Mosin Nagants? What's the deal?

[Member 5605]

I'm learning.... bear with me.

What's the deal with the Nagants? What's so good about an older rifle like that? I know what they were used for buy why are they still floating around?

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[Bazooka Joe]

I'm actually more curious about these now, too. I've read a lot of people saying they are decent battle rifle for the money, but then the other day on that Top Shot show one of the shooting pros couldn't hit the 100m target with it, which makes me think there must be something unusual about it.

 

[eldbillbo]

they are cheap average price starting at $80

they are still cheap to shoot comparred to .223 .308 7.62x39 ect

they can bring down a elk (comparable to a .308)

fun to shoot for the above reasons

they are historical, the only rifle to fight against itself and win.

they are great as is or can be sporterised or dinked around with

they are fun at parties and discos

and read this
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinHumor.htm

 

[raftman]

It's quite simple. They're durable, reliable, low/easy-maintenance, battle-proven rifles, they also shoot an affordable and widely available round that offers decent performance (comparable to 30-06). They're also a ton of fun to shoot. What makes them yet more attractive to folks is they're still widely available for under $100, that is, you can get such a rifle for less than the price of a crappy, used single-shot .22LR rifle.

 

[trainsktg]

Firstly, just to be anal, the M91 rifle and all of its subsequent variations is generally refered to as a 'Mosin' not a 'Nagant'. 'Nagant' is usually used when referring to the M1895 seven-shot Nagant pistol of Belgian origin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagant_M1895

The simple answer to your question as to why they are still around is that they are an extremely robust rifle with decent accuracy potential and an interesting history. They are in fact still in use on the battlefield today, and not just by poor indigent guerrilla fighters either. The current-issue Finnish Defense Forces Tkiv-85 military sniper rifles are made with Tsarist-era Mosin Nagant M91 receivers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_Tkiv_85

If they are in anyway intriguing to you, wait for a $99 sale at Big 5, or contact Coctailer here on the boards and get one. If you are like me, you won't be disappointed and you may become addicted.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinHumor.htm

Yup, that about sums it up .

Keith

 

[el gringo loco]

Dude, for less than $100 you can own a gun that was used to kill Nazis (aka the lowest form of life ever to inhabit the planet earth)! What's not to like?

 

[Member 5605]

I figured that they were just a cheap collectors item.

I had no idea that they are still a solid workhorse.


Crazy white guy: that's a valid point.

 

[shoggoth80]

Cheap, very robust, high powered rifle. Also, there is the historical factor in there. They are still around because they don't break easily (I've owned 4 or 5), and because there were some odd 17 million produced over the years (this might just be the 91/30). Actual M91s, and Dragoon era rifles are pretty collectible. Finnish rifles command a premium over most Russian/Comm Bloc guns. The Finn rifles are about the most refined of the Mosin/Nagant actions.

 

[darkminstrel]

My Big5 $79 special hits clays at 200m with iron sights. Punches holes through 2cm steel. Makes a fireball that can defoliate the ground in front of me 2m out.

And for $200 you can roll out and buy the rifle plus 440 rounds to shoot through it.

 

[torpedoman]

I'm actually more curious about these now, too. I've read a lot of people saying they are decent battle rifle for the money, but then the other day on that Top Shot show one of the shooting pros couldn't hit the 100m target with it, which makes me think there must be something unusual about it.

the other guy hit his first shot. Not the fault of the gun.

 

[torpedoman]

they are very good rifles mine is a tack driver with handloads good for anything you would use a 30-06 or 308 for.

 

[trainsktg]

the other day on that Top Shot show one of the shooting pros couldn't hit the 100m target with it, which makes me think there must be something unusual about it.

Not seeing the show, I suspect a bias. With open sights, a decent refurbed Russian Mosin is (at least with my bad eyes and self-taught hands) capable of 4 moa 5-shot with good surplus ammo from the prone supported position. Any 'shooting expert' should be able to zero his rifle with just a few shots and be able to keep them in a smaller group than I'm capable of all day long.

