Sow's ear into silk purse?

[Shrinkmd]

I've been thinking, given the difference in cost between a case or two of GP11 vs that of some 7.62x54r surplus, could the money work out that building up a Mosin into a frankenrifle? (new trigger, free float barrel, properly bed the stock, recrown and or rebarrel, S&K scope mount)

Is the surplus ammo most likely to still be ~4 MOA even if you are shooting it out of a way upgraded rifle? I've read stories about people shooting 7.62x39 out of the CZ bolt and getting much nicer results (even with wolf) compared to their SKS and AK's.

I know that ancient corrosive surplus will never equal handloads or something like GP11, but given the astonishing difference in price, if you could squeeze enough accuracy out of it, a "new" Mosin shooting surplus would be very cost effective. Unless, of course, it still shot the same as before you started messing with it.

Opinions?

 

[cracked butt]

GP-11 is very consistantly made, 7.62x54r is not- one of the reasons why mosin nagants will never shoot as good as a Schmidt-Rubin with surplus ammo.

If you want the Mosin nagnat to shoot its best, you'd be much better off handloading for the rifle, and if you are going to handload, you'd be better off with a K-31 for several reasons that I won't even get into.

Trying to accurize a rifle around cheap ammo is false economy.

 

[DMK]

I agree with what cracked butt said. I have a Finn M39 Mosin Nagant that when shooting Black Hills match ammo will keep up with my K31. With surplus it's groups widen quite a bit. However, it can do 2"-3" groups with Czech Silvertip surplus.

Keep in mind that a Finn M39 is a $300 rifle. You likely won't get these results with a 91/30.