Advice on Mosin-Nagant Purchase?

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

Hi all-

At some point or another I'd like to get a Mosin-Nagant, probably a 91-30. I'm not particularly concerned about history as much it its low cost and fun quotient.

I'm within an easy drive of AIM Surplus, so I could get one for about $80 plus tax there, which would include a tool kit, accessories and a bayonet. I'm guessing it'd also be coated heavily in cosmoline.

On the other hand, a fellow fairly close by (not quite as close, but he's willing to meet me 1/2 way which does make the difference a lot lower). His bottom line is $110, with the bayonet and without the accessories/tool kit, but with 60 rounds of ammunition (last I saw this was about $10 for 20 rounds). His has also been shot, which likely seems to mean that the vast majority of the cosmoline has been cleaned out - from what I'm reading that's not a minor consideration.

Which way would you go? "Store" bought with accessories for roughly 90 out the door or $110 without the accessories but with 60 rounds of ammo? Are the accessories worth that much for those who just want to shoot it?

Advice and opinions appreciated. Thanks.

Dave

 

[leftyz]

The tool is nice to have, the ammo pouch and oil can aren't really needed but are neat.

The sling and bayonet are pretty sweet.

If it was me, I'd get the $80 one, because you can look at a bunch and pick which one you like best. Take it home, take it apart and clean it yourself. You will have fun and learn how easy they are to break down and put back together.

Ammo is cheap in bulk.. 440 rounds for $80 or so.

 

[Dentite]

When it comes to cosmoline on metal...I don't mind it at all. I don't care if the bore is plugged with it. I've learned how to to get rid of it I don't mind it at all. In fact I like knowing no one has messed with it since it got off the boat.

Cosmoline in a wood stock I can do without.

So I wouldn't let the amount of cosmoline in the rifle be a deciding factor.

Whether you clean out a ton of it, or you clean out the last of what the last guy didn't get, it's basically the same amount of work.

Accessories are cool but easily obtained for 91-30s if you decide you want them down the road. The tool to measure firing pin protrusion is one thing I do use from the tool kit.

Hope that helps.

 

[HDCamel]

I get one from the store.
As said already ammo is pretty cheap in bulk.

 

[T Bran]

Dave
I also have been considering a 91/30 as a plinler knockabout rifle. Lately I've seen some really nice looking ones folks bought pop up on this board. That is the reason I'd go look at a bunch as opposed to just buying or ordering one on line. You may find a really nice example if you dig around on your own. I am a bit of a treasure hunter/scrounger at heart. You may have a different outlook on things or may not have the time to invest so to each his own. Hope you wind up with a good shooter.

 

[nathan]

For the price they are a steal .

 

[chris in va]

I had the shorter M38. Put about 200 rounds through it and let it sit for a few years. I just couldn't find a purpose for it. Horrible action, hefty recoil, no way to even mount a scope and the iron sights are abysmal.

IMHO, save the money for a CMP Garand.

 

[crracer_712]

I'm planning to finally pick one up at the next gun show, first weekend in March. They go for 109, with tool kit, sling, bayonet and accessories.

I don't really know why, other than they are starting to become appealing to me all of the sudden.

 

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

Thanks all for the great (and rapid) advice. Given what I've heard here, I'll probably brave the cosmoline by getting the cheaper one at AIM, get the bits and pieces that come with it, and buy the ammo myself ($14 per 20 rounds at AIM, or if one wants to buy in bulk - although I've no idea when I'd shoot that much - $73 plus tax for 440 rounds at AIM).

 

[BCRider]

The tool kit is very handy. You're doing the right thing getting the store one. The combo tool is handy since the oddball big opening is what you use for removing the bayonet when it gets stuck on the barrel...

You may as well pick up a SPAM can of ammo as well. Consider it a 5 year supply for cheap.

 

[Jackal]

IMHO, save the money for a CMP Garand.

Thats kinda like saying "Dont buy that Nikon, buy a Nightforce". I think a suggestion that isnt seven times his rifles cost would be more useful. That said, I would check at gun shows. They show up all the time already cleaned. If you want the easy way of cleaning it, just dump all the metal parts in a container of Kerosene for a couple days. Cosmo just melts in the stuff.

 

[headoftheholler]

As much as I love Mosins I generally avoid the 91/30's from wartime due to horrible metal finish on the reciever. Ive already got a couple war time but after aquiring those I prefer pre and post WWII. Just my 2c. Worth looking at.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I had a near mint 91/30 hand picked, Izzy arsenal, 1925 dated, all matching numbers. I also have a '53 Hungarian M44. I sold the 91/30 and stuck with my M44. I didn't enjoy the mile long barrel. It was awkward to shoot, considering the short LOP. I prefer my M44, it seems to be better balanced. Plus, bigger fireball. Recoil doesn't bother me too much. I replaced the metal butt plate with a rubber pad, and I can shoot it all day long.

