Thinking of buying a nagant.

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SimplyChad

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Ok heres the deal I think Im finally gonna break down and get a Mosin. The local Big 5 has them on sale for like 69 buck. What should I look out for when buying? This will prolly just be a coyote/truck gun but i want decent accuracy.
 
Check headspace if you have a gauge; all of the rearsenaled rifles (most common) I've checked have passed fine. Check bore condition if doable enough (doesn't necessarily need to be pristine to shoot well). Lots of variations to choose from based on your taste & appeal.

Funnel
 
I agree, buy one, but dont worry about the furniture, since most soviet ammo is corrosive instead inspect the bore and bolt for pitting, wear, corrosion, etc.
 
Do it, man. The Moisin is a joy to shoot. I can usually outshoot some ARs with mine at 50-200 meters and some patience.

Plus its tough, cheap, cheap to feed, and its Communist. What's not to love?
 
SimplyChad said:
Ok heres the deal I think Im finally gonna break down and get a Mosin. The local Big 5 has them on sale for like 69 buck. What should I look out for when buying? This will prolly just be a coyote/truck gun but i want decent accuracy.
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BUY THAT.

You can't beat a $70 Mosin Nagant.

Ammo is cheap. Rifle is super tough. Accurate enough for the price.

Trust me. DO IT. Buy two. BUY THREE. Give them to your family members. Keep them in a trunk in the closet. Use them as boat paddles! Crutches! Tent pegs, war clubs!
 
I got mine at I.O. Inc. it is an Ishvesk 1943 issue and it is deadly accurate. As far as furniture goes ATI sells synthetic furniture for it but I personally have not used it. I got mine for about $100. As far as ammo goes I don't really use the corrosive stuff I don't shoot it that much to really consider that kind of cost saving. But I generally use modern current production russian, serbian, or czech 150gr.FMJ(target) / 150gr.SP for hunting.
Good luck you will love it!
 
70 bucks, what's to lose!

Check for matching numbers. Receiver and bolt are most important, but nice to have mag bottom and butt plate matched too.

Check the muzzle. Make sure you get all the "goodies" they usually come with (bayo, oil can, ammo pouch, sling, etc).
 
I love my Nagant... it was a Christmas present from my wife last year... can't go wrong with it. I took it to the indoor range last week, the other people shooting didn't know what to expect when that ol' russian ammo went BOOM :D:D:D

They all took a step back to see what I was shooting because it was a lot meaner looking and sounding than their 10/22.

I would love to buy a M44. I don't have one of those yet... I have a 91/30, but I put the ATI stock on it... I would like another one to leave in it's traditional woody goodness. :D
 
Look for a pre-WWII one. The Soviets got pretty desperate during the war, especially '42 and '43, and were cranking guns out as fast as they could. Quality control was virtually nonexistent at that point.

I have a '36 Tula and a '43 Ishevsk, and the difference in fit and finish is quite noticeable.
 
Is the shellack intact? If so, or at least "mostly" and theres cosmo, it probly "is" right outta the crate, but ask the sales man.....

In 1946 there was a general armaments refurbishment program in Russia, that lasted untill 1954.
All small arms were counted up, cataloged, refurbed, destroyed, given to new satalight countrys or finally packed away for WW III.
If its a refurb, it was checked for throat erosion, obvious bore damage, bad chambers, and rebarreled if in need, headspaced, firing pin protrusion set, extractor checked, wood repaired or replaced, reblued, the sights are brought to the Soviet point of impact, then it as smacked with inspector marks, a "refurb box" , then restamped or electropenciled #'s onto any replacement parts to have "matching" serial numbers, then shellack'd to protect the wood, cosmolined to protect the metal and stored for later wars that never called.

If has a square with a slash diagonally through it, it was refurrbished, and the box will be on the buttstock and on the chamber.

Clean it of cosmo, especcailly the chamber, I use gasoline and a good scrub, I mean a REAL GOOD SCRUB!!! in that chamber 'cause the cosmo can be in there ,dryed on shiney, but definitly there and give you trouble with "sticky Chamber" syndrom.......get that cosmo OUT!


Its a rimmed cartridge, they headspace on the thickness of the rim, not the chamber. Its never a problem with Mosins, ever.

What you need to watch is the fireing pin protrusion, if ever you remove the fireing pin, you will have to use the simple protrusion gauge on the side of your soviet issued Mosin Nagant Screw driver/pin gauge/wrench tool, in your Soviet issue cleaning kit.


Then go shoot it to your hearts delight.


Keep it clean and enjoy!
 
