7.62 x39mm SHTF Rfiles

With Pedophile Joe banning the import of surplus ammo in the states, we have seen a significant drop on the cost of 7.62x39mm ammo.  What was averaging $450 a few weeks ago has dropped to $400 per crate.  Basically prices have been rolled back to 2019 levels.

There are a lot of rifles in this caliber but I am going to focus on the ones that are Canadian legal (at the time of this article), not collector items or rare (eg VZ52/57, Hakim, SKS-D etc), semi-automatic and are readily available.  Except for the SKS, my test samples are all the latest generation so past issues are not going to be a factor (bent barrels, weak carrier groups, poor heat treating etc).

That narrows the playing field down to 5 contenders.

The Type 81-S

The M10X

The SKS (early production)

The SKS (late production)

The WS-MCR

M10X notes:  The M10X has no iron sights.  I added a x1 scope called the Specter Arms Ascension. I did this because it is unusable without some type of sighting system and that weight is included.  I also picked the Ascension because it has a low centerline height and requires no batteries making it ideal for this rifle and SHTF.  I would of preferred iron sights to keep everything fair but they sit too high on the M10X.

Type 81-S notes:  I have a fixed stock version.  There is no provision for an optic.

SKS(early production) notes: I have a Russian 1952 SKS.  It is unmodified.

SKS(late production) notes: I don’t have a late production SKS anymore for a side by side comparison.  This will be done from memory.

The MCR has no iron sights.  They work well with back up irons.  To try to keep things fair, mine is sporting polymer back up sights. 

Weight:

The WS-MCR is the lightest by only a few grams.

The Type 81-S is the second lightest at 3.4kg.

The M10X is slightly heavier than the Type 81-S.  If you go online you will see the M10X weighs 50g less than the Type 81-S but you need to add an optic so this is deceptive.  The M10X is more accurately placed as #3

The SKS is the heaviest.  It is based on 1940s technology before aluminum and plastic replaced a lot of wood and steel.

Balance:

The Type 81-S has its balance point slightly behind its center point making it the fastest to swing around obstacles and bring to bear on target.

The M10X has its balance point at roughly center.

The WS-MCR is front heavy with the balance point front of center.  It comes with an unnecessarily long handguard which I think contributes to its balance problem.  Its light weight helps to hide this problem.

Both SKS are front heavy with balance point front of center.  They have the longest barrels.  Some companies have taken to cutting the barrels down to 18.5” to improve balance but that is outside the scope of my evaluation.

Sighting:

The WS-MCR  rifles require an optic.  This makes its sighting system superior. Its comb and its sight plane are on the same level making use of 1.5” centerline optics ideal.  There is a wealth of optical options limited only by imagination.  The included handguard can have MLock rails added to it for lights and lasers.

The M10X requires an optic.  This makes its sighting system superior.  A x1 Prism scope does the job of the red dot without using batteries but unlike all the options below, you can add a scope (+ weight) or MLock rails for lasers.  The mounting plane is higher than the comb making 1.5” centerline optics (the sporting optic standard) too high.  It limits a lot of options but at least it has options.

The SKS (both versions) have uncluttered iron sights.  The SKS uses an adjustable leaf sight with a longer sight radius than the Type 81-S.  The iron sights are easier for casual shooters to use,

The Type 81-S have short sight radius which lends itself to close quarter snap shooting but hurts its ability to shoot farther.  When you consider that the average WW2 battle was fought at 73 meters, this is not a big deal.  For professionally trained people who lean into the gun, the sights come up easily and naturally.  It should be noted, that casual shooters find the sights to be too low to be usable.  The sights are also cluttered.  Instead of looking at an open notch the user looks through a T shape cut out.  

Cost:

It is better to have and not need then need and not have.  You can’t always afford the latest and greatest but it is better to buy once and cry once.  A lot of people will buy a SKS and spend a thousand dollars to make it a poor imitation of an AK, I suggest that if an AK-like rifle is your goal, spend the money and get a Type 81-S.

That being said, the SKS is the least expensive.  The most common manufactures are Russia and China.  There are some Yugoslav SKS rifles in Canada as well but they are entry level collector items.  What separates the SKS into early and late production is the change in how the barrel is mated to the receiver.  At some point during the 70s, Chinese factories started to pin barrels instead of threading them in.  Chinese SKS rifles do not share the same reputation as the Russians for this reason, but a 1950s or 1960s Chinese SKS will work just as good as a Russian one.

