What Is It About Mosin Nagants?

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The_Shootist

The_Shootist

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Every rifle board I go to, there always seems to be 2-3-4, hell FIVE threads going on about this rifle at any time. Then I try to use the search function and just end up bewildered by the array of variants out there.

I ask this 'cuz now I'm curious. Seems like you can pick up a decent one for $ 75-$90. Then you have to decide on carbine (shortened version?) or "full size"?

What is it about an antiquated Russian bolt action rifle, that fires a round that supposedly kicks like a mule (7.62x54? - on par with a 30-06?) that gereates this kind of buzz?

I only ask as the more and more I see posts about it, I might just shrug, reach for my wallet and add one to my growing rifle collection (which so far consists of my WASR10 :D ) just to see what all the fuss is about.
 
History. It's one of the great rifles in history and they're readily available at dirt cheap prices.
 
Simply put, it is mainly about the low cost of both the rifles and the ammunition, both of which are currently readily available. It's a very robust design that is both simple and reliable. Nice examples can still be found at a low cost so chances are good that you can find one that shoots pretty well.

The history of those rifles is an interesting window into world politics of the last century. The carbine models can be extra loud and produce a large fireball when fired. For the low price of admission, why not?
 
Shootist, very good question. Well, the way I see it, there's the historical side and the shooting side of the Mosin. I won't go into the historical side of things other than say check out mosinnagant.net and 7.62x54r.net. The amount of variations produced of this rifle is amazing. Second only to the Mauser I would guess.

From a practical shooting viewpoint the Mosin offers an insane amount of shooting fun for very little money. A re-arsenaled piece of shootable military history in a hard-hitting,inexpensive round,for less than a hundred bucks? What's not to like?

Try it,what have you got to lose? Even if you hate it you can resell it and be out practically no money! Hope this helps.

-jagdpanzer
 
They're cheap, easy to find, ammo is plentiful and cheap, they're decently accurate (if you're lucky---I was :) ), and are FUN. What more reasons do you need?
 
I've owned and shot dozens of different types of historic war rifles. The Mosins, though, are special. They're simple, rugged and of course cheap. You can't buy a Garand for a C note or two anymore. Indeed it's getting tough to find good Mausers for a fair price.

Plus I like taking a "junk" rifle nobody thinks is worth a darn and making it shoot near MOA.
 
it is also fairly common to find an all matching numbers, unfired one. i got one , in the short m38 types, with no bayonet, plus the dog collar sling. It is super handy , super light, since I only paid 100 bucks for it, I wont mind if I have to use it for a boat paddle, and mine also happens to be super accurate.
 
Like others have said. You looking at a robust, fairly accurate rifle in multiple variations for about $60-100 that fires a round that often comes under 10 cents each. Add in a generous dollop of history in a simple design and you got the makings of a classic military surplus. The full length 91/30s are wonderful rifles, especially if you reload ammo to match grade for it, you can even get one of the rebuilt snipers for a little over $300. The carbines of the m38 and m44 make great little scout rifles and most people don't feel bad about battering them up as you would if it were a $800 rifle.

Overall they are handy tools and its hard to beat the fun factor of firing one of the carbines at night to see the six foot fireball shoot out the end.
 
I have one and its a neat rifle. Lots of history. I was playing "Call of Duty" yesterday and now I want the sniper version! :D
 
The first Mosin I bought is a Izhevsk 91/30 hex-receiver version dated 1931. Picked it up at the local Big 5 Sporting Good store for all of $79.95! All of the stamped numbers match although arsenal rebuilds often got new parts and a number was stamped on the piece to match the receiver serial number.

The barrel is in decent condition and has not been counter-bored. The crown is shiny but smooth and no signs of damage. The stock is in good shape and needs nothing more than a refinish using red shellac (standard finish for these rifles). Ther est of the components are in excellent shape.

It will shoot 8-10" groups at 200 yards using 147gr Czech silvertip ammo and that is not too bad considering that the Russian military standard was 6" groups at 200 meters. Recoil is maybe a bit more than my 1903A3 but easily managable with a recoil pad.

I picked up an M38 a few months ago and although I haven't had a chance to get it to the range, it looks to be in as good shape as my 91/30. The short-barreled versions like the M38 and the M44 have a serious recoil to them. They also deliver a great fireball which you need to see around dusk.

For a decent rifle in the under $100 range, the Mosin-Nagants are just too much fun to have and shoot. They make an excellent truck rifle.
 
...and then there are those who are not historically motivated, just simply economically motivated. $85 rifle, an ATI stock, MOJO peep sight, some stripper clips and BINGO, a truck gun is born. (nothing irreversible was done to this rifle). The collectors and history buffs may not like it, but I think a good number of the sales and general interest in this gun is simply because it's inexpensive to buy and feed, so they become "disposable" guns to one degree or another, able to be used where a more expensive gun is not appropriate.
 
