Let's rave about the Mosin Nagant rifle

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I really wish I wouldn't have read this thread. I have never out much stock in the moisin, but now it looks I am going to have to pick one up here soon. I told myself after my last rifle that I wasn't going to buy any guns for a while. Guess that idea just went out the window ;)
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2M1hC4c0tc

Kind of explains how that little Finish sniper killed what about 800 Russians with one?:D

I don't own a MN yet, just a K31. But I'll probably buy a MN next. I like the older rifles, its like owning a little part of history. Plus they shoot pretty damn good for what they are if you buy a decent one and do your part.
 
I really think most of the mosin-fascination is due to its affordability.
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That's a big part of it. What other rifle can I buy two of for just over $100.00 shipping included ($102.00 to be exact.). They're Type 53 Mosins, a Chinese copy of the M-44. They were ROUGH when I got them, but cleaned up more or less. The other one looks just like this one.

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I've never shot them, but they're neat to have around. I'll have to buy some ammo for them one of these days.
 
The attraction to the Mosin, for me, is all about value. I bought each of these for well under 100 bucks, and each is a beautiful example of it's model.

Although they both shoot fine with mil-surp ammo, I could really care less how they shoot. They are fun to play with and I have plenty other options when real shootin' needs to be done.

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I really think most of the mosin-fascination is due to its affordability.
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Yep, cause put them on the market today for $700 from Remington and we'd all be bashing Remington for the clunky, inaccurate, pieces of crap they were producing. And, yes, I have a Mosin and love to shoot it too. Where else can you practice flying backwards and start a grass fire with the same load?
 
To me, Mosins are like trucks. I tell people to never buy one, because once you have had a Mosin (or a truck) you will never be able to go without one. I still have a car, and I still have some fancy guns, but I also have my old Silverado, and I have a couple of Mosins.

I was given a Finn a few years back, but about an hour ago I picked up an M38 in pretty decent condition. It is counter bored, but other than that, the rifling looks good. Not as shiny as I would like, but well defined lands and grooves. I am hoping to shoot it in the next couple of weeks. I really dont know why I like Mosins, had I not been given one, I would probably still not have shot one. Once I did, that little bug kicked in. I resisted for a while, but that M38 just seemed like something I had to have.
 
1953 Hungarian M91/30

Hello friends and neighbors // I like shooting the Mosin 91/30 7.62/54R better than my Remington 760 Game Master .30-06.
---- Because of $Dollars$ of cost difference in ammo.
----Shoot 10 rounds and you've gotten a good recoil fix.
----Tough,tough,tough except for a loose front sight. I doubled over a strip of duct tape :scrutiny:under sight and slid it on:D. I hope to find a few front sights at the Charlotte gun show this wkend. Maybe one will fit tightly and I won't need to solder this one.

Mosin Nagant Rifle
1953 Hungarian M91/30

Here are a few pics:
Our range is shooting down hill into freshly worked soil with burm behind target and a hill behind the trees.
5 Shots were taken from bench,with recoil pad and bayonet attached, using P.P. ammo, calm day at 100yards.
I am aiming at the white cross on a red field to the left of the punctures. Fired two, adjusted sights a bit and fired 3. No need to burn more ammo or shoulder till I get a proper front tight.
mosinrangeapril162010b.jpg mosinrangeapril162010c.jpg mosinrangeapril162010.jpg mosinrangeapril162010ruler.jpg

I am extremely satisfied with my $90.00 OTD rifles third time out to the range.
All I have done is clean it, no trigger or other work other than the duct tape.:D
 
Few years back I bought a MN 91/59 off my neighbor for 25 bucks. It had been bubba sporterized but cleaned up nice with a great bore, using hard cast boolits it is very accurate. I pseudo scouted it and is now my go to rifle, always with me in my old 85 full size Jimmy K-5 desert buggy.

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I hate to be a wet blanket, they are fun, cheap, durable, different, a nice piece of history and go bang but there really no big deal specifically because they also have the worst triggers ever encountered, terrible sights, a very difficult safety and are a pain to load. I have 6 of them as well.
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I don't have six of them, or even one, and the reason I don't is that I basically agree with the first sentence. I do have an M1917 Enfield, a G98 Mauser, and an SMLE. I plan on adding an M1903 Springfield and a Krag to my collection at some point. But the Mosin-Nagant is rifle I've never had any desire to own, despite having handled and shot a few. They are indeed durable and reliable, as well as capable of great accuracy, but ergonomically... ugh! Straight bolt handle that's too far forward, rough trigger, and horrible safety. Maybe I've been spoiled by the smooth, fast operating Lee-Enfield, but I just don't like them. I've read that the U.S. troops who were sent to Russia in response the Bolshevik revolution were issued Remington-made Mosin-Nagants (which some of them had trained with during basic training) so that their rifles could use locally obtainable ammo, and the doughboys, used to the Mauser-derived Springfields and M1917 Enfields did not like them one bit. I understand why.
 
I love my M44. It is like a time machine. I put it to my shoulder and I am back in WWII, maybe I'm shooting Soviets in the Winter War, or maybe I'm fighting the Nazi's house to house in Berlin. I know I must be crazy, but that carbine connects me with the past in a way no other firearm, even my SAAs do. I love it!

