Mosin questions

[TheWanderingMind]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

Okay, tlarkin, let's have a shot (sorry, couldn't resist) at answering your questions.

The pros? They are tough, inexpensive, hard-to-break firearms (since they exist as original length rifles [the M1891], Dragoon-model rifles, shorter-barrelled rifles [the Model 91/30], and carbines [the M38, M44 and 91/59] ) made in about a dozen countries. No matter who made them, they are reliable. There is plenty of military surplus ammunition available for them, plus modern production soft-point rounds for hunting. They are relaible under any conditions; a standing joke about them is that when you get yours covered in Cosmoline, it was probably last cleaned in Berlin in 1945. But think about it: where else can you get a rifle capable of taking any game animal in North America except - maybe - a grizzly bear for under $100?

There are aftermarket add-ons available, and most of them fit any Mosin. Most add-ons don't require a gunsmith; you can do it yourself. The only exception to this is bending the bolt if you plan to install a short eye relief scope or a sniper scope, as opposed to the more often seen long eye relief scout scope setup. Parts from one Mosin will fit any other Mosin, no matter which country or arsenal made it. This also is a big plus.

All of the milsurps are chambered in 7.62x54R. There is lots of surplus ammo out there to buy. For instance, I just paid $51 for 300 rounds of Bulgarian heavy ball (180 grain bullet), delivered. Try and match that price and quantity for, say 7.62 NATO, .30-06, .303 British or 8mm Mauser! it means you can shoot more, for less. There are Mosins that have been customized for other calibers; but they are usually one-offs and are very much the exception to the 7.62x54R rule.

What should you look for? That depends on how well you can calculate what's under the Cosmoline if it's newly imported. Look to see if the lands look sharp. Feel the bolt face and extractor, feeling for burrs. Open and close the bolt and see how stiff it is. A stiff bolt isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for a Mosin in Cosmoline, but it does mean you will need to detail-strip it and thoroughly clean it of Cosmoline. See my sticky in the Mosin forum on cleaning milsurp firearms. Look to see if it has been counterbored. Again that's not a deal-breaker, but I feel counterbored guns aren't as valuable as ones that have good, solid rifling all the way to the muzzle and the price should reflect that.

Look at the stamping on the receiver. There will be a bunch of it, but what you want to see is the year it was made. If you have a choice, try to get one that is from the period between the two world wars. In peacetime, gunmakers can take a little more care that they do in wartime, when the emphasis is on producing as many as possible as quickly as possible. It shows in the finishing. I've seen wartime Mosins that looked like they were put together out of rough castings, the machining was so coarse. It doesn't mean they won't shoot, but they sure aren't as pretty! Look also at the wood, and see if there are any repairs to it. If there are, that should lower the price though not the shootability.

Assume you are going to have to comeletely clean the rifle. I've seen very few Mosins even at gun shows that weren't still in the Cosmoline. Again, see that sticky.

What whould you be prepared to pay? Well, I just bought two from Southern Ohio Gun for $200, including shipping and the hand-pick fees. The going rate the local gun shops want for a 91/30 hereabouts is around $130 plus tax out the door. You can do better online, but remember to add shipping into the total. For example, Classic Arms is selling round-receiver 91/30s for about $80. Even if shipping is $20, you still come out ahead. Of course you can't examine the rifle first when you buy from an online dealer, but most have a 3 day return policy if you are really dissatisfied. Talk to them on the phone before you put down your money and find out what their policies and terms are.

I also note most online dealers will throw in an ammo pouch, military issue cleaning kit, sling and bayonet on the deal. Plus which, they don't charge sales tax unless you live in the state they do business in - another savings for you. Gun show dealers may or may not give you those extras and will charge sales tax.

I hope this answers your questions. If it doesn't, put in some time reading the various threads on the Mosin forum. Most any question you can ask has been dealt with on that thread before.

I look forward to welcoming you to the ranks of Mosin owners, tlarkin. They're really fun guns! And there's something special about shooting a piece of history, too. That's the attraction for me.

You know, Cyrano, that's about the most cogent and intelligent article about any firearm I've seen on this forum. You really covered the subject and answered the follow-on questions beforehand. Really a very nice piece of work, sir!

(Of course, don't develop a swelled head about it. Some of your stuff is more the quality of certain parties who shall remain nameless...)

[SwedeSteve]

Good post Cyr, glad you got all of that out of you, LOL!!

