range report / 54r ammo and m39

[_N4Z_]

Rifle = Finn M39 (SAKO 1942)

Ammo tested =
Russian 148gr lightball
Czech Silvertip lightball
Yugoslavian 184gr heavyball
Hungarian Yellowtip heavyball (second test)

Range 100 yards rested, 3 shot groups. Wind @ 20+, temp 52 degree F.

Short story, the M39 shows a definite preferance for heavier rounds. Both the Czech and the Russian shot high and printed in the 5+ inch range. Yugo and Hungarian went sub 3" @ 100. Suprisingly the Hungarian edged the Yugo in both group size (right @ 2.5") and poi. No probs with it sticking this time like on previous trips. Colder weather may have had some impact in this area.

 

[lionking]

thanks for the report(thumbs up smiley )

I will have to consider trying different grains in my Russkie rifles.

 

[cracked butt]

Interesting....
The Finns must have known how to set the sights ontheir rifles. Every mosin nagant I've ever shot, always shot to the right and every mauser to the left, out of the box. I bet your rifle would be scary accurate with handloads, it sure lookslike it has potential.

 

[grimjaw]

The Finns must have known how to set the sights on their rifles.

Maybe on the M39s, but I've got a Finn 91/30 that hits about a foot high with heavy ball . . .

jm

 

[_N4Z_]

All the ammunition I've used to date has hit high.

The lowest setting on the rear sight on my M39 is 150m. Goes from there to 200, 300, and up to 1000. Also have to pull the sight back to 150m after each shot as it creeps and will not engage below 300m.

The pics I have posted I was aiming a the bottom of the black with the small white circle lined up above. The Hungarian landed closest to poa @ 100 yards. I had ejection issues with the Hungarian on the last outting, but it grouped well then also except for a couple of fliers..... which hit even lower.

Even the Yugo heavyball, which grouped well, you can see was also quite high above poa.

The Czech and Russian lighter loads were also up and/or off the top of the paper.



I plan on trying some new commercial Brown Bear 184gr when I can find some locally.

 

[silverlance]

the only relatively accurate mosin i've ever had

is my M91/30 repro sniper. 3 guys at the range hit the 300 yard gong using wolf gold with it.

-I- on the other hand made lots of dust puffs around that stupid metal plate but never could hit it. i suck.

my m38 was very accurate - out to 25 yards. after that it threw lead all over the place, although using wolf gold tightened the shots considerably.

but while i had that puppy it was lots of fun to blow up coconuts with. let me tell you - if you hit a coconut (the young green kind, tough husk removed) with a x54r at 10 yards the darn thing will bust its brains out the back and then the top will go flying up about 20 feet in the air.

shockingly wicked, but the same coconut at 50 yards was quite safe from me....

not the sniper, though...

which leads me to believe that the gun is fairly accurate but the sights are all jacked up....