Why is it so cheap?

[tullyx]

Originally Posted by ghost_raven

Yeah. Every time I take my m-39 to the range, I get dirty looks from people with AR's with their targets at 50 yards with optics because I'm outshooting them at 100 yards on iron sights

THis makes me chuckle, and is definitely one of the perks of owning a mosin, haha

[Laufer]

ghost_raven: Nice.
Those other shooters should leave their delicate egos in their cars when they drive to the range.

We built about 750,000 of the 91/30s here, at Remington, with many others built by Westinghouse, during World War 1.
The article begins on page 50 in "The American Rifleman" (NRA magazine), July, '08.

Things got really interesting during the Bolshevik Revolution (1917)-they defaulted on payments, but the US govt. chipped in to prevent financial crises at both companies, and we kept about 280,000. Many were sent to our troops in France.

Are many of you aware of the fact that the seriously outnumbered Finnish Army mostly beat Soviet forces with Russian weapons in the now-forgotten "Winter War" of 1939?

[SwedeSteve]

Those of us with long-term mosinitis know all about the Winter War. And it has not been forgotten here. Hail all things Mosin !!

[Mike82]

HAIL HITL....errrr....hmmm, how to talk myself outta this situation....if it werent for hitler starting the war, we wouldn't have as many mosins, hence the low prices wouldn't exist....there, that'll work i'm sure

NOT A NAZI!!!!!

ROFL

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by ghost_raven

Yeah. Every time I take my m-39 to the range, I get dirty looks from people with AR's with their targets at 50 yards with optics because I'm outshooting them at 100 yards on iron sights

Not all the other shooters give you dirty looks. We have a girl at our club who's a serious contender in the Empire State Games in free rifle (= .22 LR, no optics, 100 meter targets). Her coach likes it when I show up and start banging away with my Mosin while she's practicing. He has this theory about putting pressure on his shooters in practice, so when they're in competition it's nothing new to them. The big boom of the Mosin at unexpected moments apparently qualifies as pressure in his book.

And boy, can that girl shoot! She makes all us adults look like blind amatuers! We're very proud of her.

[gandog56]

Why are they so cheap?

So poor slobs like you and me can afford them!

[Laufer]

Gun people might not believe the amazing rifle and ammo prices when we describe them, or they are afraid that the guns are really corroded, and have no practical use.

Some people that I know are just nervous around any gun-usually the more educated, the more ignorant they are, and they are often from larger southern or midwestern cities.
Their only exposure is usually television and movies, with the consequent distortion and insidious hidden agendas...

[marion57]

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

Those of us with long-term mosinitis know all about the Winter War. And it has not been forgotten here. Hail all things Mosin !!

winter war???????was that last yr????

[TheWanderingMind]

Originally Posted by Laufer

Things got really interesting during the Bolshevik Revolution (1917)-they defaulted on payments, but the US govt. chipped in to prevent financial crises at both companies, and we kept about 280,000. Many were sent to our troops in France.

Actually, no they weren't. Here's a note from H6X.net, which, while not the gospel, is fairly accurate in this case.

"...1915-1918: Both New England Westinghouse Company and Remington Armory manufactured (in America) the M1891/1910 Infantry for Imperial Russia from 1915 thru 1917 (and for the US govt. in 1918). In 1917, Czar Nicholas II abdicated. In late 1917 (at the beginning of the Russian Revolution), the new provisional Russian govt. (before the Bolsheviks came to power) refused to accept and pay for these American guns. In January 1918, Remington and Westinghouse sold their entire remaining stock to the U.S. govt. (and even contracted to make several thousand more during that year). Another interesting note is that all Westinghouse rifles are dated 1915 (even though they were actually made from 1916 thru 1918. Many Westinghouse rifles (who's components were often sub-contracted out to other American manufacturers) were marked 'English Contract' because the British govt. owned the machinery and assured payment for the first million rifles. After buying these Remington & Westinghouse rifles, the U.S. govt. gave some away to the Czech Legion (fighting for the White Russians), delivered many to White Russian factions in Vladavostok, and Arch Angel, supplied the American Expeditionary Force (1919-1920), and gave the rest to the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Reserve Officer Training Corps, Director of Civilian Marksmanship, various state National Guards, and the National Rifle Association. These leftovers were officially designated by the U.S. Government as US Rifle 7.62mm Model of 1916. Basically, the US military loathed these rifles and simply called them 'The Russian Rifle'..."

