mosin m28/30 rear sight help

[butcherboy]

hi, i have a finnish m28/30 with a rear sight like the one on the attached picture.

my question is: with the sight set at it most rear position it shoots good but very high. i shot at close range to test fire ( 50 yds). i read that the sight is set at 100's of meters : ie:set at "2" is 200meters. which is roughly 200-225yds.

so is the closet shot ( without hold under) 200 meters?

how would i go about shooting at 100yds. or even closer? i did paint the front sight and rear sight so i know the sight picture is excellent and i shot from a rest so minimal movement.

FYI: i dont want to put a scope on ( which would fix all the issues) as i already have modern rifles with scopes.

thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Your rifle and its sights where designed with the 'military battle rifle' mind set, the sights start at 200m, and for the cartridge the rifle uses, there is but a slight difference in trajectory between 100m and 200m, in other words the difference is so minuscule that it makes no appreciable difference...for a battle rifle that was designed for 'minute of torso', on the battle field.

I think, IIRC, there is an inch or so difference in trajectory between 100m and 200m with military issue ammo that rifle uses.

Shoot it at 100y/m and see what it does.

The trajectory difference between 50m and 200m is large, make a note of the difference and devote the information to memory, or attach the trajectory data to the rifle for future access.

Even with a scope zeroed at 200m, the difference between 50m and 200m will be large, there is no way of getting around that... short of zeroing at 100m with a scope.

 

[Cosmoline]

The best fix if you want to shoot lower is to get a higher front sight. The Finns made a number of front sights of different heights. I believe they are coded with little numbers. Check the collector's forum for alternate sights for sale. Post a WTB ad and someone usually has some. If you can find one for the M28/30 sights you can just swap it out easily.

Or you can just get the MOJO sights. The m39 sights they make will also fit the M28-30. I use them and really like them. They're ideal for hunting. With the double aperture you just look right through both sights to your target. Installation was easy and I only had to do a little filing of the adjustment screw once my zero was set.

In the field they just aimed for the belly button when the Russians got that close.

 

[butcherboy]

thanks for the info. im going to try at 100yds and go from there. ( its windy and cold in NY so i'll have to wait till the weekend.) i do shoot in the wind and snow once i know where my rifle shoots.


i know its a little off topic, but how far can you realistically hunt with a 7.62x54 with original iron sights? 300-400 yds? my main use for this gun would be shots over 200yds. i use a 243 or 3/30 for 200 and under.

also, what could you hunt with it, besides deer?

thanks

 

[Uncle Mike]

Think of the 7.62X54 as being comparable to the 30-06, of course we're talking with bullets designed for hunting and not the 'ball' ammo used in the surplus ammunition.

 

[Cosmoline]

You can use the tangent notch-and-post iron sights out to 300 meters and beyond, but that assumes your vision is clear and your eyes young enough to deal with them. I find I'm a lot less good with them now than I was ten years ago. The Mojos are a lot easier to deal with.

To really explore the full potential of 54R as a hunting round you need to handload. If you have the proper weight and design of bullet it can take whatever a .30'06 can.

 

[nathan]

Max distance for me open sight will be 200 yds, if i have to take that one and only shot. And that would be open country setting. . But if its thick woods with some opening, I may limit my shots to 100 at most. If its really thick brush then less than 75 yds .

 

[butcherboy]

update: just sighted in yesterday. i ended up with a maximum distance of 100yds. based on my shooting ability and vision.

rear notch is set at 25yds, also have a notch for 50, 75 and 100yds.
i know the gun and ammo combo will do 150 and 200yds easily but i cant right now.

i'll probably end up getting a mojo sight in the near future. but for know im happy with 100yds.

 

[caribou]

Butcher boy, you may need to know that the finns held a '6'oclock hlod with their sights, imposint the tsrget apon the front sight, rather than placing the front sight on the target.
The difference being that anyone whos used to shooting with the front sight on the target will have higher placed 'hits" (or misses)

yo can very wel hunt you brains out with that rifle as it is. if laws say so, then buy soft point hunting ammo, get some more paractise and get to it

The M-28/30 and M-39's are seriously the most accurate Mosin's I now of, the M-28/30 being the Civil Guards rifle and the M-39 being the armys version.

if you need the Mojos for hunting, fine. just dont toss any parts to such a valuable, as is , rifle .

Keep practising, it'll only get better.

 

[butcherboy]

caribou:

i have it set at those distance with 6'oclock hold. just like my handguns.

a buddy of mine makes front sights for everyone at the gun club. so i sight in with his custom sights and keep the original as is.he makes them from bar stock and only charges $1 a sight ( or same price as beer at club) so i have a handful to sight with.

and i did check with dec/game warden i can legally use FMJ but i prefer SP, fmj do work great on woodchucks.

 

[caribou]

Well, very good on the sights, it sound like your gonna be shooting that rifle soon

Just had to give you aheads up on that hold, it helps alotta "high shooting Mosins"

As well, Cosmo mentions the higer front sights the Finns made, numberd according to height, like 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0 ect, and the number on the front sight is usually duplicate on the barrel right behind the front sight, the height the armorers set when it was inspected and passed from the armory.