Thinking about buying a Mosin Nagant

[catinthebat]

I am going to sell one of my guns, and probably buy a Mosin Nagant M91/30.
The place I was going to get it from sell them for about 120$. Is that too much money, and are they any good at all?

 

[TurtlePhish]

You can find them around $100 if you look around. They're probably the best deal going in guns right now, get one while they're still around. Ammo is cheap and relatively good, the rifle is indestructible and can be surprisingly accurate with a little work, and each one is a piece of history. I love mine.

 

[firesky101]

More than I would pay for one, but it is not an outrageous price. I can pick one up on a sale at the local sporting goods shop for $79-$89. You will get lots of opinion on their quality, but doing my best to be unbiased here it is. A sturdy rifle that fires cheap surplus ammunition. It is capable of about 4MOA in stock configuration assuming the bore is not corroded out. The sights are a big weakness, but if you have shot anything made by the soviet union and their friends this is par for the course. The are difficult to scope well, and the sights are often regulated to shoot POA at 300yds w/bayonet attached. All in all I love them, and you can do a lot to them to make them your own and increase accuracy.

 

[italy4nra]

Where I am from, they cost twice that, but frequent reading of this board shows prices in that ballpark, and rising.

Accuracy with irons 3-5 MOA on average in my experience. Model and barrel quality and mainly shooter can do much better. And some do worse. I have never been able to shoot better than 3, but I also unable to shoot sub MOA with any rifle. And there are both crummy barrels and horrible ammo out there.

Look for a Finnish M28/30 or M39, or any Finnish rebuild of the 91s.

They are great fun to shoot. Big bang, more of a boom, nice and round, not too dry, a huge fireball, heavy but manageable recoil. Stops hurting after a few months.

So much history in the rifle, like the Mauser, the Springfield and the Enfield. But something magical in the history of the empire and the soviet union, and the strong part ts rifle played in the protecting and tearing down of histories.

Highly recommended cheap rifle. While YMMV, it is a fantastic VFM.

Out of curiosity, what are you selling to fund the Mosin?

 

[jrdolall]

$120 is not bad but you might be able to find one for $100 or so. Anything under $150 is probably worth it if the gun is in good shape. I shoot mine occasionally and really like it but it just sits in the safe most of the time.

 

[catinthebat]

Thanks for all the help. I guess I will buy one, since the prices are going up every month.

 

[adelbridge]

people like them because they are the cheapest non rim fire shooting platform. I tend to subscribe to "only accurate rifles are interesting" but if you get you thrills off of a gun going boom and some stinky smoke by all means get a Mosin, in 30 years they will be worth more.

 

[hang fire]

If one can go into a local GS, take them off the rack one by one and examing closely before choosing, 120 IMO is a good deal.

I was in a local GS where they had a rack full of MN for 150 dollars each. I glanced at them and blam, one with a pistol grip leaped out at me, took closer look and it was a Finn model 39 in great shape with 1942 stamped Sako barrel. I said nothing until it was bought, paid for, and in my hands. I then casually remarked that it was nice Finn for that price,. The GS owner who I have known for years, got a sudden OS look on his face, smiled weakly and said, enjoy the rifle for it was a "VERY" good price, which would not be repeated.

 

[kcshooter]

If one can go into a local GS, take them off the rack one by one and examing closely before choosing, 120 IMO is a good deal.

Yep, I'd pay the extra $20 to be able to hand pick myself.

 

[TurtlePhish]

I was in a local GS where they had a rack full of MN for 150 dollars each. I glanced at them and blam, one with a pistol grip leaped out at me, took closer look and it was a Finn model 39 in great shape with 1942 stamped Sako barrel. I said nothing until it was bought, paid for, and in my hands. I then casually remarked that it was nice Finn for that price, the GS owner who I have known for years, got a sudden OS look on his face, smiled weakly and said, enjoy the rifle for it was a "VERY" good price which wouldn't be repeated.

You lucky little....

That's crazy!

 

[Gottahaveone]

I have to warn you, DON'T DO IT!!! Nobody who ever buy's a Mosin can seem to stop at one

I have a good friend who's originally from Tula and when we started shooting together, he talked me into buying one. Now I have more of them than I'm willing to admit to in writing. It seems that every time I get the itch for a new toy and discretionary cash is a little tight, I get another Mosin........

Seriously, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. Ammo is still reasonable (got another 880 rnd crate for ~$160 due to arrive thursday) and they are a hoot to shoot. Especially the carbines. Keep a look out for a M38, I MUCH prefer the looks/handling without the attached pig-sticker.
Good luck with whatever you end up with......

