Mosin Nagants
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The Mosin Nagant is probably THE most reliable gun on planet earth. They are built like tanks and I've never heard of anything going wrong on them. I have had numerous Nagant's and all were very fun to have and the ammo is relatively cheap. In our 1917 war against the communists in Russia (very few people know about it, it's a rather interesting conflict), we had to use Mosin Nagant's I believe because our Springfields couldn't handle the bitter cold, I believe it had something to do with the firing pin. Even the Mauser 98's firing pins couldn't handle the cold, some Germans had to use Mosin Nagant's that they captured against the Russian's in WWII. It overall is an incredible battle rifle, and still sees some use by Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the M.E.
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430 Posts
Good rifle
The M44's are great. the action is smooth, solid, and simple. the rifle is accurate enough for its intended purpose.
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11,412 Posts
I stand corrected. Here's a snippet from Wikipedia
However, I'm not so sure his Mosin-Nagant killed all the targets! I might have had staring contests with them.
Here's a picture of Mr. Hayha
Note: I'm not trying poke fun at Hayha, because he looks like this after being wounded in battle. However, you've got to admit, that's a face that could startle anyone!
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1,607 Posts
I remember reading an article that said he used a open sight Mosin & a9mm sub machine gun. I think it was in Guns & AmmoI stand corrected. Here's a snippet from Wikipedia
However, I'm not so sure his Mosin-Nagant killed all the targets! I might have had staring contests with them.
Here's a picture of Mr. Hayha
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Note: I'm not trying poke fun at Hayha, because he looks like this after being wounded in battle. However, you've got to admit, that's a face that could startle anyone!
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417 Posts
Just got a case of Mosin Nagant ammo.
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947 Posts
These rifles were produced in the Polish Radom works from 1950 - 1963 and a vast majority of these carbines were packed in code 11 crates, 6 carbines to a crate, and never used or issued. They are amongst the highest quality M44 carbines produced. In most cases they rival or exceed the Finnish Mosins in quality. I included some thumbnail links to my carbine, and you'll see that the blueing is 100% and the turnings in the barrel and receiver is visible under the blue, so it has not been polished for a reblue. All stampings are factory crisp. I've been collecting C&R firearms for 40 years and I can tell the difference between a freshly manufactured rifle, and a good reblue. My 30 years of machining, toolmaking and metal finishing also helps.
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417 Posts
Wow very cool & definitely a nice looking Mosin!
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11,412 Posts
Good luck opening it!
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263 Posts
Great guns
I have two and love them. They shoot well and are great for me out to 300yrds. (max limit at my club). Just make sure all the numbers match, particularly the bolt. I have one that does not match and the action tends to lock up after about five shots. I have seen many at Gander Mountain that seem fine. Check for gun shows close to you, often you can find Mosin Nagants that are still waxed and wrapped for around $130-$150. Hope this helped.
I have two and love them. They shoot well and are great for me out to 300yrds. (max limit at my club). Just make sure all the numbers match, particularly the bolt. I have one that does not match and the action tends to lock up after about five shots. I have seen many at Gander Mountain that seem fine. Check for gun shows close to you, often you can find Mosin Nagants that are still waxed and wrapped for around $130-$150. Hope this helped.
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417 Posts
With a pair of pliers it only took about 3 to 4 min.Good luck opening it!
Picked up a 91/30 at Big 5 for 99.00 this past Spring. That and a "spam" can of ammo = some serious shooting fun. Considering the use and abuse many of these rifles have experienced most of them are great shooters. I can easily hit a paper plate at 150 yards with this rifle. Worst part is getting all of the cosmoline off. The bonus is that you now own a piece of history.
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5,349 Posts
does waxed and wrapped mean never was in service? i'd really kind of like one of these, but i've heard a lot of differing opinions about condition, etc. i'd love to find one that was never pressed into service.
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11,412 Posts
To my knowledge, it does not. Especially when dealing with the Soviet Union.