Mosins are intersting, robust, unusual, and durable. They use the longest serving military cartridge, for which there are huge amounts of cheap surplus ammo, some of it very good quality. Not many calibers can you find cases of 800 rounds for $69, (J&G Sales), of good ammo, albeit corrosive.
I have a 1920 Izzy hex reciever 91/30, matching numbers, rearsenalled to excellent, that gave me a 2.9 inch group at 100 yards with Czech Silvertip, and I am awaiting time to go again, to try out various reloads I have. I also have an M38, in M44 stock, rearsenalled to excellent, matching numbers, and will give me 3 inches at 100 yards with Wolf ammo.
Both rifles together with a case of Polish ammo, and the various boxes of Czech Silvertip still floating around, come to less than $200 all told.
Oh, yeah, the 91/30 has a matching numbered bayonet that would easily double as a shishkabab skewer!:p
 
Out of the 6 I have two will shoot about 3 " off the bench. I can't do that well offhand. The're fine weapons. Simple, sturdy and well designed for the task at hand and a bargain too boot. I have seen a couple that were beautifuly converted to sporters. I know it's like changing a Ton Truck to a late model sportsman, but if you have the whim and the money, It's your call.. Essex
 
Hi all. New to this board. Been lurking for a few days.

Shootist, if you're interested in a Mosin Nagant, Seriously consider a 91/30 over an M38 or M44 carbine. The extra weight and longer barrel help tremendously with recoil. My M44 is downright unpleasant to shoot, and I'm no small guy. My buddy's 91/30 isn't as bad. I also have 2 Finn M28's and a Finn M39. These guns are both a lot nicer to shoot than my M44 and all three are more accurate than my buddy's 91/30. The M39 will shoot 3MOA groups out to 300 yds with surplus ammo. 150gr handloads only shrink the groups down to about 2.5 MOA.

And, I found that with my M44, if you can get within 30 yards, you can kill and roast the deer all at once.
 
Nod

thanks Mr White - thats kind o what I was looking for. Something to narrow down the bewildering array out there.

Full size, huh? Makes sense. I'm not recoil shy but if I take a pistol/rifle to the range I want to use it for an extended session. I know thew MN is gonna kick harder than my AK (and I can pop off 500 AK rounds in a session with no ill effects). But I'd like to put a couple hundered slowly aimed shots downrange without dislocating my shoulder.
 
I would say the history, it is awesome to imagine what your rifle might have done in it's life, or might not have done. was it in the hands of a desk clerk? or was it used on a charge against the germans, did the guy behind that rifle take out a whole company with just his rifle? and latter belong to a russian farmer that used it to feed his family, with the animals he hunted? also it's a mil-surp and i love mil-surp rifles so does alot of others on this forum and every where else in the world. ammo is cheap, there is match grade ammo for it comercial plinking amm, and hunting ammo as well. there are several varients that can fit any hole in your collection. full size, carbines, with a bayonet or without. there are many upgrades avaliable to make it even better, like triggers by huber concepts, mojo peep sights, scope mounts, scopes and some are pretty darn accurate. from paper punching, to hunting to collecting they fit the bill more times than not and at the price for the weapon itself and the ammo you can't beat it.
 
Yeah, the 91/30's are very cheap to buy and are fairly accurate. If you don't mind dropping about twice as much for a more accurate gun with a better stock and a decent 2 stage trigger, consider an Finn M39. They have much better barrels made by Tikka, Sako, or FN, better stocks with a semi pistol grip and a smooth 2 stage trigger.

Also, before you buy a case of ammo, buy a small amount of several different kinds of ammo, light and heavy ball from different countries if you can. Different guns prefer different ammo. I won't even put heavy ball (172 gr) ammo in the same room as my M44, it scares me that much. My M39 shoots either. My M28s shoot better with light ball (147gr), with the Czech seeming to outperform the Hungarian.
 
i love the idea of a history behind it. i have a 1943 91/30. and i wonder in 1943 did it walk the streets of newly freed stalingrad? maybe it made it there in time to see the germans retreat. was it at kursk? did it march into berlin? did its owner die? did he live? is he still around now? did this rifle save his life? its history!

the fact that its a cheap to buy, cheap to feed, cheap to fix, reliable arm plays a role aswell
 
mosins

I owned 2 91/30s, 1 replica 91/30 sniper, 1 m38, 1 m44.

I sold them all except for the 91 sniper.

accuracy was ok at best, the kick was felt all the way to the base of my spine, and cheap ammo would get stuck in the chamber.

the 91 sniper repro however is a very accurate gun. I can quite easily get 3" groups with it @ 100 yards, which isn't bad considering that I am using horribly crappy (it's rusting GREEN) cz silvertip.

the other guns just weren't much fun to shoot. sure I could get a loud bang, but then I could do that with a paper bag.

so i sold them along with an FN-made m24/47 and a Yugo SKS.

with the money, I bought:

FN 49 egyptian 95%
ruger 10/22 98%
norinco sks paratrooper, 98%
IMBEL fal parts kit, excellent.

not bad, eh?
 
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