WTB A cheap deer rifle in alaska. Thinking mosin nagant m44. Any other suggestions?

[gbeecher]

Hard to beat a good bargain...

I would be hard pressed to recommend any other rifle other than the Mosin-Nagant. The carbine M38, M44 and Chinese T53 would probably be handier in thick woods. I have an 1891/30, made in 1933 at Tula. I've shot some 210 rounds of 203 grain soft-point, both lacquer and zinc coated, and not had a single failure. The more I shoot the Mosin, the more I love it!

 

[geo57]

A Mosin M44 for deer ? What are you, nuts ? It would never work and be a very poor choice.....


This was the 3rd whitetail I've harvested with mine, the other two being meat bucks for the table. All three were taken with Privi Partizan 150 gr. SP . The combined travel distance all three went after being shot was less than 10 yards.

BTW, a Mosin 91/30 seems to fill a freezer with venison too. ( S&B 180 gr SP )

Best of luck to you in whatever you decide to go with.

 

[Frogman]

For the cheapest surplus - Mosin - for commercial - Savage is unbeatable.

 

[denton]

If you can find one a better choice would be a Yugo Mauser.

Yes. You can get a Yugo for around $200. And the 8x57 is a fine cartridge. Loaded with 200 grain bullets at 2600 FPS, it's also very nice for the occasional bear or meese.

Still, I'd look for a commercial rifle, maybe in 30-06. If you shop, you can end up with something very usable for under $300, probably including some kind of decent scope.

 

[jason41987]

i know everyone thinks that because mosin nagants are bolt actions, they must be accurate, not true, mosin nagants were not very accurate bolt actions, you would be better off going with a newer bolt action or find something based on the mauser actions... but i think youd better off finding a new entry-level rifle in the $250-$300 range in .308

also, 7.62x54R is expensive ammo to find, and usually when you find it its cheap ammo

 

[geo57]

Quote :
jason41987

" i know everyone thinks that because mosin nagants are bolt actions, they must be accurate, not true, mosin nagants were not very accurate bolt actions ..."

Try telling that to just the 247 verified kills sniper Vasily Zaytsev dusted off himself and the estimated 1000 -3000 kills his 28 sniper students accounted for in WW II not to mention the tens of thousasnds the regular troops took with them. Is it a bench rest rifle ? No, but many shoot just as well as many commercial production rifles . If a rifle's bore or especially it's crown is damaged it might not shoot well and it makes no difference if it's a 60 year old surplus rifle or a 2 week old commercial rifle.

You go on to say that 7.62x54 ammo is " expensive ammo to find ", but then say when it is found it's cheap. To me that is the definition of contradiction.

Regardless, 7.62x54r ammo simply isn't hard to find and quality hunting ammo from Privi Partizan costs a few dollars less than a typical box of .308 Rem, Win, or Fed. from Wal-Mart. Many hunters successfully use steel cased Brown & Silver bear soft points which cost about half of what those Wal-Mart .308 shells do. Offerings from S&B, Win., Wolf Gold and others are also priced comparibly with those from stores & online outlets.

 

[jason41987]

i said the ammo found is cheap, i didn't say it was inexpensive, meaning low quality, usually by wolf

 

[One_Jackal]

When the mosin-magant was designed, it was designed to be sighted in at 300 yards out of the box. After properly sighting in my Mosin-Magant I have no problems hitting a paper plate at 150 yards with open sights. 9 out of 10 Mosin Magant owners have never actually taken an aimed shot with it. They never adjust the sights. Then they shoot surplus ammo that is NOT designed for target shooting.

 

[dprice3844444]

try to buy something very light and easy to find ammo at the gun stores.remember,weight is an issue if yiour walk hunting in the woods.

 

[geo57]

jason, while Wolf does make 7.62x54r, it is the absolute bottom of the barrel stuff IMO , and even it works fairly well. Wolf Gold is made by Privi IIRC and an entirely different animal than Wolf. In any case there are many different offerings from several sources that are much more common. As far as being of low quality, all of the makers I listed above are easily found , make fine hunting ammo and kill oodles & scads of big game here and abroad every year.

