[nrgetik]

I wanted to thank some of the people here for their insights in a thread that I necro'd regarding navigating my purchase...

I wound up grabbing it at a gun show in town last weekend. $174 including admission to the show, a little high for a common '42 Izhevsk but the rifle is in very good condition - I inspected the barrel, bolt and receiver and all seems to be top notch. Plus I was getting impatient :D

I attached some pics.

I have another question however, does anybody know how far the report from this rifle will travel? I'm looking at a heavily wooded area, maybe 15 square miles, located North of where I live (suburbs) to pop some rounds off when I don't feel like paying 15/hour down at the range. I'm guessing it's private property as it butts right up against a state reserve, but there is a road labeled "Highway 433" that runs fairly deep into it, so I'm unsure. I'm guessing the sound will not travel terribly far considering the thick brush will break it up, but I've never shot one so I wouldn't know :P

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.755,+-81.447&sll=28.755018,-81.444998&sspn=0.057864,0.077248&ie=UTF8&ll=28.755018,-81.446972&spn=0.057864,0.077248&z=14&iwloc=addr

Thereabouts.

Any info appreciated.

[BHP FAN]

They're LOUD!Great gun ,by the way.

[jackdanson]

I'm guessing it's private property as it butts right up against a state reserve, but there is a road labeled "Highway 433" that runs fairly deep into it, so I'm unsure. I'm guessing the sound will not travel terribly far considering the thick brush will break it up, but I've never shot one so I wouldn't know :P

A. It is LOUD, very loud.
B. Don't trespass, it's bad form. You may want to try and find the owner. They may let you shoot there if you tell them who you are and guarantee to keep everything cleaner than when you arrived.
C. If it butts up to a state reserve call up the state and question the legality of shooting there. It is legal to shoot in many natl. forests, your taxes are paying for them, might as well take advantage.

[Marine_wannabe]

Good looking rifle, I wish mine looked like that. +1 to what jackdanson said

[nrgetik]

Thanks a lot guys, in particular to jackdanson - great ideas.

And thanks for the comments, I'm happy with it so far but with my schedule I haven't had a chance to shoot the damn thing yet. I will very soon though.

[Marine_wannabe]

Post a range report when you get a chance.

[nrgetik]

I will, unfortunately there are -no- good outdoor ranges nearby (only ones are club-owned, and I do not have time/money for a gun club at the moment), so if I manage to get out to the forest and find a bit of a clearing long enough to get down and really test the accuracy I will do so.

Nearby indoor rifle range = 25 yards :(

[CJ]

I'd definitely check the legality of anywhere you shoot it...everyone for a pretty long distance around will know when you've fired it.

Also, what's your experience with shooting rifles? Mosin's have a bit of a...kick. More than one range outing (shooting a friend's Mosin) got off to a bad start when I didn't quite have it set perfectly to my shoulder. I eventually found that a wrapped up t-shirt made a decent improvised shooting pad.

[finfanatic]

A Laminated Mosin Nagant. They sell for ( or used to) for $99 on line , so with shipping and a transfer fee, you got it about right.

I got an 1891/30 for Xmas and it was $69.95 plus shipping but it is not laminated and it is terrible scratched up on the forend where the barrel bands go on.

Still, it shoots fine. First two shots at 50 yards were bullseyes, then I moved it back to 100 yards and if I could hold it on the target, it would hit it.

It is loud....VERY LOUD. And it kicks like a mule. After 35 rounds, I decided I would pack it in for the day. I am planning on ordering a rubber buttpad for it.

Mosin Nagants....so ugly....they're beautiful. ;)

[Gottahaveone]

That is indeed a nice looking one. Congratulations. The bad news is that now that you've been corrupted, there WILL be others in your future. Just accept it :)

[SGW42]

Congrats!

Mosins are the gateway drug into the milsurp world. You'll be picking up additional Mosins and then Mausers and Enfields before you know it. Or end up over paying for a Polish .22 LR trainer like I did.

I picked up a Past recoil pad that straps to your shoulder. I like it.

[NeoSpud]

OP- I bought a Mosin M44 this past fall, and wouldn't you know it, I was bitten by the milsurp bug, just as SGW42 wrote.

I now have an 03 C&R FFL, three Mosins (the M44, and two M91/30s, one hex from Tula and a round Izzy), a Steyr M95, an Enfield, and a K98, as well as quite a few C&R handguns.

Oh, and most importantly, I now have an empty wallet.

I pretty much live on nuked ramen. It's totally worth it. :)

[Bill2e]

Mosin's,

They are UGLY, Heavy, filled with cosmoline, but man they look fun to shoot.

One of these days one will follow me home. I can't tell you how many times I have considered one.

[zoom6zoom]

Stop thinking, Bill, and pull the trigger! Pun intended, of course! Several dealers have told me that they are getting near the bottom of the Nagant well... make your move before it runs dry.

[tju1973]

Congrats!

