Mosin-Nagant optics question...

Tech141

I bought a couple of Mosin-Nagants (7.62 x 54R) and want to put scopes on them. I understand the scope needs to have a long eye relief. Anyone here have a good nominee for a scope I should mount on my new rifles?

PA Shootist

I have used successfully a Leupold M8 2X pistol scope mounted on a Mosin 91/59. The rear sight is pinned; remove the pins and the rear sight slides off a dovetail by driving it forward. The dovetail can accommodate an ordinary scope mount designed for the grooved receiver of a .22 rimfire rifle. There are versions of these with rings for 1" tube scopes. I used one with steel clamps; it gripped tightly and never moved. I believe the 91/30 has the same rear sight set-up. The older model 91 is different. The rig works like the "Scout Rifle" concept of Col. Jeff Cooper with fast target acquisition and ability to reload quickly with stripper clips. And, importantly, no permanent modification has been done to these historic rifles.

beantownshootah

What PA said.

I used an SK scope mount for my Mosin M44; same idea. Scope is also a 2x Leupold pistol scope. See below for what it looks like, including closeup.

Any pistol scope (Nikon, Burris, etc) could work, as could purpose designed long eye relief (aka "scout") scopes.

Note that a front mounted scope offers several DISADVANTAGES compared to a traditional rear mount, including significantly smaller field of view, and generally lower available magnification.

But IMO, its still better than iron sights, which is why I have it.

Note that you CAN put a conventional scope on one of these, but its "work". You have to use either a side-mount or cantilevered scope mount to get around the split receiver design [Edit, that means drilling and tapping the guns receiver somewhere], and you also have to bend the bolt handle down (or buy a bent replacement) so it doesn't whack the scope in normal operation.

Edit, you can take a look at one of the "Sniper" Mosin Nagants for some idea how the Russkies did this back in the day.

asop

There's a great Mosin forum you should go to. Can't find the site , but just google and you'l l be able to come up with it.