Mosin Nagant as First Rifle?

[AZJ0SH]

I have been shooting since I was a kid, but never owned any of my own rifles, and I am looking to pick up something I can take out for target shooting this summer that won't break the bank, and will most importantly show me how to properly care for a gun.

I am considering the Mosin Nagant 91/30 from Big5, they have it for $99 again this week. I did have a few questions from the research I did:

1. Corrosive Ammo - as long as I clean my rifle after each use at the range, will I run into any long term problems? I see some people use windex, my dad said never pour anything but gun cleaner down your bore, so im not sure who to believe.

2. Cost/Quality - I have seem that some guns were used in the wars, some were not, and this seems to effect the build quality. How do I make sure I am not buying a defective rifle?

3. Do you think I am making the right choice with the 91/30 as my first rifle? Like I said I have shot guns for years, but never owned one myself, and the last thing I want to buy is a .22.

 

[Cal-gun Fan]

Hi!
1. Don't use windex. What really gets rid of the corrosive salts is water. The only reason windex kind of works is that it is mostly water. So just use some hot water, then use your Hoppes and all that stuff.
2. Essentially, you want to look at the bore. Do you have a bore light? If not then just take the bolt out and angle it up at a ceiling light or something.
3. Mmm...I don't know. I love my 91/30, but right now its a collector's piece (shoots dead on but 8 inches high). They can have a host of issues like sticky bolt that are fixable but can be a pain in the ass. Recoil from the bench is substantial but not as much as a 30-06 or something.
Its worth it. For value/price ratio it is amazing. Ammo is cheap too.
See if you can find someone with one to try first.

 

[montanaoffroader]

Corrosive ammo isn't a problem as long as you clean immediately after shooting. I have put many rounds of corrosive downrange with no ill effects. Whether you use water, Windex or Hoppes #9, what's important is when you clean it, not so much what you use.

The main difference between wartime production and earlier models is the finish. The wartime models are rougher, with a few shortcuts taken to speed production, nothing that compromises safety. My nephew's 1942 shows obvious tooling marks, while my 1938 is fairly nicely finished. Most of these have been arsenal rebuilt and are perfectly safe to shoot. If you are worried about it, you can have a gunsmith check it before firing it.

As far as a first rifle goes, the only one who can decide if it's right for you is you. I really like my 91/30, and for $99 you can't beat the price.

 

[jpwilly]

Look very carefully at the bore of the rifles some are very pitted and worn even counter drilled to recrown them. Get one with the best bore possible. Everything else can usually be worked on or fixed.

1. Corrosive Ammo - as long as I clean my rifle after each use at the range, will I run into any long term problems? I see some people use windex, my dad said never pour anything but gun cleaner down your bore, so im not sure who to believe.

Warm water then followed up by a normal cleaning.

2. Cost/Quality - I have seem that some guns were used in the wars, some were not, and this seems to effect the build quality. How do I make sure I am not buying a defective rifle?

They aren't defective the finish quality went down (understandably) as their concern changed to wartime production numbers some corners get cut. The rifles still function and shoot the same.

3. Do you think I am making the right choice with the 91/30 as my first rifle? Like I said I have shot guns for years, but never owned one myself, and the last thing I want to buy is a .22.

Absolutely, provided you understand what they are and are not you should be very happy with one and have a lot of fun shooting it. First 98% of them aren't target rifles between the rifle and the old surplus ammo you will not have a MOA rifle if you happy with 2 to 6 inch groups at 100yards than fine. Also if you're going to be shooting from a bench I prefer the longer 91/30. The shorter M44's and M38's have a much larger muzzle blast and harsher recoil. PS I have 5 of these things so if you don't want to take my word for it that's up to you.

 

[One-Time]

its the cheapest way and ammo to get into rifles you can use for miriad things

 

[Dr T]

Your prejudice against the 22 lr is unfortunate. At $20/500 rounds, it is far less expensive to shoot. They are highly versitile for plinking, target shooting, and small game. The ammo is easy to find and is non-corrosive. In general, they are accurate, simple and easy to clean. What they do not do is make big booms and kick like a mule (which both of my MN's happen to do). You will tend to shoot a 22 more and thus learn more about shooting.

As for safety: I have always found the safety of the MN very difficult to engage and disengage (So much so that the temptation is to always leave the safety off, but that means not chambering a round until I am ready to shoot. This makes some types of hunting a problem so my MNs are range queens).

If you want to think of a 22 as a "kid's gun", you would be absolutely right. I started with a 22 as a kid 50 years ago. However, two of the last three items I have added to my collection have been 22's.

The real question is whether you want a gun to use a lot, or an old, strongly built war horse with a lot of history.

It is difficult to make a mistake in buying a new 22. It is easier to make a mistake in buying a 50 to 115 year old MN (the receiver of one of MN's was built in 1898, the other in 1927).

