(Eh? Whatsat y'say sonny? Speak up I cain't hear ya, been deaf as a post ever since I took that bet about burnin' a hunnerd rounds thru a Nagant!)
I’ve got one.
An M91/30. Love it.
First time I took it to the range and squeezed the trigger, everyone on the firing line stopped to see who brought the cannon.
Get a cheap slip-on shoulder pad for it. Not only for the recoil, but also because they have short stocks and the extra inch of length from the pad will give you a better fit.
Get a butt pad for the stock; it kicks a lot. I also enjoy the aftermarket Mojo sight I put on my 91/30. My M44 has a bent bolt, so I'm thinking of putting a scope on it.
BS. (IMHO).
The 7.62x54R cartridge is roughly equivalent to the .30 '06. I have both an M91-30 (rifle) and an M44 (carbine). I shoot them both in "as issued" condition. In the summer. Wearing a t-shirt. < shrug > It's not a .22LR; it's not a .500 Ridiculous.
It's reasonably accurate (2-3MOA, better if it's a sniper model), and ammo is reasonably cheap. Most ammo is steel case, not reloadable, and some is corrosive. Reloading components are available from all the usual suspects, and data are in all the manuals.
I like them.
Plenty of info on the web. I like http://www.mosinnagant.net
I believed these were developed for the Russians (whites) because the Turks were kicking their asses with Winchesters.
You need to take that rifle. Get yourself some ammo and a slip on recoil pad. Keep in mind, that rifle has a bit of recoil. Ammo is cheap, so you can afford to practice.
bump