Are Mosin Nagants safe to put a lot of rounds down range?

[pitime]

Last year GrandDad let us have his 1938 Mosin Nagant. My son absolutely loves this gun. He has shot it quite a bit already, 100 rounds or so. For Christmas he wants a ton of ammo for it.

Will a gun made in the rush of 1938 Russia be safe to fire hundreds of rounds this year? I worry about the thing blowing up every time he pulls the trigger.

 

[roadchoad]

I don't think a '38 is a rushed gun...

 

[Wester]

Without actually seeing the rifle in question there is no way to tell if it is safe or not. But VERY rarely have I heard of a Mosin KB. They are robust rifles made for the long haul and designed to be used by untrained peasants.
Your best bet is to take it to a gunsmith if you are worried about it, but if you've already fired it then do a close inspection of the spent casings. Watch for bulging or deformation of the case, if there is none then you should be ok.

 

[brnmw]

I have lost count as to how many rounds I have put through my M91\30's. Soviets can't build cars worth a darn but they know how to build guns. I am sure they will be fine, just so long as the rifle looks to be in working order. My only real concern might be the type of ammo you are running through it... sometimes but not often you may get a case split or something to that effect usually causes damage to the rifle and a bruised ego to the gun owner just always remember to wear eye protection, but that should go with any firearm. I typically run Wolf, Bear, or PPU through my M91\30's... Tula (White box) as well has not given me any issues either.

Head to 7.62X54r.net for any reference material you may need, it has alot of material for the M91/30's.

 

[morcey2]

I've got several 1941-1944 soviet mosins and they can be a little rough on the outside, but I've never heard of one failing due to over-use. I know of one that was damaged due to it being fired with a 7.62x51 round in the chamber, but nothing else.

I think the metallurgy on the russian guns even under duress was much better than the late-war german mausers and last-ditch type-99s.

Matt

 

[firesky101]

I have many mosins made during a war. There is not one of them I would hesitate to run a spam can through in a day. My shoulder may dissagree however. If you go surplus, just stay away from bulgrian ammo, It is the only one I have ever had problems with.

 

[tyeo098]

Google search 'Mosin blow up'

There are no pictures.

Try 'Mauser blow up'

There are a few.

I have a feeling a Mosin would eat KB. I had a buddy whos Steyr M9 ate a KB when a bullet was stuck in the barrel. Gun was fine.

 

[Voodoochile]

The only thing I would do is maybe take it to a smith & have it head space checked, otherwise it should be fine running surplus or modern Bear or Privi through it.

 

[TurtlePhish]

I have a rough as hell 1941 91/30 that I've put almost 1k rounds through. Don't worry about a KB, Mosins are tanks.

 

[Kiln]

What everybody else said, Mosins are built to last. My Mosin has hundreds of rounds through it and despite being an "antique" rifle it has many years left on it.

 

[Cosmoline]

Mosins are notoriously over-built rifles. As long as you're not making the barrel overheat or setting it on fire, you should be good to go. And in my experience, the bolt will start to stick and jam once that barrel starts overheating. Usually after 75-100 rapid rounds without a cooling break. Finns have heavier barrels to help with this problem.

 

[JustinJ]

I bought a cheap mosin once that i found to have extremely heavy corrosion and pitting of the receiver after removing the stock for inspeciton. I don't shoot that one. If such does not exist on yours then blast away. Your shoulder will wear out before the gun does.

 

[henschman]

Are Mosin Nagants safe to put a lot of rounds down range?

Yes.

 

[brnmw]

As long as you're not making the barrel overheat or setting it on fire

I thought that was a rite of passage!

 

[morcey2]

I thought that was a rite of passage!

Along with a great way to remove cosmoline from the stock/handguard.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Yes. Oh my yes.

 

[wgaynor]

I once had a .30-.30 cartridge get mixed in with my 7.62x54r cartridges. When I went to shoot my Mosin, I grabbed a handful of bullets and loaded them up. Didn't notice a different feel to the chambering of it at the time.

Felt the weird blowback of gas on my face (was wearing glasses) and opened the chamber. Found a ruptured .30-.30 case. Gun is fine. Bullet hit the target fine. Tough gun. Learned my lesson.

 

[Liberty1776]

You of course are a great dad for being concerned for your son's safety. But if he's shot it so far with no problems, I'd never be concerned again. As was mentioned, the Russians know how to build guns...

 

[Hacker15E]

Thinking about over-shooting a Mosin reminds me of asking if it is possible to wear out an anvil.

 

[fatcat4620]

Now when he gets to around 10,000 rounds you may want to check the headspace.

 

[pitime]

thanks

Thank you everyone. My mind is at ease now!

 

[KansasSasquatch]

In Soviet Russia, you don't break gun, gun breaks you, comrade.

I trust those old Russian guns to take much more of a beating than just about anything made today.

 

[desidog]

How about getting your son a 91/30 of his own for Christmas?

...and a spam can too!

 

[caribou]

Its not an early U.S. Springfield 1903, your good to go.

If the bolt # matches, no need to headspace, its a rimmed cartiridge and measures from the rim anyway.

Have funn, and always buy more ammo!

 

[nathan]

Mosin a tough like the T54 tanks . They go and go and go. Dont forget to run hot water down the barrel to wash off the corrosive salts. I love my Mosin 44 , best gun bought for only $100 new in wrap.