Because most people can’t determine late and early SKS rifles, they tend to be priced the same.

The WS-MCR rifle is available and affordable.  On the used market they cost less than the Type 81-S, new, they cost the same.

The Type 81 was un-affordable for a long time, as price speculators would buy them up and re-sell them at double the price.  With the newest batch being imported (and more on the way), the Type 81 is seeing a price correction with units selling around $1400.

The M10X is the most expensive.  American built.  Basically the M10X is a modernized AK with a Sig gas system.  In addition to the $2000 price tag, you MUST buy an optic for it.  Cheap back up iron sights are not going to work very well because the top rail is already above the comb.  You need to fork out at least $150 more to get this gun to a usable point.  It is the most expensive option.

Feeding:

With magazines pinned, the legal 10 round LAR magazines make the WS-MCR the winner.  Faster to change mags and double the capacity.  

But… If we are in a situation where mag capacity is not an issue, the winner is the M10X with Magpul Pmags.  The Pmags are lighter and feed well.  The Type 81-S is nearly a dead match to the M10X with Pmags.  I gave it to the M10X over the Type 81-S only because of weight, availability and cost of magazines

The Type 81-S is second only because the mags are heavier and not common.  But because all the magazines are purpose built for this firearm alone, they always work.  There are no variations like AR or AK mags.

Next, the SKS.  Unmodified, 10 round stripper clips can not keep up with 30 round magazines.  But, feeding is dead reliable and it always cycles.

Near the bottom is the WS-MCR rifle.  Most people run 10 round LAR magazines.  Those are reliable.  But all the 30 round AR magazines in 7.62x39 just don’t seem to work well.

And strangely enough, the M10X is also at the bottom of this list (as well as the top).  With magazines other than Pmags, the M10X works… but not as reliably.  A reliable feeding gun is critical.

Maintenance

The SKS wins easily.  There are no magazines to lose.  The cleaning kit is built into the gun.  It can be taken apart easily into large, hard to lose components that are unbreakable.

The Type 81-S strips easily like the SKS.  It also takes apart into large hard to lose components and my fixed stock version has a cleaning kit built in.  But the dust cover is thin gauge stamped steel.  Separate from the gun, it is fragile component that is easily bent.

The MCR is easy to take apart but it does have a lot of small parts.  Cam pin, cocking handle.  Having a carbine length gas port puts the mechanism under unnecessary stress leading to premature parts wear and breakage.

The M10X is not intuitive to strip.  A secret button opens the top from the bottom and the design makes it so the charging handle (a small component) needs to be removed to strip it.  A cleaning kit needs to be purchased and carried separately.

Accuracy:

This is why I split the SKS into early and late production.  Late production SKS rifles have pinned barrels as opposed to the more expensive to produce threaded barrels.  I have found that pinned barrels, when done right, are ok.  These are not done ok.  I have had samples that were 12MOA guns.  That means that where the bullet lands can be 12” away from what you are aiming at 100 meters.    

I can find no difference in accuracy with the final 4.  This could be because the 7.62x39mm round burns up almost all of its powder by 16” and they all have barrels 18.5-20”.  I was also shooting at a distance of 50meters.  I suspect the M10X or the MCR with its lighter trigger may translate into better results at longer distance.  With crappy ammo expect 6MOA.  With good ammo expect 3MOA.  Both are acceptable for a battle rifle.  I only tested with Czech, Russian and Chinese surplus. 

Customization/Mission Optimization:

The MCR is the clear winner.  It has provision to add MLock rails to mount any light, laser, forgrip or flare launcher you could want.  Most people change the unnecessarily long handguard to a stupidly long handguard giving another level of customization.  (If I keep this gun, I will be going in the opposite direction to take some weight off).  AR buttstocks offer another level of change and non-beavertail grips work great.  The trigger can be replaced with some light clean breaking triggers

The M10X comes in second.  It has provision to add MLock rails to mount any light, laser, forgrip or flare launcher you could want.  The muzzle is threaded and the muzzle device can be changed with moderate effort.

The SKS (early production) is the next most customizable.  It has been on the market a long time and there are a lot of good (and bad) accessories for it.  The only change I like to make to the SKS is a railed gas tube to add a light.  But there are detachable magazine kits, top rails for scopes (only use Magwedge, the other methods suck) and stock kits.

The SKS (late production) is a close third.  As the SKS started being made in more and more factories, deviance in tolerances started to pop up.  The guns were usable but these tolerance changes sometimes render after market accessories as a tight or impossible fit.

