Mosin Nagant ?'s Advice needed

Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

zerobarrier

Contributing Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
792
Location
Houston, TX
Hello,

I am considering getting a bolt action rifle that I can use for target shooting from 100-300 yards. I saw these two rifles and really like the look of them but I know nothing about mosin's. Can anyone tell me if these are nice rifles and if the price is too much for them. They are on GB and here is the link:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=403537750

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=398008206

Any opinions, thoughts, or advice are welcome. For the same price should I just get a Rem 700?

Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
Just cause someone did all that crap to it does NOT mean that it will shoot any better than my Milsurp M44 that bought for $100.

If I was looking to get another I would spend some time at Big 5 and Cabellas with a bore light and my pocket knife cutting quick ties off till found one that suited me. If Big 5 does not use quick ties for the ones in boxes that may be the way to go instead of dealing with the _____heads at Cabellas.

I bought a Uberti Walker from Cabellas but I opened up five boxes till I found one that suited me.
 
A dressed up Mosin is still just a Mosin at the end of the day. If I was going to spend more than $150 on a rifle, I'd be aiming for something OTHER than a Mosin, like something alonmg the lines of Ruger's American. That said, I have somehat of a bias against Mosins, and have always found other guns more deserving of my attention. *Some* are great shooters from what I understand, but I'd rather have a rifle that routinely shoots MOA or thereabouts with little to no work on my end of things. I'd rather spend $300 on a rifle I can shoot tiny groups with out of the box than taking a $150gamble on a rifle that might shoot 6 in groups at 100 yards. For the prices asked of these "customized" Mosins, you could have a quality bolt gun from any of the major manufacturers, have factory support if you need it, have a more accurate rifle, etc. A bubba'd Mosin is still a Mosin no matter how you look at it. As Butthead once famously said "You can't polish a turd" and throwing $700-800 worth of accessories on a rifles doesn't change what it is at its core....a $150 mil-surp rifle that may or may not shoot to your expectations
 
For that price, you're better off finding a Finn Mosin, like a Tikka 91/30, that'll impress you accuracy wise without being a hackjob.
 
I would stay away from those like the plague!

If you want a Mosin that's fine, but I wouldn't spend more than $140 on a 91/30. I would actually feel like I'm over paying at $140. For the money they're asking for those "polished turds" you can get one heck of a good rifle and a quality optic. For instance, I have about $1100 in a Savage PC .308 with DNZ one piece mount, Nikon Monarch 4-16x44, Caldwell bipod and sling. Do a quick scan of Rifle Country and you can find 20 rifles better suited and better priced. Research some of those, they will serve you much better.

I would never consider a Mosin a target rifle. More of a truck gun.
 
I had these same thoughts but I wanted to ask people who know about mosin's. Maybe I will just keep looking at Rem 700 and Savage's. I just thought these were a little unusual and out of the ordinary - that's why I was considering them.
 
They are fun to shoot and cheap ammo but thats far as it goes not what you want it for like they said 100 $ gun
 
My mosin is like a bottom of the barrel import from cabelas. But its also a freaking reliable tack driver. I paid like $149 for it and bought 880 rounds of spam can ammo. Find a cheap one in good condition and never look back.
 
At first I thought you where joking. Both of those look like money pits that someone is trying to unload. One inherent problem with Mosin Nagant accuracy is the bolt. It's a sloppy by design. This is one of the reasons almost any Mauser will out shoot any Mosin. Even with a replacement barrel you still have the sloppy fit of the bolt.
You can achieve better results with a Savage and work up from there.
I enjoy Mosin Nagant rifles but they are what they are.
 
Um, no.

For those prices, even half those prices, those rifles don't even make it onto my top 50 list.

Are you liking the look of those? ...Cause you'll find that there are numerous options that will do pretty much everything better.
 
I am currently building a sporterized mosin 91/30. As stock service rifles they do not have much appeal but they are a great way to start into gun building. After optics I will probably have over $800 into mine. It has already been said that you can buy a new fine rifle for that kind of money which is true. But I love to tinker and you cannot put a price on knowledge. Whatever you plan on doing i would not touch either of those over priced mosins.
 
What is this BS about Mosin Nagant? Aren't they old military rifles that have fought in 2 wars and saw a lot of use with corrosive primers. And to get a spam can of russian made ammo, that is old enough to be considered prehistoric and claim it is a tack driver.
How big is your tack? about the size of a wash tub?
I have seen a least a half dozen of these rifles at my range being shot, and there wasn't one that hit the bullseye, in fact most had trouble hitting a 12 X 12 target paper at 100yds.
Now I know that in WWII a russian soldier has the most kills ever achieved. But one has to realize that in Russia, much of the fighting occurred in the forest. They weren't required to make long range shots like we know today in the mountains of Afghanistan or Iraq.
I can only think that it's a case that one mans junk is another mans treasure. I would really appreciate some who will explain what is all about.












/














/
 
You would be crazy to pay that much for a Mosin. You could buy a really nice rifle for that price. If it is a Mosin you want, just buy a regular one for $100, otherwise buy an actual nice rifle.
 
