improperlyaged
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Just wondering which of these rifles would you choose if you were a WW2 soldier on the eastern front. Personally, I would go with the Mosin because of its KISS design.
Mosin vs Mauser Which would you choose?
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i own both and like both. However, the Mauser has the more smoothly operating bolt and superior accuracy. No contest really. However as far as the year 2014 is concerned there is a lot more 7.62X54 surplus ammo out there than 8mm Mauser. This is probably because so many armies still use X54 because of its use in the PK/PKM machine gun.
Ash
Member
Eastern Front? I'd pick the Finnish M39, which had higher accuracy requirements over the Mauser and better, fully adjustable, sights.
This is a dead horse that has been beaten, stomped, whipped, raised from the dead to stagger about zombie-fashion, and beaten all over again. The reality is that the bolt-action differences made no difference in victory during WWII. A squad or platoon or company or larger armed with Mosins would be equally effective as one armed with K98k's. I'd rather be armed with a Mosin, frankly, because on the Eastern Front, those were the victors. And considering just how low the kill rate was with rifles of any kind - including Garands - I'd rather have a Mosin M44 because it was at least compact (okay, I'd rather have a Garand, but we're talking bolt guns).
In the end, the war was neither won nor lost by any nation's choice of individual small arm. The Red Ball Express had more to do with victory than the Garand. We get lost in tactics versus strategy versus economics.
Were tactics alone enough, my ancestors who fought in the Georgia, Texas, and Alabama militias during the 1860's would have been on the winning side. But production and transportation trump all things.
This is a dead horse that has been beaten, stomped, whipped, raised from the dead to stagger about zombie-fashion, and beaten all over again. The reality is that the bolt-action differences made no difference in victory during WWII. A squad or platoon or company or larger armed with Mosins would be equally effective as one armed with K98k's. I'd rather be armed with a Mosin, frankly, because on the Eastern Front, those were the victors. And considering just how low the kill rate was with rifles of any kind - including Garands - I'd rather have a Mosin M44 because it was at least compact (okay, I'd rather have a Garand, but we're talking bolt guns).
In the end, the war was neither won nor lost by any nation's choice of individual small arm. The Red Ball Express had more to do with victory than the Garand. We get lost in tactics versus strategy versus economics.
Were tactics alone enough, my ancestors who fought in the Georgia, Texas, and Alabama militias during the 1860's would have been on the winning side. But production and transportation trump all things.
Years ago I watched a doc on the weapons of the german-soviet war, and in the sub-zero climate the Mosin would work where the Mauser would not. Seems that all that extra slop built into the Mosin is there for a reason. They also went over clothing, food, oil in vehicles, hydraulic fluid....darn near everything.....and it really shows you that the germans learned nothing from the French a hundred years before.
Don357
Member
For accuracy and beauty, I'd have to go with the Mauser. For serviceability, and ammo availability, I'd say the Mosin. Of course as for ammo availability, during the war, there were plenty of dead on both sides to scrounge ammo from.
dark.zero.x
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SVT 40. 
but seriously Mauser better clips, better feed system, more consistant performance.
but seriously Mauser better clips, better feed system, more consistant performance.Willie Sutton
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That's like asking about Rolex v/s Timex.
There's absolutely no comparison between the two.
Willie
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There's absolutely no comparison between the two.
Willie
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Lj1941
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Code:
Hokkmike
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I have both.
My vote: Mauser
Purely subjective......
My vote: Mauser
Purely subjective......
1948CJ2A
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Mauser hands down
tahoe2
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Mauser (own 6) but I never shot a Mosin
carbine85
Member
The Mauser hands down. There's a reason why the Mauser is the most successful and copied bolt action of all times.
Voodoochile
Member
Even the Germans reissued a decent amount of Mosins but mostly because of the same reason I would chose a Mosin.
Ammo availability, in Stallingrad I'm sure the German war machine was a bit slow on the resupply where there were at least some ammo available for the Russians.
