Mosin-Nagant Barrels
The biggest limitation to the Mosin-Nagant's accuracy is the barrel, which is almost always corroded. Finnish Mosin-Nagants often have thick, heavy barrels with pristine bores, but those rifles are uncommon pieces of history that are just as expensive as an entry-level hunting rifle, so there isn't much point (or decency) in using them as the basis for a build. As for the garden-variety M91/30, many small adjustments and improvements can be made to make Mosin-Nagants into cheap, accurate shooters, but to break into "tack driver" territory, the barrel usually needs to be replaced. Therein lies the problem, because replacing a Mosin-Nagant barrel is a tricky business.
The first problem is getting the old barrel out. The factory barrel was torqued in place by a machine almost a century ago, and believe me when I say it will not want to come out. A specialized wrench is needed to hold the receiver, and another special wrench is needed for the barrel. At that point, you apply the forced needed to break the barrel free, which has been informally measured at around 700 ft-lbs (though only about 250 ft-lbs are needed to torque it back in place), which is enough force to potentially twist the receiver and ruin the rifle. Other methods include simply cutting the barrel off and then picking the threads out piecemeal, or praying really hard. Alternatively, you can try to buy a bare receiver from an auction site for a premium price.
Once the old barrel is out, most barrel manufacturers can supply you with a barrel blank, but the blank will still need to be threaded, chambered, and cut for the extractor. You cannot simply thread a new barrel into place and go shooting for a variety of reasons, the most crucial of which is that the headspace will not be correct. This is gunsmith-only territory, and most gunsmiths won't do it for a Mosin-Nagant because they don't have the tooling and they don't know how/aren't willing to risk destroying the rifle or building something unsafe. There are gunsmiths that do it, but they are few and far between so odds are you'll need to get comfortable with shipping fees and phone calls.
In a nutshell, re-barreling a Mosin-Nagant is a huge hassle. Like any problem, the hassle can be resolved by throwing money at it, but the sum is enough to turn most people off. Out-the-door, expect to be about $500 - $700 lighter for your trouble, which is why the majority of Mosin-Nagant rebarreling is done by professional smiths as pet projects. However, there are a few options on the market that have made this process easier. It never has been and never will be a cakewalk, but it's a picnic compared to a few years ago.
The first problem is getting the old barrel out. The factory barrel was torqued in place by a machine almost a century ago, and believe me when I say it will not want to come out. A specialized wrench is needed to hold the receiver, and another special wrench is needed for the barrel. At that point, you apply the forced needed to break the barrel free, which has been informally measured at around 700 ft-lbs (though only about 250 ft-lbs are needed to torque it back in place), which is enough force to potentially twist the receiver and ruin the rifle. Other methods include simply cutting the barrel off and then picking the threads out piecemeal, or praying really hard. Alternatively, you can try to buy a bare receiver from an auction site for a premium price.
Once the old barrel is out, most barrel manufacturers can supply you with a barrel blank, but the blank will still need to be threaded, chambered, and cut for the extractor. You cannot simply thread a new barrel into place and go shooting for a variety of reasons, the most crucial of which is that the headspace will not be correct. This is gunsmith-only territory, and most gunsmiths won't do it for a Mosin-Nagant because they don't have the tooling and they don't know how/aren't willing to risk destroying the rifle or building something unsafe. There are gunsmiths that do it, but they are few and far between so odds are you'll need to get comfortable with shipping fees and phone calls.
In a nutshell, re-barreling a Mosin-Nagant is a huge hassle. Like any problem, the hassle can be resolved by throwing money at it, but the sum is enough to turn most people off. Out-the-door, expect to be about $500 - $700 lighter for your trouble, which is why the majority of Mosin-Nagant rebarreling is done by professional smiths as pet projects. However, there are a few options on the market that have made this process easier. It never has been and never will be a cakewalk, but it's a picnic compared to a few years ago.
Disclaimer
This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or generally in cahoots with any of the below manufacturers or product lines.
The below products are not claimed to be the best or worst available, they are merely listed to provide a "jumping off point" for a prospective buyer's search. Whenever possible the link will be directly to the manufacturer, but that does not always mean the product cannot be found elsewhere.
Prices are listed only to provide a general idea, not a guarantee. Prices may change over time.
This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or generally in cahoots with any of the below manufacturers or product lines.
The below products are not claimed to be the best or worst available, they are merely listed to provide a "jumping off point" for a prospective buyer's search. Whenever possible the link will be directly to the manufacturer, but that does not always mean the product cannot be found elsewhere.
Prices are listed only to provide a general idea, not a guarantee. Prices may change over time.