And, from MosinNagant.Net:

"...The U. S. kept 208,050 of the rifles it bought, some of which were issued to National Guard units, state militia, and similar entities; others were used by the Army, mostly for training purposes. In July 1918, the U. S. Army Ordnance Corps’ Engineering Division officially designated America’s new weapons the “Russian Three-line Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm. (.3 inch)”, and had them marked with its “flaming bomb” insignia, an American eagle, and otherwise. Some collectors refer to the American Mosin-Nagants as the “Model 1916”, although that term was not used by either the Russians or the Americans. In its records the U.S. Army almost always referred to the guns simply as “Russian rifles”.... U S. Army documents from the time make it clear that the military thoroughly disliked the “Russian rifles”, and a large number of those still on the Army’s books were in serious disrepair through neglect and abuse as early as the beginning of 1919...After the war ended in November 1918, the U. S. government gave 77,000 of its M1891 rifles to the government of the new country of Czechoslovakia. In December these guns went directly from Remington’s Bridgeport, CT facility to Vancouver, Canada; thence to Vladivostok, in Siberia. Contrary to “gun show wisdom” this was not a clandestine operation. Although some of the rifles were used, as intended, to arm the Czech Legion (ex-POWs then fighting the Bolsheviks in eastern Russia), many of them were never issued but remained in storage at Vladivostok, where some were destroyed by accident and sabotage, some rusted away, and some were stolen. The rest just vanished, almost certainly sold illegally in China by the Japanese --- another interesting story...The U. S. government sold its remaining M1891s as surplus during the 1920s, many to individual Americans for the princely sum of $3.00 apiece; they had cost the taxpayers $30.00 each when the government bought them from Remington and Westinghouse. These rifles were popular as cheap shooters for years, and some were made into hunting- and sporting rifles in the 1920s and ‘30s..."

[keepper65]

Gun show this weekend in San Diego !! I hope I find one in good shape then I'll have another late night snuggle partner ! hahaha

[livebythegun]

Originally Posted by arkady

You too? Don't pin it all on AR shooters, though. Even when I shoot my own AR (100 yards; iron sights; no tacticool bling; freestanding), I get the same looks. It hasn't got anything to do with the type of rifle, it has to do with understanding that what an accurate gun most needs to put holes in the target is an accurate shooter.

AMEN to that!!!!!!

[marion57]

not being a really acurate shooter I find most guys and gals can do pretty good if they practise .
Sam Colt didnt make em equal he provided the material to make em equal and even then some were better than others Because of PRACTISE!!

[TheWanderingMind]

+1 Marion! It's been so long since I've shot, it would be dangerous to even be on the same farm when I'm shooting, not to mention being near the barn door...

[texnmidwest]

Originally Posted by TheWanderingMind

+1 Marion! It's been so long since I've shot, it would be dangerous to even be on the same farm when I'm shooting, not to mention being near the barn door...

TWM give yourself a break! Once trained to shoot accurately I think you will be surprised at how well you can still shoot even after a long lay off! The difference is that it will take you a few mags worth to get back into it and maybe even have to take more time. My grandfather was taught to shoot in the service. He didn't shoot for almost 30 years then he went shooting with my brother and I. After he got used to the trigger again he shot rings around the other shooters.

Now, TWM get your bootie out there and shoot!!!

[Geo M44]

^+1. I should take that advice as well.

So next weekend... maybe.

[oldjarhead]

Originally Posted by arkady

You too? Don't pin it all on AR shooters, though. Even when I shoot my own AR (100 yards; iron sights; no tacticool bling; freestanding), I get the same looks. It hasn't got anything to do with the type of rifle, it has to do with understanding that what an accurate gun most needs to put holes in the target is an accurate shooter.

It may not be the gun...but the person holding it. The way I see it, if you can't get to the enemy until he gets to the 50 yard line; ya might just wanna KYA good-bye.
I've received those looks also and some of them are shooting at 25 yards...go figure.
At those distances you can just holler out, "Bang, you're dead so you gotta fall down now".

[TheWanderingMind]

Originally Posted by texnmidwest

Now, TWM get your bootie out there and shoot!!!

Sir!!! Yes Sir!!! (Saluting crisply while running off wildly in all directions....)

[marion57]

Originally Posted by TheWanderingMind

+1 Marion! It's been so long since I've shot, it would be dangerous to even be on the same farm when I'm shooting, not to mention being near the barn door...

you will do fine just get out there and shoot you a long way from me hehe