Surplusrifle.com - Huber Concepts Match Grade Mosin-Nagant Trigger

When I first met John Huber and became familiar with his Huber Anti-Friction Ball Triggers I noticed he had a small blurb at the bottom of his web page stating -

"Mosin-Nagant Trigger Coming Soon...".

After finding this out I was like a kid waiting for Christmas. How could I help myself? For god's sake - I have a closet full of Mosin-Nagants that are just screaming for a better trigger. My guess is there are thousands and thousands of us in the world (if not millions) with exactly the same affliction and prior to John's trigger - there was no cure.

I am sure that I started to sound like a broken record - "John, how much longer on the Mosin-Nagant trigger?" and John would answer - "I am working on it!".

Finally the day came when he was finished and my trigger came in the mail.

Figure 1 shows the Huber Concepts Mosin Nagant trigger's profile. Note logo stamp.

John takes a standard Mosin-Nagant trigger and:

Cleans it and coats it with Teflon;
Drills and taps the bolt stop (as pictured in figure 3);
Inserts a threaded hex nut into the bolt stop and;
Installs a stainless steel ball inside the sear slot.

The trigger retails for $64.75* (Huber Concepts will refund you $10 if you return your original trigger in the supplied addressed envelope).

Figure 2 - Front view of the trigger. If you look closely you can see the stainless steel ball inside the top of the trigger's sear slot.

The adjustable ball allows you to adjust the amount of pressure applied to the sear by the trigger. The anti-friction ball really reduces the friction between the trigger and the sear (It is nice when something is correctly named!).

Figure 3 - Top view of the trigger with the Teflon coated bolt stop and adjustable hex screw.

Huber Concepts Contact Information

Huber Concepts
514 Thorp St
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
54935
PH# 920-921-9641

Email Addresses:
johnf@huberconcepts.com

Web Site Address:
http://www.huberconcepts.com/

Figure 4 - 1891/30 Mosin-Nagant.

One great thing about the Huber trigger is that you don't permanently modify the rifle in any way. The installation is completed without the leaving the slightest mark, cut, or modification that detracts from the collectible value of the firearm. So for the puritans out there, this should be pretty easy to stomach.

To return the rifle to its original condition can be accomplished in less than ten minutes. You disassemble the rifle, replace the match trigger with the original trigger, and reassemble the rifle.

Kind of difficult not to like.

Figure 5

Start the disassembly by unscrewing and removing the sear screw.

Figure 6

Figure 7

Once you remove the sear screw, you can easily drift out the trigger pin. On most of my Mosin-Nagants the trigger just falls out when pressed from either side.

Figure 8

Figure 9

After removing the trigger and sear, slide the sear out of the rifle's original trigger and set the trigger aside.

Figure 10

Slide the sear into the sear slot on the Huber trigger.

Figure 11

Place the trigger and sear between the two lugs on the receiver and insert the trigger pin into the new trigger

Figure 12

Replace the sear screw and tighten.

Figure 13

Figure 14

At this point I reinserted the bolt to test the trigger function. Everything worked as expected so I removed the bolt and set aside.

Figure 15

Figure 16

Another plus of the Huber trigger is that you can adjust it when the bolt is removed without disassembling the rifle.

I found it was best to loosen the trigger until it no longer pressed against the sear and appeared slack or loose. Then I tightened the adjustment screw until it just started to press against the sear. This gave the best possible trigger pull - smooth, crisp, and very light.

I would recommend placing a drop of Loctite or nail polish on the hex screw so it does not work loose.

Safety Note

Once the rifle is assembled and NOT LOADED, you should perform the following steps several times:

Open bolt and pull completely to rear;
Close bolt and lock;
While holding rifle with muzzle pointed upwards - tap the butt of the rifle on the floor;
Listen;
Examine to make sure bolt is still cocked;
Pull trigger;
Repeat several times.

Basically by performing this you are making sure that the rifle does not accidentally bump fire and the trigger, bolt, and sear are all functioning as they should be.

Figure 17 - Huber Concepts Mosin-Nagant Trigger's Profile when installed in a Mosin-Nagant 1891/30. Note you cannot even tell it is a performance trigger.

Figure 18 - Instructions included with trigger.

*Figure 19 - shows the an addressed small envelope that Huber sends with the trigger. If you send back your original trigger to him, he will send you $10!

Figure 20 - 5 shot grouping at 50 yards.

This is the part of the article where I depart from replacing a trigger and take you on a short adventure.

Picture this - it is a Wednesday and I have to wait until Saturday (at the earliest) to go and try out this new trigger at the range.

My boss approaches me and says - "Jamie, you have been working really hard - why don't you take the next couple days off?".

How could he have known?

