Mosin M44 feeding issues

M

MEATSAW

New member
Hello all, I just signed up here and this is my first post and hopefully y'all can help me out with a slight problem I am having. I own a 1945 Mosin Nagant M44. Its in great shape and using surplus ammunition I can shoot 1 MOA all day at 50 meters with a Tru-Glo red dot mounted in a scout configuration. The only issue I am having is that when I load the magazine fully with 5 rounds I have problems sometimes pushing the first round into the chamber. Instead of angling up into the chamber the bolt pushes it so it angles down and cannot be chambered. Is this common? I don't seem to have that problem when I load it with 3 rounds, and when I am able to load it with 5 rounds all subsequent rounds in the magazine chamber just fine. Any help would be appreciated!
 
interesting. i was thinking about replacing the magazine assembly, but I don't want to get one that causes me more problems than it solves. In some way I guess I don't feel so bad now that at least there is someone else having similar issues. I consider myself a pretty smart guy, but I can't for the life of me figure out WHY it pushes the bullet downwards when you have 5 in the mag.
 
Instead of angling up into the chamber the bolt pushes it so it angles down and cannot be chambered. Is this common?
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Yes, it's common. It's called a double-feed. The rim of the top cartridge is hanging up on the rim of the cartridge below it. This problem is endemic to all rifles that use a box magazine with rimmed cartridges; it happens to Lee-Enfields too.

Mosin-Nagants have a device called an interruptor built into the LH wall of the receiver. It holds down the next cartridge while the top cartridge is chambered, preventing double-feeds. If you're wondering what it looks like, it's a 2-piece sheetmetal doodad held on by a screw; it also functions as an ejector, so many sources call it the interruptor-ejector.

The problem is that when you load the last round, the magazine spring is near the bottom of its travel, so it's hard to push the 4th round down hard enough to engage the interruptor-ejector. The trick is twofold- push harder, and push on the rear of the top cartridge. Pushing on the middle of the cartridges often won't compress the mag spring fully, preventing the 4th cartridge from engaging the interruptor-ejector.

Don't worry about breaking anything by pushing hard; remember, these aren't decadent bourgeois capitalist rifles we're talking about here. Mosin-Nagants are built to take the abuse. :)

Most modern sporting rifles are based (if only somewhat) on the Mauser 98 and use rimless cartridges, preventing double-feeds.
 
Good posts. Let me add, be sure to have the rim of the round you are inserting in the magazine in front of the rim of the round below it. It is pretty hard to have the rim catch and hang things up when it is already in front of it.
 
I agree with jhenry. I've shot thousands of rounds through my various nagants and enfields. The only times I had a feeding issue was when I didn't play as close attention to feeding the rounds as I should have and the rims caught. Use stripper clips for the Enfields and load rounds individually on the nagants paying close attention to the rims (each rim should be ahead of the previous cartridge).
 
Let me add, be sure to have the rim of the round you are inserting in the magazine in front of the rim of the round below it. It is pretty hard to have the rim catch and hang things up when it is already in front of it.
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While this is helpful, it's actually not mandatory with a Mosin-Nagant. If the rifle is loaded correctly, the interruptor will allow it to feed properly regardless of the position of the cartridge rims.

This is important because these rifles were intended to be loaded more or less exclusively with stripper clips. It's important for stripper clips to be symmetrical so a soldier doesn't have to worry about inserting them upside-down in the heat of combat.

Also, loading a Mosin-Nagant with stripper clips forces you to push down on the rear of the cartridges. Pushing down on the middle will make the rims jam sideways in the clip. Therefore, if you use the stripper clips properly, the interruptor-ejector will work properly. :)

I just wish Sergei Mosin had designed the clip to be self-ejecting like on a Lee-Enfield. ;)
 
Aligning the rims on a functioning mosin is not ever needed because of the interrupter.
I would check 2 things on this rifle. First, replacing the interrupter is easy and cheap - you can find them on ebay for about $10. It may also be that you need to clean the existing interrupter as dried cosmoline may be causing some problems.

If the last round were the problem, I would also check the angle of the follower - I have fixed several mosin feeding problems by bending the follower slightly.
 
Good feedback

Thanks a lot guys, it makes sense now. I will take a closer look at it now that I know HOW the problem occurs. And to the person who mentioned the color of my post I am sorry, just trying to distinguish myself from everyone else who uses black. Once again, though, you guys have been most helpful -- thanks.
 
I've ran into this problem too, and I solved it rather easily, as well.

My M44's interruptor spring was so stiff I could hardly get the freaking rounds in it, even one by one. Take the thing out of the stock, and (CAREFULLY!)tweak your interruptor spring out with a screwdriver until you get the desired tension. My M44 will load all 5 rounds smoother than any of my other Mosins now, and retains them just fine-haven't had a problem.

It's a strong spring, but all it takes is a little one-handed tweak underneath it. Just go slowly, and you'll have a pretty soft M44- I know I do :) It's lovely when you stick in the stripper clip and bzzzzt! they all float right in there.
 
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I used the advice given when it comes to LOADING. As long as I ensure the rim is forward of the round below it I can load and shoot 5 rounds all day without a hitch. My interrupter seems to be how it should and since I got my problem solved I ain't gonna mess with it :)
 
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