If your heart is set on a MN, I can understand. But you have to understand that it may not do everything you want it to do. And, make sure the seller checks the headspace.

 

[RickMD]

I agree with Dr T. A M/N is a poor choice for a first rifle for a beginning shooter. Buy yourself a decent used .22 and learn to shoot it and care for it. Once you learn how to safely shoot you can buy anything that you like. Remember, all those old battle rifles aren't the bargains they appear to be. Why do you think they sell them for $99?

 

[skidooman603]

Ok I will play devil's advocate and say "It would not be my choice for anyone's first rifle"
Reasons being..Most kick like a mule and could develope you a nasty flinch problem..Most of the triggers in the MN are like a rusty barn door hinge and a nasty trigger can be a frustration when you are trying to develope into a rifleman. Yes I know you could have trigger work done on it to make it OK.
On the upside the price on them is right..But if you are looking for a shooter's rifle to make you a better rifleman..I would look elsewhere.JMHO

 

[GoWolfpack]

If you're purpose is simply to buy a boomstick, can't do much better than a 91/30. Just about the lowest cost of ownership beyond a .22 there is. The chief positives are that ammunition and rifles are both cheap, and they make a big boom. If that satisfies your requirements, then go forth and purchase. Check the condition of the bore with a light, and if the bore looks good then buy it and make noise.

Shooting a Mosin exclusively will most likely not make you a better rifle shooter.

 

[USAF_Vet]

You say you've been shooting since you were a kid, so I assume you know the fundamentals of care and cleaning. "Getting used to recoil" is something I think a child may need to do, but if you're an experienced shooter, getting used to recoil in my opinion means being prepared for / not afraid of the recoil.

A Mosin is a good rifle for any shooter with experience, taking the financial plunge into their first rifle.

Windex is essentially soapy water. What do you use to clean just about anything? Soapy water. Windex is not essential, but it's convenient, common and fits the bill. The two part can that came with my M-N is half windex, half oil. Small bottle of CLP is in the cleaning kit as well. With that, I'm G2G.

Yes, ammo is corrosive. As long as you clean your rifle within a day or two, the gun will likely outlast you.

Quality... yes there are some lower quality Mosins out there. If you can get a hex receiver, you may pay more, but I have found overall quality with earlier rifles to be better than the prewar and mid war rifles.

Buy the Mosin if that's what you want. I find myself taking my .22 to the range more often than my Mosin Nagants, and I don't shoot the Mosins much when they do go to the range. Cost per bullet, nothing beats the .22LR. I get great satisfaction shooting my M-44, but the .22 gets more range time. YMMV.

 

[jmstevens2]

My thought is, they are not going to get cheaper. Get it. Ammo too. Then get a .22 and shoot the heck out of it. Get the kinks worked out of the Mosin and increase it's use as you want to.
IMO

 

[chas08]

I just can't warm up to the Mosin Nagant. I looked at them a while back when the local Cabelas had a few hundred of them for sale for about $100. They were flying off the rack, with some folks buying them in multiples. They have no appeal to me, so I wouldn't recomend it to someone for a first rifle. And there is always the "junk factor", the possibility that the one you buy is a problematic POS and the one that sat right next to it was fine. Buy a new or lightly used sporting arm in a popular low priced caliber (.308, 30/06...etc) and be done with it.

 

[leadcounsel]

It was designed to use corrosive ammo. Just clean it afterward.

Probably the best rifle you can get for $100 (except for the occassional steal of a deal rifles that are rare). Just buy it and a few tins of ammo. It'll likely live longer than your grandkids. And that much ammo will likely last your lifetime too.

If you hate it or whatever, you're only out a couple hundred bucks and you could easily recoup most of your investment in about a day if you resell it. And frankly the MN are going UP in price...

 

[lucky-gunner]

If you don't want to get a Rimfire. The Mosin is going to be the cheapest to shoot a lot. I would warn you that the recoil is stout. So as long as you go into it with that knowledge, you should be fine. After you shoot your Mosin a bit you might want to take a look at a .22 or AR-15 are relatively cheap to feed for a center fire.

 

[almherdfan]

Not a good choice for a first rifle. It doesn't do optics very well. It has significant recoil, especially for bench shooting. It must be cleaned immediately after shooting. It's not terribly accurate (should be shoot with fixed bayonet).

A .22LR would be a better choice. You can find a good .22LR for about the same price. Ammo is much cheaper, even though 7.62x54r is pretty cheap for centerfire.

I shoot my MN 91/30 quite often--it's fun, but I wouldn't want it to be my only rifle. I'll keep my 10/22 over my MN.

If you have the $$, get a .22LR and a 91/30!

 

[mac66]

I think the MN is a terrible first rifle. The sights on them suck, the recoil is terrible, they are heavy, and cumbersome. Not really very cheap to shoot anymore. And yeah, I own three of them. It would just about be my last choice.

