Need Mosin Nagant Opinions

However, after seeing Kismets I may reconsider. Kis, yours is really nice. Did you fix up the stock on yours?

Not much to fix, Norm. Filthy, of course. I must have used something to remove some of the shellac, but can't remember. As I recall, washed with dish soap and hot water, dried, repeated two or three times, then GOOP with pumice, and maybe a Scotchbrite pad, rinsed with hot water, repeated, let dry.

The dents in the wood mostly rose up with the hot water and there was not too much scarring on the stock. I may have sanded the stock with some 400 or 600 grit, but not much.

Wood was very light in color. I used red mahagony stain, two or three applications, then boiled linseed oil, applied by fingertip. When I started to take it too seriously, I reminded myself that this was a 60+ year-old user gun, purchased to hunt red meat, and let the whole thing dry out for a while. I took the bayonet off because it weight 3/4 of a pound, up front of balance, and just learned to shoot it without that weight up there. Really didn't see much POA change; some folks have. dunno Also, I felt stupid walking around with a 15 inch spike on the front of a deer rifle. Folks think I'm odd enough as it is. :)

AdAstra is the man to get info from. He has both the sporter stock version for his Pirate adventures, and one or two (ahem:rolleyes:) to demonstrate his affection for the model of rifle.

I got lucky and spotted a 2x EER Leupold scope on another forum for a great price. Played a bit with a cheap mount from eBay, but didn't mount it permanently. Frankly, I'm leary of wrecking the scope. Maybe this summer.

But the contact cement attachment of the thinned recoil pad is one of the biggest surprises. It has shown no inclination to come off and takes the bite off the come-back. I hunt with shotguns most of the time, so hunting recoil goes by unnoticed. I may just be accustomed to it.

In a table (which I can't attach), the 7.62 Nato 168 gr and the 7.62x54 152 gr are spot on, ballistically, at 100 yards, one tenth of an inch different at 200 yards, and four tenths of an inch different at four hundred yards. Table I saved doesn't indicate model.

Have fun.



nice site for posting...go to military rifles sections : http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/mausers/
 
Wolf,

Nice example there!

I hear the stripper clips for these are hard to find?

Thanks for all the good info everyone.

I have some piecesparts to sell on gunbroken, so i can swing at last one no problem.

maybe I'll try the flavor of the month while supplies last.

Got news yesterday that there is some dental work in the family budget to consider...

Take care,

Tom
 
Original clips are hard to find, and the new stainless ones pretty much suck.
The easiest ones to find that work are from uglycarfan on eBay. He sells 20 brass clips (that are new-made by him) for like $17.99 with free shipping. Considering that I've seen original Soviet/Finn clips go for up to $7 a piece (usually around $5 each), that's not bad.

Just to fuel the fire:
Mosin003s.jpg


lam3.jpg


M38Blast02.jpg


Not my collection, but, I'd like it to be:
MosinNagants05.jpg


MosinNagants03.jpg


MosinNagants01.jpg
 
Wow!:eek:

Something to shoot for! :D

I think I have an addictive personality by nature...

But then, as khukuri lover, you knew that already!

One reason I am considering the '38 is due to the things I have heard about the POI change when removing the bayonet on the 44.

Thanks,

Tom
 
Just extend the bayonet when shooting and it's usually right on.

If not, run up and stick the target.
 
Thanks very much for the info Kis. I looked and there is a screw deal holding the bayo on, with some kind of retaining nut on the underside. Rather than drilling it out I may try to undo it. I can't think why POI would be affected, but guess I'll find out.

Cpl, thanks for the stripper clip info and the great pics. Nice rifles!

The stock on mine is actually pretty decent. I have tru-oiled 2 shotgun stocks and sanded first, but have read more lately that with wood to metal fit sanding isn't a good idea.

I had two to choose from, and Aardvark can tell you I am _terrible_ in that situation and get real "analysis-paralysis". The one I chose had the finish completely "in the white" at the muzzle where the bayo flops over, and I can't remember but seem to recall that the other one had more blue left there. Not sure if that was from the factory that way or not, so got the impression mine was more used there.

At the same time, the bayonet was much tighter on the other one, the metal had more grease on it, and I expected the bore to be better, but it seems rustier to me and less bright, so I went with the cleaner bore. If I could have cleaned both I could have made a better decision, but figured the sales guy would balk at that. :) BTW, the top of the receiver on mine had only a few factory stamps and was pretty smooth overall, while the other one had at least twice as many stamps, and seemed a bit rougher. (?)

If I get the aftermarket stock and a nicer sling I figure my total into the rifle will be $200, which is not too bad for a good shooter I guess.

Norm
 
The Russian 91/30s and M44s were sighted in with the bayonets sighted in and extended. POI does in fact change when the bayonet is retracted or removed. This is because being mounted directly to the barrel, the stresses they place on the barrel change depending on configuration and that changes the POI.

