I have 29 Mosin Nagant rifles and only one has the aftermarket sn stamped on the receiver. The rule of thumb I have been told and gone by is NEW receivers don't have a mark under the tang. My NEW doesn't and my 43 Tikka 91/30 doesn't. All of the others have the maker and year stamped on the tang. My bound book has the barrel sn listed and it passed muster with the ATF. Don't sweat the sn. Unless, you live in a state where the rifle has to be registered. As posted above, buy one and try it out. Mosin Nagants are like Lays potato chips......chris3
If I decided to buy a 91/30 Moisen Nagant, what should I buy??
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Ash
Member
I have round receiver Mosins with nothing stamped under the tang.
Centurian22
Member
I must have really lucked out with my 42 Tula. It's got a counterbored muzzle and still has no problem consistently picking off clays on the 100 yard berm with surplus ammo, it also didn't have the issue of the high point of aim.
Plenty of options and plenty of fun to be had with Mosins jump on in!
Plenty of options and plenty of fun to be had with Mosins jump on in!
Reading all the good things you have all said here about mosins has made me want one. I went to the Palmetto State Armory Store here and they had one that looked to be in good shape for $149. The sales clerk also said they had 60 more in the back some in the $75-90 price range. Everyone keeps mentioning Counterbore and Muzzle Crown. How do I look at a Mosin and tell if these are ok or a problem. These terms are new to me and some definition of them would be appreicated. For instance what is a Muzzle Crown and how does it affect accuracy. What is counterbore and how can you look at a mosin and tell if it has or has not been counterbored. Thanks for your input.
Jlr2267
Member
TomJones was that one of the Columbia stores or the Greenville store?
Anyways, the crown is the tip of the muzzle (the business end of the barrel). Normally, the end is rounded (crowned), uniform, and without knicks or dings. Damage there can cause slight disturbances in the bullet's stability(and thus path), causing inaccuracies.
A counter-bored barrel is one that was, literally, reemed out on the muzzle end to remove the last 1/2 inch or so of rifling, and hopefully the muzzle re-crowned. Sometimes they do a good job, other times not. You will know a counter-bored Mosin when you see one.
Jlr2267 thanks. and It was the New Greenville Store. I am tempted to have them drag a couple of $75-90 ones out and buy one of them if they are in good shape. They only had one on the floor and it looked really good to me. But I am new to Rifles so not the best judge of that.
Jlr2267
Member
Dangit I just left that store less than 2hrs ago. If I knew they had Mosins in the back I would have had a look.
Jcinnb
Member
I have FINNS, Russians, and some shortened m-44s, the fireballer. As shooters the Finns are in a separate league, at least mine are.
I was in a gun show in Rowan County, NC this weekend. There I saw the best lookin 91/30 in the universe. Wish I had taken a picture. It was something like $175, gut it was poetry.
If I was looking to get a 91/30' I would try to treack down the vendor. He was in the middle of back wall.
Why did I not buy it. I don't like MNs, I am shooting Mausers for the most part now.
Good luck.
I was in a gun show in Rowan County, NC this weekend. There I saw the best lookin 91/30 in the universe. Wish I had taken a picture. It was something like $175, gut it was poetry.
If I was looking to get a 91/30' I would try to treack down the vendor. He was in the middle of back wall.
Why did I not buy it. I don't like MNs, I am shooting Mausers for the most part now.
Good luck.
krupparms
Member
I picked up a model 44 back some years ago. It was a horrible example of a M.N.! All beat up with the stock looking like it had been a puzzle for someone who then used a bucket of glue to hold it together! But it worked & shot fine! I bought some ammunition & put it up. Then about a year later I found a 91/30, Russian made in 1943.And it looked like they had put it into storage after that. I paid about $160 for it I think. It has shot under 5" at 300 yards useing surplus ammunition. & under 3" w / better ammunition at that range. It is fun to shoot the rifle. But that carbine is a little much for it to be a fun gun! The rifle with good loads would also work for deer, elk and bear around here. Good luck finding the right one for you! Am thinking of useing rifle for a project gun with a new stock & other new parts. Something to do over the winter!
caribou
Member
Ash, I just gotta note here, particularly to you for your post , that I once won 50$ because the "first M-16" in the U.S. Arsenal was a Mosin Nagant !! ~~LOL!!~~
Dont forget the pistol grip type stock on the majority of M-39's (at least after the first 7,000 straight stock'd) that makes its "feel" that much better.
