[Harley Man]

After watching the Movie "Enemy at the Gates" I felt the need to purchase a M-38 Mosin Nagant 7.62 x 54, and then installed a PU scope on it. The gun has a rich history of war time usage through out many years. My question... has anybody out there ever hunted game with the Mosin Nagant, and if so what type game would you use 7.62 x 54 rounds on.

[TIMC]

They work well on pigs and if they work on pigs they will take down anything else here in Texas.
91/30 sniper
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v369/timc/Hunting%20pics/Jan2007pigpic.jpg?t=1234796269

[Harley Man]

Nice Hog....where in Texas was it shot?

[TIMC]

Attascosa county

[Mp7]

beautyful rifle,
handsome hog,
lovely hunter.

:)

i like.

[Harley Man]

Lord I hope MP7 is a female! I know we are getting off track for this Thread....This will be my last commet!

[mbt2001]

The 7.62x54 is a terrific round. It is capable of the same range of game and in the same class as the .30-06 and .303 British. Deer, hogs, black bear, elk and possibly larger game would fall to this war proven round.

The number one thing here, is to remember to clean the gun ASAP after shooing surplus, as it is corrosive. Make sure you pattern your surplus ammo to make sure it shoots well out of the gun. If you use modern rounds, you most likely will not have to worry about the above to the same degree.

[Harley Man]

The one problem I have with 7.62x54 is finding range rounds.... Here in the Fort Worth Texas area if they can pick up your round by the tip with a magnet your can't shoot it at the range. Anybody have a contact of 7.62x54 range rounds.

Proud Viet Nam Vet

[MCgunner]

Do they even have a safety? I failed to find it on my buddies, but we were just shooting at sticks in a pond with it. Pretty accurate, easy on the shoulder, sorta neat. His was a short barreled one, whatever model that one is, refinished. I mean, I'll stick with my hunting rifles, but it can be done. I'd want a safety on the gun, though. Racking the bolt before a shot makes too much noise. I guess you could just leave the bolt handle out of battery, sorta a half butt way of doing things.

[rcmodel]

If you use modern rounds, you most likely will not have to worry about the above to the same degree.If you are going to hunt with it, I would certainly hope you use modern rounds. Modern soft-point hunting rounds to be exact.

FMJ surplus ammo is not suitable for hunting use at all if clean humain kills are desired.

rc

[mbt2001]

FMJ surplus ammo is not suitable for hunting use at all if clean humain kills are desired.

I disagree with that statement... For instance, when hunting hogs a popular hand load / factory load is to use HARDCAST bullets that do not expand...

In any event, I have used FMJ's successfully time and again. I usually take relatively close range neck shots on hogs and deer where expansion isn't as crucial. Never have had a problem.

Supposing it is a legal in your state that is...

[Harley Man]

Do they even have a safety?
Yes they do have a safety...have to admit it is not the most user frendly safety I've seen. Basically the firing pin bolt is pulled back and turned to the left when the gun is on safety. To remove the safety pull the bolt back and to the right and ease forward to fire. It hasen't happen to me but I would bet if you let that bolt slip out of your grip during this process you had better have the business end pointing in a safe position.

[NCsmitty]

Here's a pic of a modified Mosin safety along the lines of the Swiss K-31. Gives you a finger ring to grasp to engage and disengage the safety a little easier. It's from Steve wagner's site on Mosin mods.

NCsmitty

[rcmodel]

I disagree with that statement... I usually take relatively close range neck shots on hogs and deer where expansion isn't as crucial.Well, in that case a .22 Mag would do as well.

The fact remains however, that a lot of the folks here asking if they can hunt with a Mossy are probably not experianced hunters, or as good a hunter as you. If they were, they wouldn't have to ask if a Mossy can be used to hunt anything!

Shooting pin-holes in deer at 150 yards with FMJ surplus ammo is not sporting, and will not fill the freezer with meat very often unless you just get lucky!

BTDT: about 50 years ago with coyotes and a surplus 03 Springfield shooting FMJ. They won't reliably & quickly kill a coyote every time, and they sure won't a deer either.

rc

[WardenWolf]

The Mosin safety is so difficult to operate that it might as well not even have one. I rank it up there with the Arisaka safety. Bolt-back safeties just are not a good way of doing things. My opinion: leave it out of battery until you're ready.

