Short Range Review Mossberg MVP Patrol 7.62

[Jackal]

Well, as promised, here's a layman's mini range review. I am no scientist and I am happy to offer an honest opinion of a rifle I just purchased, good, bad and ugly.

The the rail/front sight got a Loctite and torque treatment (both were loose from the factory). Sights are aligned perfectly as is the flash hider. Steel finish is very nice, very few tooling marks to be found and action is smooth. Wood to metal fit (yes, its a laminated stock underneath the textured coating), at least on my example is horrid. Large gaps, uneven gaps and heavily proud steel abound. I have seen hack job sporterized rifles with better wood/metal fit. Trigger breaks clean at 3.5lbs. I did no "break in" or anything fancy. I simply ran 1 dry patch through the bore and took it out shooting. Iron sight were not used.

At the range (ok, its my back field), it fed perfectly from both the 20rd Pmag and the factory metal 10rd. It requires a healthy amount of force when opening or closing the bolt, since the upward spring pressure from the mags, especially the 20rd is fairly stout. Mag release is a little stiff (which may or may not get easier), insertion/removal is clean and easy.

So, enough about that, how does it shoot? All shooting was done at 50 yards, prone with a rest and a 9x scope. Rounds used for sight in and the 2 initial groups were Herter's steel cased, which have Tula headstamps. Well, after getting the rifle on paper I walked the rounds to the bullseye. After getting a few rounds in the bull, it was time for groups. Ugh... After firing my first 6 shot group, which measured 1.9", (remember, at 50 yards) I decided to check my rings/bases which were perfectly tight. Next group was a 1.7" 5rd group... still absolutely pathetic and just awful. Then i fired 1 last Tula/Herter round to establish an aiming point for the next ammo in line, PPU 168gr HP Match. Loaded it up and put 5 rds into .49", YAY!!! we have a winner. I just sat back and watched 5 rds go into the same hole, it was lovely. So, this rifle hates Tula and quite apparently loves the 168gr PPU load. I ran out of time do to unpleasant incoming rain.

So, within the bounds of this little test, it shows that both it and I are capable of sub minute accuracy. The rifle suffered from 1 malfunction, a hard primer on 1 round of PPU, which fired on the second try. I will try other loads when I can find them. I have no plans on reloading, but with good bullet/load selection, this little bugger is a tack driver. For around $600 after tax/transfer, I think its a solid little rifle. I may bring the poorly fitted wood up with Mossberg and see what they will do about it.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Jackal]

More pics.

 

[Monkeybear]

Nice review, thanks.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Thanks.

 

[back40]

it's nice to see that it shoots the ppu well, although i'd hesitate to call it a sub moa gun until you test it at 100yds.

interesting that it's a laminated stock. it's pretty lightweight for wood.

would love to see what it does at 100 yds with good ammo.

 

[splithoof]

What would it take to mount a forward optic on that? Is it drilled/tapped? Is it easy to operate with no magazine?

 

[nipprdog]

I may bring the poorly fitted wood up with Mossberg and see what they will do about it.

Its not a wood stock. Its a synthetic stock.

 

[carbine85]

The stock looks like a composite and not a laminate. I'm hearing good reviews about these rifles.

 

[Jackal]

Its not a wood stock. Its a synthetic stock.
The stock looks like a composite and not a laminate.

Turns out its not laminate or composite, but some other hardwood. Here's pics. Just because they spray truck bedliner on it does not make it synthetic .

What would it take to mount a forward optic on that? Is it drilled/tapped? Is it easy to operate with no magazine?

Action is smooth with empty mag. No idea on a forward optic ( I dont like forward optics, no point on a rifle like this).

 

[back40]

i read two different reviews that stated synthetic stock, yet mossberg's site simply says "black (or tan) textured".

 

[chicharrones]

Thanks for the write up and pics, Jackal!

It looks like a nice and useful rifle.

How does the bolt construction compare to the 5.56 version? Does it have that little hinged lip for pushing ammo out of the magazine?

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Don't let it get out how good PPU Match ammo is! If too many people know the price might go up.

