Mosins and “gracefully aging” THR members

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I purchased 6 91/30's for $89 each that all came with the bayonet, cleaning kit, and belt pouches for clipped ammo. A little later I bought 2 of the carbines for around $110 each as well as boat loads of ammo in both spam cans and crates. I have passed several of the weapons and a few cases of ammo on to nephews who were career guys in the Army SF now that they are retired. Those were the good old days.
 
I got three for my kids a few years ago; I THINK I paid about $99 but it may have been $199 per copy. They are heavily re-arsenaled, bolt and part numbers re-scratched, possibly re-barreled (not sure). One of them has barrel bands that are almost rusted through. I got bayonets, pouches, cleaning kits, and a can of ammo each. Bout that time my boys started noticing girls and music and I think we shot one of the rifles once. But whatever. They're here if they want them. My daughter likes hers but she's been busy too, and we haven't shot it. The only Mosin that looks good IMO is the M39. I don't have one of those yet. I'm not much of a rifleman, as my eyes are weird and I'm pretty far from a rifle-type place to shoot. But I'd like to improve.
 
I am certainly an aging THR member but I will leave the gracefully part alone. I have never managed to climb on the MOSIN bandwagon nor that of the AK or SKS. I just never found an interest in foreign military rifles
 
I remember them 75.00 by crate of six or so (nobody wanted because were no ammo) and 99.00 the Mauser K98 till dry out. Some SKS in the middle of them and everyone screaming don't shoot corrosive ammo. Then Mauser captured disappeared, later some Czechoslovakians run out too, ammo started to be around with a tag of 150.00 a piece, 250 and so on to today. Plus, the AK fever got around and thousands of experts came around.
I've never be a fan of Russian firearms (except the cal. 22 Margolin pistol seen on Olympics) because every enemy we've had have one and were rough made. Call my FAL when camo is the fashion.
Just one unfired is in my son new house recently unpacked and decosmo.
 
I bought this one at Fleet Farm for $69-

date1930.jpg

I bought this one, a 1916 Sestroryetsk, at a local gun shop (labelled as an M44) for $100. It was in this ATI stock, the correct stock cost me about the same, the bayonet yet another C note:

Meshooting16Sesty.jpg



Sesty.jpg

This '38 Tula that was "Searsized" some when in the 50's or 60's, I found at a gun show as a barreled action and trigger group, for $25. I bought the Hungarian M44 stock off eBay for $10. Best $35 I ever spent. It is my most accurate Mosin.

FrankenTula.jpg

I've had others, these are the three I'm not selling. They will go to my sons, and a friend.
 
I have a few… paid $120 apiece or thereabouts, which was the sucker getting robbed at a gun show price, but I had to travel far to gunshows so I was happy to pay. None of my local gunshops had Mosins to speak of.

They’re fun rifles that have about as much character as other old military bolt guns, with the extra benefit that even now, it’s really cheaper to feed a Mosin than just about any other old milsurp bolt action, especially to feed a U.S. milsurp in todays market. So although my heart may lie with the Mauser or the grand old model 1917, my Mosin ends up accompanying me a lot more often to the range.
 
I've got a sad story...kind of.

I've a wonderful hex Tula sitting in the safe. Friend bought it back in 1998...less than 100 bucks. Not a sad story there but I got it from him for cost plus some extra.

The sad story for ME...I had a Sky Mosin that I traded to someone for a K31...got the Sky for 200...and that K31 is...a K31 with the barracks tag present still under the butt plate...so I have a Mosin...and a K31...so sadness but happiness...really mixed emotions there.

The awesome thing...the Mosin loves most of the handloads I've worked up...and it is incredibly accurate with those loads...and the K31 loves my loads too. The Mosin loves 311 bullets like my Enfield. My K31 loves all my 308 bullets. Huge win. All my powders I use for my domestic stuff works great too for these babies...AND...Trailboss in the Mosin is an awesome plinker with 123gr bullets out to 150 yards with that long damn barrel :) just need to get some 32 cal pistol bullets to try eventually.

