Mosin-Nagant user thread

hi guys, just got my first m91/30 mosin 2 days ago. Can't wait to shoot it. I got it for 240 + the 440 rds bulgarian spam can ammo. I know it's probably not the best deal but it does come with a sling and bayonet. Everything match except the bayonet. It's gonna be a shooter anyway so i'm not really concern about all that.

Anyway got some questions:
1. IS that an ok deal?
2. It's made in 1927 (between WW1 and WW2), from the markings, it seems like it was made in Tula - hex receiver and all. So is this thing still safe to shoot ? Wife is happy that i got it for pretty cheap but she's concern that it'll blow up since it's very old - even though i told her it's Russian made and battle proven.
3. Muzzle seems worn, do you guys know how much to get it counterbored and who does the work ?
4. There are minor pitting and rust spots, is the 11 bux permablue set from Academy ok to do the job?Thanks

Woo hoo! Bump!



Top is an Izzy M44, 1944
Left is a 1934 Tula Hex Laminate stocked 91/30
Right is a '43 Izzy Sniper that I made myself from an infantry rifle

Thought I would throw mine into the mix. Here's a close up of the Sniper



Great to see a multi-page post on Nagants!

chuwee81 If your rifle is in good shape, it is perfectly safe to shoot. Mosin Nagant receivers are known to be quite strong and durable. I've put over 800 rounds thru a Finn M39 built on a 1894 receiver and about 200 rounds thru a Finn M28 built on a 1916 receiver, and both rifles are still in great shape. BTW, it's nevertheless great that your wife is truly concerned for your health.

The rifle should be about $100 and the ammo about $100 once shipping is included, so you didn't do great but you weren't taken to the cleaners either. Enjoy the rifle!

Thanks, i looked online for a bit and most 91/30 with hex receivers are around 100 bux + ship + FFL. So i figured it's worth it. Also, i don't want all that FFL hassle and the guy just had it with him. rifling is very good and sharp, but dirty. Haven't checked under sunlight yet though.

Everything looks alright to me. Action is good. Played with some rounds - ONLY to check bolt headspace. I didn't slam it hard, just kinda pushed it enough until the bullet cleared the extractor and made sure the bolt closed on it. Also i think the ammo is steel cased so if i have a tad generous headspace, i think the case would hold. Anyway, might have some range time tomorrow morning. Yeeehawww !!

edit:
pics from seller

Looks good in that pic^

I'd say you did alright.

I'm not going to get to play with Mozzie after all.. regardless of weather. Chris went to get my ammo and the store apparently they haven't had it for ages.... why was i told they had it 3 weeks ago??

I am PO'd beyond belief. So much that i am even wondering whether i will bother going.

How can something so common be so rare?

Ok...so... I bought a mosin... FTF... $100... Great shooter, but the only problem is it has a rear site base that was only made for one year.

The Chatterault arsenal in France made the guns from 1894 - 1896... I have an 1895. In 1895, they used a rear sight base that was different then the one used in 1894, and I believe in 1896 they switched the the rear sight base that was used for the remaining production runs.

I cannot, for the life of my find a rear sight leaf that will fit!!

Does anyone else have one of these?

Leroy

Interesting article about the Greatest Female Sniper and the Moisin-Nagent sniper rifle that she used.

Hey Wylde_Cat- Try this:

www.ammunitiontogo.com

www.aimsurplus.com

www.jgsales.com

You should be able to get plenty of good ammo now. Lot cheaper than in department stores, too.

Thanks for the comments on my NEW. I had one years ago, before i new much about them. Traded it off. I think it had the original walnut stock...

I have a few more, to show later. i have another '91, with a Finn barrel, dated '42.

Great shooter, smooth in almost every way. It even loads easily with the stripper clips! It is also my only Mosin that shoots LOW with the issue sights at the lowest setting. very convenient.

Take care,

Tom

Thanks for those links but since i'm in Australia i very much doubt i can do anything with them.

After I picked up a second Mosin I decided I wanted to scout scope my first one.



Shooty goodness and about the most fun $60 I ever spent (scope & mount)

well finally tried shooting my 91/30 this friday and boy it was loads of fun for a 10/22 guy. I did the bore cleaning the night before and it was shooting really good. With open sights, front rest and right elbow unsupported, i got a grapefruit size (6") 10 shot group. So it's limited by the shooter. I then tried to use the bayo and the POI shifted down about 5" and 2" to the left i think. Group is about the same. I then did the windex and wd 40 thing since me and my friend shot 20 rds each and we started shooting his AR. After that, we went to the handguns for a bit. Before we left, i really can't resist shooting the 100 yd. So i brought it out again.

Here's the kicker - the target (16" x 16") is as big as the front blade at 100 yds, so in order to be more accurate, i braced my right elbow on the bench - Big Mistake. In the 50 yrd, with the floating elbow and upper body, the recoil was absorbed "properly".My body was firm but flexible - fluid. So it kicked really hard and i could only fired 10 rds. Out of those, only 3 managed to get 1" away from the bullseye (pretty decent grouping) about 2" in group. the rest of the shot, has a LOT of vertical strings. Horizontal spread is about 2-3" while the vertical spread is from the top to bottom of target but all rounds hit paper at least. The holes formed a big but narrow S actually. This might be due to fear of recoil so i didn't brace the rifle firm and just threw off the shots. I am still paying for it.

But i am glad that this thing is very accurate and smooth despite its old age. No sticky bolt. Ammo used is the Bulgarian com block spam can thingee.

Quick question, how many rounds expected that can be fired from the barrel? I wanna order one or 2 more spam cans and was wondering if the barrel would hold up through that many rounds.

brief interruption....

do any of you experienced MN users have an opinion on the mauser 8mm? i have been offered a good deal on 1.

Why would you ask a Mosin Nagant user about a Mauser??? 2 different rifles.

Well, you can love a Mauser and love a Mosin Nagant. Mausers are a real joy to shoot and are great rifles. I don't mind the issue sights, but a lot of people complain about them.

Anyways, back to Mosins.

Chuwee81: The most I've shot a Mosin in one day is 200 rounds out of an M91/30. I've put over 1500 rounds thru that one rifle alone and the bore is still mostly shiny. It's still a 2MOA rifle, so I don't think a couple more spam cans are gonna hurt it.

Wyld Cat: Hope you find some ammo soon so you can enjoy "Mozzie."

thx beetle. I have just ordered another spam can last night.

I have a few.....

My 1942 Izzy M38

1941 M39 built on 1897 Sestroretsk reciever

Came right to my house. Best antique I've bought.

And today at long last i bought home some ammo for Mozzie. I've stayed away from the corrosive stuff, for now, until i get in the hang of the whole thing i'd rather not risk a pristine bore. Then we'll talk about it.. maybe. It works out at just over $1 a shot and i'll be keeping my brass incase down the track i want to try handloading.

And i'm talking about getting my own gun safe coz i would dearly love a 91/30. We'll see just how much after i wipe the smile off my face with the M44. I saw a pic recently of the .22 training rifle, it really looked like a baby 91/30.

saw that same stuff wyld cat. But would rather have my shoulder blown off by the full power of the 7.62x 54r

Ditto that chuwee81, but i'm looking at a .22 option that i can fire all day and not kill my wallet, or my shoulder.

Could someone please tell me the barrel dia. at right behind the front sight on an M44? The guy I bought it from hacked the barrel off right there. It's a clean straight cut but it needs to be crowned and I don't have a caliper handy right now to find the size and order the tool. Thanks.