A Second Look at the Mosin-Nagant Rifle

Survivalblog.com ^ | 5-2-12 | "Frog"

[dynachrome]

My rifle is a round receiver Tula, 91/30. I was lucky enough to get one with an excellent bore, bolt, and all the accessories (oiler, tools in cloth wrap, sling, bayonet and two ammo pouches), while paying only $90 in-person. $80 online is still a perfectly fair price, even after transfer and shipping -- though I would advise anyone purchasing multiple specimens, or other qualifying weapons, to consider a Curio and Relic license, if that is in your interest.

The rifle's main detriment that I've determined thus far? The sights. They're not bad -- though I'm biased, and apparently an abnormality when it comes to American shooters raised with traditional American guns, for the most part. However, the majority of my open-sight shooting since adulthood has been with an AK variant, which has very similar sights, anyway. That doesn't change what they are, though; crude, dark, and on some guns, not even adjustable to make your point-of-aim the same as point-of-impact. A $5 part fixes this, and I suspect that the better quality sample you acquire, the less likely the phenomenon is. If you're new to Russian sights, try to remember that it's something you get used to. There's nothing directly 'wrong' with them; they're not always as precise, and they're just different.

[mnehring]

Here are my two. Both 1930 Tula with hex receivers.

I just received in my new stock to start working on the top one.

CombatHunting.com has great supplies to convert Mosins to a modern sport rifle.

[umgud]

Yeah, I guess my brake broke.

[mnehring]

LOL, I was about to offer to swap bolt assemblies. I am also going with a curved bolt but haven’t ordered it yet.

[dynachrome]

Nice ones!

[mnehring]

How does/would a Mauser or Springfield ‘03 compare to the Mosin?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a Mauser, Springfield or other similar rifle. I chose to go with the Mosin simply because of price and reliability reputation. I wanted something I could literally tinker with and not worry if I messed something up. Considering a Mauser or Springfield costs about 4 to 10 times the price, it makes the Mosin almost disposable in comparison. You can also get great deals on ammo for the Mosin. I several 440 round sealed cans for about $80 each.

[crusadersoldier]

I got my Mosin at a Roses department store in Mississippi in about 1987. They had hundreds of them there for $29.95 each and for another $29.95 you could get 1000 rounds of crappy Russian ammo with it. For poor college kids it was a cheap “plinking” gun. Mine is a Model 1915 made by “New England Westinghouse Company.” Apparently it was made under contract for the Tsar government.

[PapaBear3625]

Stuff you know if you have an AK.	Stuff you know if you have an AR	Stuff you know if you have a Mosin Nagant
It works though you have never cleaned it. Ever.	You have $9 per ounce special non-detergent synthetic teflon infused oil for cleaning.	It was last cleaned in Berlin in 1945.
You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from inside.	You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from 600m.	You can hit the farm from two counties over.
Cheap mags are fun to buy.	Cheap mags melt.	What's a mag?
Your safety can be heard 300m away.	You can silently flip off the safety with your finger on the trigger.	What's a safety?
Your rifle comes with a cheap nylon sling.	Your rifle has a 9 point stealth tactical suspension system.	Your rifle has dog collars.
Your bayonet makes a good wire cutter.	Your bayonet is actually a pretty good steak knife.	Your bayonet is longer than your leg.
You can put a .30" hole through 12" of oak, if you can hit it.	You can put one hole in a paper target at 100m with 30 rounds.	You can knock down everyone else's target just from the shock wave of your bullet going downrange.
When out of ammo, your rifle will nominally pass as a club.	When out of ammo, your rifle makes a great whiffle bat.	When out of ammo, your rifle makes a supreme war club, pike, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood.
Recoil is manageable, even fun.	What's recoil?	Recoil often used to relocate shoulders thrown out by the previous shot.
Your sight adjustment goes to '10', and you've never bothered moving it.	Your sight adjustment is incremented in fractions of minute of angle.	Your sight adjustment goes to 12 miles and you've actually tried it.
Your rifle can be used by any two bit nation's most illiterate conscripts to fight elite forces worldwide.	Your rifle is used by elite forces worldwide to fight two bit nations most illiterate conscripts.	Your rifle has fought against itself and won every time.
Your rifle won some revolutions.	Your rifle won the cold war.	Your rifle won a pole vault event.
You paid $350.	You paid $900.	You paid $59.95.
You buy cheap ammo by the case.	You lovingly reload precision crafted rounds one by one.	You dig your ammo out of a farmer's field in Ukraine and it works just fine.
You can intimidate your foe with the bayonet mounted.	Your foes laugh when you mount your bayonet.	You can bayonet your foe on the other side of the river without leaving the comfort of your hole.
Service life, 50 years.	Service life, 40 years.	Service Life, 100 years.
Its easier to buy a new rifle when you want to change cartridge sizes.	You can change cartridge sizes with the push of a couple of pins and a new upper.	You believe no real man would dare risk the ridicule of his friends by suggesting there is anything but 7.62x54r.
You can repair your rifle with a big hammer and a swift kick.	You can repair your rifle by taking it to a certified gunsmith, it's under warranty!	If your rifle breaks, you buy a new one.
You consider it a badge of honor when you get your handguards to burst into flames.	You consider it a badge of honor when you shoot a sub-MOA 5 shot group.	You consider it a badge of honor when you cycle 5 rounds without the aid of a 2x4.
After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Red Dawn."	After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Blackhawk Down."	After a long day at the range you relax by visiting the chiropractor. THEN you watch "Enemy at the Gates."
After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for a stiff shot of Vodka.	After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for hotdogs and Apple Pie.	After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for shishkabob.
You can accessorize your rifle with a new muzzle brake or a nice stock set.	Your rifle's accessories are eight times more valuable than your rifle.	Your rifle's accessory is a small tin can with a funny lid, but its buried under an apartment building somewhere in Budapest.
Your rifle's finish is varnish and paint.	Your rifle's finish is Teflon and high tech polymers.	Your rifle's finish is low grade shellac, cosmoline and Olga's toe nails.
Your wife tolerates your autographed, framed picture of Mikhail Kalashnikov.	Your wife tolerates your autographed, framed picture of Eugene Stoner.	You're not sure there WERE cameras to photograph Sergei Mosin.
Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to hold your rifle over your head and shout "Wolverines!"	Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to clear your house, slicing the pie from room to room.	Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the yard to sleep in.

