Mosin Nagant - Opinions, experiences, etc.

[bugeye]

I have three 91/30's, 1929, 1936 and 1943. While I like the rifles and find them very much fun to shoot none of mine even come close to the accuracy of the $127 ($20 off on sale) H&R 17HMR I got at BiMart. At 100 yards the cheap H&R does 1.5moa groups with mild wind and the bull barrel will shoot faster than you can load it without deviation or complaint, while the Mosins are good for 5moa on a good day slow cycling new, medium expensive, non surplus ammo. When I shoot surplus ammo about 8 moa groups are to be expected. In addition, I've scout scoped two of these Mosins using the dove tail under the rear sight, and without that mod I can't even do 5 moa on the irons through my progressive trifocals. I've spent many hours cleaning these beasts, bedding, floating, recrowning, messing with the triggers, trying to coax a little more accuracy out of them without much reward for my time. But even given all this frustration, I've had great fun pretending that I know what I'm doing and still love these darn things. If nothing else it shows me of how poor my mental model of what makes a rifle accurate is.

But don't buy one for accuracy.

P.S. this isn't going to stop me from trying dry molly on one of them this weekend because I'm still seeking the holy grail, I've begun to think of all my newer rifles are boreingly accurate, most especially the stevens 200 in 223 with the 24 power scope on it that only needs a better trigger.

 

[raftman]

There's a great deal of sample variability with Mosins. Some Mosins are capable of decent accuracy.

 

[Arkarayne]

Exactly, my 1934 can shoot 2-3moa, while my 1943, well, can't.

 

[bugeye]

Exactly, my 1934 can shoot 2-3moa, while my 1943, well, can't.

Great, I've tried three and they can't, my point is for less than the cost of buying three of these beasts you can get a new rifle that will shoot tight groups and allow you to put a real scope on.

 

[trainsktg]

Mosins were built for battle, not extreme accuracy, although the standard Finn infantry-issue M39 was shipped from the factory spec'ed at 1.6 moa. Being a battle rifle, 4moa accuracy is good for 100% hits on a torso sized target at 500 yards with open sights, which is pretty much the limit of eyesight on that sized target anyways. Also, more often than not, ANY rifle is usually much more accurate than the shooter, especially when the crutch (my opinion) of 'the bench' is removed from the equation. I can't carry a bench into the field with me, so I don't practice with one. Call me pig headed, but that's just me.

Many, especially Finn Mosins, also carry significant historical value to the collector, and the prices continue to increase. The current issue Finn sniper rifle is a Mosin, which says something. With proper handloads, my M28-76 (Finn sniper trainer) is a sub-moa rifle. Using just surplus ammo, my most accurate Mosins are a $100 Big 5 counterbored '43 Russian ex-sniper and a Finn M91.

Keith

 

[landcbeitner]

Next time I get to shoot it.... I'll know exactly how accurate they are. With open sights it was over MOA at 500yds.

 

[darkminstrel]

Next time I get to shoot it.... I'll know exactly how accurate they are. With open sights it was over MOA at 500yds.

You want to tell me that left stock is for sale. You also want to tell me that it's designed for the Mosin action.

Don't you?

*waves hands in Jedi fashion*

 

[optrixs]

Hi:
I like the Mosin Nagant rifle).



I have sold 2 from that picture the bottom one a Remington and the M/N
Polish M-48 are gone(.

1.Sako that's been chopped to 22"
2.M-38 My newest rifle to my collection
3.Remington chopped to 24"
4.M-27 Finnish Tikka
5.M-39 Finnish Sako
6.M-39 Finnish Vkt
7.M-39 Finnish Sako
8.91/30 Russian beater rifle found at yard sale $35.00 I love
SW Oregon
9.Not a Mosin a Polish M48 trainer in 22 rimfire 24" barrel
10.M-44 Stock project with M-27 Action that action in # 3
stock was my very first Mosin 1996 at the Cow Palace in SF
11.Remington M91

For the $$$ I think a Mosin rifle is a great way to get started in shooting sports.

Thanks
Scott Hannah

 

[raftman]

Next time I get to shoot it.... I'll know exactly how accurate they are. With open sights it was over MOA at 500yds.

That's gotta be the only modified Mosin I have ever seen that I've liked the appearance of. I'm quite big on the whole "leave it original" thing. Can't stand to see Mosins with the oak leaf camo monte carlo stocks or Tapco-ized SKS's, and other such things.