The Type 81-S has no easy customization except for a AK style optic side mount.  Changing the stock is not a task for the average person and heavy fitting is required to change out handguards as they are retrofits for other models of gun.  This is not a tinkerers gun.

Trigger:

The M10X and the MCR triggers are not amazing but it is the best of the rifles sampled.  Those who are used to standard AR-15 triggers will find it familiar.

The SKS and the Type 81-S have heavy gritty triggers. 

Safety:

The M10X safety is useable and in a position that allows it to be manipulated by the thumb.  It is ambidextrous.  The safety is stiffer than the others.  I like the reduced 45 degree throw angle.

The WS-MCR uses a standard safety.  It is in a position that allows it to be manipulated by the thumb.  .  It is ambidextrous.  The throw angle is a normal 90 degrees.

The SKS trigger is in an awkward position but it is easy to activate and de-activate.  The lever is not lefty friendly and requires the user to take his hand off the gun to manipulate it.

The Type 81-S safety is in a position that can be reached by the thumb but can’t really be de-activated by it.  The safety needs an agonizingly long 180 degree rotation.  It is not ambidextrous.  

Portability:

The SKS comes with a sling and sling mounting points.  It can be carried on the back and because of its slim design with no long protruding magazine, it can be carried unobtrusively in a scabbard loaded and ready for use.  The short stock makes it usable with heavy winter coats, assault vests and body armor.

The M10X has a folding stock that makes it ideal for vehicle carry.  It does not come with sling mounts or a sling and is yet another item you need to buy if you want to use a sling.  The stock telescopes but you can’t get it as short as the SKS wood stock.  Still, its length makes it ok (for 6” tall me) using body armor.

The Type 81-S has a sling mounting point on the base of the buttstock and the forend.  It does not come with a sling.  The stock is a fixed length limiting body type and equipment.  Some versions fold; my sample does not.

The WS-MCR does not come with full sling mounts.  There are quick detach (QD) mounting points at the rear of its buttstock but no swivel is included.  The stock telescopes to fit different body types.  QD sling loops are available from Specter Arms.  

Field Use:

The SKS wins.  It is indestructible.  It is a closed system meaning that dirt and junk can’t fall into the mechanism when not in use.  It is overgassed meaning it works, muddy or frozen.  But the gas tube is prone to rapid corrosion if not cleaned regularly.  All SKS failures, I have diagnosed, gave been seized gas tubes/pistons.

Next up is the Type 81-S.  It is a sturdy rifle.  It is a closed system meaning that dirt and junk can’t fall into the mechanism when not in use.  If it starts to get dirty, the gas port size can be increased by adjusting the gas block to ensure it continues to run, even when fouled.

The WS-MCR is third.  Its open side where the charging handle reciprocates makes it an open system.  Dust, sand, dirt… they can all get into the mechanism.  The MCR uses an AR trigger mechanism which is very sensitive to dirt and debris.  Its carbine length gas system unlocks at too high of pressure putting unnecessary wear on parts.

The M10X is fourth.  Its open sides where the charging handle reciprocates makes it an open system.  Dust, sand, dirt… they can all get into the mechanism.  The M10X uses an AK trigger which is more robust than an AR one but it is still vulnerable to debris.

Conclusions:

SKS (late production):

Role: I can not think of any role where a late production SKS would be a good fit.  It is only accurate enough for CQB but its design, balance and length make it a terrible choice for CQB. 

Best  Improvement: Cut the barrel down.  At least improve its use for CQB.

SKS (early production)

Role: For the average survivialist, the SKS (early) really is the winner.  The gun is usable for all people: novices, cash poor short and tall.  Requires no extra magazines or equipment to use.  For a general survivalist rifle, it is ideal.  It can hunt, it can fight and it is not aggressive in appearance allowing easier interpersonal interactions with strangers.

Best Improvement: Add a red light or laser.  The sights are unusable at night and red lights and lasers are less disruptive to your natural night vision.

M10X

Role: The M10X is great in a lot of ways.  But it is not well suited as a survivalist rifle.  It is best suited for someone who is expecting a fight and plans to decisively crush those who oppose him.

Best Improvement: Get a cleaning kit and cotton swabs to keep the internal mechanisms clean.  Use right hand charging and seal the left side.

Type 81-S

Role: This is a fighting rifle designed for dirty environments.  It is aggressive looking and is often mistaken for a AK-47.  It is suited equally well as a survival or a fighting rifle striking a balance between the two.