[interlock]

"In any event, I have used FMJ's successfully time and again. I usually take relatively close range neck shots on hogs and deer where expansion isn't as crucial. Never have had a problem. "


I have to take exception to this aswell. in order to be as humane as possible we should be using and recomending the use of soft pointed or expanding ammunition.

fmj ammunition is not suitable for hunting. Yes it has been used and animals killed with it. But why use it if it is not as good and the chances of wounding are increased? I don't want to sound all Zen, but we owe it to the animal to kill them as well as we can.

interlock

[MCgunner]

Quote:
Originally Posted by rcmodel
FMJ surplus ammo is not suitable for hunting use at all if clean humain kills are desired.
I disagree with that statement... For instance, when hunting hogs a popular hand load / factory load is to use HARDCAST bullets that do not expand...

Hard cast lead bullets used for hunting are pre-expanded, as in .44 cal or .357 in the least. Also, they have a wide, flat point which helps energy transfer. A non-expanding spitzer bullet will zip right on through doing little tissue damage and transferring little energy. Of course, a CNS hit wouldn't matter. Cutting the aorta wouldn't matter, but a lung shot, you'd better be ready to track the animal.

Thanks for the explanation of the safety. No wonder I couldn't figure it out, LOL. It'd work for stand hunting, but would be mighty slow for still hunting.

[St.Pete7]

Central Florida has a bunch of hot-spots for Hogs where the brush, trees, and muck are so thick that most, if not all of the shots are taken at relatively close range. I've used a Mossy and its 7.62X54 in FMJ works fine in these conditions.
I would take exception to "rcmodel"s remark that "a 22 Mag would do as well" in those conditions, it don't!
Folks inquiring about hunting with any firearm must understand: a .30-.30 or .308 equipped with the proper load and all the accessories in the world can, and in many cases do, cause the same degree of unintended suffering to the animal in untrained hands. If someone doesn't understand which rifle and bullet design is sufficient for the game they're after, they need to go out with a guide... AND-Please, Email me too so I'm not in the same neck of the woods!
Thanks
St.Pete7

[Clipper]

The safety I use is to keep my finger off the dam trigger until I want to shoot.

[bpl]

Why use FMJ, even if legal, when we know that expanding ammo just plain kills quicker and better? In PA, where I live, its not even legal to use FMJ - and they have that regulation for a reason! FMJ and hardcast, bye the way, are not even close to the same thing. Hardcast are generally large caliber bullets with a blunt tip that do significant damage. FMJ are pointy spitzer-type bullets which zip through flesh leaving comparatively little damage unless they hit bone or a major artery or nerve. FMJ are used by the military to comply with international rules of war precisely because they are much more likely to wound than kill!

Soft point ammo is fairly inexpensive - just buy some an use it!

[Deer Hunter]

precisely because they are much more likely to wound than kill!



It was at that very moment that you lost all credibility in this thread.

As for FMJ use in hunting applications...

http://www.brassfetcher.com/images/762x54mm%20148gr%20Czech%20silver%20tip%20block1.JPG

Some FMJs do quite a number. Czech Silvertip out of an M44.

[bpl]

Oh really? So why have modern militaries had to resort to using techniques to destabilize bullets, make them tumble, make dum-dum tips, etc. but still make them appear to be still plain FMJ? How about the obvious...they are trying to make them kill better!!

[Deer Hunter]

You sound as thought you were from the camp that believes that 40 years ago, the US military docterine for small-arms combat switched from "shoot to kill" to "shoot to wound and have his comrades carry the wounded soldier away". Perhaps I misread your statement, or you should be more clear. However, in either case, the fragmentatino qualities that you describe were a serendipidous event.

[bpl]

I'm just trying to make the point that you are more likely to make a quick, "humane" kill with expanding ammunition rather than FMJ. And, you're less likely to have to track an animal.

[EricTheBarbarian]

Animals act alot differently when shot or in pain than people do.

When a person is shot they normally don't run in any direction as fast as possible. If a person would be hit in the toe or pinky finger I'm sure they'd drop to the ground in pain, try to figure out what happened, address the wound, and depending on the circumstance return fire.

The hog or deer will run as fast as he can until he can't run anymore when shot without having a clue whats going on. If FMJ takes longer to kill, the animal can get a lot farther before he ends up dying. If you shot a deer through both lungs with FMJ hes going to die, but it's quite a waste to lose any animal when it could have been prevented spending a couple bucks more on some soft points.

Mosin soft points can be bought on the internet if a local store doesn't have them, and they're probably cheaper than most common calibers people hunt with. I dropped a deer this yr using 180 grn wolf gold soft points. I could have tried FMJ, but I could have also got a hefty fine and not had any deer in the freezer this year.