I also paid too much at the time for my M44-- $149 at GM--

I since though have bought (2) Type 53 (Chinese M44) for $35 a piece and a beautiful 91/30 off of SOG (once I got my C&R)--
I will say that your price was not too much-- especially considering you couldn't make an MN for under $300 today--

Mine is a fun shooter (although a bit hard on my shoulder) that is my go to rifle right after my AK-- and if SHTF, I would take it and the wife would get the AK--

Enjoy!!:)

[Brian41]

They are GREAT guns! I have a 91/30, and 2 M44's (dad's and brother's) in the family. Great looking, historic, cheap to shoot (do your self a favor and go a head and buy a case of Bulgarian light ball if you can find it. 80's production, very low corrosive content and still cheap)

that laminated stock is indeed gorgeous! Nice pick.

[Bezoar]

within a mile the neighbors will not be pleased to hear shooting. 2 miles away theyll think your a numb nut for shooting so much. at 2.5 miles, theyll think you got a big boy gun.

[jpwilly]

It's going to go BOOM then echo out of the woods...into the next county and shatter windows in a nearby village.

[nickolas_j_t]

great gun, fun to shoot.

[gbran]

After 35 rounds, I decided I would pack it in for the day. I am planning on ordering a rubber buttpad for it.
35 rounds will hurt you. I bought a rubber slip-on buttpad and a muzzle brake. I fired a few shots to remember the kick, then tried a few shots with the buttpad, which really helped.

Then I put on the muzzle brake. You slide it on and twist it past the front site ring and tighten an allen screw.

I fired a few shots with the brake and the pad, and it was wonderfull, except I couldn't hit anything. Like an idiot, I fired a few more rounds until the muzzle brake blew up and launched about 50 yds. It also broke my glasses, gashed my forhead. I survived, but spent time with a black eye, an eypatch and a bunch of stitches. The gun was OK. The brake was in a few pieces.

Don't buy a cheap muzzle brake.

[nrgetik]

Wow, thanks for all of the responses. I guess it's a good thing that there is a bit of a MN following here. If I can find a good spot to shoot, some more time, and some money for a gun club membership then I'll definitely expand my collection. For now I think I'll try to make the Nagant as accurate and in the best shape possible - also as a way to improve my firearm mechanics for the future weapons.

I've heard about the kick, I'm pretty sure I'm prepared for it :D But I'd definitely look into buying something to absorb some of the it in the not-so-distant future.

So it sounds like I won't be able to do this without letting some people know about it. I'll see if I can make some phone calls or something and see what the deal is. Thanks.

[Revy2k]

Awesome addition there Nrgetic. I also just purchased my first MN (91/30 ~ '42 Izzy in similar shape) the weekend after x-mas at a local gun show. It's been begging me to feed it like an angry Gremlin, but I just haven't had the time. Now that the holidays are over and all that family crap, it's time to get back to living at the range! ;)

[chris in va]

Enjoy the fireball at dusk.

[mordechaianiliewicz]

The MN is cheap. The ammo is cheap. And it's fun to shoot a rifle you can make Soviet jokes about. (The rifle of Communist Revolutionary doom). It's fun to shoot a rifle in general. It's fun to shoot a rifle that was born far before you were (in many cases with MNs)

[mordechaianiliewicz]

The MN is cheap. The ammo is cheap. And it's fun to shoot a rifle you can make Soviet jokes about. (The rifle of Communist Revolutionary doom). It's fun to shoot a rifle in general. It's fun to shoot a rifle that was born far before you were (in many cases with MNs)

[Bill2e]

Stop thinking, Bill, and pull the trigger! Pun intended, of course! Several dealers have told me that they are getting near the bottom of the Nagant well... make your move before it runs dry.



Thanks for the push, guess what followed me home tonight.:D

[rojocorsa]

The wood on that specimen is beautiful.

[toivo]

And it's fun to shoot a rifle you can make Soviet jokes about. Well... sort of. The first Mosin Nagants were fielded in 1892, some 25 years before the Revolution. I'd call it more of a Tsarist rifle that the Soviets inherited.

[WardenWolf]

Well, it's kind of hard to make jokes about the Mosin Nagant. It was comparable to any bolt action rifle of its era. Easily as good as the German Mausers in terms of performance, so much so that Germans occasionally used captured Mosin Nagants. The only thing you can really fault is the M91/30's length, which was fairly standard in 1891 when it was originally designed. Fact is, it's a good design with nothing inherently wrong with it. The only thing really going against them was the corrosive ammo Soviet troops used in them.

[zoom6zoom]

The only thing you can really fault is the M91/30's length, which was fairly standard in 1891 when it was originally designed.
My first milsurp was an 1891 MN. It's several inches longer than the 91/30's, and takes a different bayo. Still shoots great!

[MaterDei]

That is indeed a fine specimen.

Well, it's kind of hard to make jokes about the Mosin Nagant.

I beg to differ!

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinHumor.htm