Mosin Nagant questions...

[DSbur]

OK, so I see that Mosins are inexpensive and I'm willing to bite on a decent shooter in excellent condition, am I missing anything with these rifles or is it just that they are cheap/reliable/sturdy utility guns?

Perusing the Mosin websites, don't care for a collector piece but do want something NRA Excellent-ish that can shoot somewhere under a few inches at 100yds. and isn't all scarred up with re-stamps and grindings. Turned down bolt looks like a bonus but don't exactly need a 'sniper' rifle.

Suggestions? Seems like anything Finnish has some quality to them. Local PDX sources? Preferred models? Rifles, not carbines.

Or, am I wasting my time?

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[eldbillbo]

they are cheap/reliable/sturdy utility guns -on the nose


your not gonna win any competitions with them unless shooting against other mosins fun to shoot you might get lucky and get a real accurate one but probably not at the $89 big 5 special . they are plenty accurate for plinking though

look for one with a really good bore and clean crown

i re crowned mine and its much more accurate that it was.

 

[ZachS]

OK, so I see that Mosins are inexpensive and I'm willing to bite on a decent shooter in excellent condition, am I missing anything with these rifles or is it just that they are cheap/reliable/sturdy utility guns?

115 year old design, produced for 60 years, made for illiterate pesants to fight with through mud, snow, and ice. What's not to like?

 

[trainsktg]

If you are considering a Mosin with a turned down bolt, RGuns has original de-scoped snipers with their original bolts for $155. The snipers were hand-selected for better accuracy out of the regular infantry rifle production runs. My $100 Big 5 ex-sniper is one of the most accurate rifles I own.

<broken link removed>

Edit: Refurbished Russian 91/30 'round' receivers are your cheapest bet for a shooter. Finnish M39s are probably overall the most accurate, but for an average M39, you will probably pay 2 to 3 times as much.

I believe one of our resident dealers, Coctailer, has Russian refurbs for a very good price.

Keith

 

[dobeman]

a Finnish M39 in good condition should be an accurate shooter for you. Versus a 91/30 - it's more of a crap shoot. you have to be really careful about the condition of the bore and muzzle. Buying one local where you can inspect it is always best I think for these. Unless of course you pay premium for online hand select with guaranteed grading. Big 5 near me has a 91/30 for $99 sale, $179 normal. A bit high on their normal price, but it is in good shape - I've looked at it. I already have a M39 (thanks JCWeaponry) and a M38 carbine so I didn't buy it.

 

[toobigtofail]

OK, so I see that Mosins are inexpensive and I'm willing to bite on a decent shooter in excellent condition, am I missing anything with these rifles or is it just that they are cheap/reliable/sturdy utility guns?

Perusing the Mosin websites, don't care for a collector piece but do want something NRA Excellent-ish that can shoot somewhere under a few inches at 100yds. and isn't all scarred up with re-stamps and grindings. Turned down bolt looks like a bonus but don't exactly need a 'sniper' rifle.

Suggestions? Seems like anything Finnish has some quality to them. Local PDX sources? Preferred models? Rifles, not carbines.

Or, am I wasting my time?

You're not gonna get an excellent condition rifle for the hundred dollar price point that is common for refurbs. I mean, it is theoretically possible, but more likely you'll end up with a good/very good grade "shooter" which has the refurb marks, the rebluing, the refinishing over the old shellac. Very few types of Mosins will be reground with anything... some carbines might have the original date hammered off the receiver, and might have had the rear sight longer distance markings removed... Let's be honest about this: most Mosins are going to be pretty inaccurate compared to modern rifles, or even higher quality competing rifles like the German Mausers or the Lee Enfields. There are two main reasons why people like these rifles: for one, they are the cheapest large bore rifles out there, and second, because the ammo is cheaper than cheap. After that, people might enjoy these guns because they are a real piece of history that is interesting and collectible.

