Scout Style Scope and Mosin Nagant – Installation techniques

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Installing or mounting a scope on a Mosin Nagant is a tricky affair as most of its owners would agree. Usually a receiver is drilled and tapped to accommodate scope rings but the Mosin Nagant has a straight handle bolt which would certainly obstruct the scope’s eye piece. The Scout Style scope offers a way but that is also made complicated by Mosin’s wooden stock and fore grip. So, is there a way to effectively install a scope on the Mosin without changing the receiver or encountering any other obstacles?

The Mosin Nagant 91/30 scope mount – installation

With the introduction of Mosin Nagant 91/30 scope , S&K Manufacturing took a step forward in thering direction of simplifying scope installation on the Mosin Nagant.

  • While retaining the hardware the iron sight is substituted by the Picatinny Rail which enables the attachment of any scout style scope.
  • Though driving out the pin holding the rear sight is a challenging task, a punch (preferably steel as brass punches are softer) and brass hammer would essentially do the trick. These tools do not accompany the scope but are quite affordable and easy to use.
  • After ensuring the punch is in line with the pin, strike it cautiously so as to not mar the sight. Since the pin in most Mosins is pretty firmly held, it will take quite an amount of effort to drive it out. Towards the end, the leaf sight might push the sight up due to the spring pressure. It is therefore necessary to remove both the leaf sight and the spring and then resume the striking. Once the pin is out, set the flange nut into the sight holder at its rear end.
  • Then, fix the rail into the sight box and thread a screw through the erstwhile pin hole without actually tightening it all the way. The flange nut has to be in line with the countersunk hole in the top of the rail. Screw the flange nut into to its place with the countersunk screw and an Allen wrench and loosen it by ¼ turn. After screwing in the other one through the pin hole, loosen both by ¼ turn. It will then be possible to twist and move the rail to an extent.
  • After detaching the bolt, place the scope and tighten the mount rings on the rail. Make necessary adjustments to ensure that the crosshairs are close to the center of the bore. This might require you to detach the scope and alter the screws and replace it on the rail.
  • Once the bore sight is prefect or workable, tauten the countersunk screws into the flange nut together with the pivot screws in the place of the pin.

Once the rail is secured and the scope is set up, your Mosin Nagant is ready to use.