Finn M39 Antique Accuracy

M39's are generally more accurate than a normal Mosin.

I've owned over a dozen M39's and the antique receiver ones are no different from the post-1900 receiver. The Finns strength tested and inspected the receivers before recycling them on new rifles. You can often see the pips from their tests at stress points.

Accuracy depends very much on the load. In general most ball 54R out of an M39 will give you 2" to 4" groups. They are "D" chambered and can eat just about any ball ammo, but the bore is .310" and not always a perfect match for the bullets. So you can get shifting point of impact and scattering. Usually light ball is better than heavy, but not always. Czech or Polish light ball usually groups tighter than Albanian, for example. My latest M39 really prefers Hungarian light ball.

If you really demand the maximum accuracy you often have to handload. The ammo your M39 was most likely sighted in for is Finnish and not widely available. Recreating the D166 load is one approach that often works. But there are always exceptions. Start by shooting an array of ball and commercial loads to see what the M39 likes.

M39's, in the right hands are scary accurate. I have had the pleasure of shooting rings around a few gun owners who've remarked that they were cheap surplus junk.

I can't speak for the M39's, but I have a 91/30 that does 3" groups at 100 yard with iron sights. I can only imagine the firearm itself is capable of even greater accuracy than that. A Mosin in the right hands with corrected sights can keep up with most modern production rifles.

I've heard the Finn versions are somewhat better quality and more accurate.

"Somewhat" doesn't really do them justice - the Finn Mosins are way above and beyond the typical beat-up Ruskies you see. They took care of their rifles, the build quality is much better, the sights are better, etc. I'm getting ready to sell off a bunch of my Russians to fund a Finn myself.

M-39 ahhhhhhhhhhhh, what a Riflemans Rifle.......

If you like an M-38, You will LOVE the M-39.
Only a pound heavier and better balanced with it.
Superior sights, better handgrip, side mounted sling for better carry,and a more substantial stock, and often a very nice trigger.

The ONLY thing the M-39 is "missing" and could really use is a buttrap cleaning kit, in my opinion.

There is No better military issue bolt action Rifle out there when it comes to form , function and accuracy.

Mine loves Czeck Light ball ("Silvertip") and Hungarian, Polish do very well, I just have lots of Czeck ,Im so happy with it.

Get one while ya can! You wont regret it.

I remember that it kind of felt somewhat like a Garand in ergos.

The Finn's used these rifles up till they switched over to their version of the excellent Valmet AK type assault rifle.

I believe they still use Mosins in sniper form albeit much modernized.

The main battle rifle for the Finns in the Winter War was their M91 captures and rebarreled M91's by VKT IIRC.

Two good books about this piece of history are "A Frozen Hell" and "The Winter War". I don't remember the authors names but a google search will reveal that.

Caribou mentioned a counterbored M38 and I can attest that they are quite accurate themselves and are a real hany rifle for milsurp hunters along with the M39.