8mm Mauser vs 303 Enfield vs Mosin Nagant

4

44rugerfan

New member
Looking through the bargain priced C&R longguns, it seems the field is dominated by 8mm Mausers, 303 Enfields and Mosin Nagants. So which one? The mausers seem to be the least expensive, including ammo. Enfields are a bit more expensive and better looking. Mosin Nagant's are the coolest looking ones, and midrange. I know, it depends more on the individual rifle than anything, but all else being equal, which would you choose?
 
My first choice would be the Enfield, followed then by the Moisin Nagant, and finally the Mauser. I have yet to own a Moisin, but the rifle is very interesting. The only thing about the Moisin that I know I don't like much is its saftey.
 
If you've got a C&R FFL, then you're going to get all three. The Yugo Mausers are a really good deal right now. The Enfields have really gone up in price recently. The Mosins will prob be around forever. C&R supplies really vary from month to month. What may be available this month is gone the next. I'd get a Yugo and start looking for an Enfield if I were you. No need to rush on getting the Mosin.

Just my 2 cents,
Gino
 
I have been shooting all three this month.

While I like all of them allot, I am working on accuracy for the stock 91/30 barrel, and after market for the Mausers.
 
I've got them all.

I guess the I would think the Mauser would be the most indespensible, tho I like the MNs the best. If you're looking at the least expensive Mausers, you're probably not considering one of those "like new" Yugos. For the money you'll get the best condition gun with a MN 44 if you wait for a sale. The MN 91/59 is too good to pass up (new cond.) and I think the Yugos are, too. I just saw a buddy's 2A Enfield .308 this weekend that was absolutely wonderful.

Gee, blondes, brunettes or redheads? It's a choice like that - your call, and no one can really give you advice on it. And who's to say you picked wrong?
 
I, too, have all three.

The Enfield (No4Mk2) is a soft shooter, probably due to the buttplate config. Ammo is getting relatively expensive.

The M44 is my favorite. The sights are pretty good, size and weight is easy to handle, but the recoil pounds you after a hundred rounds or so (maybe a rubber buttplate?). Ammo is pretty cheap and fresh surplus should be available for the forseable future. Treat it as though it has no safety.

The cheap M48 Mausers are pretty rough. The sights are probably the worst part; gives me new respect for the WWI/WWII German soldiers. My bore was rough and dark, but it's proven to be about as accurate as, maybe better than, the Enfield.
 
i've got a turkish 8mm, a finnish m-39 nagant and a lee enfield no4 Mk II If you want cheap ammo and a smooth action(compared to the other two) go with the mauserbut the sights are lousy. If you want Accuracy, go with a "finnish" nagant(it's the only way to go)however the sights are as lousy as on the mauser but i can still hit pop cans at 200 yards 5 times for 5 tries. If you want an action that while slightly less smooth than the mauser, is nonetheless the fastest long action bolt action you can find IMHO. The sights are absolutely the best set of iron sight i have found on any gun. the open peep is set in for 300 meters i beleive, as it will shoot quite high with it, though it is very fast, and you get used to holding the blade low in the sight. and the Vernier peep style sight located on it when you flip it up is the perfect size for introducing the copper and lead to aluminum (i shoot brightly painted pop and soup cans exclusively, for some reason i have a better hit ratio doing this than punching paper). for excellent handleing qualities, i suggest you get a No.4 Mk II, take off the upper handguards, and shorten the lower handguard to about 7 inches from the magazine well, (there is a thick spot in the wood there that alows you to cut it without entering into the barrel channel. the handeling quality of the rifle after dooing this is so good, it is beyond words. anyone reading this, please for your own sake, you must try it. buy a spare forend and chop that one, so you don't have to feel guilty for mutilating the original wood(it'll end up as firewood after you try it my way i'll bet) the ballance is fantastic and it swings like a dream. ok i've blabbered too much. they are all good, but if i had to choose a favorite it would be the enfield. now if it had the accuracy of the nagant(which i'm not sure that it doesn't) and the ammunition prices of that turkish steel jacketed ball ammo for the 8mm, i'de have the perfect rifle.
 
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