The Keystone Mini Mosin (aka the KSA 91/30 Mini Mosin Nagant) is a single shot, bolt action, 22LR made in the USA. It’s very similar to Keystone’s Crickett youth rifles, except it very closely resembles a scaled down Mosin Nagant M91/30. Bullseye North lent me this one for review.
Mini Mosin Specs
- 2.5lbs (1.14kg)
- Single shot, manually cocked
- 20″ barrel
- 22LR (22 long and 22 short would probably work fine too)
- Walnut stock
- 33.6″ OAL
- 11.5″ Length of Pull (LOP)
- Adjustable rear sight
- Absolutely adorable
The rear sight is fully adjustable for elevation and windage, and it’s also a semi-buckhorn style.
Important to note: the Keystone mini mosin is not safe to dry fire so get some snap caps or drywall anchors if you feel the need to dry fire it.
Build Quality
In a departure from many of the inexpensive plastic stocks that are usually on kids rifles these days, the Keystone Mini Mosin uses a good looking walnut stock. Mosin-esque design features are all over the rifle: from the sling cutouts to the barrel bands, covered front sight, it’s even got a star stamp on the receiver and a little notch on the back of the bolt cocking piece just like on a Mosin.
It does an excellent job of looking like a Mosin from a distance. When you get right up close to it, there are a few small things that you’d notice that are un-Mosin like but by then you’ll be amazed at how light and dainty it is.
Shooting the Keystone Mini Mosin 22LR
Unlocking and pulling the bolt back is very easy. You place a round on the feedramp and push forward on the bolt to load the round: again, all very low friction. I had a few rounds go a bit nose high and not want to go into the chamber, and for those I just thumbed them in.
Once the gun is loaded, you need to manually pull back on the cocking knob at the back to cock the rifle. It’s a bit small for the force required, but kids can figure it out. Fire the gun, unlock the bolt and pull it back with a bit of speed to send the empty flying.
Shooting it, the one thing you’ll be struck by is how light it is. 2.5lbs on my scale is incredibly light, easy enough for kids of very young age to shoot it.
Conclusion
Should you buy one of these for your kid? That depends on a few things. I think you’d pick one of these over a Cricket or similar if you wanted to spend a bit more and get something that looks cooler. Functionally, you’re not gaining anything over a standard kids single shot rifle, except it is very light and very easy to shoot from standing.
At $550, it’s a pricey kids first rifle, but they are really cool to look at and if my last range trip is any indication, the other dads will love looking at it just as much as the kids enjoy shooting it.
