I've had a couple of these and have never had a problem getting them disassembled but the last one I bought is giving me a hard time. I'm trying to disassemble the bolt and for the life of me, I cannot get the cocking piece to screw of the firing pin. Yes I am doing it correctly, as I just a youtube video to make sure I was remembering correctly.I twist and I twist but it just spins around. Any of you guys run into this problem before?

I haven't had this happen to me before but I've heard of it happening. People usually say to get a friend or somebody to use some sort of tool to hold the firing pin from spinning. Then just push down on the bolt body and unscrew the cocking knob.

The firing pin could be bent. You wouldn't think that a piece as solid as the FP on a Mosin would be bent (or that they would put one in a rifle when refurb'd), but it does happen. I discovered one just a week ago that was bent to the point that I could barely get the cocking piece off. About an inch from the rear, it was bent at nearly a ten degree angle. If it's bent bad enough, I'm not sure how you would get it off. You may end up needing a new pin and cocking piece.

I just had the same problem with a recently purchased Mosin (I never did get it apart and was considering how best to attack it). I don't think the pin is bent...I suspect that the firing pin threads are sort of "froze" to the cocking piece (it's probably been 40 years since it was last taken apart).

     I figured I would put a couple of drops of Kroil on the threads and was trying to figure out what to use as a "persuader", when I happened to find a YouTube video that shows an alternative to the "push and twist" method. I wish I could embed the video but anyway...the title is "The Mosin Nagant Bolt" by "Gungeek".

     This young Canuck shows how he holds the cocking piece in one hand and uses the guide bar as a wrench to unscrew the firing pin out of the cocking piece! I'm not sure if this is an accepted way of breaking down the bolt (first time I've ever seen it) but I'm gonna try it in the morning.

    Important to note that you only want to use the "wrench" to loosen things (take it too far and that baby is gonna launch) and finish taking the pin out by hand so that you can control it. Looks interesting. Good luck with yours.

Guide bar doubles as a firing pin tool, ive had to do that to my 91/30 works great

Well i'll be damned, that is some fine engineering. On a side note, I find it amazing that a rifle as crudely made as a Mosin has the most complicated bolt i've ever seen. Thanks everyone for the help.

HA! I remember the first time I took one apart and put it back together (or tried to!). It was something like, "what the hell kind of jigsaw puzzle is this?!?!"

Don't sweat it, though. Once you've done it a few times, you'll be able to do it blindfolded and in your sleep. If you want to get some funny looks from people, walk into a "Fudd" shop that has one on the rack, pull out the bolt, disassemble it and put it back together and back in the action, all in about five seconds. Usually, things will get real quiet and when you look around there will be a lot of mouth-breathing going on.