Russian M91-30 Mosin Nagant

I am considering adding to my collection of firearms, and have been online looking at a surplus Russian M91-30 Mosin Nagant

Wondering if anyone here owns one and could give me some insight on how they are Accuracy, kick, reliability, ect.

You might do a google search for "Top Shots" as the TV show and Mosin-Nagant rifle. They did a contest on the show with them in long shooting, so it would give you a way to watch it being used in a competitive way... They don't look like bad rifles, generally speaking. Depends on price, too. I've got an old .303 I swear by, at the $150 or so I paid for it. At twice the price, it'd be a whole different thing.

reply to post by Craninalbliss


Not a bad rifle at the right price. Ammunition is cheap, especially the surplus stuff. As to accuracy and reliability, it all depends on condition. Look for NRA fine or better in the condition. You should be able to pick one up on Gunbroker.com for around $150.

reply to post by Craninalbliss


kicks like a mule,will need to be cleaned of cosmoline(Russian protective goo),and will kill ANYTHING in north america

en.wikipedia.org... this glorious bastard killed over 505 people with one and a smg and is regarded as the most successful sniper to ever walk the earth using a rifle almost as old as he was at the time.

its the longest service weapon in history being in use from 1889 i believe

try to get one with numbers matching or one of the rarer made by remmington models that were made for the czar of russia during the civil war which the red russians won and then decided to not pay remmington for the work so they damn near were giving them away at the time

also look into the archangel stock set up that is supposed to increase capacity from 5-10 rounds and add detacable magazines as well

en.wikipedia.org... info on the rifle and its various subtypes hell i think they still use them to put down elephants on game preserves in Africa

ammo is cheap but non reloadable in most cases (beridin primers and all) and alot of the non hunting ammo is corrosive so make sure to clean her from time to time.if you get the model with the spike bayonett (think sharpened Philips screw driver) you can use two rifles and a stand set up to roast game on a pseudo spit for cooking as well

www.gunandgame.com... info on reloading the mosin

www.thehighroad.org... info on balistics gel test results for the round

groups.google.com...#!topic/rec.guns/tnTdS-8rsOY few links on what mosins do to body Armour

www.youtube.com...


part two www.youtube.com...



its one of the few rifles to fight in both world wars and has kills on all but perhaps Antarctica

reply to post by RalagaNarHallas


G,day mate. negative on your comment about not being able to reload berdan primed cases. you can, i have, and a tool to enable you to do so is or was available years ago. It is called a berdan decapping tool.
Australian 303 and early 7.62x51 were berdan not boxer.
Was a fiddly job, angle drill a hole in a work bench shaped like the cartridge case upside down and use a reshaped chisel on the primer all the old blokes back in the 50's that reloaded 303 for roo shooting went down that path. keep yer powder dry bloke.

reply to post by Craninalbliss


I have a few of them. One with a round receiver made in 1943, and a hex made in 1933, both with the soviet hammer and sickle crest. (Izhevsk factory). Eventually I will get another one or two.

As for accuracy, it really depends on the condition. With the bulk of these being made back in the 40's, and some even going back to the 1890's, checking their condition is a must. Some of the barrels will be completely shot out, rusted, and some are also counter-bored (although I don't really see much negative about being counter-bored. My hex is counter-bored). Another thing to keep in mind, atleast with the rifles made around 1940-1945, these rifles were mass produced by the millions as fast as possible. You may get some poorly made parts in some of those rifles, but they will still work.

As for kick, of course it's an old old bolt action that fires the 7.62x54r. It's a pretty big round. By comparison to a more modern round, the .308 is 7.62x51. It's not as bad as a 12gauge, but it's up there. The steel butt plate they all have doesn't really help much either.

As for reliability, these are heavy duty. It would be extremely hard to break one of these. This is the only time Ive seen a mosin fail in a torture test, and this was pretty hardcore torture.

If you want to see the type of load that destroys it, skip to around 6:30 in the second video.





Another video I would recommend.



Ask whoever you're buying from what comes with the rifle. Odds are it will come in a cardboard box, and it's up to the seller to throw in accessories. If you're lucky and get the accessories, odds are they will be a bayonet, a tiny oil can, cleaning kit, and a mosin multi-tool. If you can only have 1 of those, get the multi-tool - it has many uses and is required for breaking down the bolt of the rifle.

Also, be prepared to clean a massive ton of cosmoline off the gun before you shoot it the first time. These things are packed with the stuff. Also, if you shoot corrosive ammo, make sure to clean it properly right after shooting. Rust is a big enemy of guns.

ETA - Almost forgot price. Generally in todays market, the 91/30 should be $150 max. My local Cabela's has these on sale for $119 every couple of weeks as of late. Some places will charge more for a hex receiver (because they're generally machined better), than a round one. But, sometimes places like Cabelas get a truck load of them at a time and don't bother sorting them out and you can find some rare pieces in there.


ETA 2 - Also there's plenty of ammo out there for this gun, even it being an over 100 year old cartridge. The 7.62x54r hasn't gone the way of the .303 British or 8mm Mauser, since the 54r is still used by modern militaries. There's plenty of Russian, Bulgarian, etc...spam cans out there from the 70's and 80's that run a price of around 15 - 20 cents a round. The commercial market also has a good supply of 54r to.