 

[coop44]

the most recent batch to come in(that I have seen and bought) have impressive shiny bores, very nice reblue, nice stocks. If you like old military guns these are cool. if you are a serious collector get your ffl 03 license, the best 30 bucks I have spent in a long time. order them direct from the distributor and get them delivered to your door, save a ton. BTW you also get discounts at midway brownells and others.

 

[torpedoman]

You're not gonna get an excellent condition rifle for the hundred dollar price point that is common for refurbs. I mean, it is theoretically possible, but more likely you'll end up with a good/very good grade "shooter" which has the refurb marks, the rebluing, the refinishing over the old shellac. Very few types of Mosins will be reground with anything... some carbines might have the original date hammered off the receiver, and might have had the rear sight longer distance markings removed... Let's be honest about this: most Mosins are going to be pretty inaccurate compared to modern rifles, or even higher quality competing rifles like the German Mausers or the Lee Enfields. There are two main reasons why people like these rifles: for one, they are the cheapest large bore rifles out there, and second, because the ammo is cheaper than cheap. After that, people might enjoy these guns because they are a real piece of history that is interesting and collectible.

YES, you can a buddy bought one for 99 bucks at big 5 on close examination it is a ex sniper with the scope mount holes filled and restocked excellent shape and very accurate.

 

[toobigtofail]

You might get lucky at Big 5. Usually the guns there are good/very good quality. I went to three different stores and found something "very good" quality w/ counterbore that I found interesting. True excellent condition? I suppose you could get lucky... you should go out and see what you can find.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

I own two M39s and I think they're pretty great: sturdy, accurate and battle worthy. I plan on getting more.

 

[trainsktg]

Something to consider...an antique Finnish Mosin M39. Shipped directly to your door with no FFL required. These early recievers are just as strong as the later ones, and some original antique receivers are still in use today with the Finnish Defense Forces in the form of their TKIV85 sniper rifles.

<broken link removed>

Keith

 

[trainsktg]

Yup, I was right in my first post. Coctailer has some. Support a board sponsor and pick up one of these. Its a good deal.

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30675

Keith

 

[cetme]

i picked up a mosin from coctailer that seems unissued .every steel part looks unused., the stock has some strange stamps,looks new too.is this common?

 

[dobeman]

i picked up a mosin from coctailer that seems unissued .every steel part looks unused., the stock has some strange stamps,looks new too.is this common?

what's the date on it? the strange stamps could be arsenal marks for inventory control or whatever. pics? love pics of mosins

 

[Arkarayne]

I own 2 Mosins:
a 1934 all-original 91/30, good crown, cleanish bore, shoots ~1.5" at 100 yards
a 1899 receiver, 1925 ex-dragoon "91/30", probably the most beautiful thing i've seen, (haven't shot it yet, almost don't want to.)
Got the 1934 for 89 bucks at, where else? Big 5.
got the other in a trade.
Yes if you can pick through the 5 or 6 rifles they keep on hand for those sales and pick the gem of the lot, you'll have a rifle that'll keep going for another 100 years if you take care of it. even if you use corrosive ammo, a bit of smart maintenance and that's a non-issue.
Ammo:
Surplus ammo = ~20 cents a shot
Commercial ammo = .50 to a dollar a shot
Comparatively it's about the same price to shoot as other similar-sized calibers.
Ease of use:
I can take apart and put together the whole thing easy, which i have no real need to except the initial purchase cleaning, or to replace a part, which, if you find the right online shop, you can buy a darn-near lifetime's worth of replacement parts (the ones you'll ACTUALLY need to replace from use, not butt screws or barrel bands) for about 100 bucks.
Customizing:
Yeah, you can sporterize it, put a scope on it, even heard of some extending the magazine, honestly, you don't need to. MAYBE a scope if you don't feel confident about iron sights (which they have a slight high-shooting issue, which can be fixed for ten cents of wire insulation and a hair dryer or super glue) but, they were made to hit barns at 2000 yards, and people at 500, and heads at 200, with iron sights.
Conclusion:
They're a great gun to have around, for what they're worth. You won't be hitting a deer's eye at 600 yards with a thousand dollar scope and 3 dollar-a-shot ammo like some rifles, but they're gonna do their job.
They're history, 3 separate centuries of history. used from 1891, by russian peasants finnish freedom fighters, and even german soldiers, to the 50s and 60s by korean and vietnamese snipers, to today, by ranchers, frugal hunters, and the taliban and al queda. would not be surprised at all if they see a 4th century of use.
$100 rifle, $100 spare parts, $100 misc gear, $200 ammo, and you've spent just as much as for one similarly powered modern rifle, without the extras you bought.
5 shots, 5 dead tin cans, 5 dead deer, 5 dead zombies, 5 dead foreign invaders, 5 dead... take your pick.
Are they meant for everyone? No. Will they help you defend your homestead as well as most other large-caliber rifles? Probably. Are they a cheap, fun, historic, simple, and useful rifle? Yes.

