I Need An Answer To Why Is The Mosin Nagant Is So Popular ?
- Thread starter BPowderkeg
- Start date
tahunua001
New member
what ^he said, steyr stutzens are the cheapest thing to get besides a mosin right now but ammo is ungodly expensive. in all honesty if ammo wasn't so cheap i would just be happy with my enfield.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"What he said, except the hock shops were full of WWII and Korean war bring backs by the mid-50's."
Korean and Vietnamese War, yes.
World War II? No. The Soviets were allies, and American contact with them was fairly limited, so opportunities for Moisin-Nagants to come back with US troops were very limited.
I've also heard that the US military could be strange about bringing back allied arms.
As for purchasing rifles for which you can't buy ammunition, I've bought several like that over the years, knowing full well that I may not be able to shoot them.
Korean and Vietnamese War, yes.
World War II? No. The Soviets were allies, and American contact with them was fairly limited, so opportunities for Moisin-Nagants to come back with US troops were very limited.
I've also heard that the US military could be strange about bringing back allied arms.
As for purchasing rifles for which you can't buy ammunition, I've bought several like that over the years, knowing full well that I may not be able to shoot them.
If you get a really old one, then they are marked in Arshins!
Seriously though, those sights are for massed volley fire- kind of poor mans machinegun ...... though if you are dedicated, you could make a thousand yard gun out of it.... it's been done.
I dislike the rear locking bolt of the enfield ..... I prefer the mosin.
As for cheap ammo ..... I handload. Yes, you can get crappy surplus cheaper, but life is too short to shoot crappy ammo.
ccSnoopycc
New member
I would say that cheap ammo is a major factor but not the only factor. I am about ready to purchase a Steyr 1895 carbine and I know the ammo is expensive and rare for that firearm but it still will make its way into my collection. One day I hope to reload for it also.
The design lasted through two world wars, and countless other conflicts, there are specimens over 100 years old (and they're all at the very least 50+ years old) and continue to fire accurately, reliably to this day. To a rationally-minded, that would be a better indicator of "tried and true" than how often something is rebarreled.
Gee... wonder if that had anything to do with the fact that the country was already awash with inexpensive .30-06's, and it would have been easier to buy one than to go through the expensive, more labor-intensive route of rebarreling what was at the time a relatively uncommon rifle?
If it can be explained in a 4-minute youtube video then yes, it's probably pretty simple.
Because the rifles themselves weren't as widely available as they are today.
deerslayer303
New member
The Swiss K-31.....a clunker???
I don't know of many who would agree.I got no dog in this fight, but I built up a little sporter Mosin for short money - $250 and a little research and labor got me a 16" barreled, scout scoped, plastic stocked rifle with a sling, firing a full-power cartridge capable of taking game anywhere I can currently afford to hunt. Hard deal to beat.
I had an American rifle re-chambered for 54R. I like the round, and my target gun and my deer gun are the same caliber, so I can cut down on ammo and component costs. I think it's neat to experiment a little with a caliber that still has precious little load info published. My Mosin sporter shoots sub-MOA... not many people can make that claim about their rifle that they spent two and half bills on, can they?
As far as your contention that it's the ammo that drives us all... uh, I have never shot a single mil-surp round. 40 factory S&B loads, and the rest have been hand-rolled.
Bamashooter
New member
The bolt is easy to take apart and put back together. If I can figure it out anyone can.
Cheapshooter
New member
Gunplummer, I have the impression that in your mind the only use for a milsurp rifle is to re-barrel it into something else. Not to just shoot it as it was built, and enjoy it for what it is.
I enjoy shooting all of my "clunkers" as you call them. M/N, SMLE, K31, Mausers of various nationality's, Even my MAS 36, MAS 49/56, and both my Steyr M95's.
On a handgun thread I'm sure you would have the same opinion of my 1895 Nagant, and various Tokarev handguns.
I enjoy shooting all of my "clunkers" as you call them. M/N, SMLE, K31, Mausers of various nationality's, Even my MAS 36, MAS 49/56, and both my Steyr M95's.
On a handgun thread I'm sure you would have the same opinion of my 1895 Nagant, and various Tokarev handguns.