Mike

 

[Jackal]

How does the bolt construction compare to the 5.56 version? Does it have that little hinged lip for pushing ammo out of the magazine?

Negative, which is one of the reasons I purchased it. Here's a pic. My opinion, its over priced at $600, around $475 would be better for the quality presented. Its simply not on par quality wise with its main competition, Ruger's GSR. Though the cheap plentiful mags (both AR10 and M1A/M14), traditionally mounted 1913 rail, good level of accuracy and relative light weight can make up for it's fit/finish shortcomings.

 

[BamAlmighty]

Well that sold me... Ruger American Compact it is!

 

[chicharrones]

Negative, which is one of the reasons I purchased it. Here's a pic.

Thanks for that pic. Apparently those two little nubs are why the MVP can feed from double stack mags.

My opinion, its over priced at $600, around $475 would be better for the quality presented. Its simply not on par quality wise with its main competition, Ruger's GSR. Though the cheap plentiful mags (both AR10 and M1A/M14), traditionally mounted 1913 rail, good level of accuracy and relative light weight can make up for it's fit/finish shortcomings.

The stock seems to be a low point (due to fit), but it seems the rest of the rifle is nice indeed. The MVP looks to have many features that the GSR has without trying to be a "Scout" rifle. That's a good thing in my opinion, since that won't be held against it.

Also, the MVP looks to have more rear bolt support than the GSR which ought to lessen bolt slop when the bolt is full open. That should make bolt cycling pretty nice after the bolt is broken in.

I like it. If the MVP would have come out at the same time as the GSR, I probably would have gotten the MVP instead due to sharing many of the same features while costing less. Not everyone needs a forward mounted scope, and the MVP provides traditional scope placement while still having a nice set of sights.

 

[Jackal]

The stock seems to be a low point (due to fit)

Very much so. If this rifle could wear a Hogue or similar middle quality synthetic stock that fit well, it would be a real winner. Bolt has about 1/2" of sideways slop at the bolt head, in the full open position. Not too bad and certainly nothing that bothers me, since most bolt guns these days have similar slop.

Added: Weight without optics or magazine is 7lb 3.5oz. Weight with loaded 10rd mag, USA made 3-9x40 Pentax (heavy), steel Burris QD rings and a sling is 9.4lbs.

I figure this is sort of a $450 rifle with a very cool detachable mag conversion, which alone run in the $200-$350 region.

I have found a few more loads to test, namely some Aussie F4, Brown Bear and DAG. I'll post groups here.

 

[EdLaver]

don't let it get out how good ppu match ammo is! If too many people know the price might go up.

very true

 

[carbine85]

$600 seems to be a fair price to me. The Ruger Gun Scout goes for $850 +, or at least the ones I have seen at gun shows.

 

[Jackal]

$600 seems to be a fair price to me. The Ruger Gun Scout goes for $850 +,

The more I look around at the prices of other rifles, the more I agree.

One thing I may do with this stock is bed the action, relieve the barrel channel for a free float (it does not currently) and I will likely thin out the forearm. The forearm is far to square for my taste and does not fit comfortably in the hand. Kind of like holding a 2x4 up front. Something like a schnabel forend would make it handle amazingly.

 

[smithman 10]

A little off topic - but

I bought a Mossberg Predator 20" gun (.556) about a year ago and have been playing with it since then.

Tried several scopes, currently it wears a $20 fixed power 4X Tasco scope I bought used at a gun show!

With that set up I shot an honest 1" group at 100 yards with cheap Colt .223
(62 grain) ammo made in Russia.

See the pic. That's a different scope than what it has now.

A buddy and I went to my range a week ago and banged steel with it out to 400 yards no problem.

I'm happy with it. It favors the 10-round mag that it came with but will use anything else I've stuck in save for one 20 round PMag that seems to always want to drop out. So I stick to the 10 rounder or 20 round metal GI mags.

 

[Jackal]

Yeah, the steel M1A mags fit a little better that the AR10 mags in this rifle. The only thing I dont like about the M1A mags is the last round hold open. While its really not a big deal, its just annoying to have to drop the mag or push down the follower to close the bolt on an empty chamber. Its just like a Swiss K31.