[Funderb]

The steel core stuff would do some nasty to a deer, but for an inexperienced hunter it is better to stick to SP.

[Deer Hunter]

The reason I posted that picture is that not all FMJ acts the same.

My brother in law hit a deer with some Swiss GP11 two seasons ago. And if he hadn't clipped the spine, I bet the deer would have run a while. I've shot hogs with czech silvertip and it REALLY messed them up. I've also hunted and killed deer with Brown bear 200 grain SPs. Each get the job done.

Again, I'd like to reiterate that not all FMJs are the same. Blanket statements don't do anyone any good.

[bpl]

Most of the damage shown in your ballistic gelatin would have occurred outside the animal, ie. in the ground after it went all the way through it.

[WardenWolf]

Oops. Double tap.

[WardenWolf]

I have a PSL and a Mosin Nagant. I'm going javelina hunting this Friday. I'm NOT using either of them. Shooting a javelina with a 7.62x54R 150 grain soft point is NOT a good idea, unless you like your meat exploded. I'm using a .223 loaded with Black Hills hollowpoints.

It'd be interesting to see what the Russian 7N1 sniper ammo would do, though. This ammo, designed for the Dragunov, has a lead knocker in the base. On impact, the inertia causes this lead knocker to move into a hollow area in the bullet, destabilizing it and causing it to tumble. Despite being fully jacketed, I'm sure that would cause some nasty damage.

[nathan]

I m using my M 39 with Sellier Bellot 180 gr SP next hog hunt. Just busy lately.

[WardenWolf]

I'm not a fan of S&B ammo for precision work. I tried some in my .223. It's cheap, but the accuracy isn't up to par.

[backntotheleft]

Sellier Bellot makes a decent factory round and the brass IS reloadable too. also Privi Partisen makes good reloadable ammo as well. ive killed several deer with my Mosin and from 125 - 220 grain bullets it performs great. The FMJ "style" bullet will not do enough terminal damage to HUMANLY and quickly kill large game . i have shot turkey with Stel core ammo with my mosin and watched them run/fly off. its a through and through hole NO expansion so NO energy transfer. try reloading some rounds for it youll LOVE how easy it is to find the right load for it. seems to like a lot of different recipes! :) good luck and have a "blast" with some history!

[Deer Hunter]

If you're looking for cheap SP ammo for a mosin, Brown Bear 200 grain SPs do the trick. They are very accurate out of my M39 as well.

[WardenWolf]

I got PRVI Partisan 150 grain softpoints for $10.50 a box from AIM Surplus. I bought 10 boxes for the $1 a box discount.

[Girodin]

It is illegal to hunt deer and other such game with FMJ where I live. There is a reason for that.

[MCgunner]

The safety I use is to keep my finger off the dam trigger until I want to shoot.

How many hunting buddies do you have left? :rolleyes: You obviously don't hunt in heavy cover. Tree limbs and such have a way with things. I always have the gun on safe when still hunting or stand hunting and I'll never change that. That's why they put the damned thing there in the first place! :rolleyes: If it has a safety, why not use it? Okay, a Mosin safety is a PITA. Good reason to get a sporting rifle. If I were using the Mosin to still hunt, I'd just raise the bolt handle out of battery. Be faster to press the bolt down before the shot than off the safety.

[caribou]

I hunt for a living, and I use an M-39 Finned Mosin Nagant with Czechoslovakian LPS 147 Grn."Silver tip" FMJ.Legal here in Arctic Alaska, too.

Forget the balistic conjecture, these babys keyhole like crazy, and blow holes that make Animals die QUICK.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/th_CLIP0028.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/?action=view&current=CLIP0028.flv)
Humain kill......???
When something dies because I , a human , is killing it, is as close to Humain kill as it gets. Shoot an animal in the right place a with "Whatever" and it will die, right there.
Like this;
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/PICT0034-1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/PICT0024-1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/IMAG0025.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/IMAG0030.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/bear.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/IMAG0021.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/PA020046.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/goodoldones0070.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/goodoldones0114.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/HPIM1856.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/a23.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/000_0126.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/oxon3.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g71/edwardhailstone/PICT0099-1.jpg

That Mosin will do you good!

The Russians put a VERY positive safty on that baby, but once your used to it, its GREAT.
They also knew what happend when thay touched the trigger.....

[Deer Hunter]

Thank you for the pictures. They are beautiful.

[hoji]

I have a PSL and a Mosin Nagant. I'm going javelina hunting this Friday. I'm NOT using either of them. Shooting a javelina with a 7.62x54R 150 grain soft point is NOT a good idea, unless you like your meat exploded. I'm using a .223 loaded with Black Hills hollowpoints.