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2,101 Posts
Yes. Usually.
You used to b able to buy brand new Russian M44 carbines that were still in wrap.
Almost all of the Russian rifles available over the last 7-8 years seemed to be rearsenalled examples coming out of the Ukraine. 'Rearsenalled' is a bit of a loose term though- it usually means that the stocks and the metal were refinished, bore condition wasn't a very high priority.
This is my 'rule of thumb'- most 91/30s from the Ukraine were imported, sorted and distributed by Century arms (C.A.I.). They grade all of their rifles and price them accordingly, and place a plastic ribbon on the trigger guard with the condition marked. This is how I would describe them afterpicking through hundreds of rifles over the years:
'xcellent'- (yes this is how they mark it) pretty much brand new, maybe a few dings in the stock, barrel will be in or nearly in new condition. Buy only in this condition if you can.
V.good- Stocks will usually look new, maybe 10% of them will have new bores, most bores will be dark in the grooves with some pitting. Usually if the stock has some damage, the barrel will be good and vice versa. Some good rifles can be found in this condition, most will shoot decent, do not buy anything in a lower condition category.
Good- A cracked or badly damaged stock or poor bore or a combination of both. Mismatched bolt is common
Fair- don't bother...
yes. Force matched (overstamped or electropenciled serial numbers on bolts) are ok, the Russians were very fastidious about headspacing, if nothing else. Number on the floor plate really doesn't matter.
What I look for in particular if looking over mosins in a secondary market (pawn shops, used gun racks):
1. welded up holes in the left side of the receiver- rifle was an ex-sniper and if not completely worn out will be accurate. They aren't very common anymore but are out there. The russians didn't purpose build sniper rifles like they do for the Marine Corps at Quantico- when they found particularly accurate rifles during test firing, they would convert them to snipers- they were 'accidentally' more accurate than other examples.
2. Hex receivers- These were made pre-WWII and have much better machining and are smoother then war time rifles.
3. Finnish Army acceptance mark- looks like [SA] stamped on the receiver- not very common, but think of it as a mark of quality... these rifles were very carefully put together and are going to be much smoother and accurate than most Russian rifles. They will also have russian markings because they were captured in the Winter War. They will usually have a stock that is a bit different than russian stocks that has a joint in the middle and often times have a mottled look due to the pine tar they rubbed into the stock.
Finnish capture 91/30- note the wood joint under the front of the rear sight:
I love my Mosin!! Acccurate...Decent looking...Keep it clean and it keeps you on target! Am refinishing a stock now to simulate Rosewood with inlays in the butt end. Parts easy to get. Best thing going for it...they are a cheap intro into the higher power rifle.
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183 Posts
some of the best info on mosins
7.62x54r.net
"Q. How can I tell if my rifle was used in combat?
A. If it was built prior to the end of WWII then the odds are close to 100% that it was issued. This applies to Russian, Soviet, and Finnish Mosins. Whether or not it was actually used in combat is impossible to know, but again, the odds are pretty good that it was. If it was built near or after the end of WWII the odds are very low that it ever saw combat unless it is a documented war trophy from Korea or VietNam. Even then it might have been captured from a weapons cache and never actually used in combat."
my kid holding it...
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the long diamond with the cross inside and the 55 means it was refurbished in the Ukraine in 1955
7.62x54r.net
"Q. How can I tell if my rifle was used in combat?
A. If it was built prior to the end of WWII then the odds are close to 100% that it was issued. This applies to Russian, Soviet, and Finnish Mosins. Whether or not it was actually used in combat is impossible to know, but again, the odds are pretty good that it was. If it was built near or after the end of WWII the odds are very low that it ever saw combat unless it is a documented war trophy from Korea or VietNam. Even then it might have been captured from a weapons cache and never actually used in combat."
my kid holding it...
the long diamond with the cross inside and the 55 means it was refurbished in the Ukraine in 1955
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