Mosin m91/30 Troubles

[M91/30]

Im having several problems with my m91/30 1942 izzy

Hitting high right 7in at 100 yards with good groupings 4in from freehand(brown bear 172gr)
I really don't know how to adjust the sights so any info is golden

I found a bullet down range(lucky) that appeared to be rubbing in areas other than the rifling. Pic attached

Rifle Info
Russian Izzy 1942 m91/30
All matching numbers
Counter-bored
Arsenal Refurbished

Ive free-floated the barrel
Polished the bolt
polished trigger contact points(about a 4-5lb pull now) very crisp
Refinished the stock(stained then sealed with gun finish)

If you need any pictures let me know

 

[tyeo098]

To adjust the windage, get a punch and a hammer, and 'drift' the front sight either right or left.

Not sure how to adjust elevation, mine was zero'd from Russia

 

[wrench]

If you're hitting too high, you have three options.
1. Different ammo-some bullet/powder combinations will shoot higher/lower than others.
2. Adjust your sight picture. If you're putting the front post in the center of the bullseye, try a 6 o'clock hold.
3. Taller front sight. On most Mosins, you can strip off a short piece of wire insulation or a black cocktail straw, shrink tubing, etc, and slip it onto your front sight post. Trim to adjust POI.
Also, try shooting from a bench with a solid rest, when trying to zero the sights. Good luck.

 

[caribou]

Try resting your rifle and shooting, freehand may be why your pulling right.

Try shooting 148 grain "light Ball", as that what the sights are set for.
Set your target apon the front sight, it's is the "6 'oclock hold" described, rather than placing the front sight on the target. The Russians and the Finns sighted that way.

Drifting the front sight for windage will center your shots, raising or lowering the hight of the front sight will adjust your Point of impact.

Your bullet loooks fine, it rubs on the lands and grooves as it speeds down the barrel. Theres full contact when the bullet is forced from the chamber to the bore to engauge the rifleing.

 

[OYE]

All the above is good info. Would second the wire insulation ( from solid copper wire, 12 gauge ) fix for the front sight height if you need to add some. It fits tight enough that if protected by the hood, you can consider it "semi-permanent". A 4 inch group is generally
considered acceptable for any service rifle. Expect you can tighten that up some off a rest. Doesn't hurt to slug your bore, and also slug the last inch of the muzzle separately to see where you are at. Cheers

 

[mgkdrgn]

1) If you have a bayonet, try shooting with it attached ... see if it makes a difference. The rifle was designed to be used with it attached.
2) Try a lighter bullet. 7.62 x 54R is also used as a machine gun round, and lots of the surplus ammo is machine gun ammo (heavy ball). It goes "bang" in the Mosin ... but it's not what it was meant for. Look for "light ball".
3) Reload. NOW you can fiddle with the loads until you find one -your- Mosin likes ... and you will be shooting non-corrosive rounds. win-win

 

[M91/30]

Thanks everyone for the great info.
I will give it a shot, hopefully ill get it dead on.
I need a rifle that i could survive ww3 with.
Also dose anybody have idea for sight painting?
Just a little so i can quickly acquire my target,
I have a bucket of various enamel paints but hoppes9 eats it...
Sealants? And finnaly if anyone knows any accuracy mods(non-bubba)
I greatly appreciate your ideas and thoughts.

One last thing, should i worry about that bullet? The rubbing between the rifling marks?

 

[WilliM1940]

I'm going to go out on a limb here. I'm guessing these are not rub marks but burn marks and when you slug your bore you will find it oversize. I've got a 1930 Tula which slugs .314 for the last foot at the bore and greater towards the chamber. There is no stock ammo which will fit this bore. You may have the same problem. Slug your bore to find out.

 

[caribou]

The Russians mesure the bore size as land to land, not grove to groove as we do, hence they say ".30 cal" and we mesure ".311 cal"

Stock Com block ammo is usually .311. As he barrel wears , the muzzel end is where wear shows first, often from improper use of a cleaninmg rod (not using the guide that keeps the steel rod off the rifeling.) or simple having shot Alotta bullets.

DO NOT worry about what your bullet looks like, its Normal if its the one you posted in the picture. The bullet touches the grooves as well as the lands, and the marks on the bullet look very normal. It is a 360' surface contact, and seals the propelling gasses behind the bullet. the other marks were made when the burning powder pushed the bullet outta the chamber and onto/into the lands and grooves.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

1) If you have a bayonet, try shooting with it attached ... see if it makes a difference. The rifle was designed to be used with it attached.

Yup, mine hits to the right without the bayo. If you think about it; the bayo is to the right of the bore, moving the CG of the rifle a little off center to the right, which will cause the rifle to rotate (ever so slightly) to the left on recoil.

Besides, the bayo just looks cool

I'd think the elevation may be the sights, my experience is that Brown/silver Bear 203gr hits low at 100yd. Try rested and see what it gives you.

4" at 100yd is darn good shooting offhand!

 

[writerinmo]

There is at least one guy making mosin front sight adjusting tools that are a little easier and more accurate to move the sight just a bit at a time, rather than trying to hold the rifle and punch and hammer... I see them on ebay from time to time, run around 16 bucks but takes offers too, not sure how low you can go and still get one.

I would try different ammos first off, I mostly shoot light ball surplus in mine, it shoots consistently high with Brown Bear too.

Have you slugged the bore yet? Mine came out to .311 but the bore was pristine and it hadn't been counterbored.

 

[M91/30]

Once again I greatly appreciate this opportunity to pick the brains of fellow shooters.

Alrighty im ordering a caliper tomorrow so ill have it slugged asap with 7.62x54r.nets method

But in the mean time i might hit the range with some more brown bear and maybe some czech bxn 87 and ill shoot bayonet attached.

Also when i first bought it i shot bulgarian heavy ball and that stuff was great, left the range with a limp shoulder and a target with 20 holes in close proximity.

And in regards to my grouping its funny cause with other rifles I have a hard time but the m91/30 is a perfect match to me. Idk my dad is a truely a great shooter so maybe i inherited something.

 

[Cosmoline]

Mojo sights are another option.

The only way to tell what the rifle likes is to try out a variety. They're all different.

Make sure your action screws are hand tight.

 

[M91/30]

Alright, the results are in!
I received my caliper today and the results are as follows

Slugged bore "slug" in inches
Grooves .303
Lands .314


I also finally got that pesky front site to move so it should be accurate soon.

 

[crazyivan]

For the elevation I took off the front sight and taped the post up from the bottom.

 

[plateshooter]

Elevation Issues

If you remove the front sight, you can push the sight pin down and out of the sight. There is a common nail that is the same diameter, with the head being the same size as the head on the front sight pin. Sorry, I don't know the part number of the nail, but I have a box of them around here somewhere. Cut the nail length to fill about 3/4 of the opening of the front sight base and the top of the hood. Get a small file, your favorite ammo, and go to the range. Your rifle will shoot low at first. File the front sight pin down until it shoots exactly where you want it to with your chosen ammo. I have done this on many MN rifles and it works great. You can put a bit of touch up blue on the pin, and you can't tell it from the original.