I saw a crate of them in a gun store and they were 189.00 each and everyone said they could find them online for less...

Russellc
 
Both make an point of mentioning that there's lots of cheap ammo for these rifles. But this totally ignores the simple fact that if you spend that much money for new match grade barrels that you would NEVER put milsurp ammo down the bores. You'd be loading your own match grade ammo using your match grade reloading setup if you expect to get match grade performance from that ammo out of your match grade barrel.

As much as I love my own Mosins those two project rifles just made me wonder why folks would bother other than as a labour of love. And when you do stuff like this you pretty much write off the cost since you KNOW you'll be lucky to get back two bits on the buck in the end. Seems like they are trying to get more than their cost out of the job. I'd be surprised if either sells for the asking price.
 
Mr 2 Feathers: I think you witnesed folks who likely had little practice with their weapons. I would not call a 91/30 a tack driver but it is much more accurate than your description. I can regularly ring a 26" x 32" steel gong at 560 yards with all of mine and well as causing great entertainment by exploding water filled half gallon milk jugs at 100 yards. I think that is better than a 12" X 12" target....... It is not going to put all the shots in the same hole but at 200 yards you are going to be just as dead.....
 
Mosin Nagant

:D I own a MN M38 and have had it for 6 years. I really like it and it will shoot a 2 inch group at 100 yards with my handloads. It is not a tack driver and I don't expect it to be it is what it is. I like to tinker with it. I have done a trigger job and shimed the action. I refinished the stock and made it look better,but to me it is still a $150.00 gun and that's Ok with me.there is no way I would invest $800.00 in a Mosin. I love mine but it's a truck gun for fun.
 
It is nice to appreciate all the work someone puts into a rifle like the Mosin to make it a tack driver. But not much of that work can't be done yourself.

Mosin: 100-150
Scout rail: 40-80
Stock: 80-150
Trigger: 90
Scope: 100-as high as you want

High end you are looking at about $600, about half the asking price of those auctions. If you have a yearning to spend that full 1K, use the rest on some reloading equipment to setup some handloads.
 
My first mosin was a finnish M39. This is about the height of Nagant development other than the Finnish sniper rifles and target rifles which are really nice, It shoots really well with surplus and handloads. I also have a WW2 sniper Izzy Mfr. That can drive nails, literally.:D I hunt with these two rifles, delightful. I have owned a pile of Russian MN M91/30 M44 and M38. I like them. Powerful, inexpensive to shoot and fun, sometimes accurate, lotta times NOT.:uhoh: Bore condition, trigger and bedding are critical to accuracy. The last two can be cured by a little tinkering, but the barrel has to be decent, preferably really nice. But I have seen junkers surprise me, and nice barreled ones disappoint. The Finnish rifles usually shoot well. As do snipers.:) If your going to mess with Mosins, I recommend starting there. If you WANT to goof around with the Russian ones, THEN there are blogs dedicated to making them shoot. You Tube has LOTS and LOTS of videos on how too's as well. There is some magic to having an old army rifle with inexpensive ammo that shoots well enough to merit attention at the range, I get that. But it can be an elusive weasel to catch. For the money of those two rifles, you could buy several K31's , Mausers, 1903 Springer, a REALLY nice Garand (check CMP) :D OR if all you really want is a scoped sporter to plink at distance and hunt with, there are literally TONS of those right after hunting season and tax season , LOL at least in my area. Just my honest experience. I LOVE these guns, their history etc, but I am realistic what to expect out of the box with these Russian M91/30's. PATIENCE as always. especially with Mosins is a real virtue. CAREFUL selection is key. Once you have found your Gem Stone you will laugh forever. :D YMMV have fun!
 
There will always be the guy who will pay almost full price for one of those project guns.
They like the concept, but neither have the time or the means to do the work themselves.
And there is always the guys with more money then common sense, that think that style and LOOKS dictates performance.
 
If you are more interested in tight groups at 300 yards, a Savage 110 or Remington 700 with a good scope is probably a better choice, as good ammo is much more readily available, and you can get one of those plus a scope plus ammo for less money than either of those.

I own a Mosin (1942 Finnish VKT M39 built on a 1905 hex receiver) and while it's decently accurate with iron sights (under 2" at 100 yards, best group ever is 1 3/8"), it is of more interest as a historical artifact that I can shoot rather than as a fun target rifle. To me, modifying it to look like a Remington 700 tactical would take away some of its charm; if I want a tactical precision rifle or a benchrest rifle then starting with a different platform would seem to me to make more sense.

So my advice would be to get a new-production rifle for hitting things and look for a cheap M44 or M91/30 for the historical angle, unless you really want something different.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
DP28 Semi-Auto 7.62x54
Replies
5
Views
471
Googleplex
G
J
  • Locked
Proof that prices are coming back down!
Replies
1
Views
535
spartand003
S
Z
  • Locked
300 Win mag or 6.5 creedmoor
2
Replies
45
Views
26K
LocoGringo
L
P
  • Locked
mosin nagant sniper model???
Replies
11
Views
2K
akolleth
A
Z
  • Locked
Funny find on GB today...
Replies
6
Views
842
blakeci
B
Back
Top