What WON'T a Mosin Nagant Kill?

You can kill anything with anything, but it ceases to be a good idea long before blue whales. Moose and down would be OK.

It's fun to speculate about doing everything with something, and magnum bashing seems to be as popular as ever. I have noticed that when the talking stops and the booking, paying and shooting starts there isn't a Mosin within a hundred miles of camp but there's a magnum in every corner.
 
Sometimes you have to actually use something for a while to really appreciate its strengths and/or shortcomings. The 7.62X54R is virtually a ballistic twin of the .30/06 and anything the '06 can do, the commie .30 can do equally well when fired from similar rifles. But there's the fly in the ointment. The 7.62X54R is never chambered in rifles that are commonly encountered in western markets, not that the cartridge isn't capable, but the case design is awkward for modern bolt actions to accommodate, whereas the more conventionally designed 7.62X39 and its offspring have developed a following in Western markets and are manufactured by at least a couple of Western arms manufacturers.

The Mosin Nagant rifle comes with so many built in limitations that it is little wonder no one has ever been tempted to bring out a custom sporter version, although the carbine version has sort of an appealing look that might tempt someone to try. The split bridge does not allow for convenient scope mounting, or a ghost ring for that matter. The trigger is poor, being long and creepy with what seems like a mile of over travel, no feel for sear engagement can be established, and as far as I know there is nothing in the aftermarket word that improves upon that. Then there's the stock. The stock truly makes you wonder what the Soviets had against their own soldiers, despite it's obvious suitability as a bludgeoning weapon. I challenge anyone to fire 10 rounds rapid fire out of the carbine, from prone at a 300 yard target, in weather warm enough that a T-shirt is the appropriate apparel, and tell me that they didn't loose focus long before they got the 10th round away. Perhaps the rifle version is heavy enough to mitigate the effect of that wicked curved steel butt plate but I'd sooner shoot 10 rounds prone from a .416 Rigby than try to hold the carbine for 10 without some artificial padding. I've never been described as a Weatherby fan, but compared to the Mosin Nagant, a MK-V in .300 Weatherby is a gift from the gods.
 
Then there's the stock. The stock truly makes you wonder what the Soviets had against their own soldiers, despite it's obvious suitability as a bludgeoning weapon. I challenge anyone to fire 10 rounds rapid fire out of the carbine, from prone at a 300 yard target, in weather warm enough that a T-shirt is the appropriate apparel, and tell me that they didn't loose focus long before they got the 10th round away. Perhaps the rifle version is heavy enough to mitigate the effect of that wicked curved steel butt plate but I'd sooner shoot 10 rounds prone from a .416 Rigby than try to hold the carbine for 10 without some artificial padding. I've never been described as a Weatherby fan, but compared to the Mosin Nagant, a MK-V in .300 Weatherby is a gift from the gods.

The only time in recent history that I got beat up by a rifle was when shooting my M44. It kisks much harder than a Jungle carbine. I have ordered a 1" recoil pad on Ebay, #380907866069 Best $10 I ever spent, probably.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380907866069?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
 
If anyone gets to the Kittery Trading Post in Maine, you will see a trophy moose stuffed there, with a plaque inscribed with a 13 year old girls name who shot it in 2009,,, with a 30-30!
 
Boomer- There is now Timney triggers, Boyd's and Archangel stocks to help personalize the mosin. To make the whole experience more enjoyable.
 
6.72 x 54R is a russky 30-06 and just needs to be regarded as such.

As Boomer stated, the Mosin rifle is the reason the x54 is not more popular; the rifle is a snapshot of what firearms were 125 years ago. Things have changed since then. You can modernize your Mosin, but by the time you're done with a new trigger, stock and some manner of scope mount, you might as well just buy a Remington or Savage in 30-06 for the same money.

I do hunt with my mosins; I have a scout mounted M44 and a side-mounted M91-30. They're great truck-gun, camp type rifles.