Your Mosin actually looks quite nice.

 

[landcbeitner]

Thanks Raftman, I'm glad you like it. At this point it's not all that heavily modified. I'll have a new barrel on it soon and it will be chambered in 260 rem. This is a little extensive since the bolt head must be filled in and re-machined. The extractor also must be modified. I think the mag should work as is and little modification if any will be required. We'll se how it goes.

You want to tell me that left stock is for sale. You also want to tell me that it's designed for the Mosin action.

Don't you?

*waves hands in Jedi fashion*

I wan't to tell you all that, but it would't be honest. The stock on the left is off of a CZ 750 (it had some cracks so I got a good deal on it). I've re-inleted it to accept a comercial mauser action I've got (Interarms mark X). It wasn't all that difficult since the CZ750 action is based on the Mauser 98 design. I'm also working on a detachable mag system that will use AICS long action magazines. It will be in 300 WSM and it it will have a heavy fluted Benchmark barrel. It should be the coolest practical long range mauser ever built... at least in my opinion. I expect it to shoot very well!



Excuse the blue tape I was checking out how the rifle was going to ballance out and deciding if I needed to had weight to the rear of the stock.

 

[trainsktg]

Landcbeitner,

Which diopter sight was on your 28/76 before you put the scope on? If it was the double stack, would you be interested in parting with it?

Keith

 

[landcbeitner]

Sorry I'm not more familar with diopters. I don't beleive it was a doubble, but I'm not sure exactly what that means. Here's a pic.

 

[trainsktg]

That's the single stack. Same as mine. Bummer. Thanks for putting the picture up.

Keith

 

[landcbeitner]

No problem, I hope you find one.

 

[Ballistic]

I have four. An M44, a 91/30, an M39, and a 91/30 repro-sniper (which is for sale:winkkiss.

The Finnish M39 is one of my most accurate rifles. I can clip a quarter at 50 yards and use it regularly on the 300 yard range at Tri-County. The limitation are my eyes, not the rifle.

The M44 is a rather good shooter, better than expected, and great for plinking and blowing crap up. It's loud and powerful! What fun!

 

[landcbeitner]

I now have a Mosin Nagant chambered in 260 rem. (I'm pretty sure it's the only one). I haven't shot it yet with the new barrel other than test firing where it was smithed. It's a fluted, stainless, 25", 3 groove, 1:8 twist Benchmark barrel. I've loaded some test ammo using RL-17, 140gr Berger VLD's and CCI BR-2 primers. I think it'll shoot well... I hope to find out this weekend.

I still need to paint/duracoat the barrel (matte black), and modify the mag to make feeding more reliable (it does feed 75% as is). it's got a new bolt handle because the other one broke (large air pocket in the casting). I liked the origional, but for function this one is much better as it keeps my hands from bashing into the windage turret. I will also have the bolt knob duracoated black (will look more like the TKIV 85).

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I collect them and hand select them at Big 5 stores and they hold my selections until the next sale-time. You need to personally hand select for the following features to get the good 'uns. I do not recommend buying them sight unseen

Bore condition. There is no reason not to take a minute with your cleaning kit and a bore light, as there were 17 million Nagants made and they have not dried up yet. All of my collection except for one M38 and one Finn heavy barrel have pristine, shiny bores. I see guys with pitted out and counter bored barrels when they could have owned cherries

Counter bore. Counter bores can shoot OK but there's no reason to accept this at this time as there are plenty of cherry bores out there. While you are at it, bring one factory round (let the clerk keep the bolt so everything is warm and fuzzy) and insert it bullet first into the muzzle.. it the round comes anywhere near dropping down to the case mouth, forget that gun, it has muzzle erosion from a high round count

Look for matching numbers on the floorplate/barrel/triggerguard, etc. While a arsenal refinished gun can be good in all regards with non matching numbers, why accept this when you don't have to? I only have two with struck thru force matched parts, because they were otherwise cherry hex receivers that I wanted, mint bores

The wood is the last thing I care about since it can be refinished, but no reason to take one with a torn up stock, either, unless it's otherwise a collector model or you plan to sporterize it, anyway

The best condition Nagants are generally the post WW2 M44s. Mine are all virtually new except for a few tiny scratches in the stock finish

The Nagants that I have scout scoped are doing 2 MOA with silvertip ammo. That's pretty nice for a $130-$140 rifle package

Be sure to understand how to clean after shooting corrosive ammo! You can ruin a nice bore that way..