Ammo availability, in Stallingrad I'm sure the German war machine was a bit slow on the resupply where there were at least some ammo available for the Russians.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Mauser, hands down. I wouldn't take a free Mosin with a hundred dollar bill stapled to it. Yes, the Russians won but it wasn't because their rifles were better. If the Nazi's hadn't had too many irons in the fire, Russia (and the rest of Europe/Asia) would be a very different place today.
morcey2
Member
It's like asking "boxers or briefs?" The answer is always....
Depends.
I own both and love shooting both. The mosins have better sights and the ones that I own have more history in them. The mausers are smoother and have better triggers. That being said, they're both awesome. Surplus ammo isn't an issue as I reload for both types and shooting steel core ammo is verboten on BLM lands out here at the moment.
All of mine are more accurate than I am. I've seen amazingly accurate instances of both, straight out of the cosmoline and I've seen horrifically inaccurate examples of both. I don't think either design is inherently more accurate than the other, other than the mosin trigger. But once you know the trigger for a particular gun, it can be shot accurately.
Matt
Depends.
I own both and love shooting both. The mosins have better sights and the ones that I own have more history in them. The mausers are smoother and have better triggers. That being said, they're both awesome. Surplus ammo isn't an issue as I reload for both types and shooting steel core ammo is verboten on BLM lands out here at the moment.
All of mine are more accurate than I am. I've seen amazingly accurate instances of both, straight out of the cosmoline and I've seen horrifically inaccurate examples of both. I don't think either design is inherently more accurate than the other, other than the mosin trigger. But once you know the trigger for a particular gun, it can be shot accurately.
Matt
I like the Mauser better than a 91/30, especially if I could have one in K98 trim or so but rebarreled to .308 or .30 '06. A good Swedish M96 would be welcome too.
Mosins are tough and cheap but I like the safety better on the Mauser. I guess if you're just blowing up cans at the range the safety doesn't matter much. But if you ever think you may need or want to use it in the field, the Mauser safety is easier to use.
Now if we throw an M-39 into the mix, I think I'd take that over pretty much any other milsurp rifle.
Mosins are tough and cheap but I like the safety better on the Mauser. I guess if you're just blowing up cans at the range the safety doesn't matter much. But if you ever think you may need or want to use it in the field, the Mauser safety is easier to use.
Now if we throw an M-39 into the mix, I think I'd take that over pretty much any other milsurp rifle.
LAGS
Member
I have Both, and have talked with Men who were actually There in the eastern front in 44 and 45 on both sides of the fence.
They all would say the Mauser, and the P-38 over the Luger
They all would say the Mauser, and the P-38 over the Luger
You guys must have missed my post....in temps in Russia in the winter -20 and such the mauser would just not work...the bolts would stick and soldiers would have to urinate on the rifles to get them to start working. No such problem with the Mosin. Same with the vehicles, germans ran tanks, trucks and even planes 24hrs a day, the Russians did not.
Now it is true that the engine on a T34 had a life span of under 100 hrs, but it is also true that most of the tanks got destroyed long before that.
If I was out there in sub zero temps I would want a rifle that I would know would go bang...the germans would just click as firing pins would freeze to the bolts.
Now it is true that the engine on a T34 had a life span of under 100 hrs, but it is also true that most of the tanks got destroyed long before that.
If I was out there in sub zero temps I would want a rifle that I would know would go bang...the germans would just click as firing pins would freeze to the bolts.
JHansenAK47
Member
Finn Mosin>Mauser>Russian Mosin
In practical use they all work about the same. My Finn M39 rifles are my best shooters, but I generally prefer mausers to mosins with no Finnish heritage.
FYI
Gasoline, coleman white fuel or kerosene work great for unthawing rifles.
In practical use they all work about the same. My Finn M39 rifles are my best shooters, but I generally prefer mausers to mosins with no Finnish heritage.
That is a bit over blown. In subzero temperatures you don't bring your cold rifle in when you want to get warmed up unless you want condensation all over it. Another consideration is the oil you used to clean your rifle. Both of which can freeze your bolt, firing pin and safety. These things were learned the hard way. The Russians live there so that lesson was fresh in their minds, unlike the Germans that had to get a wartime refresher.