It's simply a matter of drifting the front sight to bring the windage in, and the easiest way to change the elevation (fine tuning) is to slip a longish roll pin over the front sight and file it down.

To remove the bayonet from the M44, just loosen the screw (some may require some real persuading to come off. Have a can of kroil handy if it's too difficult to remove). There's no nut or anything else, just one screw. Beware of the spring mechanism, it can shoot the bayonet off pretty good, and of course the spring then goes into a black hole and timewarp so you can never find it again. Just hold onto the bayo when you pullt he screw out.
 
Get your own C&R; M44's are $50 are at centerfire.com.

Somebody needs to speak up for Finnish M39s...

Pix:
M39s to the left, then M44 and M38 to the right. The M39 has a Garand-like feel to it; a real rifle with an Arctic birch, pine-tar finished stock.

fm21eb.jpg


My M44 is hard-chromed.


Mike
 
The last several issues of Shotgun News has had step-by-step articles on customizing a Mosin rifle. Looks great, but takes a lot of work.
 
Mike, did you hard chrome your M44 or was that a variant? Looks nice.

As far as the POI, I appreciate the info but am a bit confused. (Hardly unusual. :D) From what Cpl said it seems to me that shooting it with the bayo folded instead of extended would also affect the POI? Normally I would keep the bayonet on, but like Kismet I would feel a bit odd chasing deer with it. Might be fun for game wardens though LOL!

(In the "old" days of conspicuous consumption I would have simply solved the problem by buying a pair of them and keeping one completely original and completely customizing the other. Alas, such excess is no longer an option. I do have lotto hopes though! ;))

And Cpl I know about tweaking elevation by filing down front sights, I've done it on a couple of SAA's, but I kind of lost you on the roll pin point.

Thanks again.

Norm
 
Ad, you know I would love a Finn, but, well, I don't think i can spend that much right now, for just one rifle that is!

I know I will regret it later, but...(repeat sad lament, yadda yadda...)

Take care,

Tom

PS I just use the shop's FFL when I need something now. Might get my own 01 again soon.

We get some of the fliers at work, which is partly responsible for this thread!

T.
 
OK, Tom. :)

uh, Norm, got it from Classic Arms. They've been hard-chroming a few. Good reviews.



Put it in a ATI stock since. Kind of a poor man's "all-weather" rifle.






Mike
 
I'm waiting for my c&r liscense and when I get it the Mosin will be my 1st purchase. I'll start with 91/30 and work my way down to the carbines. I like rugged simplicity and, from what I've heard, the Mosin fits the bill. A common problem seems to be "sticky bolt syndrome", which, from what I've read, is due to hardened cosmoline in chamber. surplusrifle.com has a good article on how to remedy this. I can't wait to get one. :)
 
gravertom said:
anyone ever buy from centerfire systems?

Thanks,

Tom
Click to expand...

Never a firearm... Mosins are so cheap, though, you should buy the nicest (i.e. laminated stock, Dragoon markings, etc.) you can. Some of the cheapie/deals ones may not have matching serials on the parts, dropped in combat, bloodrust on bayo, etc.


Mike
 
Sturdy rifles.

The "safety" on the damn things has prevented me from ever buying one.

I'd still go for a decent SKS, despite the weaker round.
 
I hear you about the safety...

The SKS always lurks in the background.

I am going to consult with the Missus, and see where we are headed on various things in the near future. Even though not a gun person per se, she often covers some of my blind spots.

other than the 19th century coolness factor, the main attractions of the MN for me is the price of the ammo, the ruggedness, and the opportunity to own multiple examples for little cost.

I started down this road with the Turkish mauser a year or so ago, but this was after the super deals were gone. My thoughts keep changing, and I ended up selling those 2 rifles off. One turned out to be a real dud, I believe mis represented by the seller, but i didn't fight it. private sale, BTW.

I don't want to make haste, but i feel a certain sense of urgency about laying some things aside, and not just a few rifles either.

A coupe of years ago, the post 64 30-30 seemed like a bargain, but not now! They are still going up in price.

Anyway, that is where i am. My current plan is to try a MN carbine, and see how I do with it. stock some ammo, and then see where to go from there. I thought seriously about the SKS, untilthe soon to come $1100.00 dental bill reared up it's head.

Thanks for the good input!

Tom
 
Even at $250, an SKS is a bargain.

I remember the $79 days...sigh (of course, that $79 would be more like $115 today, but still).
 
Spectre said:
Even at $250, an SKS is a bargain.

I remember the $79 days...sigh (of course, that $79 would be more like $115 today, but still).
Click to expand...

yes, it is. When i explain it all, she might advise going that way too.

I worry too much...

:confused::rolleyes::(:foot::o:thumbdn:

Tom
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top