my mosin impresses me

[mrussel]

If you hand load for your MN you can make most of them shoot pretty well. The key is to slug your bore. Take a .315 diameter muzzle loader ball and drop it into the chamber and use the metal cleaning rod, with the bolt removed, to start it down the bore by placing a piece of wood on the end of the cleaning rod to keep from buggering up the threads and hit it with a hammer. After you have driven the rod down as far as you can take 1 foot long pieces of wooden dowel and drop them down the bore and then take the cleaning rod and tap the slug on through the bore. Measure the high spots on the slug and this will give you the groove diameter of your bore. If it measures .310 to .3105 use a .311 diameter bullet. If it measures .3105 to .3115 use a .312 diameter bullet. It has been my finding that most of these rifle really like a heavy 174 to 180 gr bullet. A tack driver of a load is 50 grs Accurate Arms 4350, Graf/Prvi case, CCI 200 primer, .311 bullet 174 Sierra MK or 180 SP OAL 3.000 for a .312 diameter bullet the Hornady 174 RNSP OAL 2.790 and use a Lee Factory Crimp Die on all loads.

Dont use the metal cleaning rod,you can damage things if your not carefull. Take a ball,the 315 should be fine,but I used a piece of 00 unplated lead buckshot. I cut off a section of 5/16 dowel. Its too big to fit in the bore so don't try it or it will get stuck,but its good to get the ball started. Then use a 1/4" wooden dowel to drive it through. That metal rod should not be used even for cleaning. Thats what happened to the muzzle end of the bore on them. Im getting some graphite rod this weekend. Ill make a brass fitting for the screw end and an adapter to take standard cleaning brushes on the lathe,then press/crazy glue them on. Ill also make a cap on the top that looks like the top end of the original cleaning rod so those parts will still work. That cleaning rod should be ok to use. I wont use the jag that came with it either,but instead a brass one.

 EDIT: My apologies,I didn't read your entire post,I just saw the part about the metal rod and started typing. Ill leave that there,because there is a lot of people out there on the internet saying exactly what I THOUGHT you were saying. I would however suggest not even starting it with the metal rod, but instead using the 5/16 wooden dowel. Just don't push it into the bore more than 1/4" or so or its very hard to get out,use a 1/4 inch to drive it through instead..

[mrussel]

  You know, the picture (absent the explanation) sure looks like you're showing off your latest bayonet kill

 If you have a 91/30,you dont even need ammo. I think you just chuck it like a javalin.

[mrussel]

Be sure to set the firing pin with the supplied guage.  I would not monkey with all the mods you see floating on the net about adjusting the trigger pull either. All of them make the sear unsafe and most take away engagement.  I would bet he played with lightening the trigger with a piece from an aluminum can under the spring and it fired out of battery because the sear was not engaged safely.
Take a Look...Painful


http://www.ak47.net/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=14&t=301375

 Could his firing pin have stuck,or broken and a piece of it stuck? My thought is,if there was a stuck firing pin proud of the bolt face,then when went to chamber a round it could set it off. Whatever happened,the advice to keep your weapon in good condition and not make modifications unless you are actually qualified rings true. Whenever I do something to a gun,I always stop and carefully consider if I can think of any ways,no matter how remote that I could screw it up and make the weapon do something I don't want it to.

[mrussel]

My first impression of the mn was just an old war horse that has plenty of surplus ammo out there. Inexpensive to own and shoot.
After shooting a couple my impression is I now understand what all the boohaa is about. No most aren't tack drivers, but they do shoot quite well as a whole.

I've had several over the past couple years.
Bought one for each of my boys for Christmas last year.
We go out a couple times a year and have a Mosinfest.
I've got a little farm not to far from the house.
We'll set up targets and blast away, aways fun.

I think everyone ought to have one or two.

One of the best rifles out there that can still be had for 80 bucks, that's for sure.

 The question isnt why would you want one,its for less than 100 bucks,why wouldn't you want AT LEAST one.

[jlwilliams]

  Darned good point.  When you can get a rifle and a spam can of ammo for about $220 or $250 total, the only thing to do is buy it. One of those rifles and two cans of ammo (one to shoot out of and another to keep in rotation so you always have a can of ammo) is an outstanding investment in shooting fun.  The best deal in centerfire rifles.  Not the most elegant rifle you can buy, just a rifle you can buy.

  The MN rifles are popular among the survivalist mind set for that reason.  A well greased rifle and spam can in the old bunker gives a warm, fuzzy feeling.

  Me, I just like having a big crude shooter.

[bluebayou]

I really like my 91/30.  I like the sights and the balance of it.  A lot of people turn up their noses and I will agree that it isn't much to look at.  But, it is cheap and mine, at least is accurate at probably 3 MOA. 