[tlarkin]

Yes, Cyrano, many thanks, and many thanks to all you Mosin heads for the advice and the entertainment as well. June 15th is around the corner and that is the next gun show and I will be heading down there with several hundred dollars to buy me a 12gague and a Mosin.

Thanks again to all the forum people who contributed to my noob mosin questions.

[SwedeSteve]

You let us know what you pick up, you hear? We're always interested to see/hear of new guns !!

[K.H.]

I have an M91-30 that was made in 1943 and is in very good condition too. I got it for about $100 and all of the numbers are matching and everything about it is all the original parts and I was just wondering that if all the numbers and parts match is it worth more then?

[SwedeSteve]

Welcome to G&G KH !! If it's all matching, non-forced, then it would be worth a little more to me. When you say all matching parts, what do you mean?

[K.H.]

I mean that all of the numbers on the barrel, reciever, bolt, buttplate, ect. match up and are the same, and according to the symbols on it, it was made in Iczvesk during WWII.

Also, it came with a sling, bayonet, and ammo puoches.

Does anyone know if an m91-30 would be a good gun for whitetail hunting?

[SwedeSteve]

The caliber is! The M91/30 might be a little too long for heavy cover. Do you hunt the UP?

[K.H.]

No, I'm in the LP but I'd like to some time.

Most of the shots that I take are only about 150 to 300 yard shots around here, so I think that my M91/30 would probably be a good choice, I am used to shooting a 30-06 and 7mm rem mag, and from what I have heard it is around the same power as a 30-06 so that is good thing too.

I still have a couple of questions though,

Are they very accurate? The Bore condition is good on mine and it is still in very good condition so whichever Russian that had it before actually knew what that little rod under the barrel was for.

And my other Question is where I could get some good hunting ammo, because I'm pretty sure that jacketed ammo is illegal for whitetail hunting around here.

By the way, Thanks for all the help SwedeSteve.

[SwedeSteve]

Anytime KH !! There is hunting ammo available, commercially. I reload, so someone else will know where to get hunting ammo cheapest.

[K.H.]

Do you think I should put a scope on it? Because Ive been thinking about it, but at the same time I dont want to because it wouldnt really be as authentic that way.

[Geo M44]

KH,

SP & HP commercial grade hunting ammo is available from Winchester (metric series), Wolf (Gold), Sellier and Bellot, Norma, and Brown Bear (steel case). You can generally find Winchester at Big 5, and can order the Wolf, S&B, and Bear from J&G, AIM, and others. Cabellas used to carry Wolf and S&B, but I haven't been over there in a while, so I don't know.

Like Steve, and several others here, I reload so I choose the bullets, powder loads, diameter, and ogive length, that best fits the rifle I'm shooting. Most of the time I use .311 or .310 (.303 type) bullets from Speer, Hornady, and Sierra.

All of the MN's that I have, and that I have fired, are "hunting" accurate at ~300 yards (M44 and M38). We have seen some posts of shots out to 400+.

If your eyesight is pretty good a scope is not a necessity, but is nice to have.

Welcome to the MN boards, and Mosinitus. You may THINK one is enough NOW...

Originally Posted by Mosin Shooter

(There are a few of us here who are "challenged") -Geo

GEO, i am not challenged I just hve trouble decyphering what you say, and believe me, a Navajo Windtalker would quit his job after one day around your "descriptions"

Thanks MS. Really? Trouble decyphering? I learned how to communicate on the reservation.

Cool.

[K.H.]

No, I dont really think one is enough.
I have been thinking of getting another one to fix up real nice and keeping the other one I already have the way it is.

[SwedeSteve]

And so it begins, my poor, poor, friend !!

[Capt'n Mil Coll]

KH a lot of people use M44 or M38 Mosins for hunting. The 91/30 Mosin is one of the most accurate rifles made. However like cars some are a lot better than others. M91's for the most part are more collecters than shooters. A lot of them have been shot and shot and shot. But again some are still tack drivers.

Cyrano that dissertation brought a tear to my eye. If I were grading that you would get an A+.

[K.H.]

Thanks for the help guys.

[TheWanderingMind]

You know, gang, re-reading this thread, this has really got to be the "friendliest gun forum on the Internet." Somebody asks a good question, and people just knock their asses out trying to supply them with all the information they can handle. That's one of the big reasons I joined up!

[SwedeSteve]

^So very true !! It's a great bunch of people here.

[tlarkin]

LOL, I am not sure if I can handle that much information. I am going to have to print out this thread and take it with me to the gun show, and then omit all the jokes I don't get to make it not be a short novel!

[SwedeSteve]

^Good idea to cut and paste the info!