What ammo works best in your Mosin?

OP, your question can't be answered easily. First off most surplus ammo isn't as accurate as many would have you believe. A lot of it depends on how good or bad the bore of your rifle is. Usually excellent bores will shoot better than pitted/worn bores but not always. Then again, there is the bore diameter to consider. I have M91 variants with everything from .308 in diameter bores to .314 in diameter. Most surplus ammunition will be .310 +- .002. If it doesn't match your bore well it won't shoot well. It may give acceptable accuracy for wartime measures but only in some cases will it deliver tack driving accuracy.

If you are lucky enough to have a rifle that does deliver spectacular accuracy with surplus fodder good on you.

If like the rest of us you would like more, then slug your bore and reload with bullets of appropriate diameter. You can do this with Boxer brass or pull the bullets on your surplus ammo and substitute them with appropriate diameter bullets.

Lots of other things, like lousy triggers, loose stocks and eyesight to name a few.
 
I'm thinking about slugging my barrel to determine the best bullet size for reloading for long distances. For me, the accuracy I get from MFS under 200 yards is acceptable.
 
There's a lot of wisdom in bear hunters comments. My best Mosin that shoots milsurp well slugged out at .311 and has a perfectly shiney bore. It's the tightest bore of my 4 Mosins. I have another that shoots almost as well with .312 bore. I have one with a rather dark bore. I don't know what it would slug out to but I know it shoots large cast bullets best over milsurp so it must be larger.

It's likely going to have be a trial and error thing to get the best accuracy out of YOUR Mosin. These days it's hard to find any milsurp for 7.62X54r from dealers so you really won't have much of a choice. The EE here on CGN is the only place to find it.

If I were you, I wouldn't pay a premium for any particular Mosin milsurp ammo because it's "better". At least I haven't found one that is worth more money.
 
I was hitting a 8" gong at 200yds over iron sights with Chinese surplus,and hitting it consistenly, using a '42 mosin. I imagine in her day she was quite the weapon.
 
cm_machinist said:
Has anyone tried PVRI or Barnaul brand?
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I shot some PPU ammo (182grs FMJ BT) at 100 m two days ago. I shot about 2.5 to 3-inch groups. I have to try it again soon; it was quite snowy and windy. I am pretty sure that the ammo can do better. Out of my mosin, the groups were about 12 inches high using the 6'oclock hold. Overall, I am quite pleased. I am saving the brass to eventually reload.

I will have to get a sight from Euclidean works to lower the POI closer to the POA... Anyone here using such a replacement sight? It seems to be well thought out from what I have seen on the internet.
 
cheb said:
I will have to get a sight from Euclidean works to lower the POI closer to the POA... Anyone here using such a replacement sight? It seems to be well thought out from what I have seen on the internet.
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Yes, I've been using the Euclidean front sights on my two Mosins, one a 1935/48 octagonal receiver and the other one 1942 round receiver. I simply was unable to shoot them with the original front sights. Both were shooting much too high for my liking. Now, I have no problem with shooting the POA=POI.
The only ammo I've been using is a 71/73 Chinese surplus (150gr). Around 2 years back I bought 3520 rounds of this ammo from Marstar for $295/880rds with free shipping. Good old times with cheap ammo that will never return!
Routinely, using this 71/73 ammo, I can shoot 5" average group at 100y with the Euclidean front sight and the original military rear sight, from a bench rest (a Champion bag or a cheap plastic front rifle rest). Sometimes, 3-4" if I have a lucky day. However, thanks to the Euclidean sight, all my groups are very well centered within the bullseye of the official 100-yard small bore rifle target.
I can recommend the Euclidean sight without any hesitation. However, a windage adjustment screw that is a part of the Euclidean adjustment tool, which you can buy together with the sight, is of poor quality. I used it several times for a front windage adjustment and it's now bent. Apparently, too soft.
 
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So far I have found and uses
Barnaul FMJ - was ok was able to zero down to about 2ich group with my PU
MFS FMJ - was able to zero down to 3 inch with PU
MFS 203 SP- shoots nice best of the ammo shoots consistent 2inch or less groups with PU
PRC surplus 1968- this ammo is much hotter and recoil harder. It shoots consistent wired groups 2-3 inch groups where 2 of 5 rds consistently fly 9oclock 2-3 inches to the same spot.

I like the MGS SP. I have a few hundred S&B SP but have not delves into them yet.
 
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