Buying a Mosin Nagant Question

M

M_User

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Location
SW Ontario
I'm currently looking to buy one and I have a few questions.

My local area has about 28 in stock at the current time and tried a few but have no idea what to look for other than look down the bore and work the action. Since I have no clue what I'm doing I backed off to get some advice from here.

I would like a rifle I can shoot and is an accurate Russian made Mosin Nagant.

What I know:

All in the area are M91/30 variants with most being Izhevsk and like 2-3 being from Tula. Therefore, no rifles made anywhere else but Russia ( no Finnish :( ). All but 1 in the area are 1941-1944. I don't know what year the other is. The 3 Tula had actions that were very smooth, a few of the Izhevsk I had to force the action open with all of my strength.

Some of the bores were very good, others not so much.

One Tula had something on it crumbling on to my hands (prob cosmo or lacquer/varnish) when I touched it and a very smooth action. I almost considered it but I wanted more info on what to look for.

The sniper variants are priced at $800.

What I would like to know:

-Anything else I should look for?
-Anything else I should test before buying?
-How can you tell a good shooter from a wall-hanger or collector's item?
-Is the sniper variant that much more accurate then a regular M91/30?
 
As stated, they will all be 91/30's. Look for double dated, "MO". Finns never actually manufactured any Mosin Nagant rifles from scratch. They used receivers from other countries to make up rifles, as well as purchased and captured ones. The current batch are pretty much all Russian 91/30, but you never know. I scored a double date MO at a gun show. Looked like any other 91/30.

Pick one that rings your bell. Pick two! :p
 
Look for overall condition of stock, bluing, bore and crown. A hexagonal reciever would be a nice score, pre war versions will be nicer with regards to machining but wartime examples have a special charm to them as far as I'm concerned. My 42 Tula sees more use than my double date stamped MO hex reciever.

Basically try and pick out one that's in the best overall shape you can find, they're great old rifles. Mine are both great shooters with great bores.
 
Accuracy is a bit of gamble. The sniper versions were once capable of better 1.25" at 100 yds (approximately) and many are still excellent shooters but for real accuracy (<1 MOA) you will need to reload your own ammunition. The consensus is they shoot best with 174 gn Sierra Match HPBT which are running > $60/100 if you can get them. This isn't a cheap hobby since each shot is about $0.90 (bullet, primer and powder).

Since you have a lot to choose from, and you want accuracy, a good way to work through the choices is with a 7.65 mm plug gauge you can buy on EBAY for $8.50. The nominal land dimension is 7.62-7.63 (new condition) and wear out is >7.72 mm. The 7.65mm plug should not go further than a few mm into a very good condition bore. Most rifles are in the range 7.66-7.70 so using the plug gauge will bring you down to a small number of possible choices.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-65mm-Diam...673296?hash=item487aba4610:g:tm4AAOSwu1VW2LqR
 
Grab some corrosive surplus for it as well! The Barnaul non corrosive is terrible for groupings (in my rifle anyway). The Chinese surplus groups way better (again in my rifle).

Mine had a really stiff bolt when I first ripped it out of the box. Cleaned up all the cosmo and it's miles better.

All in all they are awesome fun, mine sees tonnes of trigger time. If I didn't just pick up a 30-30 I'd for sure be buying another one
 
Canadian tire sells a small LED flashlight with a gooseneck for $5. Perfect for stuffing in the chamber and having a good look at the bore. If you're looking for a shooter the bore is most important. Smooth action is nearly so.
Look at as many bores as they will let you. You want pronounced, sharp lands, no pitting. They'll be full of cosmoline so it may be hard to see pitting, frost, and dark patches. Bright and sharp, not dull and dark. I prefer ones that are not counterbored, but often the counterbores are more accurate.
Action should be smooth and tight but should be loose enough to drop open when the rifle is verticle. If it needed a light tap to drop it'll be good.
Hex receivers are more collectable, but a wartime round receiver has some history to it. They aren't as pretty, machine finishing wise. The prewar round receivers are very nicely machined.
Always nice to find one in a period correct stock. Generally, can tell by the sling mounts. Prewar will have screwed in, wartime one will have a single small pressed in metal one at the top only - butt end will be bare wood, post war stocks have full pressed in at both ends. There are exceptions.
Happy hunting!
 
Thanks for all the replys, I'm going to check out the Tula 1937 I saw the other day, that had all of its parts matched and the crown and action look good. The problem with this area is all of the rifles are mismatched.
 
Did you buy one yet?
I take a cartridge with me and narrow down my search to begin. Any rifle that has a lot of wear gets set aside first.
Then I look inside the bore with a flashlight that was suggested earlier to you.
Also watch for ex snipers. I picked mine up at Canadian Tire. They have plugs in the receiver. Look at it from the inside.

As far as accuracy. Check out my target at 100m with a PU sniper. 5 shots.
That is with Chinese Surplus ammo that I was warned to stay away from. Glad I didn't listen.

Any good Mosin Nagant can shoot 2"-3" groups at 100m with iron sights. Once you get used to the trigger pull etc.

20160718_112739_HDR_zpskyuhh2kg.jpg
[/IMG]
 
Depending on your budget you may want to try my method
I am just getting into hunting and firearms this year I'm 35, used have race horses but can't afford that anymore guns are cheaper
Budgeted 6000 for gear and equip. Wanted a nice 308 and 12ga then I saw the pop up for surplus so I invested 6k in gear guns and ammo
I bought 3 mosin 1 scoped. Of the three certainly one will be a good shooter and the others will hold there value for resale unlike any new fangled gun.

I have 3 svts same logic, 1 m98, 1 12ga, 1 22lr jw25a
Dying to get then all out to the/a range

Mosins are so cheap you can literally buy 3 pick the best and sell the rest
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom