someguy2800
Member
Hey guys, I picked up a my first mosin nagant yesterday from someone local and would like to know a little more about it. I don't much about these other than about a half hour of internet reading.
The guy I bought it from told me he bought this and a couple others from hardware store about 10-15 year ago for $70. He said they were still covered in cosmoline. He said he fired about 50 rounds through it and put it away. When I got it from him both front and rear action screws were falling out loose and the action had a 1/4" of play in the stock. The top forend piece was pushed up against the sights and both barrel bands were just dangling on the forend so I'm guessing he didn't know much about guns. The bore is pretty dark but the rifling is in nice condition and it is not counter bored.
here is how I picked it up
This morning I took it apart and cleaned all the varnish and cosmoline off the metal and cleaned up the stock a bit. I was able to scrub most of the gunk off the wood without hurting the varnish.
What I do know about it is that it was made at the Tula Arsenal in 1940, and looks to have been refurbished in '43 and '51. All the parts that I can find numbers on have matching numbers but the bottom metal, the barrel bands and the butt stock are stamped with the Izhevsk arsenal stamp. So thats about all I know. What am I missing? Anybody know anything about the stamp on the stock just in front of the butt plate? I'm guessing based on its condition that the stock was likely replaced during one of the refurbs?
I must say, I never bought one of these when they were everywhere for $100, and really never even looked at one close because I just thought it was an ugly commie club hammered together out of scrap metal. After actually having one and seeing what it looks like with the cosmoline scrubbed off I was very wrong about that. Its not exactly refined and the stock is about the softest wood imaginable, but I must say that the machine work on it is much nicer than I expected and steel looks to be of pretty nice quality. The bluing and metal finish on the receiver especially would put many new guns to shame. I actually quite like it and I think its reasonably well made for a wartime model.
I bought a box of steel case 208 grain brown bear yesterday and shot it at a steel plate at 100 yards. I did not have a problem hitting the 10" plate standing and the rounds went clear through the 3/8" mild steel. I thought the recoil was a pussycat. Looking forward to putting it in the benchrest and seeing what I can do with some decent ammo.
The guy I bought it from told me he bought this and a couple others from hardware store about 10-15 year ago for $70. He said they were still covered in cosmoline. He said he fired about 50 rounds through it and put it away. When I got it from him both front and rear action screws were falling out loose and the action had a 1/4" of play in the stock. The top forend piece was pushed up against the sights and both barrel bands were just dangling on the forend so I'm guessing he didn't know much about guns. The bore is pretty dark but the rifling is in nice condition and it is not counter bored.
here is how I picked it up
This morning I took it apart and cleaned all the varnish and cosmoline off the metal and cleaned up the stock a bit. I was able to scrub most of the gunk off the wood without hurting the varnish.
What I do know about it is that it was made at the Tula Arsenal in 1940, and looks to have been refurbished in '43 and '51. All the parts that I can find numbers on have matching numbers but the bottom metal, the barrel bands and the butt stock are stamped with the Izhevsk arsenal stamp. So thats about all I know. What am I missing? Anybody know anything about the stamp on the stock just in front of the butt plate? I'm guessing based on its condition that the stock was likely replaced during one of the refurbs?
I must say, I never bought one of these when they were everywhere for $100, and really never even looked at one close because I just thought it was an ugly commie club hammered together out of scrap metal. After actually having one and seeing what it looks like with the cosmoline scrubbed off I was very wrong about that. Its not exactly refined and the stock is about the softest wood imaginable, but I must say that the machine work on it is much nicer than I expected and steel looks to be of pretty nice quality. The bluing and metal finish on the receiver especially would put many new guns to shame. I actually quite like it and I think its reasonably well made for a wartime model.
I bought a box of steel case 208 grain brown bear yesterday and shot it at a steel plate at 100 yards. I did not have a problem hitting the 10" plate standing and the rounds went clear through the 3/8" mild steel. I thought the recoil was a pussycat. Looking forward to putting it in the benchrest and seeing what I can do with some decent ammo.
