Welcome me to the club! I finally got my first Mosin-Nagant, a Russian M44. It's in good shape and one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. My wife was even impressed.
You wouldn't believe what I did with it though. I was standing in the garage and pulled out the bolt and I dropped it. !@#%^&%&$%!!! I let out the longest loudest string of cuss words you could ever imagine. If my neighbors heard me, I'm sure they think I'm nuts.
I don't know how I could do something like that. I've been wanting one of these things for 4 years and I drop the bolt on the concrete floor 10 minutes after I get it home.
Anyways, what are the chances of damage? And where should I start with cleaning it up so I can shoot it?
I wouldn't worry if there's no obvious damage. These rifles are battlefield tough! Is it a "veteran", or has it been rearsenaled (like new looking?).
You'll have a "blast" when you shoot it. Just remember - tight into the shoulder! And eagerly await the "Earth-shattering Kaboom!"
welcome! I got mine last year...
It's unlikely that you've damaged it just by dropping it - these rifles are designed to take a beating and have been thru a lot before they reached us.
First get the cosmoline out if any - I like the hot tub bath treatment then finish with rem oil or tung oil (don't jump in it with the old girl otherwise your wife will be jealous). Also, resist the temptation to poke at pillows with the bayonet
go thru the old posts - lots of useful info...the experienced folks here will be able to help you out further.
also someone on here told me that the only way to shoot it is with the bayonet out...I'm following that advice - but be prepared for strange looks
I was actually thinking of sharpening the bayonet - anyone done that before ? don't have much sharpening experience and it seems like a harder job than a flat blade.
Don't worry about the bolt, you'll have to hit it harder to get it open some times. Oh yeah bring a hammer to the range with you. These things are tough old war horses and while I don't mean that you can abuse them they will take and have taken a lot of rough handling.
The m-44 does shoot better with the bayo out, and just as the others have said you'll get some looks.
Big Dog,
I'd have to say that's it's been re-arsenaled, it's pretty much like new looking, with just a few little dings and dents in the stock. All the serial numbers match too.
Jesus Christ, its like looking in a mirror! welcome aboard .22guy! i'm not gonna lie, that rifle will bring you great frustration and anger(like dropping the bolt, for example) but more importantly it will bring you happiness! got mine last month, man, i remember parading that thing like I was in a new york fashion show. drove my family nut. go get yourself some ammo and have the time of your life! :nod::assult:
Have fun with that Moisin, don't worry about hurting it, the Moisin is a pretty stout rifle. (probably the toughist) These rifles were meant for people who had too much vodka in their system and had little gun knowledge. As for the bayo it does'nt have to be sharp along the sides, just a good sharp point.
Gonna take my M44 to the range today and try shooting it with bayo extended.
Welcome to G&G .22Guy :right:
Yeah these Mosins are awesome rifles. Tough, accurate, and insanely fun to shoot. I looked for over a year before I finally got my hands on one, my beloved Finn M-39. But as BigDog, Dennis, and several others tried to warn me, it is a disease. You can't just have one, and soon you buy another
But with the rifle itself and ammo being so cheap, who could resist?
Enjoy your gun my friend.
word of advice i forgot to mention. if you are shooting surplus ammo ALWAYS CLEAN THE RIFLE RIGHT AFTER YOUR DONE SHOOTING whether its 1 round or 1000 rounds you dont want that beauty to rust up and become a big ol' wall hanger.
I will take possession of my new 91/30 today. Fortunately my FFL holder has a shooting range on his premises, so I plan to clean her up and fire her right there.
Does the 91/30 have the tendency to shoot tighter with the pig-sticker attached like the 44? This worries me a little because I can imagine the comments when I trot her out at the next deer-season....
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I have tried out my new 91/30, and with the first 5 rounds I found the rifle to shoot about 5 inches low, so I set the rear sight to "200" even though I was shooting at 100 meters and that brought the group nicely into the "kill-ring".
This "new" rifle is in very good condition (apart from a small arsenal repair in the stock) with an exceptionally strong and shiny bore. All matching serial numbers. I believe the correct term to be "lucked-out" on this one.
On the receiver there is a date 1925, and the serial #. Below this is a sort of double-headed arrow with a square next to it. Any idea what this may signify?
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Dawg, try drifting the front sight off and drive out the sight pin from the top and replace it with an appropriate size roll pin cut to the same length as the original pin or a little shorter. Take it to the range and shoot it with the ammo you plan on shooting in it and either file the pin down or tap it deeper if you cut it shorter until you reach POA. That way you get the gun shooting to POA and still have the original sight pin for authenticity's sake. www.MosinNagant.net is a good source for marking info as well as www.7.62x54r.net There are a lot more if you dig a little. Congrats!
Dawg, try drifting the front sight off and drive out the sight pin from the top and replace it with an appropriate size roll pin cut to the same length as the original pin or a little shorter. Take it to the range and shoot it with the ammo you plan on shooting in it and either file the pin down or tap it deeper if you cut it shorter until you reach POA. That way you get the gun shooting to POA and still have the original sight pin for authenticity's sake. www.MosinNagant.net is a good source for marking info as well as www.7.62x54r.net There are a lot more if you dig a little. Congrats!
Thanx, Toolman, but as the sights are original, and I do not usually shoot at ranges exceeding 150 meters, I think I'll just compensate by elevating the rear sight. For hunting deer in Middle Tennesse it is a good thing, because the bullet should be spot on when set to 100 meters, but I think the actual range would be more like 50 meters in these woods
Right now I have the rifle stripped down, and I am rejuvenating the furniture. I think there is about 300 layers of varnish on this beastie, and when I get it all gone, I am going for a matt stain finish. The wood is not remarkable, and it should hide the repairs nicely.
__________________ Chuck Norris -Now try to beat that signature!
I finally got my first Mosin-Nagant, a Russian M44. It's in good shape and one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. My wife was even impressed. 
) but more importantly it will bring you happiness! got mine last month, man, i remember parading that thing like I was in a new york fashion show. drove my family nut. go get yourself some 