Best Improvement: Get professional firearm training.  This is not a novice friendly gun.

WS-MCR

Role: This is not suitable as a survival rifle.  Unlike the M10X, it is not even a suitable fighting/hard use rifle.  The gas system is flawed and prone to breakage.  It can be fixed but at a cost.

Best Improvement: Buy a mid-length AR-15 barrel and a mid-length gas piston from Third Echelon Design.  The lower unlock pressure will let your rifle fire softer with less force and not wear your parts as quickly.  In SHTF you are not going to be able to source replacement parts.

Now Is The Time To Panic

With even MSN reporting that “Coronavirus will bankrupt more people than it kills and that’s the real emergency” we can’t ignore the economic disaster waiting to smash the economy and create hyperinflation.  A tsunami of hunger, crime and despair are about to take hold.

And don’t count on the government to help you; the immediate go-to for socialists is always price controls which like in Zimbabwe and Venezuela, simply stops people from producing these goods.   And like every socialist nation before, they need to come for your guns before it gets bad – In Canada, by the recent affirmation of disarmament by the Prime Minister, that time has come.
Everyone reading this document was around for the 2008 Financial Crisis.  What you may not know is we were 3 hours away from a total meltdown.  Only quantitative easing by the USA (printing more money) pushed the crisis back to a yet undetermined date.  The hiccup that was the toilet paper riots that started the spring of 2020 was a small fraction of what could have been as REAL scarcity took hold.

You would think that 2008 would of been a wake up call?  Nope.  The average person went back to mindless episodes of American Idol… if they even put down their bottle of Coke and Cheetos to notice at all.

2008 should of seen a rise in survivialists, instead we continued to be mocked and were portrayed as knuckle dragging villains in multiple TV shows.  The 2020 Covid incident  saw some people wake up.  Gun sales saw an uptick and people who normally would not buy guns tried to (to their dismay they learned how unforgiving and strict our gun control laws are).

So some people get it, but as a ratio of prepatory purchases versus our population, we at Specter Arms feel that really, the average person is once again not taking this seriously.  For a non-issue virus, I can understand the lackluster action but the economic fall that all experts agree is coming next?  Willful ignorance.

As much as I value human life perhaps these people need to suffer for it is usually those people who have lead our society down the ruinous path of leftism and statism.

The people in power know this is coming.  Although their top priority is gun bans, the Covid-19 issue gave them a delightful chance to consolidate power by destroying our economy efficiently.  Although it seems counter-intuitive, draconian measures are comforting the sheep and the Liberals are gaining support from those useful idiots.  The Liberals could form a majority government if an election was held today.  Measures such as a ban on protests and free speech are getting a pass because of “the virus”.  Areas of national sovereignty being ceded to unelected world governing bodies such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and the WHO allowing them to make un-appealable decisions about our lives. 

But their opportunism has created an exploitable flaw in their plan – gun bans must always come BEFORE the economy gets crashed.  Every nation that has been successfully destroyed by leftists has done this first.  By maximizing the opportunity of the Covid crisis to advance their goals, there is an exploitable flaw in the plan that has worked for decades to subjugate nations; there is a final chance for the new survivialist to prepare.

If you have read this far, you the reader, are taking this seriously.  Perhaps enough to share with your unprepared friends.  Perhaps you just woke to the threat. 

Yes, now is the time to panic for the window of time needed to prepare is almost closed.  Multiple levels of distribution and retail are feeling the pinch from a poor exchange rate.  Prices are rising in what I can only describe as quick inflation.  Specter Arms has held the line longer than most and we still are.  Don’t wait; we can’t hold out forever and neither can you.

No Money for SHTF?

A question was posed to the internet world; How do I prepare for SHTF with no money.  I thought about this for a while and here are the 4 things that you can do.


1) Exercise.  Think about some of the tasks you would need to do.  I'm not talking about fighting zombies but rather the mundane.  You will need to lift, carry and walk long distances and being out of shape increases the chance of injury.   It increases how far you can push yourself and in SHTF, your next meal will, at some point, come down to the man who can push himself a bit farther than the other guy to get it.
And if we do want to discuss fighting let me say that you never rise to your expectations; you fall to your level of training.  When I do tactical firearms training, I have people sprint 50 meters to the line and then take aimed shots to show them how hard it is to do anything when their heart is pounding.  This effect is reduced the more a person is in shape.