DO IT!!!

Great gun - especially for the price.
Do some research first though to make sure you're getting a decent one.

Pros:
Cheap as they come & the ammo is cheap too...lots of surplus
Large caliber round
Long range
Surprisingly accurate
Tank strong
Dependable

Cons:
Heavy
Long (especially your standard m91-30...48" butt to muzzle if I'm remembering correctly)
Wear/Use - they're old rifles after all & some have seen more use than others
Non-sniper models are not ready for a mounted scope...plenty of options out there though but be prepared to spend a bit more

Most important things to consider are:
1. Bore wear - sharp edges on the rifling & a shiny bore is what you want to see

2. Trigger - some have been worked on, some have not...if it's gritty, you can always make it better but getting one that feels good at the beginning will save you the trouble

3. Action - some cycle better than others. Again, this is something you can work on to make better but if it's good already then you won't have to mess with it

4. Numbers matching - reduces concern over non-matching head-space issues & other problems that come from mix & match

5. I prefer the prewar Hex receiver if you can find one - they were built better before they started cranking them out enmasse when the war started

6. Extras...all of them originally shipped with a bayonet, shoulder strap & field kit...sometimes you still get these with the rifle...doesn't hurt to ask

Lots of different factors to consider - age, manufacturer, variant model, stamped markings, condition, etc.

Definitely spend some time on line learning a bit about the differences - there's some good forums online...

A particularly informative website dedicated to the Mosin is:
7.62x54r.net

You can also pick up a variant...I like the Finnish version (M39) but it costs a bit more (still very reasonable considering it's a firearm)

Thank you all,

Just placed the order, Mosin Nagant M91-30 Hex Reciever, Pre-war, 1930's hammer and sickle stamped with matching numbers, the bore looks good it is original muzzle not counter-bored. and i just ordered 2 x 440 round russian surpluss 7.62 54R, cant wait till it comes in the mail, i have a C&R license so no middle man for me hahah, its going to be a great addition to my "weapons of the east" collection, as i already have a Russian SKS and Russian AK-47. any other Russian type rifles anyone know of that i can add in the future? I was looking at a Dragnov but they want a couple of grand for that too rich for my blood, i really wish i could get my hands on a Russian PPSH (sp?) SMG or an RPK LMG that would be awesome but it will never happen damn gun laws. oh well a guy can dream right.

reply to post by Craninalbliss


I would definitely recommend acquiring one. Under the ridiculous SAFE act its one of the few we can still legally buy in this state. Look around on gunbroker.com and if you can afford it try to get something with matching numbers and if they are available an early 1930's model made at the Tula factory with matching numbers. Additionally as another poster mentioned there are some mods you can do with the archangel stock though I can't guarantee legality in NY so always double check that to cover your @$$. This is an example of one in really good condition and is a '32 Tula hex with matching numbers and accessories. At a little over 200 its on the high end for these rifles but very much worthwhile for what it is. Always shop around and compare prices condition etc. they're a great item to have in your gunsafe.

reply to post by Craninalbliss


My stepson owns one of these... dated 1942 and with what appears to be the stamp of the Red Army.

They are fairly accurate but because of the length, you have to be ready to hold her steady when aiming. The kick is pretty good so keep the butt a tight fit into your shoulder or it can bruise ya.

The pantail ammo is fairly inexpensive. Just beware of some older stuff on the market as the brass will sometimes crack around the neck of the shell when fired.

Wrabbit2000
You might do a google search for "Top Shots" as the TV show and Mosin-Nagant rifle. They did a contest on the show with them in long shooting, so it would give you a way to watch it being used in a competitive way... They don't look like bad rifles, generally speaking. Depends on price, too. I've got an old .303 I swear by, at the $150 or so I paid for it. At twice the price, it'd be a whole different thing.

If that is the Lee-Enfield SMLE, it is considered one of the finest bolt action rifles ever to see the light of day, superb with an optical sight.

reply to post by Craninalbliss

any other Russian type rifles anyone know of that i can add in the future?

I would like a Dragunov to, but I don't have the cash for that. Maybe a VEPR instead. Or maybe a Romanian PSL.

As for an RPK, you can get a Romanian AES 10 which averages around $500. However, they are not as common as their AK counterpart. (An example from slickguns below)

www.slickguns.com...

Romanian RPK AES-10B rifles chambered for 7.62x39 caliber. They have a 23" long, extra heavy barrel with chrome lined bore, removable muzzle break, standard AK sights, and carry handle.

I love mine and use my '36 PU Tula Sniper for deer hunting. Just be careful, you can never just buy one!

As for accuracy, they hit what I aim at. Most were sighted-in at 200yds w/the bayonet mounted. The front sight post needs to be lengthened on most as they'll shoot high at 100yds. There is a ton of info on how to do this on the internet. You can also buy a repro front sight as well.

Again, I love all three of mine and all are terrific shooters, even with the corrosive surplus ammo.