7.62x54R?

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How is this caliber with 150gr soft points for a deer hunting caliber? Thinking of using my 91/30 Mosin for a hunting rifle. Long barrels & open sights fit me well!
 
Known to some as the "Commie aught six", it's plenty with the right bullet. Just don't shoot milsurp at deer. FWIW, I load Sierra Pro Hunter 150's at 2,760 avg/7 Std. Modern 30-06 loads will be a little faster, but not a whole lot.
 
^^ X2
With the right bullet, most game in North America. Very comparable to the .308 generally, can be loaded hotter approaching the .06 as mentioned.
Coincidentally, the .308 rifle load we use is identical (43.5 Varget, 175 grain bullet) is identical to the Mosin-Nagant accuracy load with the same size (174 grain) bullet.
 
Same game you'd use a .308 or .30-06 on. Any game in North America with the right bullet. A 150 is mostly for deer and black bear. Just remember that the 7.62 x 54R doesn't use a .308" bullet. It uses a .311" bullet.
Long barrels stop being fun in the bush. Iron sights disappear at dawn and dusk too.
 
Others were more focusing on the ballistics of the round, which, as stated is a very competent round for deer. However, I think the actual firearm, the Mosin nagant, has some limitations. I would be comfortable taking a shot out to 150 yards with iron sights on my m91/30, and I'm sure others would be comfortable with much longer distances, however, you should keep in mind its it going to be a custom rifle built on a stiller action. I know you said you like long barrels and open sights, and if your a good shooter with the irons and can make your shot, then I say go for it, but don't take a shot you aren't positive you can hit the deer with. Missing is one thing, but wounding the animal isn't right. But the bottom line is, in my opinion, the Mosin nagant is an acceptable hunting gun out to a couple of hundred yards.

John
 
I hunt the Mountains of E.Ky, all my 55 years. Shots over 100 yds are rare, usually much less. The Mosin Nagant reminds me very much of my squirrel rifle, a long barreled CZ Ultralux, which I only use for squirrels with open sights. In fact the sights are almost identical. I'm not what you'd call, an accomplished deer hunter, but squirrels is a target that you got to "Drawdown On"! In fact, there is no other hunting that brings me the satisfaction of taking 3 to 6 squirrels in as many shots, and most but sometimes about 1/2 being head shots. Always made deer hunting seem kinda boring!

I've learned the advantages of off-hand shooting with open sights for hunting are far greater than the few disadvantsages!
 
The mosin action is a very strong action. I am sure it will take loads that equal anything you can get into an 8x57 mauser if I was sure that the headspace was tight and using cartridges that are properly sized for the chamber. There are a lot of ifs there for a military produced rifle. The case is fat and has a case capacity of 64 grains of water compared to the .308's 56 grains, 8x57(R) Mauser 62 grains, and the 30-06's 69 grains http://kwk.us/cases.html . The case capacity of military cases is generally less due thicker walls for the American military cases than the commercial case reducing case capacity. Basic point is that at equal pressure the Russian x54 round is close to the '06. There are some interesting you tube videos showing how strong the mosin rifles are.
Point is with some boxer primed cases and even just a lee loader you should be able to turn out some good ammo. Use the .310-.311 bullets and the major possible hang up is that the there is some variation of groove diameter with these rifles.
Bottom line, mosin is a decent woods rifle just the way it comes and has potential to be improved in its performance if that is of interest to anyone. Mine is for fun, but a case of ammo that I have on hand could be used for SHTF also. Just have to be sure to clean it well afterwards.
 
I have owned several, and the one that I have now, even with my 64 year old eyes, looking through the stock military sights will constantly print 3 inch groups at 100 yards. Terminal ballistics on the round put it between the .308, and the .30-06, and believe me, it will park a Deer right now. In the interest of possible ammo supply problems, I purchased a set of dies for it, to use on my Rock Chucker press, and the loads that you can make will rival anything that Norma can make at a fraction of the cost.
Brie
 
I was shopping for bullets myself the othr day, and was watching all the gel tests on the SP's. although some seems to have "some" possible expansion, they would always penetrate though both block of gel and couldn't get a recovered bullet. so I am not really sure how much benefit the SP's are over a spitzzer since they are both penetrating over 36".

if I had to choose, hornaday made a 150gr ballisc tip SST. cant be sure if it's still available, but I would think that would get some good reliable expansion/frag, maybe a bit explosive though

the 200grainers from wolf seemed to show the best initial expansion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wlIpqQUEM8

Winchester sells the 150gr soft point at a crazy price, but the results were about the same....on gel anyways.

I cant find the test ATM, but look around, its there somewhere. here is iraqi8888 testing various loads just so you can see whats out there, not a ballistics test though
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTxqST9G6Xc


here is the SST
http://www.sgammo.com/product/hornady/20-rd-box-762x54r-hornady-150-grain-sst-ammo-80497
they also make a steel cased version that is cheaper IIRC


theres is no reason there shouldn't be effective hunting bullets for the 54r, I just think the market is too small for a lot to be invested in the r/d/marketing and tooling for high end bullets for the mosins. the mi surp is just too cheap to compete with. please remember that if your loading your own, your accuracy will suffer horribly from .308 diameter bullets. stay with .310-.311. slug your bore, you may even need .312 to get the most of yours, just depends, hey vary greatly. I just ordered the hornaday 174gr 7.7 with a diameter of .3105, not loaded yet, so I cant speak for or against, but that is exactly what my bore slugs at, so I may be better going with a straight .311, but we will see
 
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I lucked out, and got one of the good ones. It's barrel slugs out to. 308, so I use Sierra's 180 gr SBT bullet number 2160 with excellent results.
 
well if your truly slugs at .308, that's pretty awesome and rare. must have been rebarreled or your have a match finn type. but either way, that sure opens up possibilities with bullets. the twist rate for 90% of myosin's is 1 in 10, so you can really run up to as heavy as you want(within reason). I think theoretically, that the 175-190gr range would be optimal

since yours happens to be a .308, you should check out your twist as well
 
I apologize, I thought it was the OP stating that he slugged his barrel and has a .308

I personally have a finnish VKT "d" barrel. seems pretty accurate so far, although I am just now starting to handload or it
 
I have a Finnish Sniper Nagant, with a Sako Barrel.
Click to expand...

Interesting...now I'm trying to figure out exactly what you've got.
Only the M28/30 had a .308 bore (and it's iterations like the M28/76), others had a .3095 bore.

True scoped sniper versions of the M28/30 (the M33) are extremely rare, only a few dozen were ever produced and are in museums and private collections. Even Simo Hayha didn't have one...(but he preferred iron sights :D)
 
Had a buddy of mine take his bear hunting with me.... he wanted to slap me with it after he felt the weight difference between the m91-30 he was carrying, and my Kimber Mountain Ascent 4lbs .308 I was carrying.;)
 
I like weight in my rifles.

That said, one of my favorite loads is a 150 grain SST .310" bullet over 45 grains of Varget.

Josh
 
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