Mausers work just fine in subzero if taken care of. The Mosin is also susceptible to freezing they just built them that way to minimize problems they never eliminated them.
FYI
Gasoline, coleman white fuel or kerosene work great for unthawing rifles.
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I've seen Mosins that wouldn't run right on a warm day at the range. I've personally had to resort to banging the bolt handle against a shooting bench to get the bolt open after firing. And I've seen the rounds get rimlocked when everything isn't functioning perfectly, and it rarely is with a lot of these old rifles. I wouldn't want to have to deal with either issue in combat. I think in that case, I'd take the buttery smooth operation of a K98 instead.
I like Mosins and will probably want another one when I get settled, but they do have their own quirks and shortcomings.
I like Mosins and will probably want another one when I get settled, but they do have their own quirks and shortcomings.
LAGS
Member
@ Goon
I too have seen the M-N's at the raange wher guys had to beat the bolt open.
It is Usually caused by improper cleaning of the gun before they start firing them once they buy them.
and the rim lock, that is the fault of missloading the rifle.
I chalk them up to Operator Error more than blaming the rifle.
But I have bought some rifles from guys that sold them because of those complaints, and had them working perfectly in less than a half hours work.
I too have picked up Mausers because guys would stick a round in the chamber and try to close the bolt to fire it.
A Mauser doesn't work that way unless you modify the extractor.
So bottom line,
Get to know your model of gun,and their qwerks or design features, and you won't have issues.
On second thought, Everyone should just shoot their rifles with no education on how they are supposed to work, So I can add to my collection at Very good Prices.
I too have seen the M-N's at the raange wher guys had to beat the bolt open.
It is Usually caused by improper cleaning of the gun before they start firing them once they buy them.
and the rim lock, that is the fault of missloading the rifle.
I chalk them up to Operator Error more than blaming the rifle.
But I have bought some rifles from guys that sold them because of those complaints, and had them working perfectly in less than a half hours work.
I too have picked up Mausers because guys would stick a round in the chamber and try to close the bolt to fire it.
A Mauser doesn't work that way unless you modify the extractor.
So bottom line,
Get to know your model of gun,and their qwerks or design features, and you won't have issues.
On second thought, Everyone should just shoot their rifles with no education on how they are supposed to work, So I can add to my collection at Very good Prices.
theotherwaldo
Member
I've got two Mosins. One is an M-39, the other is a hex-receiver 91-30. The Russian was reliable but inaccurate when I started with it.
I've also picked up eleven Mausers of various makes and models. Workmanship and accuracy is consistantly better.
I'd have to go with a Mauser.
I've also picked up eleven Mausers of various makes and models. Workmanship and accuracy is consistantly better.
I'd have to go with a Mauser.
Well if we're talking about combat at least, the possibility of misloading a Mosin and getting rimlock under stress is always going to be there. With a Mauser, I'm pretty sure it's impossible because as far as I know, none of them use rimmed rounds. A locked up rifle is locked up whether it's from frozen lubrication or rimlock... either one could get you shot by an enemy.
A moot point though since I'm pretty unlikely to engage in combat against anyone or anything right now, much less with a vintage battle rifle.
And the ones that were sticky with opening the bolt were only like that with one type of ammo. IIRC, it was Albanian ammo. The Czech silvertip and handloads ran through the same rifle without issue.
Not saying they're bad rifles to have around and enjoy, but they aren't without their faults.
A moot point though since I'm pretty unlikely to engage in combat against anyone or anything right now, much less with a vintage battle rifle.
And the ones that were sticky with opening the bolt were only like that with one type of ammo. IIRC, it was Albanian ammo. The Czech silvertip and handloads ran through the same rifle without issue.
Not saying they're bad rifles to have around and enjoy, but they aren't without their faults.
Jackal
Member
Back then? Mauser. Nowadays? Mosin. Go ahead and try to find a crate of cheap Mauser ammo....:banghead:
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