[GOPsterinMA]

I only own pistols and don't know much about rifles. Although, I have been researching them as I am ready to purchase “something” for WTSHTF.

So, would a Mosin be a good rifle for a rifle “newbie”? Or would the Springfield, Mauser, Enfield or perhaps an M1 be a better choice?

Feel free to PM me with suggestions, tips, etc.

[Viking2002]

Strike that. I have a straight bolt. I'm coming out of an antibiotic/steroid fog and haven't perked up enough yet to stop calling my wife 'Hey, you'. Thanks for the link, tho - that was a good one I didn't have.

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[dynachrome]

“Model 1915 made by “New England Westinghouse’

Those are very collectable in original configuration. Remington also made contract rifles.

http://www.7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinMarks01.htm

[mnehring]

I think for a newbie, as long as you don’t mind the kick, a mosin would be a great choice. Not only is it cheap, cheap, cheap, but it is easy to work on. Anyone can do everything from checking pin clearances to complete disassembly with little experience. Replacement parts are also cheap and can be found on eBay.

Disadvantages, you need to buy a specialized (just kidding) cleaner as most ammo is real dirty. I would suggest a cheap carburetor cleaner from Wal Mart. I’ve also heard of folks taking it to a car wash and water blasting out the barrel (wouldn’t suggest it). It just takes a lot of cleaning, be sure to clean and condition it after every outing.

[Sea Parrot]

“Finland’s Model 39: the ultimate Mosin-Nagant”

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_1_55/ai_n31006399/

[dynachrome]

With the carbine, you can incinerate your target if you miss with the bullet:

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***You can put one hole in a paper target at 100m with 30 rounds.***

I remember back in 1977 when the AR-15 was just as accurate as the AK-47.
Several gun magazines at that time ripped the AR as not acurate, a 9 inch spread at 100 YARDS!

[crusadersoldier]

Thanks for the link. I did not realize there were so many variations ... even among the Westinghouse production.
Looks like mine is the “straight logo” variant. It seems to be pretty original. I notice that the bolt has a number stamped on it and slashed out and the serial number matching the receiver stamped back in below it.

[Dead Corpse]

I'm no recoil junky, but I didn't think the recoil was all that bad out of my Father in Laws 91/30 Izzy. He picked one up from Fleet Farm, Century Arms, but had qualms about shooting it.

Doesn't kick any worse than my Win 94 .30-30.

I was surprised at the trigger and accuracy. Both much better than I had been led to believe. My 1918 Mauser/Oviedo has a worse trigger than that 91/30 did.

[jboot]

There is a lot of nonsense out there about the M38 and M44 carbines. They have only a slight bit more kick than a 91/30. On the other hand they are an order of magnitude louder than a 91/30, and the muzzle flash is truly astonishing.

But if I had to be lost in the wilderness with only one gun, it would be a Mosin-Nagant carbine.

[jboot]

Cleaning up after corrosive ammo in a bolt-action is a snap. When you get home from the range place a tight-fitting plastic funnel in the chamber and rinse the bore with a pint or two of very hot water. (I use a $1 oil fill funnel from Dollar General.) Then clean as usual.

Now cleaning up after corrosive ammo in an auto rifle is a drag...but we are talking Mosins here!

[Sea Parrot]

I have a 1942 Sako barreled Finn M39, extremely accurate rifle, for one to enter service and be issued, it had to be able to produce 1/2" or less groups at 100 Meters. But my favorite MN is a $25.00 prebubbarized 1937 Tula, the accuracy is amazing with heavy hard cast GC boolits. I removed rear sight and scout scoped it utililizing the 12mm dovetail for mounting. Also purchased an air gun aperture sight for $30.00 as a quick installation back up sight if scope should fail in the field. It has quick adjust target knobs and also mounts out on the barrel utilizing the 12mm dovetail. They are very well made and strongly built sights and a good bargain for their low cost. It works great as a ghost ring sight mounted out on the barrel with the disk removed and no attention is paid to the sight as the eye automatically goes to the center same as a aperture sight mounted on the receiver. (a conventional open sight with same target knob adjustments is $20.00). This MN is now my dedicated truck gun.

[mnehring]

How do you like the LER scout scope versus traditional mounts over the bolt? That’s something i havent decided on yet.