Hi All,

Recently I’d been thinking about what it would look like if one was to equip a sniper team in the American method of shooter and spotter only using com-bloc weapons. While our guys can use a variety of weapons depending on mission requirements, to my understanding the most common combination is the M24 bolt rifle for the shooter and an M16 for the spotter/security element.

So, in considering the com-bloc weapons for this use everything they put out seemed too crude. I know their doctrine was different and their weapons suited their doctrine to a tee. So please, nobody jump on me for calling their weapons crude. After all, I like them too. Anyhow, I decided I should build an upgraded and modernized version of the Mosin-Nagant as the shooter’s weapon and an accurized  Tabuk or PSL for the spotter/security element. At the moment I can’t decide if it’s better for the spotter to use a PSL and be able to share ammo with the shooter or if it’s better to carry a slightly lighter Tabuk type and a greater ammo load. Maybe you guys can weigh in on that.

Anyhow, the bolt gun part of this project is done and some pictures are included below. There are lots of guys that have done some amazing work in accurizing the Mosin and I don’t really need to rehash their work here. You can find them by doing a google search on accurizing or sporterizing the Mosin-Nagant. One of the builds I found was by a current army sniper that changed everything but the receiver on his weapon and ended up with something that looks like a high end deer rifle. That amazing rifle in his hands was shooting 3/8” groups at a hundred yards. I thought to build on their work by designing a high end modular chassis system that will accept the Mosin parts and can be configured to the shooter’s mission. If there is sufficient interest in this piece I could make it a regular item from TWS. I plan on spending the next month or two seeing what kind of accuracy I can squeeze from this thing. After that I’ll start on the spotter’s weapon. Please feel free to chime in with any suggestions.

Can't see the pics.

The separate items of the modular chassis system.


Views of the receiver module







Buttstock module uses standard AR buttstock and AK grip.


Outside and inside of the top cover module. The small loose piece is the bipod attachment specific to this bipod type and will normally have a small piece of picatinny there.



Free standing chassis with the Mosin parts outside.

That's strange. They were up when I first posted. I'll see if I can fix it.

Strangely, sometimes I see the pics and other times I don't. Can anyone else see the pics or no?

No, I can't see them.  If you want to send them to me I will host and post them for you on my photobucket account.  

i can't see em either but would love to.  i really like this idea.

OK, when I log in I can see them and when I log out they disappear. What's up with that?

Try copying and pasting the url to my flickr page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31107649@N03/

Use

www.tinypic.com


No account needed.

all red x's....




I want to see!

Just created a photobucket account and will try to fix now.

Think it's working now. Let me know as I'm fixing the others.

Now that we got that figured out.  Nice idea, but I have seen a better one recently (can't remember if it was here or another forum).  I would consider removing the upper half as that does not seem to "sexy".  And a thumbhole stock like the PSL has would be more comfortable for actual "sniper" shooting.  That's my 2 cents.  

I've started thinking about something just like you have created after reading this:

http://www.warriortalknews.com/2010/10/the-guerrilla-sniper-revisited.html

I hear you. That's why this thing is modular. The buttstock module can be changed out to anything the shooter prefers. To start off I figured using standard off the shelf components would make the biggest improvement at the least cost.

To set up a rifle as you like I can see the thumbhole stock you indicate plus a shorty top cover that's maybe just an inch or two longer than the receiver part. Since the top cover wraps around underneath the barrel that will give you a place to attach the bipod underneath.

Configurable, that's the key. Keep those good ideas flowing.

I love the work you are doing, however it kind of seems like building a Porsche 911 body to go on a Kia chasis and motor.  I would be much more interested in a chasis system like this that would fit on a savage or a remington.

I like this, I have always wanted to accurize a mosin but could never find a satisfactory way to mount a scope  on one. If possible I would make the top rail extend rearward so that you could use the scope rings as they should be used one on each side of the turrets. I would also make it so that it can use a Magpul PRS stock as I feel it would be more conducive to precision shooting. I also think it would pe pretty cool if you could take the part that wraps around the barrel that you plan to use for a bipod and make a flat portion for a harris bipod and a stud (make sure there is room for a pod lock as well). It may also be a good idea to radious the rear of the chassis to accept the MIAD grip espeacially with the big back strap (requires a radiouse like AR lower for clearance) the big back strap positions the hand for better trigger control. I think this would do well for Savages as well but if you make it for them try to incorperate an ability to accept AI mags as guys will be asking for it. Is this just a project for fun or will it be marketed? If marketed whats your target price range? I may have to hang on to my super sniper and buy a mosin.

I totally see your point. In fact, I struggled with that a bit as I was working on this. Kinda like making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I pushed on though just as an engineering exercise. As development progressed I began seeing the project in a different light. I believe your analogy would be better stated as a Porsche 911 body wrapped around a Mack truck engine. It became apparent to me that this chassis is not really an accessory for a Mosin. In actuality, the Mosin is an accessory for this chassis.

