My new big game rifle

[socalkid]

Well, after looking around at some cheap used rifles at my local gun shop, I decided that the Mosin Nagant (i think 91/38?) carbine would be a good, inexpensive rifle for me to get because my largest centerfire is a .223.

So while I'm waiting for the ten day waiting period to end, I looked around online for some good hunting ammo.

I will do all the target practice with the cheap Winchester 180gr. softpoints from Big % (about $17 for 20)

And for hunting, especially pigs at Tejon and this deer season, I just ordered a box of 20 165gr. TSX BT in 7.62x54 Rimmed Russian from Custom Cartridge. They are located in Goleta, CA and I found their website through the CA approved non lead ammo list. They have almost every caliber imaginable and most come with some variant of a Barnes bullet.

The only catch was the price: $79 including shipping for 20 $7.62x54R&#39;s!!! http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley_beatin_horse_ani.gif
I think it is worth the price considering a few practice shots at the range to see how they shoot compared to the Winchesters and that leaves me with about 15 hunting rounds for CA, which will last a long time considering how much I will shoot while out big game hunting.



What are your oppinions of this old rifle? (mine was made in 1936)
I have never shot one but the carbine fit me very good and it seemed to be in good condition.
What kind of accuracy should I expect with open sights and those two bullets at 100-200yards?

[mustystubs]

I have a MN 91-30 that I bought from Big-5. I tried reloading for it. I started with .308 diameter bullets and they didn&#39;t work worth a darn. I switched to .311 and had much better luck.

Biggest problem is the rifle is zeroed for 300 meters. That means it shoots real high a 100 yards, like about 10 inches. The solution would be to add a higher front sight but I have yet to see an after market higher front sight.

I ended up buying some Brown Bear Russian soft-point ammo for mine. It&#39;s gone up lately but still should be about $10 per 20 and J & G. The rifle itself shoots very well. It pretty much matches my Swedish Mausers for accuracy on the silhouette range.

If your eyes are good (mostly meaning young) it should work fine.

[jmabbott888]

I&#39;ve had the M-44 & the 91, both fun shooting rifle. For a slightly cheaper load get into handloading. My oldest son shoots my 91 with a handloaded 123gr slug, real fast & obliterates squirrels out at the range.... at least until July lol.

[socalkid]

OK so I haven&#39;t had a chance to shoot it yet and my 165gr. TSX just arrived today. From Custom Cartridge. Well my question is the box has a disclaimer that says the ammo should only be used in modern firearms in good working order. Do you think it will be safe in my Mosin, which is in good condition but was made over 60 years ago?? Thanks for any help.

[Cold1nhand]

Well let&#39;s see the pics of this new bad boy!

[Backcountry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (socalkid @ Jun 11 2008, 06:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=1006419)</div>
...ammo should only be used in modern firearms in good working order. Do you think it will be safe in my Mosin...[/b]

If you have to ask, it depends on how much you value your hands, eyes, and face... you might be OK, but if not, you could be maimed for life. One batch of bad steel, or one unhappy forced laborer on the rifle assembly line, and you&#39;ve got a KB (aka, "ka-BOOM") with a lit fuse right next to your CPU. Do you feel lucky? Moreover, now that I&#39;ve put that thought into your head, will you ever be able to fire it without flinching?

Me? No thanks. I spend my money on modern firearms certified for modern ammunition.

If I were you, I&#39;d sell it and save your pennies for a quality firearm, or learn to reload and work up a load, starting from the very light end of the spectrum, and don&#39;t even get close to maximum chamber pressures for modern firearms.

You can get an extremely accurate, modern, high quality, break action single shot from NEF in almost any caliber for about what you paid for that rifle and the single box of ammo. You can get a used one for LESS.

Good luck... Backcountry

[socalkid]

Thanks for putting things into perspective for me Backcountry. I think I&#39;ll give the company a call. I like my face where it is!

[jmabbott888]

I&#39;ve shot mine (barrel stamped 1927) with the Winchester stuff with now ill effects.... well almost, my shoulder was sore lol. If you are worried about the $80 ammo, whaat was it loaded with & does it meet SAAMI specs? If the rifle is sound & the ammo is spec you shouldn&#39;t have a problem, but if you want to play it safe don&#39;t shoot the ammo or put the rifle in a tire with a long string to it & test fire it that way. If it does blow at least its not near you.

[DesertGhost]

they have a scope and mount you can buy for the m91/30 it replaces the existing iron sight and works great. I think I paid $50 for the kit and then I think it was about $75 to have a pro put it on. cant remember the name of it but it works great, I would google Mosin Nagant M91/30 scopes or something like that. Good luck.

[socalkid]

Well I got an email back from the company saying I was good to go. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif

No I get to wait a few weeks for Tejon to open back up to rifles to go hunting with it http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lame-sign.gif

[Jeff S.]

Been shooting milsurp rifles, some in excess of 100 years old, for all of my life and have never had an issue. I stick to the reloading pressure specs, and have lots of metallurgy, and mechanical inspection experience to check them out well before I shoot them though.

The Mosin was an extremely well engineered and made rifle, (though often rough finished) They&#39;re perfectly safe when fed ammo made to SAAMI specs.

At $79 per box, you need to handload to get any meaningful practice in. The trick to getting a Mosin any accuracy is to slug to bore to find out exactly what you have and shoot that sized bullets.

Here are a couple of good articles for you on shooting and hunting with M91s:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/h...mosin/index.asp (http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2006/huntingwithmosin/index.asp)
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/189130/index.asp

[bigbill]

I shoot only 7,62x54r surplus and the russian barnaul 203gr soft point ammo out of my mosins and my svt-40 tokarev. I may try some of the priv partizan 7,62x54 ammo soon too.

[Bowhunter18]

I have owned quite a few different variations of the the Mosin Nagant and have never had a problem with them, and this is the first time anyone has mentioned one of these blowing up. I too shoot Mil surplus ammo, it&#39;s hard to beat when you can get it for around $0.20/rd. But we don&#39;t have lead restrictions here. These rifles can be a vary affordable alternative to any name brand big game rifle. I have owned a few 91/30&#39;s that would shoot 1MOA or better, and one with Sub MOA groups consistently, but you can also get these rifles with bad bores and they just won&#39;t shoot good no matter how hard you try. One thing to keep in mind if you have an M44 with the side folder bayonet; these guns were sighted in with the bayonet extended, and can affect the accuracy when not extended.

Here is a good link too. Just about everything you would ever want to know about the Nagant Rifles.

http://7.62x54r.net/

pictures, facts, Identification, you name it they most likely have it.