Gunplummer
New member
Your name says it all. Cheapshooter. There is a tiny percentage of people that go for the odd(Me included) collectors such as Carcanos, Arisakas, Austrian Mausers, Swiss K-31's and what ever else. The first sign of "Odd" is the inability to get reasonably priced ammo. Even the 98 Mauser was an "Odd" gun at one time. The result of this was to re-cut the chamber to something usable such as 8mm-06, 6.5-257 or just rebarrel it to a common caliber. The poor designs got pushed to the side. Other than dangerous 30-06 conversions, or at least one nicely converted to 30-40, give me reference to Russian rifles converted to a common caliber during the ammo shortage years. The guys still arguing remind me of a guy at the range. I was shooting an Arisaka reworked to 7.62x54 and as I was the only one around, he picked me to give a lesson on the head space of the rifle I was shooting. I ground the reamer and made the bolt. I really did not want to hear it.
I just saw your post, Rickyrick. You forget that a lot of people on this forum are mechanicly inclined. Some of the other guys on this forum that did smith work can probably also tell you horror stories about improper assy. of the simplest guns. I'm done.
I just saw your post, Rickyrick. You forget that a lot of people on this forum are mechanicly inclined. Some of the other guys on this forum that did smith work can probably also tell you horror stories about improper assy. of the simplest guns. I'm done.
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Right, they are for shooting at formations of troops, not individual targets, tactics that were largely obsolete even when the rifle was first designed in 1891.
My local range has a gong at ~950 yards, next time I go I will take a few pokes at it with the irons. I have hit it a few times with the PU Sniper I posted a photo of a couple pages back, but there is a fair amount of luck involved, the surplus ammo isn't all that accurate. Handloading will improve that I am certain.
They are just fun rifles.
Cheapshooter
New member
That's exactly where it came from. Carried over from a milsurp forum, and chosen because I do enjoy having shooter quality surplus firearms rather than safe queen collectibles. Although my entire battery of firearms include several that aren't in the "cheap" range. Remington, Winchester, Colt, Walther, Browning, Ruger, S&W, CZ, Springfield Armory, Glock, Thompson Center, Beretta, Henry, Savage, and High Standard Brands can all be found in my safes along with the milsurps, Hi-Point, Heritage Rough Rider, and Cimarron.
Even a custom built 98 Mauser re barreled to 6MM Remington, and a very nice custom built Remington 700 in 7MM Remington Magnum. Both incredibly accurate tack drivers.
I'm taking the one I built (in post #5) to ring some steel at 600 at the Manatee Gun Club on Sunday...if I get cocky (and lucky) enough, might try 1000 yards.
The rifle is capable, it shoots just over minute of angle with 174 SMK handloads. I'm the weak link, not the rifle.
To be fair, it is fully receiver and pillar bedded, with a Timney trigger to get the most out of it. But the barrel has solid rifling, and is capable of delivering decent accuracy. Won't match our Savages and Remington 700's- but they don't get the comments the Mosin does at the range, either...
The rifle is capable, it shoots just over minute of angle with 174 SMK handloads. I'm the weak link, not the rifle.
To be fair, it is fully receiver and pillar bedded, with a Timney trigger to get the most out of it. But the barrel has solid rifling, and is capable of delivering decent accuracy. Won't match our Savages and Remington 700's- but they don't get the comments the Mosin does at the range, either...
BPowderkeg
Moderator
the more you folks post the more i learn, KEEP'EM COMING !!
There isn't anything wrong with a MN really except that safety. It can be lived with though. The Timney replacement trigger for the MN has a thumb operated safety that is user friendly if a guy wants to go that route. Time tested, rugged, reliable, acceptably accurate, more so with some. Inexpensive, powerful and cheap ammo is available. My M38 carbine is surprising accurate for what it is. My M39 Finn is just plain accurate. That rifle can hold 1.5" at 100 yards with old surplus ammo. Not bad for a rifle with no blue visible and a beat up stock. Still has that goofy safety. The trigger on the Finn is pretty nice. I will likely pick up a 91/30 just to round things out if for no other reason.
Cheapshooter
New member
Mosinitis Nagantaphilia:
"Infected with the love of the Mosin Nagant rifle".
Incurable, but the symptoms are controllable with the occasional, or not so occasional, purchase of one of the countless variants of the Mosen Nagant rifle.
Stevie-Ray
New member
I've long thought about getting a MN for something along these lines. Don't be surprised if I contact you in the next year or so.tobnpr said:
Looks great, BTW.