You are going to eat a javelina::what: eeeeewwww:what::eek:

Javelina is just about the nastiest critter I have ever tasted.

[alemonkey]

what type game would you use 7.62 x 54 rounds on

Anything you'd use a .308 or .30-06 on. It falls right in between the two, power wise.

[okespe04]

The general consensus is that 7.62X54 will drop anything in the western hemisphere.

[MCgunner]

You are going to eat a javelina: eeeeewwww

Javelina is just about the nastiest critter I have ever tasted.

Soak that sucker on ice water. Takes about five days. Every day you open the cooler to add ice, if the funk knocks ya over, it ain't time. When you can open the cooler and the funk is faint or gone, it's time to butcher. It won't hurt other meat soaking with it, either.

However, javelina is so dry, it's really best used as tamale meat, except for the back straps. It tastes like pork, but LORD it's dry. Even crock potting the meat, while it'll be more tender, it's just too dry. Makes great tamales, though.

The pics are cool, caribou, thanks! Actually, cool? They look rather cold to a guy from south Texas. LOL!

[WardenWolf]

Actually, I plan to barbeque it.

7.62x54R varies in power by the loading. It ranges between low-end 30-06 all the way up to around 7mm Remington Magnum.

[Kentucky-roughrider]

The russian sniper rifle was the 91/30 not the M38. the 38 was the cavarly's carbine. if you are going to do, do it right.

[interlock]

hey guys,
whats tamale meat?

Interlock

[wankerjake]

I hunt for a living, and I use an M-39 Finned Mosin Nagant
Caribou, you have got to have the coolest "job" I have ever heard of. Thanks for the pics! I hope you appreciate what you have going on up there. It seems that you do. I must say I am jealous.

[nathan]

Thanks for the pics Caribou. I cant wait to use my M 39 Sako for a real kill.

[Todd1700]

The Mosin safety is so difficult to operate that it might as well not even have one.

Not really. If you place the end of the buttstock in the crook of your dominate arm; hold it by the forearm with your other hand; then reach up with the hand of the dominate arm and pull the nob on the bolt back and to the left you will notice that it is much easier to manipulate that way. Having the butt against the crook of your arm provides a backstop that allows you to pull the bolt back without moving the rifle. Of course this procedure will never be as fast as the safety on a modern hunting rifle but it is by no means difficult to do.

[mbt2001]

Edit:

I agree that soft points are better (in general). I disagree that FMJ's are crappy.

There are a lot of criticisms and misnomers being leveled at the FMJ bullet on this thread that have no basis in reality.

Tamales are a Corn husk with a meat center, usually served with Chili. A Texas special, Border cooking... In the old days when they used ALL of the cow, they would roast the head in a pit and scrap the meat off it and use it for tamales. Border cooks noticed that meat for tamales could be just about anything, because the taste was greatly influenced by the corn / chili. I am sure their are recipes and pictures online.

Frankly, I have nothing to add on cooking javelina. I would eat it I guess, but the one time I popped one I gagged so many times while cleaning it, I just left the carcass on a rock and walked away. A piglet I would kill / cook and eat today. An adult I would kill / cook and eat ONLY in matters of Self Defense...

Supposedly some of the guide chefs in camps and lodges can make these things not just edible, but delectable.

Advice to hunters, when going in the field for javelina bring thick rubber gloves, an apron, rubber boots and a dust mask (if not a full blown gas mask). Buy a pack of Marlboro reds, break two in half sticking the filter ends in your nose and breath ONLY through your nose...

[Harley Man]

Thanks everyone for the in-put...see how one simple question net's you so much info and very cool pictures to boot. Lot of Knowledge out there guys .....keep it up. Enjoy the site.

[Bbqznbeer]

FMJ"s are illegal for hunting here too.
From what I understand and seen the FMJ pill will begin to twist n' tumble on impact making it like a mini buzzsaw and in many cases will break-up or frag' throughout it's path.

Softpoints will . of course expand , but basically stay together and will have a massive hydrostatic shock following ( signifcantly more than an FMJ ) that creates those rather large exits and liquifiy internals , making a quicker kill.

FMJ's are deadly , for sure , but the shooter has to be accurate for that " fold on the spot" kill.

I use a Longbranch No4 .303brit for hunting , loaded up with Winchester 180gr CXP3 ... I'm ready for anything...;)

[Deer Hunter]

" fold on the spot" kill.


