FReeper Gun Nuts. Thoughts on 1943 Mosin Nagant

Me | Me

[Phantom Lord]

Alright my fellow Freepers. Have been offered a 1943 Mosin Nagant as a gift. Will be used for target shooting and deer hunting. I know jack squat about this rifle.

Pluses, minuses, thoughts, advice...

Thanks!

[SkyDancer]

I watched the movie - thought it interesting. I’ve seen some people at the gun range shooting them ... I’d rather have a 1903 Springfield 30-06 instead (tried my dad’s Rem. 710 in 30-06 and carried a bruise for weeks)... - I shoot a 22-250 as my fav. rifle ... ping them critters out to 500yds.

[dynachrome]

ps. pics would be nice. here is a 1938 91/30

[wagglebee]

Outstanding comparison!

I love my Mosin; the first five rounds are always painful, but then your shoulder just goes numb and you don’t feel a thing.

[mylife]

One of my mosin nagants was made in 1897 at Sestroyosk (SP)?

And it shoots as good as the day it was made. Actually better because the bolt has been worked in.

[ebshumidors]

Dang, Parsi! Never figured you for a Mosin man. Come to the appleseed in Little Rock in April!

[parsifal]

I just got it in trade a few months ago for some work I did. Haven’t shot it yet. I also have an AK.

parsy, who has a gun or two

[rickomatic]

be careful with ammo though. lots of cheap russian ammo out there...some that use corrosive primers and if you dont clean the gun relatively soon after shooting the bore will rust up pretty bad.

I have an old 91/30 that I bought years ago when they first started coming into the US in huge numbers. I think I got it at Big5 Sports. I was lazy about cleaning it back then, and it did rust up from the corrosive primers. Last time I took it out after years of not using it, the bore looked like the proverbial sewer pipe. I cleaned it out, and was shooting offhand at watermelon sized rocks in a ravine at about 175 yards. That old goat was still capable of hitting those rocks, even with the sewer pipe bore. And, I'll add, I am NOT a very good shot. Average at best. Mosin Nagants are great rifles, even if not the prettiest on the planet.

[dynachrome]

If the bayonet is side attached it is the mighty M44 carbine.

[MtnClimber]

Wolf, Privi Partizan and even Winchester make hunting ammo for 7.62X54R.

[LouAvul]

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

[LouAvul]

Oops. Sorry, I didn’t see the other scientific post.

[dynachrome]

I shoot corrosive all the time. Just have to clean well after each time. Especially if you are in a humid climate.

(Big5’s 91/30s are on sale for $99 this week)

[dynachrome]

"still hit it with the barrel flame'
Like this? ;)

[libertyhoundusnr]

For the full length rifle: Install bent bolt or have your bolt cut, extended and bent. Get a scope mount that fits on the forward ring of the receiver. Buy the $60 Mosin Nagant plastic stock.... The 182 grain Bulgarian (yellowtip) ammo is excellent at 400-600yds. There are several internet sporting goods outifts out there that have the right stuff. Cheaperthandirt, centerfiresystems, (my favorites) and a host of others. We have 3 MG’s in the house. May not be pretty but they are as lethal as any of the $1000 rifles....

[mylife]

Naw. I aint cutting this thing up its 113 years old.

[parsifal]

Thx! I think you are right. Mine looks like this:

[ThunderSleeps]

"Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the the yard to sleep in."

I've actually had that urge. And I have practiced clearing my house...

[calex59]

Sorry but water is all you need to clean it with, along with a good bore cleaner and if you can get you hands on some pre 1950 US army(or marine)bore cleaner you will be ok without the water(water is part of that solution). Clean it for 3 days every day after shooting if you use corrosive ammo.

The reason? The primer uses fulminates in order to set off the main powder charge in the cartridge, this produces salt, salt will, of course, rust the crap out of a barrel and other components.

The rifle you plan to buy is a good one if somewhat ugly compared to others and would make a great gift to a gun lover.

[dynachrome]

Very nice example. Very good stock.

Arrow in triangle = Izhvesk arsenal

Arrow in star = Tula aresenal.

(above the serial #)

(unless you have a Polish, Romanian or other countries version)

[parsifal]

I also think it is Romanian made. From wiki:

Romania

* Triangular shaped markings, some with an arrow inside, on many components of the rifle. Normally three “R”’s surrounded by crossed stalks with leaves pointing outwards are on the top of the breech. Year stamps are quite visible.
* M44 Pattern— Domestically produced version of post war pattern Soviet M44 Carbine during the years 1953 to 1955. Variances to the Soviet pattern produced minor differences.

Mine has the triangles, with the arrow inside, but no “r”s or crossed stalks.

parsy