If you can't find the PRVI ammo, then know that Wolf Gold is PRVI in disguise.  The regular Wolf with steel cases was hot and inaccurate, but the Wolf Gold is fine ammo. 

All things being equal, I would recommend the Barnaul/Brown Bear/Silver Bear 203gr SP's for $7-12/box.  Because it is cheap. 

[myarmor]

It's funny, the 7.62x54 has been in service for so long and is used over seas for long range target shooting. It's a very good old cartridge, way underrated IMHO. It's to them as our -06 is too us here in the US.




-Aaron

[pslshooter]

It's funny, the 7.62x54 has been in service for so long and is used over seas for long range target shooting. It's a very good old cartridge, way underrated IMHO. It's to them as our -06 is too us here in the US.

-Aaron

Funny thing is, I prefer using my Mosin-Nagants over my brother's Rem 700 in 30-06. If I could have a 700 or a Savage in 7.62x54r I'd be in heaven. I like this round over all other guns I've owned and shot. I have been hunting with a M-N for nearly 20 yrs and have taken everything from coyote to black bear with them. I own 2 91-30's, a Tula 1891, an M-44 shoulder breaker and a PSL, the caliber is addictive. I only have to aquire a few more to complete what I want for my collection in this round. Forever looking for a Winchester 1895 in 7.62x54r that is still shootable.

[jlwilliams]

 Forever looking for a Winchester 1895 in 7.62x54r that is still shootable.

  As far as I know, there were never many of those available in this country.  They were made for the Russians (pre-Soviet Russians that is), most were exported and the only ones here were never shipped because of the revolution.  Kind of stranded inventory.  I don't know what sort of numbers are here in the states, but I don't imagine it's a big number.  I could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time) but I know I've only ever seen them in print as a side note, never seen one for sale in good or bad condition.

  Would it be cost effective to get a barrel made for a '95?  I know that some are takedowns, so the rebarrel could be a reversable job.  Kind of an "accessory barrel".  There's plenty of chambered barrels for you to cannibalize, that's for sure.  You could buy a whole M-N for less than you'd pay for a barrel blank in some calibers.  Probably part one out and end up with the barreled action almost free.

[EMC45]

I believe the 1895 Winchester in caliber 7.62X54R was produced in the most volume, but they were all shipped overseas. I have 3 Mosins. I have a M38, paid 75 bucks for it (It's pretty good, bore is cruddy), and M91 New England Westinghouse that was given to me (killed 2 deer with it), and I have an M44 that I traded an 80 dollar spam can of ammo for (yet to shoot it). My personal load for the Mosin is 52gr. IMR 4350 with a Speer 150gr. SP. on Graf brass. This combo will SHOOT! This is what I killed 2 deer with.

[Pat/Rick]

I have never seen a 1895 winnie in x54r yet other than in pictures, there are a few around and command a price to reflect that scarcity. NEW and Remmie's can be found easier as not all of them were shipped to the Russians, they renegged and did not pay for all of them. Sale cancelled. I do not know if the winnie deals were renegged on or not. Some of the NEW and Remmies were issued to US forces when they went to Russia during the Russian revolution.  I have had good luck with the winnie white box ammo for hunting, it is made by sellior& bellot.

[SM Bob]

I got my 91/30 from J&G a few years back for $69. I did a little trigger work myself and
put a S&K scout mount with a Simmons 4X32mm Pro Hunter pistol scope on it. With
203gr Silver Bear SP ammo it will shoot 5 shot groups just over 1" at 100 yards from
the bench all day long. Pleanty good enough for hunting. I get a kick out of showing up
some of the guys at the range with their high $ Remchesterby rifles with their high $
scopes. When the cease fire is in effect and we go down range to check the targets
I'll strike up a conversation with some of them. I'll show them my group and say "not
bad for a $69 rifle with a $90 scope." Some of them get pretty upset.

                                                 Robert

[pslshooter]

I got my 91/30 from J&G a few years back for $69. I did a little trigger work myself and
put a S&K scout mount with a Simmons 4X32mm Pro Hunter pistol scope on it. With
203gr Silver Bear SP ammo it will shoot 5 shot groups just over 1" at 100 yards from
the bench all day long. Pleanty good enough for hunting. I get a kick out of showing up
some of the guys at the range with their high $ Remchesterby rifles with their high $
scopes. When the cease fire is in effect and we go down range to check the targets
I'll strike up a conversation with some of them. I'll show them my group and say "not
bad for a $69 rifle with a $90 scope." Some of them get pretty upset.

                                                 Robert

Isn't it great to show up shooters with new rifles with ones that are as old if not older than their grandfathers. Granted most of the time it's the guy behind the trigger making a mess out of the pattern, but it's still fun to do.