That's almost like saying "one-shot-stop". That's not always the case, no matter what you use.

Case in point:

I took a 9 point white tail a few years back with my grandfather's Marlin 336 in 30-30. I shot the deer from about fifty yards, broadside. I was using Hornady 170 grain flat points.

I shot, the deer stood still, I put another round into the chamber, and the deer walked a few steps. Then it fell over.

now on the flip side...

I've shot deer with a .308, broadside, through the heart and lungs and still had them run 30-50 yards through the woods.

Sometimes an "ethical" kill means finding the body fifty yards away. I'd rather have to track a nice blood trail than not find a deer at all after the shot.

[hoji]

Sometimes an "ethical" kill means finding the body fifty yards away. I'd rather have to track a nice blood trail than not find a deer at all after the shot.

This. FMJ will certainly kill ,but the question is will it drop or run a mile or so. There is a lot to be said for hydrostatic shock and big gaping exit wounds.

[Deer Hunter]

big gaping exit wounds

And I've seen these holes from both SP and FMJ. As well as Ballistic Tip and hollow point.

My father, for the past fifteen years, has been using 168 grain BTHP in his glass-bedded Remington 700. It's a match bullet, not meant for game.

Hasn't stopped him one bit. He hasn't tracked a deer in a long, long time.

I've also seen little itty-bitty exit wounds from SP ammo that didn't mushroom.

and I've seen SP rounds not penetrate all the way through.

We cannot make blanket statements for ammunition and wounding profiles.

[MCgunner]

Wow, from a nagant thread to a FMJ thread. Well, put me down for bullet expansion. If you use a Barnes bullet, you can have your expansion and full penetration and exit wound guaranteed. Barnes will solve all arguments where hunting bullets are concerned. :D They're not THAT much more expensive, too, when you consider you're only shooting one deer at a time. Don't really need controlled expansion bullets on deer, I'm just sayin'...there's a lot better choices out there than FMJ military crap.

[shaggy430]

So, what's the verdict on the Mosin? It just seems like a thread on FMJ vs. Soft Points at this point.

[MCgunner]

It's about the cheapest accurate major caliber rifle I know of. Certainly a viable hunting rifle. I just find Remingtons and Savages a little more tailored to the job, that's all. And, after all, a Savage 110 ain't that expensive. Mine is an older one, no accutrigger, but a very good adjustable trigger I have tuned down to 3 crisp lbs with no take up or overtravel. You can still buy this gun in the form of a Stevens M200. I think the better trigger is one of the big differences other than ease of mounting optics that gives a sporting rifle a major step up over an old milsurp like the Mosin. But, I can shoot accurately with the Mosin. I'd get one, but I have no need or desire. I have other old beater milsurps to play with, a Mauser, a Hakim, two SKSs. The only one I've actually shot a deer with was one of the SKSs. Lately, about all I hunt with is my Contender pistol in .30-30.

One thing I don't quite understand, the Mosin is quite similar in design to my 88 commission rifle. Now, my commission rifle was rebarreled to 8x57S by German arsenals during the war for issue to old men and young kids. I shoot modern 8x57 in it. Lots of opinion out there that since the gun is more of a Manlicher, split rear ring (as on the Mosin), that it's not as strong as the 98 and shouldn't be fired with the 8x57S. I think that's bunk, myself, but you never hear that about the Mosin, being a weak action or something. To the contrary, everyone lauds the Mosin. Might be more to do with the gas handling or lack there of if a case blows out, Not sure what the Mosin has for gas ports in the bolt. But, compared to a 98 Mauser, neither gun is the epidemy of strength, IMHO.

[NCsmitty]

that it's not as strong as the 98 and shouldn't be fired with the 8x57S.

MCgunner, that's exactly the reason that U.S. 8x57js ammo is downloaded to near 30-30 levels. There are still some of the weaker action Mausers still being used. Early 8x57 Mausers used .318 bullets, where the 8x57JS uses current .323 dia bullets.
Ammo makers allow for people ignorant of that fact of pushing a .323 bullet down a .318 barrel by downloading the ammo.
Your 88 might be one of those .318 barrels. You have to slug the barrel to know.

NCsmitty

[MCgunner]

No, I said my gun has been rebarreled or converted, has .323" grooves, done by the Germans during the war. Bonus is I don't think the gun was ever issued, because the bore is pristine. It was sold as such and offered with 8x57S rounds of which I got 800 when I bought it. The gun cost me a whole $27.50 in about 1976 I've put untold hundreds of even the hot Turkish stuff through it no problem. I don't shoot it much, anymore, but it seems as strong as any Nagant. I've read not to push the handloads to standard 98 pressures and personally, I think that's BS. I think they must just be concerned with the fact that it doesn't have a case rupture gas handling port in the bolt, bout all I can figure.

