The Mosin Nagant is one of the most popular rifles in the United States, not only is the rifle itself cheap, but the ammo is dirt cheap and easy to find. The Mosin Nagant is a very basic rifle, kind of what you’d expect from a rifle designed in the late 1800s and mass produced like no other. While some Mosin Nagants are rare and historically significant, these are few and far between compared to the standard 91/30 Mosin Nagants. The need to customize, and to improve is one many Mosin owners feel.
The Archangel Opfor Precision rifle stock by Promag is probably one of the most dynamic changes you can make to the Mosin Nagant. The Mosin Nagant is a 19th-century battle rifle, and it looks like one, laminate wood stock, lack of modern sling options, and it’s a one size fits all affair. The Archangel stock is everything the standard Woodstock is not, polymer, adjustable and modern.
The Archangel Opfor stock is made of a carbon fiber blended polymer, which is as far as you can get from a wood laminate Mosin Nagant stock as possible. The stock does weigh 8 ounces more than the wood Mosin stock, but it also does a lot more than the Woodstock ever could. There are more than a few aftermarket stocks for the Mosin Nagant, but the Archangel is truly unique. The Archangel is the only stock I’ve seen that offers a wide range of adjustments.
The Archangel can adjust for the length of pull of the stock to make it a bit shorter or a bit longer so it can fit a variety of different shooters. The stock also has an adjustable cheek riser that provides a little extra comfort, as well as making the rifle more scope friendly. Speaking of scopes when paired with a mount from rock solid and a bent bolt you can mount a traditional eye relief optic to the weapon. A bent bolt is solely for those looking to scope their rifle, a regular bolt works fine with the Archangel stock.
We talked about the adjustments, but how does it feel in the hand and in the shoulder? As a big guy, I really liked being able to stretch the stock a bit, make it a little longer, and more comfortable. A standard Mosin stock has a short length of pull compared to a traditional American rifle. The end of the stock also feels wider, but it fills the shoulder better and the recoil pad aids in reducing recoil. The grip is half pistol grip, half regular stock, and fits the hand well. The stock is made of polymer, and it certainly feels like polymer. It doesn’t feel like a toy but is far from feeling like a piece of Magpul gear.
One of the main advantages to the Promag stock is its ability to accept detachable five or ten round magazines. The Mosin Nagant is traditionally charged with stripper clips, but adding a scope makes this impossible. However, a Mosin can be rapidly reloaded with magazines while it wears a scope. When you use the ten round magazines you double the firepower of the stock Mosin Nagant. Less reloading means more shooting. Magazines are hover right around 25 dollars for a 10 round mag, and the mags themselves are reliable and easy to use.
Adding a modern sling is much easier when you utilize two of the three quick detach mounts. You can use pretty much any sling you desire when using the Archangel stock. You also get the choice of free floating the barrel or not. Mosins are mass produced in a time where mass production did not mean uniformity, so some Mosin shoot better with a free floating barrel, and some shoot much worse. A barrel tensioner rests at the bottom of the stock that is optional in case you want to free float the barrel.
The Promag Archangel is cut for a Mosin Timney trigger, which means you don’t have to grind away to use one. This is a big plus since if you are going big with a Mosin you should look into a Timney trigger. You can still use your stock trigger if you find it adequate thought.
The Archangel stock fits pretty much every Mosin model out there. This, of course, includes the M91/30, and the M38 and M44, as well as the Finnish M39 and the Chinese T-53 rifles. The carbine M38s, T-53s, and M44s look the best, in my opinion, their short barrels just fit the stock a bit better. Bayonets can remain mounted, so the Bayo never comes into play when using the stock.
The stock itself doesn’t require any permanent modifications to the rifle. You simply unmount your receiver, action, and barrel from its wood stock and drop it in the Archangel stock. This can be done with a screwdriver and that’s about it. It is a very simple install and it can’t be beaten.
Cons
The Archangel is a cool stock, and it has a lot of desirable features, so what is the downside? The biggest one I see is the price. The stock itself is a little more than two hundred dollars, and that often more than the cost of a rifle. The stock does add a lot on functionality and does a good job of updating the Mosin Nagant. I don’t think the price is high, I think it’s more than fair, but the fact remains it costs more than most Mosins. The only other con is that this stock will not make you a better shooter, only you, time, and ammo can do that. In a tight spot, those two hundred dollars are better spent on ammo than a stock.
Shots Fired
The stock itself is comfortable, versatile, and does breathe real life into an old platform. The stock is certainly cool and looks super modern and tactical. The Archangel does add a lot to the rifle, and if it makes the weapon more fun to shoot that’s a plus. That being said the stock is more than a gimmick, it actually does a lot to improve the weapon. The price is relatively high when you consider the initial Mosin price, but when done you will have a completely new rifle.
