Cosmoline
Member
The latest Shooting Times has a great article pitting a 91/30 against a K-98k. It has some very detailed comparisons in everything from speed shooting to long distance and even some tactical shooting. The Mosin won the contest, though I know from experience the accuracy for that particular 91/30 was unusually good and it sounds like the K98 was a bit of a dog. The 91/30 was a nice pre-war Tula and the K98 was a Russian capture with what sounds like a sticking bolt. I believe the test would have been a bit more fair if he'd had a spectrum of three or five rifles from each class.
But with that reservation the article is well worth reading, and gives the most detailed analysis of ammunition speeds and performce for each rifle I've ever seen. The author's general comments jibe with my own experiences with each rifle. It's certainly worthwhile reading for anyone who has relegated the Mosin design to the wall hanger heap.
I agree with the basic "mosin wins" result, but for somewhat different reasons. On average Mausers are more accurate than Mosins, though there are wide variations within each class. What I've found more helpful is that Mosin parts are almost universally interchangeable (with some Finn execptions) and cheap, whereas there are a myriad of Model 98 subtypes with slightly different parts that never seem to work together. I also feel strongly that the Model 98 action has been overhyped. It's good, but it's not the end all and be all of bolt actions. The Mosin is a fascinating action that by all rights should have fallen into the same heap as all the MAS's and Mannlicher-Carcanos, but it just won't die.
But with that reservation the article is well worth reading, and gives the most detailed analysis of ammunition speeds and performce for each rifle I've ever seen. The author's general comments jibe with my own experiences with each rifle. It's certainly worthwhile reading for anyone who has relegated the Mosin design to the wall hanger heap.
I agree with the basic "mosin wins" result, but for somewhat different reasons. On average Mausers are more accurate than Mosins, though there are wide variations within each class. What I've found more helpful is that Mosin parts are almost universally interchangeable (with some Finn execptions) and cheap, whereas there are a myriad of Model 98 subtypes with slightly different parts that never seem to work together. I also feel strongly that the Model 98 action has been overhyped. It's good, but it's not the end all and be all of bolt actions. The Mosin is a fascinating action that by all rights should have fallen into the same heap as all the MAS's and Mannlicher-Carcanos, but it just won't die.
