Posted on 06/04/2010 11:41:59 AM PDT by humblegunner
I have a question for our resident Free Republic firearms experts.
Several years ago I purchased a Mosin Nagant M-44 Carbine at
a gun show. (Винтовка Мосина 7.62 x 54R) I like it.
I have never fired it. Why? I don't trust the ammunition. I have several
boxes (unmarked) of what the vendor at the gun show CLAIMED was
7.62 x 54R. Trouble is, the base of the casings are NOT stamped with
the caliber. What they have stamped there is 21 and 87. My camera is
not good enough to pick this up well, but you get the idea:
The rounds will chamber with no problem. But the lack of a stamped
caliber still bothered me. I stuck one of the rounds into the end of the
barrel to see what kind of fit there was. Turns out the projectile will
not fit more than a little past halfway into the barrel. I was not enthused by this.
By way of comparison, I tried the same trick with a Remington 30.06 and
the projectile fits almost all the way into the barrel. Big difference.
What I'd like to know is if anyone has a Mosin Nagant laying around that
they have safely fired with this type of ammo, let me know.
Maybe stick a round into the end of the barrel and see if that fit is normal for the rifle.
In a couple for weeks I'm going to the TexasCowboy 5th Annual Memorial Shoot
and I'd like to take the old Mosin. So far it's just been a neat addition to
the gun case but I'd rather put it into active service.. without blowing anybody up.
(I'm looking at Eaker here)
Rifle Ping.
Take it to a competent gunsmith.
I think you’re good to go, that looks like 7.62x52R to me, and the bullet isn’t supposed to fit into the barrel all the way, the extra diameter allows it to engage the rifling.
If you’re worried, tie the rifle to a tire, and set it off with a string. Inspect the case, bolt and breech for pressure signs.
Im now curious to see what on my 7.62 x 54R cartridges when I get home.
although I haven’t examined the rifle it looks like you’re good to go in shooting it. The Moisin Nagants had a very robust action that was one of the first designed to shoot smokeless cartridges.
If you’re really concerned take the rifle to a compitent gun smith to look over and maybe proof test.
sorry - 54R
Do you have a a competent local gunsmith? The rifle should be checked out by one before firing anyway and they’ll be able to tell you whether you have the correct ammo or not.
Check the headspace on it before you fire regardless of the ammunition. I borrowed a headspace gauge for free from one of the Mosin clubs on the web.
I was thinking of a very similar test.
That looks like the exact same round I fire from my Mosin-Nagant M-44.
Mine is surprisingly accurate for such a cheaply made weapon ($88 at a gun show in Dale City a few years ago)..
Ammo produced in military arsenals rarely has a caliber
stamped on the case. The original packaging should say,
although those look like 7.62x54R to me.
Who cares? It’s a Mosin!
You could shove a proesthetic limb in there and fire it off without any problems. That’s the whole point!!
If you can chamber the bullet it will work.
The bullets look like military manufactured rounds because of the red seal around the primer.
That bullet is bigger than the 30-06 which is smaller than the dealer bullet you have.
Rarely are military cartridges stamped with the caliber.
A quick internet search should satisfy your concerns.
Since they seem to chamber well, and the bullet seems to fit the barrel, I’d just take the thing out and fire it. If you wanted to be careful, you could always brace it with sand bags, use a small rope, and pull from a distance.
Oh, the ammo is right, it’s just the wrong gun.
I’ll take that misfit M/N M44 off your hands.
(Those things used to be all over the C&R catalogs, now can’t find any. Knew I’d kick myself.)
That would be nice, I've read some good things about
these pieces and I'm eager to put it into service.
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