Mosin Nagant M44 as Hunting gun?

mag627

mag627

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Thoughts? The gun has not yet been received but assume that it should have at least 150 yd accuracy is not wrong. Any one use one of these for hunting?

I am presently looking for viable hunting ammo in 7.62x54r (not FMj surplus) and so far have only found one. Are there others available in Canada.

Cheers
 
.........what NAA said..........This is a good cartridge and is not under-powered for any species up to moose in my view. I did hunt deer with a Mosin Nagant (forget which model, but not a shorty like an M44), using my own 180 grain handlaods, back in 1977 or 1978. I did not shoot a deer, but was completely confident in the rifle and the cartridge.

Doug
 
A good friend of mine uses one regularly for whitetailed deer. He has killed some very nice bucks with it, using Hungarian steel-cased soft-point ammo (bought from Districorp ten or more years ago).

His most memorable kill was a mature buck at very near 200 yards, shot from a kneeling position. The buck ran about 30 yards with a hole in his heart.

Word to the wise: practise shooting with the iron sights. You'll be pleased to see that the M44 can delivery giddy accuracy if you do your part.
 
I'm pretty sure these are super common as hunting rifles in eastern europe, just like enfields are pretty common over here. I'm planning on taking a 91/30 hunting next year!
 
yup I hunt with both the m44 and m91, just need a good fin 91/30. Both have taken several deer and coyotes with plane iron sites. Best/most lucky shot had to of been a running coyote at 220yards offhand lol.
 
I've used my 91/30 on deer and black bear and I made a 91/30 scout rifle out of parts too (sold now) that accounted for several black bears as well.
I always used Norma ammunition picked up at gun shows.

The 7.62x54 cartridge's performance is like a 308 on game.

In Eastern Europe hunting is like in Germany, a pretty classy gentlemen's sport and they use high priced Brno double rifles and the like.

I don't think the pre-1989 governments were in the habit of selling surplus military rifles to the general public.
 
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they work. i have been using S&B 180 grain ammo @ 2500fps from my polish M44.

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There is LOTS of ammo available for these rifles, including it frequently being offered for sale on this website!

Doug
 
mag627 said:
Thoughts? The gun has not yet been received but assume that it should have at least 150 yd accuracy is not wrong. Any one use one of these for hunting?

I am presently looking for viable hunting ammo in 7.62x54r (not FMj surplus) and so far have only found one. Are there others available in Canada.

Cheers
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Mosin-Nagans were used as hunting rifles for ages now... I see no problem at all.
 
neat guns but in my opinion if you like the idea of using old ww1/2 rifles i think you would enjoy a mauserk98/enfield 303/m1 3006/sweed mauser 6.5mm
just something to think about good luck with your new gun
 
Great Info guys - thanks for the feedback

For JCBruno - I actually have and use a SMLE (sporterized:( ) that I bought originally to hunt with, but have an urgency for carbines. Looking at a sweet Mk 5 at the moment, and later on M1's. I just didn't know if you could get hunting SP ammo for it and if it is a usable rig used for this purpose (by the feedback I am guessing that it is tried and true and I should be ashamed for not knowing this:redface:

Now I can't wait for delivery!!:dancingbanana:
 
Get some range time in, and get used to the way the sites are set up on the 44. You can find alot in various websites about the bayos effect on accuracy, and the way the sites were set up as a result.
I have used one, and will go contray to all here, and not recommend it, unless you get proficient with the rifle, and its safety. Its the safety and its clumsyness that is the downside for me.
As far as ammo stick to the better stuff for hunting, alot of the cheap crap is just that, crap. Core/jacket separations being the norm for alot of the low end pap. If you can get the Norma, the 150 and 180 loads are great, and bullet construction is well up there. Look around though, you may be able to find some Sako loads (they used to do 7 at one time), or even some of the Lapua stuff (though don't hold your breath). If you want to do a good job I would suggest either the Norma, or to reload. You can get new Lapua cases, and a variety of applicable bullets with ease.
From a reliablity perspective the M44 is light years ahead of alot of the clunkers you see mentions in this forum, only its safety being cumbersome.
Still the best user friendly gun design for 'modern' era military bolt action.
 
Dosing said:
Its the safety and its clumsyness that is the downside for me.
...

Still the best user friendly gun design for 'modern' era military bolt action.
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I'm not a Nagant owner (but am thinking about one...), just curious--can you be specific about problems with the safety, is it positioned in a funny place or noisy to deactivate or hard to find with gloves...?
 
mag627 said:
Thoughts? The gun has not yet been received but assume that it should have at least 150 yd accuracy is not wrong. Any one use one of these for hunting?
Click to expand...

I've used one of my M44's for caribou and have a bubba'd model I haven't hunted with yet. The "Poison Maggot" (Phoenix Range gun guy's nickname for it!) certainly does the job and the iron sights are fine if you know where it is hitting. Not much available up here in ammo except for the Bell. I was going to reload but finding brass was like finding an honest Liberal!
 
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