Now, a small, semi-rant about the criticisms I read about the Mosin safety. Safety, what safety? I thought you should never, ever, ever have a round chambered in a bolt action rifle unless you are ready to shoot. I think we've misinterpeted the Mosin safety, I think it must have been for cracking hard-shelled nuts or opening ration cans...
 
I have two Finns--here's my 1970:

30489X-2.jpg

For some reason, the Finns made some in '69--'70. Maybe getting rid of their stockpiles of old Mosin receivers. It's unfired, but it probably won't be forever. :D

I also have a 1943 that I shoot from time to time. In fact, it's about time to take it out. ;)
 
The Finnish M39 is the best bet to get a great shooter. The Mosin rifles and K98ks that were used by snipers were specially selected for accuracy.
 
If you live near Clarkesville, TN you can visit "TN Gun Country", just south of Ft. Campbell's Gate One.

Two-three weeks ago they had a crate of 91/30s in cosmoline, and looked excellent, better than any of our gun show 91/30s.
At "TGC" they were very tempting and a staffer told me that it was their fifth crate of these.
You might also check "Allen's", about two miles away.

We almost never see MNs in Memphis gun shops (it seems), other than some authentic Finns at a pawn shop on Summer Ave. last fall.

Lorenzo:
Yes. We should never close the bolts on ourguns until ready to destroy something. Have never needed to use the Mauser, Enfields' or Savage safety.
Sadly, I recently saw what looked like the head of a cottonmouth snake surface in the river (it was no turtle or fish) at 50', but he vanished :cuss: before I could load the Mauser.
 
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Say what you all wont about the ole brute, Russian snipers gave the Germans hell in WW2 with the ole ugly stick.
 
Just had my first range experience with a MN. After reading all of the threads about vicious recoil, I was pleasantly surprised. I've shot plenty of turkey loads and slugs from my 12ga and a 7.62x54r has FAR less recoil than either of those.

As far as accuracy, I only tested it out to 100 yards from a standing position and managed to get 10 shots within a 6" group. I plan on floating the barrel and seeing what that will do. Eventually I would like to put a scope on it. Any suggestions for a cheapo scope that will hold zero on this beast?
 
Mine is a 91/30. Says 1942 on the gun. I believe it's a russian one. The dealer said it's probably been restored in the 1960s. I'm trying to get it accurate for the 100 yard range by me. I just bought a shooting bag for the front of it. I shot it on thursday. I gotta set the rear sight on it the next time I go out. My local range is 39 miles away from me so I'm only gonna go shoot it once in a great while. I couldn't pass up that gun for about 140 with taxes at my local gun dealer. They had about 50 of them in stock It's been a hot seller there. I just bought it like on last monday. There was 2 other ones just like mine at the range on thursday and they even bought them at the same gun shop as me. Those 2 guys were shooting them at the 100 yard range. This is the 16th gun I owned. You can not beat them for the price. Ammo is only 4.99 for a bag of 20 rounds before taxes. That's for 147 grain ammo. My dealer stocks them. : )
 
Safety, what safety? I thought you should never, ever, ever have a round chambered in a bolt action rifle unless you are ready to shoot.
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That's not always true. You don't wait for a bear to show up before you chamber your round. Anyway, the safety is actually fantastic. If you do it right it's not difficult to engage. It's also the safest safety I know of, and one of the few I trust for the trail.

For some reason, the Finns made some in '69--'70. Maybe getting rid of their stockpiles of old Mosin receivers.
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The initial theory was that they were a "sneak" production after the Russians invade Czechoslovakia, thus the name "sneak." But that wasn't really true. There was no ban on Finns producing Mosins. However, it is likely they were built to resupply the arsenals at about that time. Over the decades attrition must have depleted the arsenals of M39's somewhat, so they ran some limited production to fill out the stacks. Some were used, but many were just dipped in cosmoline and left there. They didn't even get a finish on the wood. The M39's were kept in supply to use for reserve weapons just in case the Bear woke up again. It was the era of "Finlandization," when the Finns had to play a very delicate game. That's my theory anyway, but it's the only way it makes sense. If they were built for officer training, as some have suggested, why were so few even fired?

Whatever the story is, the late model M39's were just about the last production bolt action rifles for military use by a modern army--outside of specialty sniper rifles of course.
 
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I'll get a Mosin one of these days. The ammo and rifles are too cheap not to.

Unfortunately, all of the ones I've come across at Big 5 have been in horrible condition. :(
 
Hello friends and neighbors // Thanks Cosmoline, I just pulled the trigger the rifle is responsible for the other 99%. I'm just glad I got a good one.

Great youtube link Blue Brick. I had no idea there were women snipers shooting the mighty Mosin in WWII. I am not however removing my recoil pad to feel more manly, I,, uh,, need the extra stock length.

Lots of new info for me $25.00 Mosin, Un-fired Mosin from 69-70 , multiple scope options from post and pics, there is a safety on a Mosin:D (JK) my safety works fine.

I'd like to find a 1942 next then maybe a true sniper.
Question: can you just buy a sniper bolt? I don't "see" why not.
 
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