 

[HGM22]

I'd shop around a bit and not rush. Sure prices will go up, but slowly, and not everywhere at once. I'm pretty sure Dick's/Dunham's puts them on sale for $70-90 fairly regularly, or at least they used to not that long ago. You can also go through the whole rack and pick the one you want (store employee will likely give you an annoyed look though). I'm sure other stores like Big 5 and Academy have similar deals (I'm unfortunately not in their area, so just assuming).

You might be interested in the S&K or Brass Stacker scope mounts. I have no experience with either, but if I did get a Mosin I'd look at them. The Brass Stacker in particular seems like a good deal, and you can still use the irons to boot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOmqUdhJm_8

Also, if you get lucky and find a cheap Finn I'd pick it up in a heart beat. Otherwise you will pay more for one. www.gunsnammo.com has Finn (as well as other) Mosins.

 

[carbine85]

Talk them down to $100.00. $120 is too much for a 91/30. They are $90 around here with a sling, ammo pouch and cleaning kit. I have bought 3 M44's for under $150 each in the last 6 months.

 

[docsleepy]

I reload for mine and put a homemade scope mount and cheek rest. Able to get 2 MOA.

 

[montanaoffroader]

$120 doesn't seem out of line to me. I paid $109 and my nephew paid $129 and we had the chance to look them over before we bought them. Thought about buying online, but after shipping and FFL fees we wouldn't have saved more than a couple of $$ at best.


Both of our rifles are decently accurate, and at the moment ammo is pretty cheap. Mine is going deer hunting with me this fall.............

 

[303 hunter]

Try some local gun shows. They bring them in by the crate around here(N.C.) for less than $100 each; and you can pick your rifle. I paid $69 each for the five I have two years ago. You'll never be satisfied with just one. My reasoning for my surplus rifle addiction is: they don't make them anymore, value will do nothing but go up. If you can, buy a pre or post war rifle. They almost always are better shooters. In times of war,a lot of countries cut corners to save money. Buy them cheap while you can!

 

[TurtlePhish]

If you can, buy a pre or post war rifle. They almost always are better shooters. In times of war,a lot of countries cut corners to save money.

They definitely cut corners during the war (especially '41-'43) but the wartime rifles are just as good shooters as pre- or post-war. The only change is machining quality, which went absolutely down the toilet. My wartime 91/30 receiver looks like a rough casting, while my '47 M44 receiver has no machining marks and has a nice polish to it. The bluing on the wartime rifles usually looks more like spray paint, too.

 

[valnar]

I'd pay $120 for one I could hand pick and did NOT have cosmoline on it. No question.

 

[TurtlePhish]

I'd pay $120 for one I could hand pick and did NOT have cosmoline on it. No question.

Cleaning off the cosmoline is part of the fun! Plus, you REALLY get to know the gun, inside and out. I can detail strip either of my Mosins in about a minute.

 

[JSpear]

Glad this thread came up, I am actually planning on trying to get one at the gun show in my town this sunday

 

[Imperial Guardsman]

You may be able to find a better price, but $120 isn't too bad. Since I got mine online, it came out to about $120 after shipping and the transfer fee.

 

[Fonzie2k]

Do it.... everyone should have a mosin. It could be worth $120 depending on the particular Mosin. The LGS seller I got mine from got them from a smaller importer and all of the mosins they had were arsenal refurbished in the soviet union, and then hand picked before they were put out for sale.... The rifling on mine is great a $6 pack of 20 surplus rounds shot at the range makes the whole day worth it.

 

[mac66]

I have three Mosins.

Just be aware that they are brutal to shoot. They are heavy and awkward to handle. The actions are very stiff. The sights are crappy. They are hard to shoot well (and I am an experienced high power shooter). They are best suited for historical wall hangers and for fondling.

 

[Gordon_Freeman]

Is $120 too much? Are you serious? They are really cool rifles. Just don't expect a lot of accuracy.

 

[kcshooter]

Just be aware that they are brutal to shoot. They are heavy and awkward to handle. The actions are very stiff. The sights are crappy. They are hard to shoot well (and I am an experienced high power shooter).

I completely agree with this.

They are best suited for historical wall hangers and for fondling.

I don't agree with this. They are still good shooters as is, but they are great to modify.
No true value to them, so you can restock and bed, cut down barrels, bend bolt handles and tap for scopes, do a trigger job, smooth the action, modify in any way you want and you don't break the bank doing it. There are a LOT of interesting Mosin projects out there.