Buying Mosin Nagant - discuss models?

[juststarting]

Hi All

I'd like to buy a Mosin Nagant.

I am thinking either M38 or 91/30 model.

I am leaning just a tad to one over the other, about I don't want to bias any opinions just yet, so I am not going to say which. These days both are obviously more of a novelty than anything else. This is going to be purely a fun range rifle and perhaps something to take apart and put back together, learn about gun smithing, etc. Nothing else. Both are great guns, but there are better modern rifles. Anyway, ignoring the price difference (CIRCA $200) - I am hoping to start a discussion to get me over the line with picking one.

Thoughts, suggestions, tips and gotchas are more welcome.


Cheers

[AZZA'S HJ47]

Im still waiting on my licence but i lean more towards the M39. Better barrels and a cool story behind them. The fins polishing off what russia created

[juststarting]

Uh, no, I definitely wan't the Russian made model.

[Gwion]

Just get one with a bayonet fitted so you can play darts with it when you run out of ammo!

[juststarting]

They all have bayonets and of course I would get one with a bayonet, Gwion, pfft. Anyway, serious questions, which one!?!?! Arghhhh

[Gwion]

Couldn't resist after the video in the other thread. Hehe

[juststarting]

LOL yeah, I knew exactly what you were referring too.

[NuZo]

throwing a spanner in the works, if I was to buy a mosin it would be an M44. Cause not only do you get to shoot the same 7.62x54R but you can roast marshmallows on the bayonet when you shoot it!

Short, light, heavy hitting, practical, reliable, folding bayonet(so you can never lose it)

It's just the ultimate mosin.

Don't worry about accuracy, you wont need it when you see how much fun they are hahahaha

Cheers,

Nuzo

[TheDude]

Haven't got an m38 but do have a finnish capture Tula 91/30 and a Chinese type 53 (clone of the m44).

The carbine would be my pick if I was just getting one. I like the m44 with attached folding bayonet over the m38. They are a good fun rifle to shoot.

[juststarting]

Any reasons for the pick or just a preference?

[Gwion]

OK... just read more about Mosins than i thought i ever would!
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM.htm

From that, i'd go the Finnish M39 made by Sako or Tikka so you can say "i've got a pre WWII Tikka" and watch the fan boy ****** break out" : http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM39.htm

or, the Soviet M44 (this is the one i meant when i said 'the one with b/net fitted'; purely for playing darts ): http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM44S.htm

[TheDude]

Any reasons for the pick or just a preference?

Just personal preference, The longer 91/30 is a nice rifle but I tend to gravitate to the shorter carbine more when picking what to take to the range. Muzzle flash is pretty cool out of the carbine. Been meaning to get some night shots of firing it.

[NuZo]

Any reasons for the pick or just a preference?

Just personal preference, The longer 91/30 is a nice rifle but I tend to gravitate to the shorter carbine more when picking what to take to the range. Muzzle flash is pretty cool out of the carbine. Been meaning to get some night shots of firing it.

you mean like this?




Cheers,

Nuzo

[TheDude]

yup, that looks awesome. what ammo you using in it? milsurp or modern stuff?

[juststarting]

I think M38 or 44 have some practical aspects to them, but since I am not going to go hunting with them, I am leaning to 91/30 more.

[GLS_1956]

throwing a spanner in the works, if I was to buy a mosin it would be an M44. Cause not only do you get to shoot the same 7.62x54R but you can roast marshmallows on the bayonet when you shoot it!

Short, light, heavy hitting, practical, reliable, folding bayonet(so you can never lose it)

It's just the ultimate mosin.

Don't worry about accuracy, you wont need it when you see how much fun they are hahahaha

Cheers,

Nuzo

I also have an M44, as well as an 91/30, and they are a blast! Figuratively as well as literally, the comment on the muzzle fireball is quite true the gun will light up the night. Get a Mosi, you'll love them.

[juststarting]

I decided to pull the trigger, figuratively speaking, on 91/30.

Just something about it, piece of history and a little bit of sentimentality. Anyway, very excited. Pics to come when it arrives.

[Heckler303]

I know at the start of this thread you said no opinions,


But seriously, I don't understand why you would bother with a Mosin Nagant. I've heard of them, read up about them, seen them and had enough experience with family members who've owned two 91/30s who all put it's defining feature into 1 word: Junk.

Their only upside is their cheapness and introduction into how to completely overhaul a rifle made by some starved comrade in Russia, and maybe a half/decent cartridge. Although, any 30-06 or 8x57 would easily wipe the floor with it. Hell, even .303 british jacked up has pretty similar ballistics (200fps slower) Accuracy similar to that of the carcano (crap italian job) a bolt that gets brutally hard to work once it starts heating up, bayonets made from pitchforks and bits of pieces that look and feel like broken car parts should be enough to put a lot of people off of it. Most listings currently I've seen of 91/30s and M44 carbines go way up into the $400 price range here, and thats just ridiculous for them. Tho I'm sure they go for a lot cheaper other places.

