Recoil Reduction

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waterbaby

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Fairly recently I purchased a Mosin-Nagant 91-30, mainly for defense and range time.
The last time I took it out it thumped my old shoulder so hard it hurt. Thinking it was just me I then handed it to my son who is almost impervious to pain and after 3 rounds he refused to shoot it any more. We may have had some different loads mixed in our box. It was a new box, unopened, from Tulammo. These rounds were even worse than usual. Perhaps Tulammo's QC slipped up on that one!
Anyway, I want to keep it fairly stock looking but it needs to be useable. I have replaced the steel buttplate with a rubber one and I have a slip-on limbsaver for it. Both of them together reduce the "bite" but the LOP becomes too long and I would prefer not to cut the stock.
I have spent many hours looking for a way to make this rifle useable. Some of the things I have come across are: unground limbsaver pad, muzzle brakes, an improved stock and recoil suppressors of various types that go in the stock.
I don't want a suppressor that blows away those next to me, I've been looking at linear compensators like the KIES. Still the barrel would have to be threaded to accept that and some people say it will not reduce recoil and some say it will (too many armchair QB's).
I don't want to spend a lot of money on a rifle I got for $120 but it is not fun to shoot and I have to do something.
Has anyone actually used a linear compensator?
Any suggestions on ways to reduce recoil?
 
Reload.

You don't need to be shooting a load that will kill Nazis at 2000 meters to punch holes in paper at 100. Plus, you'll be shooting non-corrosive ammo.

3/4 of the "military" powder charge behind a 180 gr bullet makes a very nice accurate "plinking" load for my Mosin.

Beyond that ... make sure you hold it tight to your shoulder and lean into it. Make it PUSH you, not smack you.
 
With as many Mosin Nagants in circulation as there are,why not pick up an extra stock for it. You can shorten and pad it,and even add weight to reduce recoil. If you do the work,you should save money over having your barrel threaded for a brake.Plus,you won't have any permanent changes to your rifle.Reloading would be the best solution,in my opinion,but a stock replacement will solve your situation until you are ready to try it.
 
Get a PAST recoil pad. I've been using the same on for almost 30 years. You can shoot anything all day long with it and you won't get a pain in your sholder. Just remember to take the thing off when you finish shooting the big boys and go to the smaller rounds or you will look ridiculous. I use it for any bolt action larger than 6.5 Swedish.
 
You can install a mercury recoil reducer in the stock. It is heavy but what's a little more weight matter to a Mosin you are using for fun.
 
Cast bullets and Trail Boss powder are your friends. Cook up something at about 1400 FPS, so you don't need gas checks. Holes in paper out to 100 yards are almost indistinguishable from those made at twice the speed.
 
Thanks to all!
For the time being, at least, I have ordered a Limbsaver grind-to-fit in the Nitro series. It is 1.5 inches thick and I think it will make the LOP just right after I sand the butt down to get it straight. The next step, if it is needed, will be to try an in-stock recoil reducer. I have given up the idea of keeping it all "stock", it is more important to be able to use it!
 
Not sure I would call a four foot long main battle rifle a defensive weapon, but they are a hoot to shoot and can certainly be a great hunting rifle just like all the other classic bolt guns.

The mosin-nagant cartridge is no more powerful than any other 30-06 class rifle. It's reputation for recoil is purely a stock design issue. The original military stock is straight with very little drop, sending recoil directly back towards the shooter. The short length of pull does not lend well to good shooting stance with many shooters not having the butt firmly against the shoulder pocket. One solid smack of that steel butt plate makes people try to hold it farther off the pocket, thereby increasing recoil. Practically speaking it is more an efficient bayonet handle than anything else. You need some cast in the stock.

In the old days stock bending was a common service from gunsmiths to add cast to wood stocks. These days about the only time anyone does it is on expensive custom shotguns. I realize it won't keep the original look, but replacing the stock with any of the modern monte-carlo style synthetics with a soft recoil pad will solve the issue for under $75.
 
I'd say hand loading rounds that aren't so hot would be your first option if you're already set up to load. The second option would be an aftermarket stock. I've messed with some of the cheap recoil pads and muzzle brakes and none of them seem to make much difference. You're shooting Tula Ammo out of an M91/30. Try shooting some hot surplus yellow tips from the 50's out of an M44, you'll think the 91/30 is a BB gun :)
 
Shooting stance. If you shoot from a standing position it allows your shoulder to move with the recoil instead of shooting from a bench where you are leaning into the gun and your shoulder cannot move with the recoil.

I can shoot quite a few rounds out of my K31 standing, but shooting from a bench it's brutal. Those lads back in the day musta been some tough cookies.

Or reload some reduced power loads.
 
I'm thinking the answer is more in your hold or shooting position. A 91-30 with a limbsaver pad is a firm shove compared to my .30-06 Savage (which weighs about a pound less)

Is the rifle firmly seated in the shoulder pocket, good turkey neck and firm cheek weld? I always keep my right thumb on the right side of the stock so it doesn't smack me in the lip also.
 
I'm thinking the answer is more in your hold or shooting position. A 91-30 with a limbsaver pad is a firm shove compared to my .30-06 Savage (which weighs about a pound less)
Click to expand...
Shooting position IS a factor, but Mosins are a hard recoiling rifle. Mainly because of the straight line stock and the metal plate on the butt stock doesn't exactly help either. I've never had any issues firing 50 rounds from the prone with a 91/30. The M44 on the other hand starts making me angry after about 20 rounds.

I always start and finish every range session with a .22 to make sure my mechanics stay solid, this is especially true when shooting the carbine length Mosins. I can easily fire any amount of rounds I want out of my Remington 700 in .300 WM without any recoil related issues. The .300 WM is a much more powerful round than 7.62x54 but the way the recoil is delivered by the Mosin can get uncomfortable for a lot of shooters. I'd also like to point out I don't have any sort of muzzle brake or recoil reducing stock on my .300 WM and the M44 still hurts a heck of a lot more.
 
+ 1 on the limbsaver and reloading recommendations. You could also use a lead-sled if you're shooting off a bench with it.

Past that, I'd use it as an extra reason to find another firearm that recoils less w/o any mods and shooting factory ammo.
 
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