Anyway, I fire the same S rounds in it that I do my Hakim, neither of which I shoot much anymore. Surplus ammo is getting scarce, and it's a bit of a fun gun, not really worth handloading for. I tried paper patching cast .308 bullets for it, once, didn't really work that well. LOL I just read about it in a magazine and wanted to try it. Loads were kept light, but accuracy sucked.

[caribou]

Military Gew88's that were Arsenal converted to the larger .323 were struck with a large "S" over the chamber area on thebarrel, to indicate the rifle was converted to use the modern Spitzer ammunition, and they fire quite safely.

I have both an "S" struck and an original chambering Gew88.

The action isnt weak at all, it was pushing an oversized bullet down a tight barrel that would blow up any rifle.

[MCgunner]

Yes, mine has the S on chamber. I like that old gun, shoots a tad high, but is pretty accurate. I never really used it for anything except just fun shooting, though. Don't break it out too often. I just couldn't resist at the time for $27.50...:D Early 90s Mosins were only 40 bucks or so. Even at a hundred, in today's dollars, they're about as good a deal as was my 1976 Gewr 88 purchase. That's just hard to knock, really.

[caribou]

I hear you on the prices, Mcgunner.

my Mosin collecting started in the late 80's with a 60$ Finned M-27 in MINT condition...I was blown away. It has teh "D" stamp, and took any Soviet Block ammo as well.
I really started collecting in the early 90's when I found the Centurey arms "5 for 100$, missing parts, cracked stocks specials"
The absolute fact is most were just missing the cleaning rod, a rear sight, maby a sling swivle and most were missing the Rust and wear that they should have had!!! What cracks??? a busted stock or two, but I just parted them out and fixxed the others....Later bundles were" NRA fair " all right, but not befor I had about 50 to play with. I still have the "Best" and plenty I picked up to fill the gaps inthe colection.
Sitting on 38 Mosins Nagants right now, and Im far from all variants, most are Finn.....91's, M-24's, M-27's, 28's, 28/30's, M39's with someRussian 91/30 and M44 or two and a couple M-38.

Great all around guns, and I find my SAKO M-39, '41 made is my best year round hunting Rifle, for Caribou to Brown Bears, one shot does most in, and therews nothing wrong with a followup to make sure. What matters is Where I hit them, everytime, and My M-39 is up to the job.

Might add that the Czech FMJ's are eccellent accurate, and all are keyholeing tumblers, and wicked on animals,....... however, the Russian and Bulgarian FMJ's are hole drillers,:barf: and I use them few animals, mostly on Bunny heads....LOL!!!:evil:

Mosin Nagants are awsome!!

[MCgunner]

The tumbling vs hole driller thing probably has a lot to do with the rifling twist, I'm guessing.

I'm thinking about getting a C&R license so I can collect some more old stuff, milsurp and such. I shoulda bought a case load of those Hakims. I got mine at 80 bucks and I listen to folks talk about 400 now. I have a bayonet for mine, too, learned my lesson on that. Always get the bayonet and frog to maximize the value. Should have gotten one for that old 88. Hell, even my cheap SKSs have gained good value. The way my IRA mutual funds are going, I shoulda just put it all in cold steel, but that wasn't a choice on my 401K. :D Besides, I'd need a warehouse for all the arms. If I could buy Mosins for the money I've lost just since Obama took office, I could arm a revolution. :rolleyes: Gold? Yeah, whatever.

[NCsmitty]

Sitting on 38 Mosins Nagants right now

My 2 M44's make me feel so inadequate. :(

Bunny heads!!!!!!:) That is funny. :D

NCsmitty

[Big Bill]

Educational Zone #27 - Great Firearms - The Mosin Nagant (http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu27.htm)

[3pairs12]

hey guys,
whats tamale meat?

Interlock


Tamales are a type of mexican food. Pretty good stuff and you put about anything you want on the inside. I have even had cactus ones.

[mbt2001]

Moisin Nagant is a fantastic hunting rifle, accurate and powerful as well as cheap and reliable... FMJ bullet work fine in it on game (if legal in your state) and :barf: on people that disagree

[WardenWolf]

The whole rule against FMJ is rather pointless. I used a .223 hollowpoint on a javelina. It might as well have been FMJ, though. All my shots blew clean through with no expansion, and a couple hit bone. Exit holes same size as entrance. I was going to use softpoint, but I had to recalibrate my scope and I ran out of it, and all I could get was hollowpoint. Previously I considered hollowpoints to be unreliable, and this proved it. They did the job when placed right, but none of the rounds were left in the pig.