Pawn shop 22 i.e, Marlin 60, Ruger 10/22 or maybe a new Marlin 795 would be my first choice. Otherwise a pawn shop bolt, lever, pump or semi would fill the bill.

 

[DCoke]

As others have said, the M-N kicks like a mule...thing is, it was built to take such punishment, much more so than you. It is the easiest rifle to disassemble and clean in it's entirety...there is a history behind the rifle and the pre-1938 rifles tend to be better machined than those manufactured in a hurry and sent to the front during the war. For cost, the .22 is cheapest....if you want to just shoot targets that is. The M-N can be a great hunting gun as well as a paper-chaser. You can check out the rifle yourself if you feel confident enough to recognize and feel bolt issues or else have a gunsmith do it for you. I own 2 M-N's myself (will be passed on to my sons later) and have seen and fired other people's M-N's. It is what it is....a no-nonsense battle rifle that was built robustly with no wimpy firing pin and one that any peasant could build, fire and fix. If you get one, then just be sure to clean off the cosmoline by completely disassembling it. There are many people on here and videos on youtube to help you out if you need help in disassembly or re-assembly. People have turned their M-N's into sporters with some customized parts online. For the price it's hard to beat. Just remember the very first line in this msg I just typed......

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

Most satisfaction for dollar spent! You can lay a serious thump on about anything with it. for $99 bucks? Doubt it will be cheaper later. on corrosive primers hot water then regular cleaning. If water alone bugs you I would add a minute amount of dawn dish soap. water and oil
thing you know.

Also can see definite advantages to becoming familiar with 2 stage military trigger, sooner the better.

 

[deimos256]

My first purchase was a 1942 91/30 and I have never regretted it. They are cheap, the ammo is cheap, they are easy to disassemble, and are fairly accurate. I know with mine I had to spend some time removing copper fouling to get the groups to tighten up but as of right now I cant think of a better way to spend 100 beans on a firearm.

 

[goon]

As someone else said, get a .22 and the Mosin if at all possible.
And as others said, corrosive ammo isn't a big deal at all. Don't worry about that.

 

[thralldad]

MN does kick any worse than other bolt actions I've fired. I love mine!!

 

[Cosmoline]

The Mosins are great, durable rifles. But they're not like standard Remchesters most folks are used to. The safety is radically different, the trigger is different, the bolt is way different, the sights are different, it doesn't mount a scope too easily, and the ammo is rimmed. There are also a confusing number of models from different nations. If you like things a little different from the mainstream, it's a great rifle. Also if you are interested in history it's a very inexpensive way to experience part of it. But they do have their quirks. You'll get the most out of it if you take the time to learn about Mosins and go in with that knowledge.

 

[aprayinbear]

Love My 91/30!

First rifle?

I don't recall you saying what you wanted to do with the rifle. But if you want an inexpensive shooter that has a lot of history and was built to last, then the MN might not be a bad way to go. The Finnish mosins tend to be the most accurate, but my 1938 hex receiver really holds her own.

I shoot targets and tin just for fun and while it's true that the military surplus rounds pack quite a punch (and I wouldn't want to be torturing my shoulder shooting them a day long), I have found that the 7.62 x 54r cartridge is a perfect candidate for reduced target loads. I reload and shoot lead bullets in front of Red dot or Trail boss powders and get great accuracy with very little recoil. And out to 100 yards that combo hits dead center into the ten ring. Cost for my reloads is about $14 per 50. And if you choose to shoot corrosive ammo, clean-up is easy, you just can't put it off past a day or two.
And, when you buy a Mosin-Nagant you get other goodies like oiler, strap, cleaning and tool kit as well. There are also great hunting rounds available if that is your desire. Just for fun check out this Youtube video about the MN.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmVJYB3uDkc

So as you can see, contrary to what a few others have said, when you buy a MN you get much more then you paid for. They are cheap because so many of them were made, not because they are inferior firearms. And if you snoop around you can find one for well under $100 bucks. I suppose I am biased, but not without reason. A great deal is a great deal!

Whatever you go with...

Shoot safe, Shoot often, Shoot tens!

 

[leadchucker]

Most every Mosin Nagant out there has spent it's entire existence firing nothing but corrosive ammunition. Granted, more than a few have worn out barrels, but it's not from the potassium salt, it's from the thousands of rounds through them, and being cleaned roughly by illiterate peasant Russian soldiers.

Mosin Nagant. Inexpensive rifle, inexpensive ammunition, big boom, big flash, lotsa smoke, kicks like a mule. What's the down side?

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

If any of you guys have found a decent receiver sight, that doesnt fold spin or flip. I would sure like to hear about it. I am thinking about a marbles type dovetailed on striker knob. a la Krag. But I would hate to spend more for the sight than rifle.

My MN does thump pretty good, but not as hard as a mod 1894 Swede mauser Carbine, Did not see that coming!
mod 96 doe not do that.