Mosin Nagants...what to expect

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kmrcstintn

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finally, after buying, selling, and trading awhole bunch of stuff, I have decided to buy and keep a Mosin Nagant; I have an M44 and the selected load that I want to try (bear gun) is Silver Bear (Barnaul) 203 gr soft point; I have only fired 147 gr target loads from a friend's M38; the target loads felt like .30-30 to me...

what can I expect from the heavy soft points? are M44's more accurate with bayonet extended, bayonet retracted, or bayonet removed? does the bayonet affect accuracy or point of impact? are the iron sights good enough for hunting purposes out to 75 or 100 yards?
 
I can't say for the Nagant specifically, as I never tried it with the bayonet on and off, but most guns shoot a little better without them. They add vibrational mass to the end of the barrel, where vibrations effect accuracy the most. The iron sights are plenty good for 100 yard hunting, but test your ammo to make sure it shoots to point of aim.
 
The M44s are designed to be shot with the bayonet extended. Your windage may be off if it's folded. The only way to know for sure with your rifle is to shoot it both ways.

The 203 grain loads will kick quite a bit more than the 147 grainers.
 
I was shooting my M44 this last weekend with the 203 gr ammo. Pretty stiff recoil compared to the lighter stuff and also a big BANG, but darn fun to shoot. I find that mine shoots fine with the bayonet closed although others get better results with bayonet open.

I think it would make a fine hunting rifle at the ranges you mentioned. I have hit eggs at 50 - 60 yards pretty consistently. Good enough for hunting I think.

SpringShoot118.gif
 
Wanna have some real fun and watch your accuracy soar? Put a set of Mojo sights on that baby and you'll see. Improves it 100%!
 
Front and rear. Easier sight alignment in my opinion and not a whole lot more money. Go with the microclick it's a dream. I live near the business and the guy that currently owns it is great. They are high quality and I am seriously thinking about putting them on some other rifles I own. I currently have them on two.
 
My bayonet didn't affect group size, but did move POI a few inches. However you decide to shoot it, you can zero that way, so do some testing with group size.
If you're going to keep the bayonet as a last ditch, shoot with it extended so you're ready to charge. Otherwise, take it off as it could rattle, or stab your off hand at the least opportune time.

I've only shot one 200gr load, and it's stiff. Also, if you shoot those 147gr rounds some more, you'll quickly realize that there's a lot more kick than a 30-30. Unless they've been loaded down, then ignore that, and get ready for some decent recoil w/ the 203gr. :D

The sights are fine for 75-100 yards, or actually beyond, but the Mojo sights are great. I've got some on my 91/30, and it really shrunk my groups.
 
With some of my M44s...

it does not matter what position the bayonet is in. Others, the group will move about 4 inches at 50 meters. Some of my Mosins will shoot minute of angle with 200 gr soft point ammo. Another thing, the bayonet makes a dandy rifle holder while you have your celebration beer on bagging your deer....It also scares the elmers too...chris3
 
expect the most addicting thing since crack cocaine. Mosins.

matter of fact. im going through withdrawls right now. maybe i can switch to something less addicting.
 
matter of fact. im going through withdrawls right now. maybe i can switch to something less addicting.
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Good luck. They're a "gateway" gun that merely gets you started on addiction. That's what happened to me. First, it's the budget Mosins for $80. Have to start off cheap, you know. Easier to justify to yourself. Then when you tire of that, it's on to SKS'. Then maybe AK's. And finally, if you're really unlucky, you graduate to full on black rifle disease, where one scope mount might cost as much as 2 - 3 Mosins, you're stockpiling mags like there's no tomorrow, and you look back quaintly at the budget priced Mosins you used to be in love with and wonder where it all went terribly wrong.

It all starts with that Mosin. If you can control it, great, but I think once the cosmo is in your blood, you're on the downhill slide.
 
Good luck. They're a "gateway" gun that merely gets you started on addiction. That's what happened to me. First, it's the budget Mosins for $80. Have to start off cheap, you know. Easier to justify to yourself. Then when you tire of that, it's on to SKS'...
Click to expand...

oh no! i already have an SKS and most of an AK... im too late!
 
Good luck. They're a "gateway" gun that merely gets you started on addiction.
Click to expand...
Boy that's the truth. First they give you the Mosin for practically nothing and with all the cheap ammo you could want. Then you move on to the SKS. Sure the ammo is still pretty cheap, but it's a semi-auto so you need more and more to get that same rush. Then someone let's you try a K-31 at the range one day. Oh boy that ammo is pricy, but it's oh so sweet and accurate. Next thing you know, you're rummaging through the garage to find stuff to sell online so you can buy more GP11.

But hey, it's just a hobby. I can quit any time. I just don't want to right now...

:uhoh:
 
I think the recoil is nasty, and the accuracy is so so. BUT they are so fun, and cheap to shoot too. Ive heard the carbines shoot better with light ball, and they will probably recoil less too.
 
well what to expect, theres a good chance it might be your favorite gun to shoot. A Large caliber that is cheap and can be bought for 40 dollars for a case. awesome reliable bolt action. its fun to shoot something with some recoil and muzzle flash. can reach out and touch something at 300 yards. I like to sit all day with mine and blow up milk jugs full of water until i run out of milk jugs. itll be your favorite 100 dollar rifle, atleast mine is anyways.
 
The "flamethrower" is an M44 with common milsurp ammo. The short barrel allows lots of flash out the end.


gp911
 
Right now my mosin is out shooting my remmy 700sps .308 with factory. I'm shooting 1943 91/30 surplus ammo and homemade scope mount with weaver K3 and getting 1moa.. Goes to show advances in technology arent all that theyre cracked up to be.
 
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