How to Replace the Safety on a Mosin-Nagant

Russian Army captain Sergei Mosin -- and Leon Nagant of Belgium -- developed the Mosin-Nagant Model 1891 as an infantry rifle. It saw use during World War I and the Russian Revolution. In 1930, the Soviet Union adopted an improved version of the rifle; it became known as the Mosin-Nagant 91/30, and saw use in World War II. The Izhevsk and Tula factories produced several variations of the rifle: the original 91/30, the M44 with a side-folding bayonet and the M38, a shorter carbine version. All of the variants are bolt-action rifles with a crude safety built into the bolt body. The shooter pulls the cocking piece directly to the rear, rotates it one-quarter turn to the left and rests it on the receiver.

Instructions

    • 1

      Turn the bolt handle to the vertical position, and pull it open to the rear. Ensure that no live rounds are in the chamber or magazine. Press the tab at the bottom of the magazine to open the floor plate. Drop out any rounds still present.

    • 2

      Remove the bolt. Depress the trigger while pulling the bolt handle to the rear. Set the rifle to the side.

    • 3

      Uncock the bolt. Grip the bolt by the handle, and pull the cocking piece to the rear. Turn the cocking piece and connecting bar counterclockwise one-quarter turn. Slide the connecting bar and the bolt-head off the body.

    • 4

      Remove the cocking piece. Hold the bolt body vertically, with the firing pin straight down. Hold the bolt body by the handle, and press the assembly straight down on the firing pin; this compresses the firing-pin spring. Turn the cocking piece counterclockwise to unscrew it from the bolt body. Slowly let the pressure off of the firing-pin spring after removing the cocking piece.

    • 5

      Install the new cocking piece. Hold the bolt body vertically; depress the firing pin and spring against a hard surface. Thread the new cocking piece onto the pin; turn the pin clockwise until it is set. Slowly release the pressure on the firing pin and spring. Reassemble the bolt, and re-install it in the rifle.