Hooda Thunkit
Member
I've had this 1930 Hex Tula since 2012. I bought it simply because it was cheap, and everybody was buying them. I think I spent $120 shipped and transferred.
I cleaned (and cleaned, and cleaned) the cosmoline off it, and put it in the safe. I put the 2 cases of surplus ammo out in the shed.
As I took other long guns out to shoot, it went further and further back in the safe, until it was in the far back corner, just resting comfortably. I never did shoot it.
A few months ago, I joined a gun club about 10 miles or so from me. It's one of those things - I've been meaning to join for 25 years (really - 25 years), but I can shoot shorter distances right here at home, so....
Anyway, I was at the club in January, and watched the Military Bolt-gun match. They have one every month, but January is Mosin Nagant only, commemorating the Winter War (Siege of Leningrad). It certainly looked like fun.
I thought "Hey, I've got one of those...."
So, I go home, and dig the Mosin out. I obtain some used brass, some dies, some NOS .312 Hornady bullets - I'm in business.
I loaded up some of the 150gr with The Load - 13gr Red Dot (I used Promo). Once I got it on paper at 25 yds - which was more difficult than one would think, had to knock the front site over with a punch and hammer - I ran it over the chrono.
10 round string
13Gr Promo, 150gr Hornady SpirePoint, S&B LRP -
Avg MV 1607 fps
SD 16.3fps
Spread 44 fps
Actually quite pleasant to shoot.
But the trigger was horrible. Loooong, gritty, heavy. Ugh. It's a wonder those Russian conscripts could hit anything.
I took some time to work on the trigger. The match rules stipulate no replacement parts, so no aftermarket trigger ass'y. Besides, the Timney costs more than I have in the rifle.
I found some ways to smooth the trigger, so I spent some time with some 400&600 grit. I shimmed the spring/sear (I know, I know,) with one .004" soda can shim.
I don't want to waste the 2 cases of surplus ammo, but I also don't want to get mercilessly hammered during a 50 round match. And, I don't need 2900 fps to kill paper. So, I decided to mess with the surplus a bit.
I have a case of Russian 150gr lite ball, the lead stuff from the 50's. It's steel case and steel jacket, but it's ammo. I measured the OAL (all over the place) and started in.
I pulled the bullet and dumped the powder from 10 rounds. Average charge was 49.5gr of some sort of stick powder. I dropped it 15%, and reloaded the same military ball bullet, set the OAL all the same at 3.013. Then I went to try it out yesterday, out behind the barn.
10 round string
42 gr of whatever the factory powder is(was), hand weighed every charge -
Avg MV 2354 fps
SD 15.8 fps
Spread 32 fps
It doesn't look like I'm having any ignition problems with the lightened powder load, as evidenced by the consistent numbers.
It hit about like a .30/30, so not bad to shoot. The trigger is still as long as a hanging rope, but MUCH smoother, the grit is gone. As for the heaviness, well, it's hard to tell if the small shim did anything or not. It's so much more smooth, that the weight isn't really an issue. It FEELS lighter, so there's that, but I don't have a trigger gauge. The break on it is very good, feels nice.
The problem ? 4" group at 50 yds. No pics, and not sorry about it. I'm fairly certain every one of ya'll has seen a "group" like that.
Well, I can work on it. Some trigger time will help immensely. Too, when I start loading for the match, I can use better bullets. That should help.
I hope.
Edit -1)Leningrad, not Stalingrad.
2) ammo is Russian from the 50's, not Bulgarian from the 70's
I cleaned (and cleaned, and cleaned) the cosmoline off it, and put it in the safe. I put the 2 cases of surplus ammo out in the shed.
As I took other long guns out to shoot, it went further and further back in the safe, until it was in the far back corner, just resting comfortably. I never did shoot it.
A few months ago, I joined a gun club about 10 miles or so from me. It's one of those things - I've been meaning to join for 25 years (really - 25 years), but I can shoot shorter distances right here at home, so....
Anyway, I was at the club in January, and watched the Military Bolt-gun match. They have one every month, but January is Mosin Nagant only, commemorating the Winter War (Siege of Leningrad). It certainly looked like fun.
I thought "Hey, I've got one of those...."
So, I go home, and dig the Mosin out. I obtain some used brass, some dies, some NOS .312 Hornady bullets - I'm in business.
I loaded up some of the 150gr with The Load - 13gr Red Dot (I used Promo). Once I got it on paper at 25 yds - which was more difficult than one would think, had to knock the front site over with a punch and hammer - I ran it over the chrono.
10 round string
13Gr Promo, 150gr Hornady SpirePoint, S&B LRP -
Avg MV 1607 fps
SD 16.3fps
Spread 44 fps
Actually quite pleasant to shoot.
But the trigger was horrible. Loooong, gritty, heavy. Ugh. It's a wonder those Russian conscripts could hit anything.
I took some time to work on the trigger. The match rules stipulate no replacement parts, so no aftermarket trigger ass'y. Besides, the Timney costs more than I have in the rifle.
I found some ways to smooth the trigger, so I spent some time with some 400&600 grit. I shimmed the spring/sear (I know, I know,) with one .004" soda can shim.
I don't want to waste the 2 cases of surplus ammo, but I also don't want to get mercilessly hammered during a 50 round match. And, I don't need 2900 fps to kill paper. So, I decided to mess with the surplus a bit.
I have a case of Russian 150gr lite ball, the lead stuff from the 50's. It's steel case and steel jacket, but it's ammo. I measured the OAL (all over the place) and started in.
I pulled the bullet and dumped the powder from 10 rounds. Average charge was 49.5gr of some sort of stick powder. I dropped it 15%, and reloaded the same military ball bullet, set the OAL all the same at 3.013. Then I went to try it out yesterday, out behind the barn.
10 round string
42 gr of whatever the factory powder is(was), hand weighed every charge -
Avg MV 2354 fps
SD 15.8 fps
Spread 32 fps
It doesn't look like I'm having any ignition problems with the lightened powder load, as evidenced by the consistent numbers.
It hit about like a .30/30, so not bad to shoot. The trigger is still as long as a hanging rope, but MUCH smoother, the grit is gone. As for the heaviness, well, it's hard to tell if the small shim did anything or not. It's so much more smooth, that the weight isn't really an issue. It FEELS lighter, so there's that, but I don't have a trigger gauge. The break on it is very good, feels nice.
The problem ? 4" group at 50 yds. No pics, and not sorry about it. I'm fairly certain every one of ya'll has seen a "group" like that.
Well, I can work on it. Some trigger time will help immensely. Too, when I start loading for the match, I can use better bullets. That should help.
I hope.
Edit -1)Leningrad, not Stalingrad.
2) ammo is Russian from the 50's, not Bulgarian from the 70's
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