Also, $14 for a pack of 20 rounds from AIM? I hope that isn't milsurp. I saw some 54r made by Winchester the other day picking out my CCW holster. I passed on it though, I get 54r milsurp for about $6 a pack of 20. Corrosive, but I clean my guns after shooting them anyway.

While I prefer to handle guns before purchasing them, I bought my M44 from a C&R collector after only seeing a few pics online. can't say I got a raw deal, since I got a nice shooting M44 for $150 + shipping and transfer. All told, it came out to less than $200 invested.

 

[ball3006]

You have to be a C&R junkie with the appreciation of historic military firearms to appreciate what the Russians went through to make these rifles during their dark times during WW2. Otherwise go buy a Remchester.....chris3

 

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

Also, $14 for a pack of 20 rounds from AIM? I hope that isn't milsurp. I saw some 54r made by Winchester the other day picking out my CCW holster. I passed on it though, I get 54r milsurp for about $6 a pack of 20. Corrosive, but I clean my guns after shooting them anyway.

I've seen rubber stock ends on Amazon. Might make the investment once I've shot the thing a time or two.

As to the ammo, the more expensive stuff wasn't milsurp; it's non-corrosive Privi Partisan; the are currently out of the Brown Bear for $10/20 rounds. They've got the Russian milsurp for $73/440 rounds.

 

[USAF_Vet]

The rubber butt pad is a must if you're going to do any serious shooting of a M-N. For me anyway, it was more to increase LOP than reduce recoil.

Yeah, i assumed it wasn't milsurp ammo. PRVI is good stuff, but I wouldn't spend that kind of money for casual plinking, which is all my M44 really does.

 

[karlb]

My last Mosin from Aim was actually not to bad in the cosmoline department. I got it last year on sale for $69. A #s matching 41 Tula.

 

[Godsgunman]

Chris in va "theres no way to mount a scope"?????

Actually mounting a scope is fairly simple. I have a m44 with a mounted scope in place where the rear sight used to be. Simply punch out the pin holding the rear sight in place then get a small rail with a balancing screw on one end and a pin hole in the other. Attach pin hole side into bracket where the site once attached and insert pin to keep it in. The screw on the other end adjusts to keep it level. Very simple, cheap, and effective way to mount a scope. Mine is very accurate.

 

[chris in va]

A Garand doesn't cost seven times a Mosin.

 

[Scimmia]

A Garand doesn't cost seven times a Mosin.

$80 + 7% tax = $85.60 out the door for a Mosin.

$525 + $25 shipping + $25 transfer = $575 out the door for a Garand

$575/$85.60 = 6.72 times the cost

You're right, total cost of a CMP Garand is slightly less than seven times a Mosin for the OP, but it easily rounds to seven.

 

[wtxj]

Dave, if you get to handle and look try to get one made before lets say 1939, prewar time. Also look to see if the 91/30 is counter bored 1/2 inch or so into the crown area. Counter bore is not for me.

Best of luck cause they are fun to shoot. Not going to take you long to get the rubber butt pad. Kicks like a mule on the 100 round target days.

Not going to take you long to buy that 440 green pack of ammo either.
Just pull bolt and dump some boiling water down that old barrel to clean it up or I use car window cleaner "with ammonia" on a patch at the range after shooting to clean out any salt left in said rifle.

 

[mortablunt]

I would go for the store one because it is cheaper and you get the extras which are nice to have. Lugging around a heavy gun in your hands all day is a real chore. I also recommend that you can at least inspect the guns before you buy, because Mosins can vary wildly in quality. Some rifles are toned champions while others can be awful with off sights, degraded bores, and triggers which creep sideways more Anthony Wiener when his wife notices that the web history keeps on being purged at least once every four days.

 

[Bozwell]

$80 + 7% tax = $85.60 out the door for a Mosin.

$525 + $25 shipping + $25 transfer = $575 out the door for a Garand

$575/$85.60 = 6.72 times the cost

You're right, total cost of a CMP Garand is slightly less than seven times a Mosin for the OP, but it easily rounds to seven.

Where are you seeing one for $525 and what condition is it in? I'd say it's quite a bit higher than 7 times the cost, at least for the ones at CMP I've been looking. These are priced much closer to $1000. I do agree though that these aren't even in the same ballpark as the Mosin. It would be like someone asking "What AR-15 should I buy" and someone responding that you should get a class 3 M16 instead.

 

[Scimmia]

Where are you seeing one for $525 and what condition is it in? I'd say it's quite a bit higher than 7 times the cost, at least for the ones at CMP I've been looking.

The CMP has $525 Field Grade right now. I was just taking the cheapest I could find.

 

[Slyy]

I think it's a great idea Dave to just drive down there and pick one up, plus you're not really a Mosin owner if you don't have to clean out some Cosmoline! Plus if you go to AIM you will get all your neighbory person has plus more, and the ammo is relatively cheap anyways.

I have two now (both my only ever center fire rifles) and I love them to death! You can't go wrong with picking one up IMHO!