Accurizing the Mosin-Nagant Using the Shim Method

[Josh Smith]

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[Wapiti]

That's a great explanation, Josh.
Now I understand better why the Finns in their Sako models with timber stocks have thick steel blocks inletted into the wood which then action recoil lugs bear against and spread the compressive load over a big area as well. And in big kickers, have stock reinforcing crossbolts into them as well. The action screws don't handle any recoil.
Might be why they shoot so consistently superbly.
Unlike the American consumerist method of sitting the action in a bed of plastic putty. Or nothing at all.

On the shims mate, on Ebay you can get metal shims of a range of very thin thicknesses, sort of like washers, to shim things like the wobbly triggers and levers of Marlin and Winchester lever guns, bolts, gas systems etc.
Different hole diameters, OD and precision thicknesses.

I think people would be surprised at the amazing gain in trigger pull quality of their wobbly lever action and lever/button release triggers, just with the shim method. The transformation of these shims turning pull weight and hammer sear movement from a combination of spring pull pressure and sideways binding movement weight to one smooth linear movement in the intended direction is quite astonishing really.

[No1Mk3]

There is also the Russian Method of stock/action shimming the Mosin, very similar to the Finnish Method described above but is a more holistic approach including attention to action screw collar length, barrell wrapping with canvas, oiled cloth, or using cork shim. Soviet armourers could also bed PE/PU actions with waxed cloth or paper. Shimming can also worsen a rifles accuracy if done incorrectly. My Wifes PU has been shimmed using the Finn Method and improved her 500m scores by more than 10 points on average from her previous scores. She often beats my Swedish m/41 in the scores (but maybe I'm just not up to it anymore)