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Agree with the statement of prewar 91/30s being better made, though my '42 Ishevsk (sp?) is MUCH more accurate than my '28 Tula Dragoon conversion. The '28 is a much neater rifle with the hex receiver and better overall quality. I have been accused of being "unstable" after revealing that I spent $80 on a Timney trigger and more cash on a Mojo sight, but I really think they were worth it. My '42 is epoxy bedded and a joy to shoot, accuracy is great too. Got a 1.5" group at 100 with it last weekend, though a 10 shot group with .312" Hornadys and Varget measured 3.5". Still happy with it though.
 
Most of the Nagants you buy from stores have been "re arsenal" which means they have most likely been counter bored. This effects the accuracy a bit but isn't anything to freak out about. I have three and love them all. The 91/30 is a bit long but serves its purpose. I've also deer hunted with it and can say it does what it needs to to the deer. If they have a M38 or M44 that would be better for a truck gun. They are a good bit shorter and are still accurate. I wish I could get them for $70 around here. They are $100 plus here.
BTW the counter boring is from the corrosive ammo that was pumped through them during the war.
 
Chad, as others here have advised, you won't be sorry you bought a MN 91/30 for that amount. While having a " star " ( meaning Tula arsenal ) on the barrel just ahead of the receiver is a good thing, it's not really that big of a deal, and it's much more common to have a triangle with an arrow inside it ( meaning Izhevsk arsenal ) instead of a star there. Also, don't fret if it is counterbored. While it may make a difference to a collector, it likely will not make it shoot any worse, and infact, some shooters prefer having them counterbored, as the muzzle end will be even again. Rough & improper cleaning methods had a lot more to do with the need to counterbore than corrosive ammo did. If it were due to a lack of cleaning after corrosive being shot, the entire barrel would be effected, not just the last inch or so of the barrel. I have both counterbore and non-counterbore, Tula and Izhevsk Mosin Nagant 91/30's, a M44 and a M38 & they all shoot very well. I've taken deer with both rifle and carbine length Mosins, and they both have some advantages over the other. Strive to find one with the best possible bore. Once you get one, be sure to remove ALL cosmoline from it, paying special attention to the chamber to avoid extraction grief. IMO, they are an unbeatable value in the milsurp world if one is looking for a shooter. They are simply a hoot to shoot. Best of luck in your quest.
 
It's a 1936 Tula with a good bore all matching numbers haven't picked it up yet. Waiting to get the bent bolt so I have a reason with the mrs.
 
Counter boreing was done to recrown the the barrel, usually having to deal with accurace and muzzle erosin. The crown is also being better protected by the recess, going anwhere from 1/4th - 1-1/2 inches deep. This was to restore accuracy to a still very usable barrel.
The use of corrosive ammunition wasnt the direct cause of muzzle erosion, but was a factor indeed, as using corrosive ammo DEMANDED atention and cleaning, and this was often improperly done with out the cleaning kits bore guard , the cap with the hole in it for the cleaning rod to pass safely through the muzzle, also called the 'cleaning rod guide'. This cap kept the steel off the steel, often rubbing a flaw into the crown with the cleaning.
During rearsenal, all parts were brought back into spec, or replaced and a collector aquiring a counter bore on a rifle with a refurb mark is getting exactly what the collector wants, a "correct" period rifle with marks to prove so...... A collector who wants no counterbore probly isnt interested in the electropenciled remactch on the replacement parts either.
Collectors want certain arms, from certain times in certain conditions, often with certain marks. Rearsenals are mix match masters, and the exact reason the Finn Modles of Mosin are jokeingly called "Finn Matched" ~~LOL!!~~ The Finns cared only for caccuray First.
None of this matters to the shooter/user, 'cause accuracy is the ONLY matter when it come to a shooter, everything else is secondary....
 
For $69, you need to look for five things.

1) Bolt (is there one)
2) Barrell (is there one)
3) Receiver (is there one and are the previous two attached?)
4) Trigger (is there one)
5) Stock (are all the above components in one?)

Seriously though, for $69, you're probably looking at a common round receiver. Nothing wrong with them. Not as collectible as a hex receiver for $79. Lol

I love my 91/30. It is very accurate for what it is and for that price, even if it isn't, I can keep it in my boat and let it serve double duty. It can shoot water moccasins and serve as an anchor. I dare anyone to find another shootable boat anchor for $69. :)
 
the main issue is you have a high powered rifle with no scope, and adding a scope costs a couple hundred minimum. You have to modify the bolt handle, and get a mount that either requires a long eye relief or spend a fortune on a side mount setup.

I like using sites but without a scope whats the point of so much power?
 
I like using sites but without a scope whats the point of so much power?
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If there is a feisty, four legged animal coming your way at say 25 -50 yards, I'll take the Mosin and you can have my Savage MKII (.22LR BA) with it's ProStaff 3-9x40 on it........or do you want the 7.56x54R back? ;)
 
ill take a 223 with scope, will cost about the same as a mosin with scope.

besides, in my area the most it would be is a pitbull and a 22 will be fine way to go
 
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