[amwdc]

thank you for posting this i haven't big game(bigger than a coyote ) since last muzzle loader im glad to see a professional hunter hunting with a surplus rifle ,goes to show u dont need a 1000 dollar bolt action with a leupold scope to hunt .

[Mike U.]

Caribou,

Those are fantastic pictures!
A picture really is worth a thousand words because those pics speak volumes about the M-N's usefulness as a hunting tool.

Thanks for sharing them!

[lgbloader]

Moisin Nagant is a fantastic hunting rifle, accurate and powerful as well as cheap and reliable... FMJ bullet work fine in it on game (if legal in your state) and on people that disagree

Agreed but why would you want to use FMJ's when you can get so much better components?

LGB

[DavidB2]

I am military and am moving to Texas in a few months. I have several military surplus rifles that I thought about using for javelina (M48, M44, 91/30, Enfield, Krag-Jorgenson carbine). I had leaned towards my Krag carbine or M44 for javelina/hog hunting. However, several people have told me to use my Norinco SKS. It is accurate, carries ten rounds, and a soft nosed bullet should put a javelina or (any other hog) down on the ground. Plus, I can get more rapid shots off without having to fight a bolt action.

[Mosin Nagant 91/30]

Hey harley man. I have been going to cabelas to get 150-185gr SP bullets. The ranges here in ft worth allow them since they are not FMJ. Plus, now I cast my own bullets for my mosin and couldn't be happier. Good luck! I like to buy the bullets at cabelas so I can reload the brass :o)

[Cob]

I shoot a MN with with open sights, though i modified the gun a bit... ammo is cheap if shooting milsurp. & hunting ammo is avaialbe very reasonable. - recently purchased some 180 grain & 203 grain hunting ammo (not FMJ), less than $12 a box, and brass is reloadable.

This link is an excellent website for MN ammo evaluations.
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo.htm

Midway USA, has pages of choices for "7.62x54 ammunition", :
http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#7.62X54 ammunition____-_1-2-4_8-16-32 (http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#7.62X54 ammunition____-_1-2-4_8-16-32)

a few pics of the rifle I'm shooting are attached, just for the heck of it, even though posted before. The rifle made for an interesting project, for less than $100, & shoots fine. i bought a couple($69 apiece)... one to keep in original condition, one to tinker with. Built the walnut stock from a rough cut plank that had airdried about 7 years, & glassbedded the action. (still have all the original military components).
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h378/Brian_Cobble/MN91-30270.jpg
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h378/Brian_Cobble/Mosin.jpg
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h378/Brian_Cobble/0303011153.jpg

No regrets with the purchase, it just doesn't "fit" though... still like my .270 featherweight better. If i could shave 3 lbs off, improve the safety, and get a better trigger pull, & mount optics a little easier then maybe I'd like it better. There's a guy on youtube hitting an iron plate at 1000 yards, he's aiming 32' above the target at that range...

[waidmann]

One of the problems I noticed with M 91's and similar was a lack of consistency in caliber, nominally .311 but....... Once upon a time I was reseating .311 Speer bullets in Chinese cases, using the original ball powder, which I hand weighed for consistency. Granted I had a Finn capture with a Sako barrel, but it would do quite well with iron sights.

I would slug the ball to determine the true diameter then try a hunting soft point in .311 or .312 as indicated. You can still get a Lee (kitchen table) kit for the 7.62X54R for a nominal price.

Or, take a chance and try Wolf or similar soft points.

I consider .30-06, .303 Brit, 8X57, and 7.7 Jap in similar class. The rifles do differ greatly.

[MCgunner]

Well, I guess if I was broke and didn't already have two Remington bolt guns in .308 and .257 Roberts, a Savage 110 in 7 mag, assorted old Mil Surp stuff I got just because, a .357 lever action, three BP rifles including one inline with a scope, and not mentioning my hunting handguns and bows, well, I might be interested in Mosins. They ARE cheap, but then I got this old 88 mauser that Hitler had converted to 8x57JS for 27 bucks back in the 70s. All I've ever killed with it is paper. I inherited one of those Remingtons and it's all I've ever really needed....just like rifles. But, heck yeah, if it worked in war, why couldn't you kill game with it? Goofy notion that it wouldn't work IMHO, so long as I can get proper hunting ammo.

