How To Build A Budget "Sniper" Rifle Part 1 - OutlineThis is a featured page

This series of articles is addressed and directed to the members of this ZSDW wiki who are interested in long range tactical weaponry and realize that they may have a need to be able to make long range precision shots. There may come a time when a long range shot is required, and for that occasion only a sniper-type rifle will do.

DISCLAIMER
Home "gunsmithing" and weapons modification is a difficult hands-on process that requires patience, a steady hand and a fair amount of restraint. Few mistakes can be undone when you're working with wood and metal. The only remedy is a slow and patient hand making planned and calculated actions. For this reason, I am not going into specific detail about how to do many procedures in an attempt to avoid giving you bad advise that could result in property damage or injury. It is your responsibility to learn how to perform any tasks outlined in the guide. This may include drilling and tapping, installation of optics, general firearm safety, proper installation of aftermarket components, or any other task outlined herein.

Should you decide to alter your Mosin-Nagant (or any other) rifle as outlined in this project or in any other way, I shall not be responsible for actions and will not accept any liability for damage to the weapon, your health or mental state, your dog, your neighbor's dog or anything else. You agree to free me (LJ126) completely free from fault and you will accept 100% liability for your own actions.

Do not undertake work that is outside of your skill level or expertise. If you are in doubt or uncomfortable with any task contained in this article, please take the weapon to a professional gunsmith and pay to have the necessary work performed by them. Do not risk injury or damage to the weapon by carelessly rushing into something you do not know how to do.

This is a tutorial on how to take a bone stock, military surplus bolt action rifle and turn it into a tack-driving, zombie-slaying, long-range machine while spending the least amount of money possible. As a bonus, I will also add expense options for those with the "cheddar" to pay a little bit extra to seek a greater level of personalization to their "long range tactical" rifle. Many different options will be available, but for my personal build I will pursue the least expensive route.

For this project, I have decided that the Mosin-Nagant rifle is the best choice for building a budget sniper rifle. There are many different reasons for this decision, but the primary consideration is expense and availability. These rifles can be found anywhere in the United States for under $200 USD in new or refinished-new condition, and I would not pay a penny more than that for one unless it were a rare or uncommon model.
Before we can set guidelines for a build we have to know for what the rifle is being built, and form should and will follow function. This "Budget Sniper" shall have three (3) major conditions that must be fulfilled:
  • 100 - 300 yard capable
  • Carry at least 1 full reload in retention
  • Weigh less than 10 pounds unloaded
It will also have a sling for carry and should have some sort of recoil-reduction device to tame the recoil of the 7.62x54R cartridge. Beyond that, any additions to the rifle are purely personal customization and not necessary in the role of "budget sniper."



Creative Commons License
LJ26's Weapons and Practical Skills Corner by (LJ126) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com.
  • Home gunsmith work is dangerous. Make sure to follow all shop safety rules and use protective gear when required.
  • Follow all of the NRA gun safety rules when handling a firearm. These rules exist to prevent serious tragedies from occurring!
  • Do not perform any steps listed within this article unless you are absolutely confident with your ability to perform them.


LJ126
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Littlejon126 Series complete - Budget Sniper Project (page: 1 2) 26 Sep 2 2009, 4:33 AM EDT by Littlejon126
Thread started: Apr 21 2009, 1:45 AM EDT  Watch
I've completed the series and though I may not go into much detail in some areas, the omissions are calculated decisions. The areas where i have skimped are when referring to specific scopes and accessories, as I simply don't have first hand knowledge/experience with all the possible choices.

I have also skimped on instructions on how to do things as it would take a lot more effort to write something when I can post a video/link that someone has made, which is typically better as it provides a great visual to learn from. For any part of this build, there are excellent resources on the internet that can point potential builders in the right direction. I'd be more than willing to help anyone interested in finding said resources.

I'm likely going to be starting my own build pretty soon, though I intend to wait until I've purchased a digital camera to document the build. I am going to have to wait before committing to a build because I've got some more immediate expenses coming up. I'm a bit tight right now and just trying to eek by.

I believe that the series definitely shows some of the options and routes that can be taken. This really wasn't meant to be an instruction manual, but more of a guide to show some of the products available and methods that can be employed to build a decent, reliable sniper-type rifle. I believe that I have succeeded in that mission.

Let me know what you think!
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Littlejon126 Budget Sniper Project - Anyone interested?? 9 Apr 13 2009, 2:50 AM EDT by Littlejon126
Thread started: Apr 11 2009, 8:53 PM EDT  Watch
I pose that a high quality, long range tactical rifle (sniper) can be created using a surplus military bolt action rifle for under $500. In fact, I've done it, and with high quality commercial ammunition, my rifle shoots just greater than 1.5 MOA, which is more than acceptable for a rifle that is 70 years old - and with handloads, I'm sure I could push the rifle into 1 MOA territory.

Anyone interested in me writing an article on how to do it? I've already started.

http://www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com/page/How+To+Build+A+Budget+%22Sniper%22+Rifle+Part+1+-+Outline

If there's no interest/feedback, I'll go ahead and remove what I've got thus far. Hopefully my article will promote you to also undertake a similar project.
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