Keith

 

[darkminstrel]

Any 'shooting expert' should be able to zero his rifle with just a few shots and be able to keep them in a smaller group than I'm capable of all day long.

...assuming the action screws and barrel bands are tight. The ones being used looked like well-used Century refurbs.

 

[Member 5605]

SO what are the important things to look for when scouting out these rifles?

What are the good things to look for and what are run away things?

Considering selling a rifle to pick one of these up, and since I know nothing about them......

 

[darkminstrel]

Good crown, splits in the wood, rifling(though cosmoline can obscure a good barrel), trigger slop, matching numbers, tight bolt fit. In that order.

If you're going to refinish the rifle I'd ask you purchase a more common variety. If you want it as a keep-sake collectible then research markings and such before you go in to buy.

 

[Ballistic]

How they shoot is hit or miss. Some of them don't shoot all that well; say 6 MOA. But others are better than your eyes. A lot of it depends on the ammo.

The Finnish M39 are well known to be fantastic shooters. The last Mosin 91/30 i bought is also fantastic. I posted my range report here

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31581

and you can see that i can do 2 MOA at 100 yards with surplus ammo. At 300 yards almost every round would fit in your chest. Not bad for a $100 69 year-old rifle and 25 year old ammo. (I don't think i can shoot better because i can't see any better than that.)

 

[toobigtofail]

SO what are the important things to look for when scouting out these rifles?

What are the good things to look for and what are run away things?

Considering selling a rifle to pick one of these up, and since I know nothing about them......

I would say that you want a rifle with good, strong, square rifling. A little darkness in the grooves won't affect accuracy, but a bright, shiny bore is a good selling point, if nothing else. Some people find the non counter bored rifles more desirable. I think that in general, non counter bored rifles are better than counter bored ones, but it probably isn't as big a deal as some people seem to think. Matching numbers without "scrubbed" or ground off or lined out numbers are more desirable in terms of collecting value.

 

[unionguy]

I had two M91/30's and an M44, cheap and goodly accurate. Solid as a tank. I did sell mine, but mostly as an effort to consolidate calibers and make more room in my safe. They do kick like a mule, though. So, don't get one if that bothers you.

 

[shoggoth80]

Bear in mind, like with all guns, they can be picky about ammo. Bulgarian light ball stuff tends to not shoot as accurate in my experience, while the Russian is alright... but Polish and Czech are typically some of the best surplus varieties. Bulgarian heavy ball IS a hoot to fire, and is fairly accurate... especially in the carbine Mosins.

Always check your action screws to make sure they are tight, as they sometimes loosen up in shipping, or due to differences in humidity.

Make sure your crown is good, don't sweat arsenal repairs in the stock. If you end up with sticky bolt syndrome, it isn't the end of the world... nothing a shotgun bore brush, large patches, and some polishing compound doesn't fix. Or ballistol/brake cleaner/gasoline to cut out the dried cosmo that might be hanging out in the chamber.

If recoil is a bit much for you, get a slip on butt pad. Simple as that.

 

[DSbur]

I can tell you that with surplus copper-washed 147gr light ball ammo that the $100 arsenal-rebuild 91/30 I just got from Coctailer on this site will do 2MOA at 100yds on the bench, open sights. Granted it shoots 6" high...

sticky bolt syndrome

Stay away from the lacquered-painted cartridges and use the copper-washed stuff. The lacquer tends to stick the cartridge in the less-than-perfect chambers after firing. Hammering away with a mallet on the bolt isn't a good idea. Also, the light ball ammo is what these were designed for, not the heavy-ball stuff, fwiw...

Trigger pull is awful, but the rifle is absolutely bullet-proof. I refinished the stock and it looks great. Clean it after every range session as the surplus ammo is corrosive, but it's only KCl so hot water or windex or Hoppes works just fine.

Now if anyone out there in Northwestfirearms-land can help me find some stripper clips locally....