Surplus Mosin-Nagant Barrel - If you are dissatisfied with the condition of your rifle’s bore, the cheapest option is to replace the barrel with a surplus barrel in better condition. The best options are either another M91/30 barrel, or better yet, a Finnish M39 barrel. The Finns used shorter, fatter barrels that provide exceptional accuracy, but if you do not have access to handloading equipment you must only use barrels from a Finnish M39, as all other Finnish Mosin Nagants are chambered for a slightly different and very uncommon cartridge called 7.62x53R, which uses a .308” diameter bullet rather than the .312” diameter of the 7.62x54R. Search online auction sites to see what is available, as few (if any) vendors have remaining stores of spare barrels.
The fees charged by the installing gunsmith will be much less than the fees for a full re-barreling, as the new surplus barrel will already be threaded and chambered.
$50 - $150 + installation
McGowen Barrels - McGowen makes a pre-fit Mosin-Nagant barrel that arrives already threaded and chambered. The installing smith only needs to cut the extractor notch and time the barrel into place. Choose between a stainless steel or Chrome-Molybdenum (chromoly) steel barrel, and any factory Mosin-Nagant contour. Finnish barrel profiles will be the thickest and most accurate.
$280 - $300 + installation
UK-59 Surplus Barrel - The UK-59 machine gun fires the same 7.62x54R round as the Mosin Nagant, and a number of surplus UK-59 barrels have been threaded for the Mosin Nagant receiver and exported. When they arrived stateside, they sold for $75 each but now that supply has dried up, they can go for several times that amount. This chrome-lined barrel is extremely heavy at about 6.5 pounds, and it threads right into a Mosin Nagant receiver. However, you cannot just thread it in and start shooting. To install the barrel properly, and more importantly, safely, the barrel must be timed into the receiver so that the extractor groove will line up, and headspace must be checked and/or adjusted. The barrel should be turned on a lathe to remove excess material from the rear, and be threaded for a crush nut to firm it into the receiver. Finally, your stock will need to be relieved extensively to accommodate the barrel’s girth.
$??? + installation
Barrel Manufacturers - Most barrel manufacturers can supply a bore blank in the appropriate caliber, but these blanks will still need to be threaded, chambered, and installed by a gunsmith, which will cost just about as much as the barrel itself.
$150 - $300 + installation
Teludyne Barrel Sleeve - Teludyne is a barrel company that fabricates a sleeve around your barrel rather than replacing the barrel itself. The cavity between the sleeve and your barrel is then filled with a medium that is proprietary to Teludyne, and the sleeve and medium together serve to dampen barrel vibrations, dissipate heat, and increase barrel rigidity, all of which contribute to vastly improved accuracy. Although Teludyne barrel sleeves have received positive feedback, the sheer cost is prohibitive for most shooters.
$689 - $850
The fees charged by the installing gunsmith will be much less than the fees for a full re-barreling, as the new surplus barrel will already be threaded and chambered.
$50 - $150 + installation
McGowen Barrels - McGowen makes a pre-fit Mosin-Nagant barrel that arrives already threaded and chambered. The installing smith only needs to cut the extractor notch and time the barrel into place. Choose between a stainless steel or Chrome-Molybdenum (chromoly) steel barrel, and any factory Mosin-Nagant contour. Finnish barrel profiles will be the thickest and most accurate.
$280 - $300 + installation
UK-59 Surplus Barrel - The UK-59 machine gun fires the same 7.62x54R round as the Mosin Nagant, and a number of surplus UK-59 barrels have been threaded for the Mosin Nagant receiver and exported. When they arrived stateside, they sold for $75 each but now that supply has dried up, they can go for several times that amount. This chrome-lined barrel is extremely heavy at about 6.5 pounds, and it threads right into a Mosin Nagant receiver. However, you cannot just thread it in and start shooting. To install the barrel properly, and more importantly, safely, the barrel must be timed into the receiver so that the extractor groove will line up, and headspace must be checked and/or adjusted. The barrel should be turned on a lathe to remove excess material from the rear, and be threaded for a crush nut to firm it into the receiver. Finally, your stock will need to be relieved extensively to accommodate the barrel’s girth.
$??? + installation
Barrel Manufacturers - Most barrel manufacturers can supply a bore blank in the appropriate caliber, but these blanks will still need to be threaded, chambered, and installed by a gunsmith, which will cost just about as much as the barrel itself.
$150 - $300 + installation
Teludyne Barrel Sleeve - Teludyne is a barrel company that fabricates a sleeve around your barrel rather than replacing the barrel itself. The cavity between the sleeve and your barrel is then filled with a medium that is proprietary to Teludyne, and the sleeve and medium together serve to dampen barrel vibrations, dissipate heat, and increase barrel rigidity, all of which contribute to vastly improved accuracy. Although Teludyne barrel sleeves have received positive feedback, the sheer cost is prohibitive for most shooters.
$689 - $850
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