Hunting with a Mosin Nagant

[waidmann]

One of the problems I noticed with M 91's and similar was a lack of consistency in caliber, nominally .311 but....... Once upon a time I was reseating .311 Speer bullets in Chinese cases, using the original ball powder, which I hand weighed for consistency. Granted I had a Finn capture with a Sako barrel, but it would do quite well with iron sights.

I would slug the ball to determine the true diameter then try a hunting soft point in .311 or .312 as indicated. You can still get a Lee (kitchen table) kit for the 7.62X54R for a nominal price.

Or, take a chance and try Wolf or similar soft points.

I consider .30-06, .303 Brit, 8X57, and 7.7 Jap in similar class. The rifles do differ greatly.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I guess if I was broke and didn't already have two Remington bolt guns in .308 and .257 Roberts, a Savage 110 in 7 mag, assorted old Mil Surp stuff I got just because, a .357 lever action, three BP rifles including one inline with a scope, and not mentioning my hunting handguns and bows, well, I might be interested in Mosins. They ARE cheap, but then I got this old 88 mauser that Hitler had converted to 8x57JS for 27 bucks back in the 70s. All I've ever killed with it is paper. I inherited one of those Remingtons and it's all I've ever really needed....just like rifles. But, heck yeah, if it worked in war, why couldn't you kill game with it? Goofy notion that it wouldn't work IMHO, so long as I can get proper hunting ammo.

 

[caribou]

Use an M-39 on that Hunt, MCgunner, you wont be dissapointed.

'Solids' are the Hunters FMJ, used quite a bit in Africa I hear tell.

 

[toivo]

Yeah, the Enemy at the Gates rifles are 91/30's, not M38's. But maybe you don't want that big long barrel. My only Mosins are two Finn M39's. They are more expensive than your run-of-the-mill Mosins, but they are really nice. The source for these is here:

http://gunsnammo.com/

It looks like they have only some cherry ones for high prices right now, but keep checking back. They often have 40%-ish shooters for $250 or so.

On the Mosin safety: yes, it's very "positive" and takes a bit of muscle to operate. However, you can practice with it until it's second-nature. The upside is that it isn't going to come off by accident.

I could be wrong (it has happened before ) but I believe that if you let the Mosin safety slip while putting it on or off, the rifle will not fire: the action is cocked and the firing pin is not forward. Unless of course you do it with your finger on the trigger. Still, I would make sure the rifle is pointed in a safe direction when operating the safety -- and all the rest of time too, just like you're supposed to.

 

[MCgunner]

'Solids' are the Hunters FMJ, used quite a bit in Africa I hear tell.

Yeah, well, we ain't got no elephants in Texas, except the zoo.

Only whitetail I ever had walk more'n a few steps when hit with a 117 grain soft point out of my .257 Roberts (Hornady Interloc) was a failure of the bullet to expand. It went right though his chest and he went a good 100 yards before falling in HEAVY cover and danged little blood to trail. I just stumbled upon him. I switched back to Sierra bullets for whitetail hunting with that rifle for the reliable expansion.

Now, out there on the tundra where you can see for 128.5 miles......just jump on your snow mo and chase him 'til he drops. ROFL Well, it's a bit easier to see where he drops. Getting to him might still be a hassle, I reckon. Woods or brush country, if he doesn't fall DRT, I want a good blood trail to follow him with, big exit wound. Of course, break the shoulder and not to worry. Also depends on the shot, I reckon, whether the FMJ will drop him quick or not. I just have a bias toward expanding bullets. Barnes bullets are fantastic, virtually flawless expansion AND penetration. Of course, I hand load 'em, too expensive to buy in factory ammo, and I shoot tailored loads in all my rifles except my old SKS which ain't accurate enough to justify the time and for which good ammo (wolf 154SP) is readily available via midwayusa.com. Besides, that thing chunks brass all over hell's half acre.

 

[kingcheese]

first up, the m38 was not made in a sniper varient, so buy a 91/30 with a pu scope

second, squirrel should be the main thing you hunt... but elephant would be more apropriate for a target

 

[Jbabbler]

I have a few Mosins but I hunt with this one. It has proven accurate, reliable and fun. I have only had it a little while but the boar I shot with it last year dropped like a sack of potatoes.

 

[Cob]

nice rifle Jbabbler... has the barrel been shortened?

 

[kingcheese]

czech silvertip ammo is what is know as lightball, and it has a steel core, it is good ammo, has good accuracy, makes more power then most other loads, but it is technically armour piercing, and not legal to hunt with every where you go, if you can use fmj, and are using milsurp ammo, then you should check out what exactly you got

 

[Jbabbler]

nice rifle Jbabbler... has the barrel been shortened?

Thanks. I actually bought the rifle this way. It was used in a movie and i bought it from the production company afterward. It's an early import 91/30 with no import markings. The stock is a Reinhart Fajen. It is a pleasure to shoot.

 

[shiftyer1]

Thats exactly what I want to do to mine, except I want a front site. I love it

 

[ahusk93]

i think that the 7.62x54r round is a perfectly able medium size game hunting round and probably adequate for larger game with the proper bullet weight

 

[Gunnerboy]

I let a buddy of mine use a mosin nagant on a bear hunt and i can truely say its the toughest bolt action ive ever seen that idiot put it on a cart and was pulling the cart behind him well the rifle fell off and make a long story short got ran over by a road grader. the rifle still shoots great everything works only damage was a stratch in the metal and a rock or 2 stuck in the stock