A major factor is I bought them for about $100 - $120 each. Add a mount and a used scope and I'm in for $200 total for each rifle package; and mine even came with the sling!!! With M38 and M44 prices now over $300 they're priced well beyond what they're "worth" in terms of a practical rifle. They're just collector's items now, unfortunately. The $189 M91/30's you still find around are still worth the money, but you'd better not be one of those girly-men who thinks his spine will compress if he carries anything heavier than a 6 lb custom mountain rifle in 7mm-08! :)
 
If anyone gets to the Kittery Trading Post in Maine, you will see a trophy moose stuffed there, with a plaque inscribed with a 13 year old girls name who shot it in 2009,,, with a 30-30!

My daughter of about the same age at the time shot one with a muzzleloader. Dad used a 30-30 for his hunting. Others use arrows, and a Chip of my acquaintance was partial to the anchor rope............. You can kill anything with anything if you are willing to work within their limitations.
 
If movies have taught me anything the Russians/Soviets were only issued 5 rounds so never would have fired 10 rounds in rapid fire.

It has long been noted that more than 15 lbs of recoil (ie Mosin, Springfield, etc) is too much for many.

Within a guy's ability with the sights, it will do for just about anything in this country.

If you like it, use it. If not, don't.
 
You can kill anything with anything, but it ceases to be a good idea long before blue whales. Moose and down would be OK.

It's fun to speculate about doing everything with something, and magnum bashing seems to be as popular as ever. I have noticed that when the talking stops and the booking, paying and shooting starts there isn't a Mosin within a hundred miles of camp but there's a magnum in every corner.

Nothing wrong with the magnum rifles but in my experience a lot of the guys who brag them up and run down the "old fashioned" rounds like the .30/06, .270, .303, .308 etc couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle. They are completely recoil and noise shy and do not shoot enough with their vaunted magnum rifles to shoot them effectively. Most of the "bashing" I have heard comes from the magnum crowd.
 
Chuck Norris

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If it takes you more than one 7.62 x 54R SP, you need to practice. In any case, it has nothing whatever to do with the rifle.
 
Most of the "bashing" I have heard comes from the magnum crowd.

Really? I see the opposite. The typical "less is more" guy can't wait to bad mouth the performance crowd, and the performance guys really don't care what others use. Its not all about recoil either since there are plenty of magnums that kick less than some standard cartridges or about the same.
 
Sometimes you have to actually use something for a while to really appreciate its strengths and/or shortcomings. The 7.62X54R is virtually a ballistic twin of the .30/06 and anything the '06 can do, the commie .30 can do equally well when fired from similar rifles. But there's the fly in the ointment. The 7.62X54R is never chambered in rifles that are commonly encountered in western markets, not that the cartridge isn't capable, but the case design is awkward for modern bolt actions to accommodate, whereas the more conventionally designed 7.62X39 and its offspring have developed a following in Western markets and are manufactured by at least a couple of Western arms manufacturers.

The Mosin Nagant rifle comes with so many built in limitations that it is little wonder no one has ever been tempted to bring out a custom sporter version, although the carbine version has sort of an appealing look that might tempt someone to try. The split bridge does not allow for convenient scope mounting, or a ghost ring for that matter. The trigger is poor, being long and creepy with what seems like a mile of over travel, no feel for sear engagement can be established, and as far as I know there is nothing in the aftermarket word that improves upon that. Then there's the stock. The stock truly makes you wonder what the Soviets had against their own soldiers, despite it's obvious suitability as a bludgeoning weapon. I challenge anyone to fire 10 rounds rapid fire out of the carbine, from prone at a 300 yard target, in weather warm enough that a T-shirt is the appropriate apparel, and tell me that they didn't loose focus long before they got the 10th round away. Perhaps the rifle version is heavy enough to mitigate the effect of that wicked curved steel butt plate but I'd sooner shoot 10 rounds prone from a .416 Rigby than try to hold the carbine for 10 without some artificial padding. I've never been described as a Weatherby fan, but compared to the Mosin Nagant, a MK-V in .300 Weatherby is a gift from the gods.

When is it Tshirt weather in Mother Russia comrade? Besides as Enemy at the Gates taught us Ruskys were only issued 5 rounds so no problem (roll the r when you say problem). ;)
 
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