.......What can you say I like the gun >.>;

 

[DSbur]

Got one from Coctailer today, 1940 stamped on receiver, seems unfired, 91/30 Russian. Couldn't pass up the deal! Currently stripping off all the cosmoline. Serials match, maybe it's an arsenal rebuild? Crude but mint! He might have a few left but at $100 they'll be gone fast...

Guess I get to join in on the fun now!

 

[toobigtofail]

Got one from Coctailer today, 1940 stamped on receiver, seems unfired, 91/30 Russian. Couldn't pass up the deal! Currently stripping off all the cosmoline. Serials match, maybe it's an arsenal rebuild? Crude but mint! He might have a few left but at $100 they'll be gone fast...

Guess I get to join in on the fun now!

They aren't "crude" as much as they are elegantly simple. FINE SOVIET PEASANT WORKMANSHIP!!! Is the zero on the sights wrong? Adjust them WITH A HAMMER! Where's the safety? Comrade, is gun, is for killing people, IS NOT SAFE!

heh heh there is actually a safety on it but it is about the worst one in the world -- hard to use, you have to look at it when you put it on or off -- it's on the cocking bolt head...

 

[Seafarinman]

I bought an 1891/30 at the gunshow from JC, and went back the next day and got an M44 in excellent condition with Mojo sights installed. These are my second and third Mosin Nagants. I owned one years ago and sporterized it with the ATI stock. I am keeping these original (except for the limbsaver recoil pad and neoprene 6 round sleeve on the M44 stock.) Also picked up a cruciform bayonet for the 91/30 on Ebay.

 

[DSbur]

As I sit here with cosmoline, stripper, gunk and goo all over me I'm wondering about several things...

Who's got surplus ammo locally (PDX)

What reloadable ammo do I want to feed it? (Yugo?)

Heck, what ammo shoots well in these things?

Anyone got stripper clips?

My older eyes are wondering about those 'scout' scope mounts, anyone have one and can comment?

 

[Graffin]

As I sit here with cosmoline, stripper, gunk and goo all over me I'm wondering about several things...

Who's got surplus ammo locally (PDX)

What reloadable ammo do I want to feed it? (Yugo?)

Heck, what ammo shoots well in these things?

Anyone got stripper clips?

My older eyes are wondering about those 'scout' scope mounts, anyone have one and can comment?

Here's the best deal on ammo I've found in awhile, around $100 shipped for 440 rounds:
<broken link removed>

I've had zero problems with surplus ammo, just keep some windex with you to rinse out the barrel afterward, and head straight home to clean it. I keep windex in the oil bottle that came with it and in one of the ammo pouches that also came with it.

I've got the scout scope mount that attaches to the rear sight on mine. Similar to this but with a better scope: http://www.amazon.com/Mosin-Nagant-2-5x30-illuminated-91/dp/B0022VBAGS

I like it, but I have to put my chin on the stock to get a good look through the scope because it sits so high. They make others that you have to remove the rear sight completely to mount, but I didn't want to do any drilling. It's nice to have a good aim point, I guess, but my next one I will keep stock. The one I have shot incredibly well with just iron sights.