D
 
Since I am just within your stated age range, I will respond. I purchased three M-N's in the 1994-2002 timeframe, as a teen/early 20-something: M91/30, M39, and M44. I still have all three, plus a boatload of ammo. No plans to get rid of anything.
 
I still have the one I bought when I was about 12 from Sears and Roebuck mail order around 1966 for less than $10. It shoots fine, but accuracy is minute of feet not inches!
Didn’t have any ammo when I bought it so I didn’t test it. Now that I’ve range tested it to be BAD, you recon it is still under warranty?:thumbdown:
 
I have two 91/30's pre 1943 both. I love shooting them. I bought my first back in era of the 90 dollar ones too. I shot it quite a bit and after a few years I learned that the barrel was now shot out. I still have that one but it is completely broken down never to shoot again. Lesson learned. The other two are very accurate shooters with bright clean barrels with excellent rifling. I love shooting my Mosins.
 
I got my 91/30 Tula 1939 for $99.00 and traded it for a 10mm g20 around 18 months ago. That is a win in my book. I remember when people couldn't see a Mosin as more than a $100 rifle. Mine was/is a good one. Great shooter with some history to the rifle.
 
I have three, two from back in the day when you could buy one for $99 and take your pick from a crate. One I bought at an auction for....I think...$400, I wanted that american version, and it is real nice looking and very crisp....well crisp for a mosin.

Doubt I will sell them, I cruise the local gun trader site and there is always a bubba in there for 4-500 bucks, and it sits. Always wonder if those basement gunsmiths regret the decision to take a $100 rifle spend time and money on it so it will not shoot as well as a savage axis.

I always look, need a westinghouse, but have not come across any in a while. the american flavors have really gone up.
 
Guess I should have put this in the other reply.

I bought my first one because it is history, it is military, then it was cheap. Cost really did not have much to do with it, just a bonus. Like the OP I looked at them for a long time, they just did not exist. I wanted one because of the reasons I already stated. I enjoy the history of the guns, the history of all guns, I really don't care much for new, they bring so little to the table for mylikes, different strokes and such.

After getting it back when they could be had for under a C-note, and playing with them, I found it to be just what I expected, a turn of the century battle rifle. Built to what the country could build at the time. It was carried, and still is likely carried to this day. Its cartridge is still in use today by major armies around the world, including the current deal, can you say that for 3006, nope.

Now as the supply dried up, like anyone with over two brain cells knew it would the original non bubba versions are now bringing 4x the price of a decade ago. And bubba cries in his corner thinking why did I cut up that clunky POS.

It is like many things, the snob is there. There are also people that love all of the history it brings these are the bigger people. The ones that can see past their own limited views.

I am sure I am going to get replies how I don't know anything, and how I shot them and they cant hit anything.....all the normal little person comments.

But to come on a thread about a thing you dislike for no other reason than to state your dislike, you are looking for something, and I think I took your bait.

Enjoy.
 
MistWolf said:
Never had the desire to buy one of these clunky POS.
Click to expand...

They are heavy, have recoil you read about and they are old. But one thing you can't say about them is they are POS. Case in point. I entered a Winter Warrior event where you shoot a WWII weapon at a standard target at 100 yards. Best string of 10 wins. I entered with my Mosin 91/30. Didn't think I had much of a chance against the 1903s, but to my surprise I won the event with my old POS Mosin using heavy ball ammo. Here's a pic of the rifle and target I won with. Score of 98 5X. Not bad for a $89 rifle

4tUPX9t.jpg
 
entropy said:
I bought this one at Fleet Farm for $69-

View attachment 1066367

I bought this one, a 1916 Sestroryetsk, at a local gun shop (labelled as an M44) for $100. It was in this ATI stock, the correct stock cost me about the same, the bayonet yet another C note:

View attachment 1066370



View attachment 1066369

This '38 Tula that was "Searsized" some when in the 50's or 60's, I found at a gun show as a barreled action and trigger group, for $25. I bought the Hungarian M44 stock off eBay for $10. Best $35 I ever spent. It is my most accurate Mosin.

View attachment 1066373

I've had others, these are the three I'm not selling. They will go to my sons, and a friend.
Click to expand...
A 1930 tula hex?! That's sweet mate!
 
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