Just to put down for different aspects too, if I wanted a big muzzle flash to fry marshmallows with, I'd get a No.5 mk.1 Jungle carbine (superior to M44), if I wanted something historical, I'd take a Long Tom Lee enfield. If I just wanted a good historical rifle, I'd grab a 98 model mauser. I've got nothing against you getting yours, I'm just throwing it out there, even though the information isn't that hard to find out either, that mosins are just cheap crap.

In fact, there's even a comparison between the 91/30 and 98 on youtube by TFBTV, take a watch of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzNlGlRHpMo

[juststarting]

Heckler303, no worries. I agree with you on most points. There are better guns. The video however, highly scientific and all that... I have actually watched it a while back and thought it was a piece of opinionated, confirmation biased fuelled bullsh*t, then and now. And I have new, modern rifles that undoubtedly perform better. I have, albeit very briefly considered an Enfield, but you did touch on some aspects that appeal to me personally - owning a piece of history. In this instance, my history Hope that makes sense.

Cheers

[juststarting]

By the way, check this out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolt_action - this is pretty cool.

Major types of actions. , Mauser, Enfield, Mosin - they are like the granddaddies of everything. Blasting it (any of them really) at the range pretty neat.

[TheDude]

Nothing wrong with wanting to own a mosin nagant. If you look at other forums, and personal experience,a lot don't just stop at owning just one.

Sure they are cheap, basic rifles designed to be simple for pesants to use defending the motherland, but they are also a good reliable rifle. Accuracy can vary but sometimes that just doesn't matter.

I've not got a German Mauser or American 1903 (yet), but do have a Swiss k31, swede m38, no1 mk3 and the 91/30 and type 53 (Chinese m44) and enjoy and am happy to own and shoot each of them. (The k31 will outshoot all of them and the straight-pull is a cool action)

[sandgroperbill]

This thread has me thinking about the rifle I would most like to own from a historical perspective again.

If anyone comes across an MLM, let me know... Preferably mk i

[Gwion]

Mosins a can't all be crap. Some of them must be able to be tuned well. If I'm not mistaken, Russian and Finnish sniper chalked up more confirmed kills with a Mosin in WWII and in the pre/post Finnish troubles than anyone has with anything before or since.

Part of the reason I would get (if I ever bothered) a Finnish capture M38 worked by Sako or Tikka..... Finnish tuned for Finnish performance. In theory, anyway.

[juststarting]

If you put a race car driver in a s**ty little car and instruct to drive, they will still get there faster then me in a Ferrari. I don't think rifles make errors when it comes to accuracy. You may have a faulty part, sure, but even then the fault will be consistent and operator can adjust to it. They do what they are made to do. It's neither good nor bad. So arguing on a merit of accuracy I think it's not the way to go. Besides, those things were built to shoot torsos, not paper...

[Heckler303]

Heckler303, no worries. I agree with you on most points. There are better guns. The video however, highly scientific and all that... I have actually watched it a while back and thought it was a piece of opinionated, confirmation biased fuelled bullsh*t, then and now
Cheers

I still thought it was hilarious when bolt got jammed with the clip in it when they were doing the speed test at the beginning . Alex was standing there checking his phone while he was still fiddling away

[juststarting]

Meh. You just don't know the condition of a rifle, ammo, competency of the guy, etc. If you look at the guy shooting a Mauser, you can see him reloading really well, the other dude takes the rifle off his shoulder, cycles the bolt and re-shoulders it. Immediately indicating that Mosin shooter is less capable. All I can see is just two guys seeing how good they are, not the equipment.

[Heckler303]

Meh. You just don't know the condition of a rifle, ammo, competency of the guy, etc. If you look at the guy shooting a Mauser, you can see him reloading really well, the other dude takes the rifle off his shoulder, cycles the bolt and re-shoulders it. Immediately indicating that Mosin shooter is less capable. All I can see is just two guys seeing how good they are, not the equipment.

Yeah, he wasn't the best bolt-action worker on the block, but it still stands that the mauser was the better rifle altogether aside from the current price tags they slap on them. I'm not kidding, go to ozgunsales or abused-guns and they are up there like they are made of gold.

[Heckler303]

Meh. You just don't know the condition of a rifle, ammo, competency of the guy, etc. If you look at the guy shooting a Mauser, you can see him reloading really well, the other dude takes the rifle off his shoulder, cycles the bolt and re-shoulders it. Immediately indicating that Mosin shooter is less capable. All I can see is just two guys seeing how good they are, not the equipment.

Yeah, he wasn't the best bolt-action worker on the block, but it still stands that the mauser was the better rifle altogether aside from the current price tags they slap on them. I'm not kidding, go to ozgunsales or abused-guns and they are up there like they are made of gold.

[juststarting]

Perhaps supply and demand is more of a factor here than any other aspect of the gun.

[sandgroperbill]

I haven't had the opportunity to shoot a mosin yet, but they are notorious for being hard to work the bolt. Having said that, I seem to remember there is a trick to cleaning the bolt that greatly helps with this, but I can't remember what it is ATM, and tbh I can't be stuffed looking it up right now. Even after applying this, the bolt still isn't as smooth as an mle smle or m98, but it is apparently a lot smoother and less likely to jam. JS, I would do a Google search to look this up as from memory people say it makes quite a difference.