2) Plan/Learn.  In Military Intelligence we looked at 3 main factors over and over again; Weather, Enemy and Terrain.  Try to decide where you would go.  What are the challenges and routes to get there and what environmental conditions will you have to endure.  How will you get water?  What vegetation is in the area that can be used for medicine, poison or food?  What is the population density?  These things are all free to research and will give you a huge advantage over a guy who has lots of gear.  Gear is only good if you can employ it effectively.
The library is free.  Sit down on a cozy couch with your notebook and start reading about wilderness survival, land navigation, homesteading, small unit tactics, husbandry, home remedies and gardening.
Try travelling the route you plan to take or visit where you plan to go.  A time spent on recce is never wasted.

3) Network.  No man can survive alone.  You might have no money but having a group of friends can pay off.  The average gun owner (stats are outdated) owns 7 firearms.  In SHTF, like thinking friends can loan you what they are not using.  At the time of writing this, Specter Arms has 23 thousand dollars worth of firearms in inventory not including ammo or accessories.  You can bet that if a friend came to me during a collapse, I would gladly loan him stuff.

4) Re-purpose and Recycle.  I know a business owner that started out his business with $10,000 and collecting vital materials through the unglamorous art of dumpster diving.  He got desks, countertops, displays, file cabinets, shelving and furniture.  Even I have managed to get large sheets of lexan by not being afraid to walk over and grab it.  I have not needed, but have seen a lot of things that could help a survivalist out from backpacks, glass jugs, wood and metal. Old 2x4s make great firewood and they are easy to stack.
Try to fix broken things yourself.  I am not a mechanic but I managed to save about $600 by researching and changing my car starter on my own.  I have learned to sew up damaged garments. I managed to get a glut of MDF from a wood shop and I built my own shelves.  Yes, shelves, car starters and lexan don't help for survival but it teaches you to be practical and a creator rather than a consumer who is stuck in the work-buy consumption cycle.

These 4 things cost nothing and they will get you ready far beyond the person who "buys" thier sense of security.

Fukshima Fallout

It is a radical departure from what I normally write about but in my introduction post long ago I did mention I would talk about survival topics.  This is going to be one of those times.

I was reading about the Fukishima #4 reactor.  People with more degrees then me warn that another earthquake measuring 7 or higher would cause catastrophic damage to the reactor releasing massive amounts of radiation and nuclear material in the atmosphere.  One person suggested it would be so severe as to warrant an evacuation of the west coast of North America.

Now, I am not agreeing with this assessment.  I think the evacuation of the west coast is fear mongering at its worst but I also know that reactor is hanging on by shoestrings so I agree that an earthquake of 7 (or even less!) would probably wreck the thing.  The chance of another earthquake at 7 or higher over the next 3 years is 95% - almost certain.

So I started looking into defenses against nuclear contamination.

First nuclear contaminants tend to be heavy elements.  They quickly fall from the sky and are typically not absorbed by the skin.  This means that most nuclear contaminants on the skin can be washed off with soap and water.  The problem comes from inhaling nuclear contaminants and skin absorbsion from the few that can be absorbed.
Let me be clear, once something radioactive enters your body, you can not remove it.  It will forever emit dangerous, cancer causing radiation.

Iodine is one of the major radioactive isotopes created in nuclear power plants.  It can be absorbed through the skin where the thyroid gobbles it all up and stores it.  Luckily the body can process Iodine and there is a preventative measure you can take.  Upon a nuclear event, taking Potassium Iodine will “fill up” your thyroid with non-radioactive iodine causing any excess (such as radioactive iodine) to be expelled.  Excess iodine can lead to serious health problems so taking it in excess could have detrimental health problems.  This is the recommended dosage to “fill” the thyroid.  This would need to be taken a day or two before being exposed to radioactive iodine.  This treatment would be repeated daily until the threat has passed.

Age                            KI in mg per day
Over 12 years old                  130
3 – 12 years old                     65
1 – 36 months old                  32
< 1 month old                        16

Most radioactive isotopes will enter through inhalation; that is, breathing it in.  Once a radioactive element enters your lungs, you can not remove it.  The only thing you can use, in defense, is a gas mask.  Scott air packs are impractical so I would chose a military gas mask or any mask that uses a 40mm carbon filter cartridge like the military uses.  I don’t think an industrial dust mask will work but it is better then nothing if you are in a pinch.  If you do opt to try a dust mask, your eyes will become an entry point and need to be defended as well.

