Hundred Dollar Mosin-Nagant

blujax01

blujax01

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There has been a flood of old WWI era 7.62x54 Mosin-Nagants for sale around here and when a local LGS got in a case of them and put them out for $109 including a bayonet and ammo pouch, I could no longer say "no". I went through the case and found one with a hexagonal receiver, straight cleaning rod and matching serial numbers, (as opposed to some that had electric etching pen numbers scratched in). From what I can tell though the Cosmoline haze, the bore is in good shape.

Anyone else pick up one of these? Is there a good place to go and discuss it's care and feeding? Did I waste a perfectly good Benjamin? :eek:
 
I was lucky to get a mint carbine but haven't shot it yet.
Ammo is cheap, well built rifle and a hard hitting round.
 
Mosins are great. So crude , they seem like they should have a flint! But they are a very strong action and a powerful round. Actually a bit more powerful than our 30-06 out of the full-length rifles. Soviet ammo must use a slow burning powder as the carbines have horrendous muzzle blast.

The ones to find are the ones made by Remington and New England Westinghouse. The story of the American made rifles is interesting too. Now rare , but once plentiful , cheap , and basically unwanted.
 
My son just bought one about 6 months ago, I think he paid around $120 with all the goodies you mentioned. We've taken it out once, it was fun to shoot. The one he found was in surprisingly great shape, I guess ammo is kind of hard to find. We shot some old stock that was extremely dirty.
 
I have been looking at one of these as well. I’m trying to give myself a reason to buy one other than it’s a good deal. It would mean stocking up on another caliber of ammo, taking up more room in the safe, it isn’t optics friendly that I know of, and I already have a few rifles. I guess in a SHTF kind of situation this would be a good rifle to pass out to the neighbors for neighborhood defense but that is the best thought I can come up with. And that isn’t a bad thought, but money is getting tight these days. Are these that good of a deal that we should all be buying one? Or two? We aren’t likely to see deals like these much longer… Remember the same price on an SKS a few years back???
 
You see a lot of them being shot by 20 somethings at the local range here. Probably for the same reason I shot 98 Mausers a lot when I was in my 20's. Both the firearms and ammo are inexpensive. Ones that have not been abused seem to shoot surprisingly well.
 
A well made centerfire rifle that everyone needs at least one of.
 
I like them as I have four of them a 91/30 beech stock,91/30 laminate stock,model 44 carbine and a model 38 carbine .I got mine a long time ago when they cost well under $100.00 .The worst thing was cleaning all the cosmoline out of them but they are fun to shoot. But make sure you do a good cleaning if you use surplus ammo as it's corrosive.
A good place to learn about them is over at www.surplusrifle.com or at www.gunboards.com
 
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We got one for my son as his first centerfire rifle. I was surprised how low the kick was from it. Very simple construction (two screws) and not as heavy as it looks (without the baynoet). $100 is a fine price and you did well. The price of surplus ammo makes it even more fun.

I'm dreaming of getting one to trip out into a carbine size long-range rifle. Cut down the barrel, good scope mount, turned down bolt and bi-pod. My sons it too pretty to change. He says it’s the perfect mantle gun. Which he told me was a gun that looks too old to work but does and can drives tacks when needed. We still are not at home with the stripper clips (unlike for his SKS).

He's into guns in general and is collecting (and shooting) a small group of rifles (three) that were used in multiple big wars (WWI & WWII). 91/30, SMLE and has is eyes out for a M1903.

While you could have a dud-spud odds are you do not. They are the best bargin out there in rifles today.

B2 (;->
 
BillBingham 2,

Why cut the barrel on a long rifle when you can buy a Model 38 or a model 44 and go from there?. Their barrels are already short.:)

De Oppresso Liber
 
I've got a couple of Chinese made T-53 Mosin-Nagants. I got them back when I first got my C&R, mostly because they were cheap. They were $51.00 each shipped. According to the story, they had been stored in a shipping container in the Arizona desert, and literally forgotten about. They were ROUGH.

T534.jpg


I've never fired either of them. Never even bought a round of ammo. I might have to try them one of these days.
 
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Price and availablity. Good Carbines are harder to find. The delta in price start at an additional $50. I've seen several "How to cut down a barrel and put a crown on it" videos and I'd like to try.

I’ve looked for Carbines online and around for a while. 91/30s are plentiful now and while they will go up in price about 5 years down the road, there’s lots of them available today. Also I hate the idea of pimping (tripping, b*st**dizing) a gun that is not easy to find or is in collector condition. Not that I’m a gun bigot but I do deeply respect well made guns and cameras. I love using a Nikon FTn and S3 (rangefinder) in the same way I’m looking for an S&W Model 19-2. All are classics and fit in my hands like I was born with them.

B2 (;->
 
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I guess if for nothing more than an investment. You know they will go up in price. Fudge it. I'm buying one.
 
I bought two about a month ago one to keep original and one to customize, so far I've shot a few hundred rounds and really enjoy the gun not to mention the cheap ammo.
 
I picked up a 91/30 at a gun-show just two weeks ago with the bayonet, pouches & sundry goodies, matching serial numbers and in very nice condition with a perfect bore, for $99. This one was made in 1940, so I'm thinking it was probably at Stalingrad......

There's a great website with tons of info on Mosins, 7.62x54R ammo identification, etc. Check it out: Mosin Nagant Models
 
A Model 38, with a LER scope on one of Darrel's mounts makes a nice adaption of Col. Jeff Cooper's Scout Rifle.
Mosins002.jpg


The one real problem with Mosins is that in captivity, they breed like rabbits.
Mosins001.jpg
 
I love my little Model 44. My kids gave it to for Father's Day one year, when they were 89 bucks at Big 5.

Mine shoots dead on, but only with the bayonet extended. I shoot in the middle of nowhere in the desert, but I'm sure at the range it would draw some funny looks. Its handy for jabbing into the ground to hold the gun while setting up targets.

The muzzle blast is a joy to behold on the short ones.
 
I bought one when they were first imported back in the early 90's, Rose's department store had them for $39, I bought one, enjoyed shooting it, so I bought one for my Uncle for Christmas.

I used to carry it with me canoeing, the first time is shot it from the canoe I shot at something in the water about 40 yards away, at the 9:00 O'clock position , a straight broadside shot....

Found out quickly that broadsides were not the thing to do, the recoil almost capsized the canoe! Shots fired over the bow was the way to go.

When SKS's became available, an SKS replaced the Moisin Nagant as a canoeing rifle.

Now, a .22 rifle and .38 revolver is more in line with what I need for caneoing, but Moisin Nagants are still fun to shoot. I too would like to get a carbine....
 
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