Follow my logic for a moment. The Russians were really good at making simple and durable, and we can benefit from that by clever exploitation. Think of an 18 wheeler you see rolling down the highway. The engines in those chassis routinely see a million miles between replacement. The chassis will go 3-4 million miles. In our case I built an advanced chassis to accept that Russian Mosin-Nagant engine which happens to come packaged in a wooden crate. When you use up the engine you simply remove and replace a new one into the chassis as needed.

The Mosin "engine" does have it's own merits. Low cost, simple, durable, responds well to tuning and accurizing, plus lots of potent and cheap ammo. If you do a youtube search on Mosin Nagant sniper you find some very interesting projects where guys are shooting out to a 1000 yards with the Mosin. Once a project like this is completed you'll find that it's hundreds or thousands of dollars less than a  Remington build and you have something truly unique. Sure, I may do a Remington chassis in the future but, for now this is a first step.

I looked at just the issues you mention and ran into some problems. The first top cover I made did cantilever out back about 3 inches and was too floppy so I cut it back. I think it was cut back too much and a cantilever extension of about 1-1/4" will be just right for length and no flexing.

Second, the bipod block now used does attach a stud to the cover bottom surface, it's just hard to see. I'll put up a better pic later.

Third, having a radius back on the receiver like an AR won't work as there isn't enough room. The space between the grip and the stock is too tight. Look at the radius on an AR grip and the distance from the top of the grip to the bottom of the stock. If the stock on this chassis is moved up to provide more room it then interferes with the bolt when it's cycled. If the grip is moved down for more room then it won't be in the right place for the trigger. That's why we ended up with the combination of the AK grip and an AR stock as the relationship works out. In a more advanced configuration I would simply build a dedicated stock module that has all the desired features from the outset but, that raises the cost.

Fourth, the Savage would require it's own chassis. Maybe another day.

Lastly, it did start out as a fun project but, if there is sufficient interest then yes I would make these. We would need at least a small group to commit so I could get the cost down to around $300 bucks. Let me know what you think.

If you could get the price around $300, that would be awful tempting. The base rifle would only be about $100, so you could get the gun, stock, and your specail chasis for the same price as a Rem 700...

Will this work with a hex receiver or just the round one?

I think if you could build a chasis like this for a remington or savage for 300 bucks,  you wouldnt be able to keep them in stock.

The round one. Hex will require a different receiver module.

I think your right. I might explore that possibility.

That is nice

A little more progress. The action has been bedded and the chassis painted. Here it is in desert tan.

Actually, I've been contacted by several folks that are interested in a group buy. If we can put together a group of twenty then I'll commit to making them for $300.00 per unit. For that price you get the following chassis for the Mosin Nagant 91/30:

-Receiver module for the round not the hex receiver.
-Top cover module.
-Butt stock module to accept AR-15 type threaded stock tube.
-Adapter to accept stud for a Harris bipod.
-The grip, buttstock, bipod, scope, and Mosin rifle are not included.
-Bonus extra for the first "twenty", your own personalized engraved message on the left side of the top cover. Engraving will be located opposite the ejection port in the area of the receiver. You can use up to 25 letters or spaces in any combination. Look at the engraving in the various pictures to get an idea of what it looks like. I only have available the font you see in the pictures. My name is on that product so nothing vulgar, you know what that means. I reserve the right to be the final judge on vulgarity. Use your name, avatar, Semper Fi, One-Shot-One-Kill, etc...
-The product will be shipped to the customer "in the white", that means no finish. It's up to you to paint or finish however you like.
-The pictures in the opening post are representative of what you get.
-Please be clear on exactly what you get. I want everyone to feel they got their money's worth and no surprises.


If you would like to get in on this you can contact me directly at [email protected] so I can reserve your spot.

I would, but I'm an engineering student right now. I'll be in on the gen2/ 2nd group buy next year after I graduate! I think this product will have a strong market, and I'm sure if you start making them they won't stay in stock, especially for the Rem or Savage as others have mentioned.

I agree. When I look at the completed rifle picture, it still screams bubbad mosin, and IMHO is kinda ugly and the mosin dosent flow very good with the system.

Your work however is outstanding.  I'd like to see you make a stock for a rifle that is a bit less chunky, and smoother flowing/seamless. Maybe some sort of single shot rifle. Maybe with a  aluminum rear adjustable stock too. Good start. Keep it up!

this is just down right amazing!

Sir i bow to you.

I just bought a nagant a few months back and wanted to learn a little about accurizing and long distance shooting and it was the perfect platform.

After the tweeking i put into it the best patterns that i have gott out of it doing 5 shot groups at 100 yards are right over .9 moa.

I would love to be able to test this set up out and see what kind of patterns are achievable after a little bit of barrel work and some good bedding.

Any updates on this?