Until a rainfall, stay clean.  Most radioactive isotopes will not absorb through the skin so they can be washed off.  To keep it out of the fibers of my clothes, I plan to use rain gear.  I have no evidence to back up the following statement but I imagine that cuts and scrapes would need to be covered to keep contaminants out of the blood,

When the rain does come, most contaminants will be washed out of the air and end up on the ground and in your water supply.  Filtering water is a topic for another day.

I hope this quick guide will help people in their disaster plans and empower them not to live in fear. 

Stay safe.

Survivalist Rifle on a Budget

I have been asked many times "What gun should I get for SHTF?"
My answers vary based on what the person's idea of a disaster is but there is always one option I get people to seriously look at, The Scout Rifle.  The Scout Rifle is a concept developed by Jeff Cooper.  Cooper imagined a rifle with the following characteristics:

-Light
-In 30 cal
-Bolt action
-Long eye relief scope

Firstly, a scout rifle is light.  It is not a sniper rifle or a battle rifle and is not intended as such.  Ideally this rifle would only see use in deliberate circumstances so it should not be a burden on other day to day tasks.  I am a fan of never setting your rifle down where you can not reach it on a second’s notice so having something light that you can sling on your back while you build shelter or gather wood beats doing the same tasks with something heavy.

Secondly a scout rifle is chambered in something 30 cal.  I suspect Cooper was leaning towards the heavy hitting 30-06 (or “God’s cartridge” as my friend calls it) but I think any full power 30 cal round will do: 762x51, .308 Win, .300 Win Mag, 30-06, 7.62 Russian.  A full power cartridge is needed for its utility and range.

Thirdly a scout is bolt-action.  The average person does not have spare parts or the skills to effect repairs in the field.  The bolt action  is mechanically simple and it unlikely to ever break or fail.  Maintaining a bolt action (such as disassembly and cleaning) is also easier.  I must mention that I use a semi-auto for my survival rifle, only because I do have spare parts and the skills needed to make repairs in the case of a failure.

The final and most unique feature is a long eye-relief scope.  This scope is a low power scope (set to 2 or 3 magnification) placed above the beginning of the barrel as opposed to a traditional scope which is near the eye.  The reason for this seemingly odd design is to prevent the user from getting tunnel vision looking through an optic and maintain peripheral vision and thus situational awareness.  The long eye-relief scope magnifies only what you are looking at and after all, isn’t that all you need?  Such a scope would be labeled as  “Scout Scope”, “Long Eye-Relief” or “Pistol Scope”.

The scout rifle is not designed to do anything really well but do everything adequately.  It is a “jack of all trades” rifle.  Ruger and Styer both came out with scout rifles but they can be quite pricy especially after you add the necessary optics.

Today I will talk about how to build a scout rifle on a budget and with simple tools.

I started with a Mosin Nagant carbine.  The carbine is much shorter and lighter then its full sized brother but this guide will work equally well for a full size Mosin Nagant as well.

Next I sanded off the varnish and repainted the stock.  I used duracoat with a digital stencil on mine but you could use a olive green krylon paint.  I refinished the stock because my stock was military surplus and had many dings and scratches from use.  Exposed wood on the stock would be vulnerable to rot and I wanted to preserve its structural integrity.  Should you have one of the rare Mosin Nagant synthetic stocks you will still want to re-paint it as black stands out and is poor camoflauge.

Next I removed the rear sight with a pin punch and installed a picatinny rail.  These are kits that replace the rear sight and allow for picatinny accessories to be added.  In this case, the scope.



I searched Edmonton for a long eye-relief scope but the only gun store that had them was Cabella’s.  I didn’t want to order online because I wanted to see the optical clarity of the scope I was buying.  I got a Simons 2-7x32.  It had good optical clarity and was fairly affordable at $250.    Personally I would not go cheap on scopes.  Put the cash down and spend $200-400.  The temptation to get a NC Star pistol scope is certainly there but I advise getting something better; after all, this is a survival rifle that your life may depend on.

The final modification I did was put a rifle round sleeve on the buttstock to carry loose rounds for reloading.  I did not want to carry loose rounds in a pocket or a pouch because they would rattle.  If I decide to use stealth, I want to be stealthy.

This project’s total costs were:

Mosin Carbine: $140 at the Camrose Gun Show
Paint: $40 (est)
Scope Mount: $60
Scope: $250
Round Holder: $10

Total: $500