I looked at my calendar and there was no way this was going to happen. I could not reschedule any of my appointments.

By the end of Wednesday the impossible started to happen, my Thursday morning was starting to open up in my calendar as some appointments and meetings were rescheduled. Finally I made the decision to at least take off the next morning.

Thursday morning I packed up and started to head to the range. I had never been to the range on a Thursday before so I thought it might be prudent to check the range's hours of operation during weekdays.

They are closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays!

Note to self: Pay more attention to signs when you are driving past them.

Not to be discouraged so easily, I remembered another range that is open 7 days per week. I had not frequented this range for years because I did not really like the facility. At this point I was not picky. My morning might be saved yet! I drove to the range and found - IT DOES NOT OPEN TILL 10 AM on weekdays! My watch said 8 AM.

Very discouraged I decided to go into work and see if I could escape in the afternoon to come back to the range.

Around 1:30 PM I was able to sneak away and head back out to the range. When I arrived - it was actually open! My luck was starting to look up!

I got all my gear out and set up. I took a deep breath and peered down range. I couldn't see the target center!

I went and asked if they had any larger (100 yard style) targets.

They said - "those are 100 yard targets, they are out at 100 yards aren't they?".

Note to self: Ask a stupid question and you get a stupid answer.

They were using these dinky 50 yard targets out at 100 yards. I could barely make out the bulls-eye. I fired off a couple shots and thought I was hitting pretty well but when I got down range I was embarrassed as hell - not one single hole in the target (at least none that weren't made by staples).

I had come too far! I was not going to give up!

I asked if I could shoot at the 50 yard range (almost expecting to find target centers the size of a bottle cap).

They said that I could, so I moved my gear. Well - at least now I could see the center of the target. Amazing what happens when you use the correct target at the correct distance.

I loaded up the Mosin and I fired 5 shots at the target.

When I pulled up the spotting scope to catch a gander at what holes I had poked, I was elated! The group I viewed through my scope is pictured in figure 20 above.

Now for the serious stuff - the trigger worked perfectly. I could not have asked for better - it still has some travel - but it is sooooooooo smooth and breaks like a spider web in the wind.

After my first five rounds I was in the zone and fired round after round at the targets. I was able to produce groups similar to what you see in the two figures pictured over and over until I regrettably ran out of ammo and time.

With this same rifle, before this shooting session, I was happy if I could keep everything in the black - even at 50 yards.

Point of interest: One time I took this same rifle and tried to measure the trigger pull with a friend's trigger pull gauge. I was unable to measure the pull because the weight of the trigger pull registered far past the maximum scale of the gauge. This placed it in the very high teens.

Now with the Huber Mosin-Nagant trigger installed the trigger pull is considerably lighter.

I know this adventure started out rocky, but by the end of the day it was one of the best and most enjoyable shooting sessions I had experienced in months.

To top everything off I was using Wolf 7.62x54r ammo for this shooting test. I had not had time to load up any ammo and it was all I could find locally for my adventure. I was amazed at its performance as well.

Figure 21 shows my best group of the day. I loaded up 5 rounds twice and shot 10 into the target. The main hole is about the size of a quarter.

Sitting side by side with hunters sighting in their scoped hunting rifles, I shot better than almost all of them using open metal sights.

It was a good drive home. I almost did not even notice the traffic. I even smiled when I guy cut me off and flipped me the middle finger.

Thanks John!

jlm;)

Figure 21 - 10 shot grouping at 50 yards.

Huber Concepts Contact Information

Huber Concepts
514 Thorp St
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
54935
PH# 920-921-9641

Email Addresses:
johnf@huberconcepts.com

Web Site Address:
http://www.huberconcepts.com/

ALWAYS BE CERTAIN THAT YOUR FIREARM IS UNLOADED BEFORE WORKING ON OR CLEANING IT.

Immediately after installing any trigger, or any spring, in any type of firearm that imparts power to a hammer(s), striker(s) or firing pin(s), as the case may be, with the firearm UNLOADED and without any trigger contact, actuate the firearm several times in a vigorous manner to make certain that the hammer(s), striker(s) or firing pin(s) are securely retained in the cocked position prior to let-off. Also, actuate the safety to determine that it is working properly. If during these tests, the hammer(s), striker(s), or firing pin(s) should fail or be released without trigger contact, or the safety does not work properly, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOAD OR FIRE THE FIREARM until corrective repairs are made. If any doubts ever exist concerning the safe operation of your firearm(s), consult your local Gunsmith. The above procedure also applies where recoil, bolt or action springs have been installed as well as with any spring replacement.

WARNING - Failure to follow this procedure may result in accidental discharge, firearm damage and serious bodily injury. Always be certain that your firearm is functioning properly before use.

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