[caribou]

Use an M-39 on that Hunt, MCgunner, you wont be dissapointed.

'Solids' are the Hunters FMJ, used quite a bit in Africa I hear tell. :D

[toivo]

Yeah, the Enemy at the Gates rifles are 91/30's, not M38's. But maybe you don't want that big long barrel. My only Mosins are two Finn M39's. They are more expensive than your run-of-the-mill Mosins, but they are really nice. The source for these is here:

http://gunsnammo.com/

It looks like they have only some cherry ones for high prices right now, but keep checking back. They often have 40%-ish shooters for $250 or so.

On the Mosin safety: yes, it's very "positive" and takes a bit of muscle to operate. However, you can practice with it until it's second-nature. The upside is that it isn't going to come off by accident.

I could be wrong (it has happened before ;)) but I believe that if you let the Mosin safety slip while putting it on or off, the rifle will not fire: the action is cocked and the firing pin is not forward. Unless of course you do it with your finger on the trigger. Still, I would make sure the rifle is pointed in a safe direction when operating the safety -- and all the rest of time too, just like you're supposed to. :uhoh:

[MCgunner]

'Solids' are the Hunters FMJ, used quite a bit in Africa I hear tell.

Yeah, well, we ain't got no elephants in Texas, except the zoo. :D

Only whitetail I ever had walk more'n a few steps when hit with a 117 grain soft point out of my .257 Roberts (Hornady Interloc) was a failure of the bullet to expand. It went right though his chest and he went a good 100 yards before falling in HEAVY cover and danged little blood to trail. I just stumbled upon him. I switched back to Sierra bullets for whitetail hunting with that rifle for the reliable expansion.

Now, out there on the tundra where you can see for 128.5 miles...:D...just jump on your snow mo and chase him 'til he drops. ROFL Well, it's a bit easier to see where he drops. Getting to him might still be a hassle, I reckon. Woods or brush country, if he doesn't fall DRT, I want a good blood trail to follow him with, big exit wound. Of course, break the shoulder and not to worry. Also depends on the shot, I reckon, whether the FMJ will drop him quick or not. I just have a bias toward expanding bullets. Barnes bullets are fantastic, virtually flawless expansion AND penetration. Of course, I hand load 'em, too expensive to buy in factory ammo, and I shoot tailored loads in all my rifles except my old SKS which ain't accurate enough to justify the time and for which good ammo (wolf 154SP) is readily available via midwayusa.com. Besides, that thing chunks brass all over hell's half acre.

[kingcheese]

first up, the m38 was not made in a sniper varient, so buy a 91/30 with a pu scope

second, squirrel should be the main thing you hunt... but elephant would be more apropriate for a target

[Jbabbler]

I have a few Mosins but I hunt with this one. It has proven accurate, reliable and fun. I have only had it a little while but the boar I shot with it last year dropped like a sack of potatoes.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/jbabbler/milsurplus/utf-8BSU1HLTIwMTEwMTIxLTAwMzExLmpwZw.jpg

[Cob]

nice rifle Jbabbler... has the barrel been shortened?

[kingcheese]

czech silvertip ammo is what is know as lightball, and it has a steel core, it is good ammo, has good accuracy, makes more power then most other loads, but it is technically armour piercing, and not legal to hunt with every where you go, if you can use fmj, and are using milsurp ammo, then you should check out what exactly you got

[Jbabbler]

nice rifle Jbabbler... has the barrel been shortened?
Thanks. I actually bought the rifle this way. It was used in a movie and i bought it from the production company afterward. It's an early import 91/30 with no import markings. The stock is a Reinhart Fajen. It is a pleasure to shoot.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/jbabbler/milsurplus/utf-8BSU1HLTIwMTEwMTIxLTAwMzE0LmpwZw.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/jbabbler/milsurplus/utf-8BSU1HLTIwMTEwMTIxLTAwMzEzLmpwZw.jpg

[shiftyer1]

Thats exactly what I want to do to mine, except I want a front site. I love it

[ahusk93]

i think that the 7.62x54r round is a perfectly able medium size game hunting round and probably adequate for larger game with the proper bullet weight

[Gunnerboy]

I let a buddy of mine use a mosin nagant on a bear hunt and i can truely say its the toughest bolt action ive ever seen that idiot put it on a cart and was pulling the cart behind him well the rifle fell off and make a long story short got ran over by a road grader. the rifle still shoots great everything works only damage was a stratch in the metal and a rock or 2 stuck in the stock