a lot of scopes on ebay (original and repro), but did somebody of you added it before?
Is it an easy job? Does it worth?
Cheers
Gabriel

[Niner]

If you want to make your rifle into an "Enemy at the Gates" WWII model you can buy the scope and put it on. The later day made Russian copy production scopes with mounts will do the trick and be just like the originals.....except an expert gunsmith won't have put it on and made it "sniper" standard and they cost about as much as the rifle they are put on....or more. If you just want to shoot with a scope I'd get what we call a "scout mount". It goes on where the regular rear sight goes. It has the benefit of not needing to modify your straight bolt handle and at the same time you can remove the steel sight and put on the mount without having to drill any holes in your barrel. And.... you can put the rifle back to it's original condition later by replacing the original iron site if you want to remove the mount. These things can be any price from $10 and going up.

The best and most in demand in the US, among milsurp fans, is one made by Darrell. Darrell lives about 6o miles from me and I've seen his mounts and met him. His mounts are serious and rock solid and are mounted on the rear Nagant sight. His mounts are on the pricey end, but worth it for some serious shooters. But.. he seems to have gotten out of the notion of making them.

Here's a video ...among several... that will show you what the scout mount idea is about and how to put one on. This one is on the cheap side and Darrell didn't make it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkLcfxNNNjc

I'll attach an image of my Russian sniper......more or less correct. The one I have wasn't war used as a sniper, I don't think, but some kind of after war construct with period correct scope and war era otherwise correct 91/30.

My experience with the Russian war design scope is that the magnification isn't much better than iron sights and the scope itself has a tendency to get out of adjustment from vibration quickly. But.... Dutch Mosin and others may have had more positive experiences. Maybe I need to tighten the screws and add some locktight.

[Niner Delta]

My 91/30 isn't a sniper, but I did mount a scope on it. It has an aftermarket mount and scope. Like everyone else,
I wanted a Darrell mount, but he hasn't been making them and those that have them won't sell. For me, this is the
best one that I found, although there are many on the market, maybe some better, it's all opinion.
Took the whole rear mount off and mounted it right to the dovetail. Although I did have to put the rear pin back in
and grind a groove in the bottom of the mount to keep it from creeping, but that stopped any movement.
And to tell the truth, I can't remember if I bought a long eye relief (LER) scope or a pistol scope, but either one will
work.
This is how mine ended up looking............

I added a photo of what most people say to avoid, it only mounts with one screw never seems to hold tight.
Just checked ebay and there are many more styles available than when I was looking.

[Gabriel Cale]

Good to know that there are other kinds of scopes to put on the Mosin, but I'd like to put the PU one. I know it's not the same thing of an actual Nagant Sniper, but a "contemporary" scope would change completely his look.
I think I'll take a contemporary (and well made) PU scope, to avoid the adjustment problems.
But I think I'll ask an expert to do it.
I also have to buy (or modify) the Bolt, does someone ever tried to modify it?
Thanks again

[Josh Smith]

Be aware that these receivers are HARD. You'll need carbide.

Regards,

Josh

[Niner]

You can find a how to video online with YouTube no doubt. If you are going to get some professional gunsmith help that would be good. He could line up and attach the mount correct and true and put on the scope and bore site it and get it locked down too. Let us know how it works out for you.

[Gabriel Cale]

Of course, I'll ask my gunsmith if he can do it!

[Niner Delta]

What I did for the turn down bolt handle is to buy the bolt piece on ebay and then send it to one
of the many places on ebay to have the straight bolt replaced. Or just buy the bolt piece with the
handle already bent, but it's a little more money. That way I still have the original
bolt piece to put the rifle back to original anytime I want. Did that for my 91/30 and M38.
Do not get one of these crappy kits where you grind off the straight handle and drill and tap a new
bent handle on, they look ugly and very fake.
From what I see, any of the bolted/pinned handles do not work well, get it welded.

[Gabriel Cale]

P.S. I just found this tutorial on Youtube, it's not so easy, but I think that with the proper equipment it could be a good work to do.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W26QdEOCH3I
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxinTxL-V4o
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSXwWQXTkXU

It's very detailed!

On ebay they also sell repro scopes and mounts, with the "drilling kit", good!

[Gabriel Cale]

It's arrived!
This is the scope that I bought for my Mosin rifle. It's very well made and it's from Accumounts.
Now I just have to find someone in my city that can add it on the rifle.