Got my gear together early enough this morning to make it out to the range before noon and the 100+ degree heat hits. I had had good luck a few months back with this rifle at 100 and 200 yards, so I thought today we'd go for 300, with the same ammo. At those shorter ranges I had to hold real low on the target ("Kentucky elevation") even with the rear sight at the 1.5 setting (150 meters). But I figured at that setting it should be just about right on at 300 yards. ...NOT! As you can see from the target below, the first round of 5 was way high, well above the paper (not visible in the photo), but at least on the target board. For round #2, I held slightly below the aiming black but with a 'normal' sight picture; still too high. So I held real low again, like at the very bottom of the target board, with the front post barely peeping above the very bottom of the rear sight V. That was round #3, just below the target paper. SIGH... Finally, I held a 'normal' sight picture right at the bottom of the target board, and that yielded the results shown as #4 and #5. The coin is a quarter. Okay, those last two rounds are acceptable, but the Kentucky elevation is a lot tougher to duplicate consistently round-to-round, so why is it shooting so high when the rear sight is set at 150 meters?!? I can only guess it might be this ammo. I think I need to try some reloads, but I don't know the specs on this ammo to try to reduce the performance at just the right increment. Maybe try several different loads? Any recommendations? Should I post this over on the Loading Bench forum?
Last edited by alamo_308; 07-25-2009 at 06:57 PM.
Reason: Reversed pix order
The Finn M39 has a removable rear sight piece with the notch. With a little trial&error, you could duplicate it using some light steel sheet, and using aperture holes with different vertical spacing. Maybe even make one 'adjustable', able to slide up and down like the rear sight of the Ruger 10-22. This would be far more precise than the coarse battle sight adjustment of the factory sight.
I'm jealous - my longest range down here is only 100 yards.
...What was the weight of your bullet in the loads you were shooting? What loading are the M39 sights adjusted for?
Thanks, JimBob, you echoed my thoughts. ("...I think I need to try some reloads, but I don't know the specs on this ammo...") Maybe my first step should be to pull down a round and weigh the projectile and powder. In fact, I think I'll do that this morning.
I forgot to mention that I really like the windage adjustment on this rifle, although it's on the front sight. The "dot-in-a-circle" around the left-right sight movement screw(s) is a neat feature. Not as handy or fast as rear-sight micrometer click knobs for sure, but still accurate, dependable, and very rugged.
Got one of the M39s myself but haven't had time to take it out.I also wonder what is the correct bedding on the barrels for these.Sometimes loosening or tightening the bands makes a huge difference.
if you're planning on hitting all your shots in a ten inch circle at 300 yards with iron sights, you're a much better shooter with much better eyes than me!
what kind of groups does it shoot at 100 and where are they hitting?
__________________ Badges? We got no badges! i aint gotta show you no stinking badges!
if you're planning on hitting all your shots in a ten inch circle at 300 yards with iron sights, you're a much better shooter with much better eyes than me! what kind of groups does it shoot at 100 and where are they hitting?
I'm sure this rifle is capable of that (ten inch circle at 300 yards with iron sights), even with my 62YO eyes - wearing glasses. I do that with some other milsurp rifles (US 1898 Krag, Swede 1902 M96) and handloaded ammo. I just have to get (or load) ammo that is compatible with this rifle's front sight height. At 100 yards, this rifle/ammo prints inside a 5-inch circle, about 18 inches above center.
alamo_308 i've seen others post this problem and i have shot different ammo that varied wildly in elevation and accuracy.But other members have great advise on where to buy tall front sights just for this problem.I can't remember the link but someone will.
Thanks, JimBob, you echoed my thoughts. ("...I think I need to try some reloads, but I don't know the specs on this ammo...") Maybe my first step should be to pull down a round and weigh the projectile and powder. In fact, I think I'll do that this morning.
I forgot to mention that I really like the windage adjustment on this rifle, although it's on the front sight. The "dot-in-a-circle" around the left-right sight movement screw(s) is a neat feature. Not as handy or fast as rear-sight micrometer click knobs for sure, but still accurate, dependable, and very rugged.
looking at the ammo pictures you posted I would have to say they are 180-gr Yugoslav surplus ammo, meaning they would be from the same factory that makes Prvi Partizan and Wolf Gold ammo, so they should be fairly accurate rounds.
I've shot them out to 330 meters and I can get 5 inch groups. Not nearly as good as the 2 1/4 inch I can get with my handloads but it'll do
Got one of the M39s myself but haven't had time to take it out.I also wonder what is the correct bedding on the barrels for these.Sometimes loosening or tightening the bands makes a huge difference.
This can be a problem with the Russian MN rifles. They didn't shim their stocks like the Finns did. Remove your handguard, and run a piece of paper beneath the barrel, and see if there are any pressure points in the barrel channel of the stock. I would be surprised if there is in the Finn stock. Make sure your action screws are good and tight too. You could also try "corking" the barrel at the front of the handguard for slight upward pressure. You'll need a thin piece of cork or gasket making material and cut to fit where your nose cap is at the front of the stock.
__________________
Mosin Nagant evangelist on a mission to convert YOU!
Finn 1941 M39 VKT @ 300 yards 
As you can see from the target below, the first round of 5 was way high, well above the paper (not visible in the photo), but at least on the target board. For round #2, I held slightly below the aiming black but with a 'normal' sight picture; still too high. So I held real low again, like at the very bottom of the target board, with the front post barely peeping above the very bottom of the rear sight V. That was round #3, just below the target paper. 
SIGH... Finally, I held a 'normal' sight picture right at the bottom of the target board, and that yielded the results shown as #4 and #5. The coin is a quarter. Okay, those last two rounds are acceptable, but the Kentucky elevation is a lot tougher to duplicate consistently round-to-round, so why is it shooting so high when the rear sight is set at 150 meters?!? I can only guess it might be this ammo. I think I need to try some reloads, but I don't know the specs on this ammo to try to reduce the performance at just the right increment. Maybe try several different loads? Any recommendations? Should I post this over on the Loading Bench forum?
Get Out the Scales... 
300 yards with iron sights? 