To the OP, Id sugesst the 91/30 trigger/barrel check and go from there........... Actually, I check those two first on any rifle.
Dont forget the pistol grip type stock on the majority of M-39's (at least after the first 7,000 straight stock'd) that makes its "feel" that much better.
To the OP, Id sugesst the 91/30 trigger/barrel check and go from there........... Actually, I check those two first on any rifle.
LAGS
Member
@ Caribou
The M-39 is what they call a " C " stock because of the shape of the wrist and grip.
I build a True Pistop grip style stock for the Mosin Nagants that I call the AKMN.
It takes a lot of the recoil out of them and makes them swing to your sholder really fast with either the open sights or the scope.
Once I figure out how to post pictures on this site, I will let you see what I am talking about.
The one I still have , I have cut the barrel down to 20" and the recoil is way more managible than my M-53 pr M-44
The M-39 is what they call a " C " stock because of the shape of the wrist and grip.
I build a True Pistop grip style stock for the Mosin Nagants that I call the AKMN.
It takes a lot of the recoil out of them and makes them swing to your sholder really fast with either the open sights or the scope.
Once I figure out how to post pictures on this site, I will let you see what I am talking about.
The one I still have , I have cut the barrel down to 20" and the recoil is way more managible than my M-53 pr M-44
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Ash
Member
Ah, Caribou, I'll have to remember that one.
I bought a 91/30 at a local gun show. There were 20+ to pick from and I grabbed the one which looked the nicest and had the cleanest bore and muzzle. Paid $99 a couple years ago. It is not a tack driver but it is more than adequate for deer hunting or range fun. Best gun purchase I ever made.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Like said above, I own a 91/30 and I like shooting it. My son owns a M44 and he also likes his rifle. One thing you need to know about the shorter Mosin Nagants, they are VERY LOUD! Really, they are loud. I have has several 91/30's over the years and the one I now own is the most accurate. In general it seems the rifles made between the wars are better made than those made during the wars. (of course) I also like the Hex receiver over the round.
If I had a choice to buy a Finn over a Russian rifle I would go with the Finn rifle. The Finn rifles are equipped with Sako barrel, a better trigger and some cool barrel bands too! lol
If I had a choice to buy a Finn over a Russian rifle I would go with the Finn rifle. The Finn rifles are equipped with Sako barrel, a better trigger and some cool barrel bands too! lol
LAGS
Member
If you think the M-44 is loud, try shooting a M N that has the barrel cut down to 17"
It also shoots a 2' flame out of the muzzle with military ammo.
It also shoots a 2' flame out of the muzzle with military ammo.
I think our OP is long gone, but with these old military rifles how well the shoot really depends on the last (X) years and how were treated.
The most nasty looking rifle can shoot like a dream, and the most beautiful one can have a sewer pipe for a barrel.
That aside if you are looking for that one to fill a hole in your collection you will usually take it as you are a collector.
The most nasty looking rifle can shoot like a dream, and the most beautiful one can have a sewer pipe for a barrel.
That aside if you are looking for that one to fill a hole in your collection you will usually take it as you are a collector.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Now that sounds like a Blast to shoot! (pun intended)
Please tell me you have pictures...
LAGS
Member
@ ArchAngelCD
The first time I took it to the range, a guy I sat down next to said:
You might want to move a couple benches down, I am shooting a 300 Win Mag an it has a really bad muzzle blast.
After I fired five shots, He got up and moved down five benches.
That rifle was sold a few years back, but I might build another again.
The Front sight and Bayonet Mount on a Circle 11 Polish M-44 would not come off and gauled the outside of the barrel when I used the dremmel to split it off.
So, I just cut the barrel and recrowned it.
A kid that was in the Army liked it so much and just had to have it.
The first time I took it to the range, a guy I sat down next to said:
You might want to move a couple benches down, I am shooting a 300 Win Mag an it has a really bad muzzle blast.
After I fired five shots, He got up and moved down five benches.
That rifle was sold a few years back, but I might build another again.
The Front sight and Bayonet Mount on a Circle 11 Polish M-44 would not come off and gauled the outside of the barrel when I used the dremmel to split it off.
So, I just cut the barrel and recrowned it.
A kid that was in the Army liked it so much and just had to have it.
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