 

[denton]

My experience with Russian Mosins is that they do about 4" groups at 100 yards. That is enough for deer hunting within 100 yards.

The Finnish Mosins are a different story. Many of them are sub 2" at 100. But those cost more coin.

Usually with a little care, the Yugos will do 2" at 100. The problem with them is that the sights are set up for long shots, and many of them will be quite high with the factory sights. That's easily fixable, but it's one more step.

BTW, I reload for all of the above.

The full-length Mosins are pretty heavy. The M44 is lighter, but I'd still think seriously about cutting and grinding off the bayonet lug to lose a few ounces of steel if I still had one.

If the objective is the least expensive thing that will put venison in the locker, then the Mosin is the ticket.

If you just enjoy shooting milsurp, and want a gun that is a lot prettier than a Mosin and more amenable to upgrades, then a Yugo 24/47 or an M48 is the ticket.

If you want something that is lighter and more accurate, then I'd look around for a good used Savage or one of the newer entry level rifles. Here is one possible alternative: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=21012609&cat=377&lpid=1&search=savage

Another choice that has not been mentioned is the bolt action 30-30s made under the Savage and Stevens names. They can be had for under $200, they are 2" or so shooters, and completely satisfactory for deer inside 125 yards or so. They are also low recoil, and a lot of fun to shoot. I shoot cast lead in mine, which makes them also very cheap to operate.

 

[lefteyedom]

I try never to do this, repost in a thread....

If you really want the best value for your dollar the Mosin or any milsur is not it.

A good used $250+-, commercial rifle chambered for 30.06 with a scope is your best bet.

A used 110 Savage can be had for less than $250 often under $200 FTF.

The range of game that the 30/06 can harvest is frankly antelope to grizzle bears.

For $125, Mosin are good rifles, but a $250 used Savage is many times a better hunting rifle.

While cheap is good, good is not always cheap.

 

[caribou]

You can hunt with a Milsurp, or any other rifle that is accurate, no matter who made them.

Only accurate rifles are interesting.

Mosin Nagants can be as accurate as any other rifle in teh world, and thats a fact written in blood. Useing a milsurp of a commercial rifle is a matter of taste, what you want to put into it and what you expect out of it.

I make a living useing a Mosin Nagant, and in the Arctic, its perfect......great power, great bullets, the stocks and handguards are wood to keep the barrel from freezing to your hands in winter, no scope to fog or break, a cleaning rod to clean the crud outta the bore, anywhere, be it sand, snow or fouling, great balance, easy to get the trigger 'perfect', reliable and durable. In an emergency I can shave woood from the stock to start a fire, and unlike composite or plastic, the stock wont freeze to your cheek at -40f, and at that temp, when you pull the trigger, it will go "Boom!" unlike many commercial rifles or semi autos.

Simo Hayha used a Mosin go achive the highest sniper confirmed kills ever, plenty have been to the olympics and the Hunters of teh Chukchi Sea and Bering straights use them for everything from Walrus to Bears.

 

[goon]

Caribou - I take it that decent ammo for the Mosin is available in your area? What about M-39's and 91/30's? What kind of price range are we talking about to lay hands on one in Northwestern Alaska?

The Mosin has a lot going for it. I'm familiar with them... I'd use one for hunting and general rifle type purposes.

 

[caribou]

I use an M-39, its a '42 Sako and my sons both have 91/30's.

I use FMJ's, they are legal and I buy them by the case. let NONE tell you tey are ineffective, as all die quickly before them. Russian 70's ammo is up to snuff accuracy wize and the bullets tend to tumble makeing great wound paths and bone smashing.

Other ammo, such as soft points are available, and bulk ordering everything from fuel to food to ammo is the Alaskan way, especcially in the bush.

 

[Adam123]

I have a scoped M38 that groups very well and is nowhere near 4" groupings... more like 1.5" groups.

 

[One_Jackal]

I use 203 gr Brown Bear SP ammo in my Mosin-Nagant. Ii is a 200 yard shooter. I wouldn't try any further cause I am blind. I did a lot of work to my mosin-magant shooting well. I am not going to put a scope on my Mosin-Nagant. It's a good rifle for rough trips. Why beat up a $950 rifle in tough places? Everyone needs a beater!