Mosin Nagant M91/30 ....hunting?

W

WolfMacabre

New member
I got a Mosin Nagant M91/30 the other day, and I plan on using it for hunting. I'm still pretty new to guns, especially rifles. So I'm just wondering what is better for hunting, FMJ, Soft Point, or Hollow Point?

And since we're on the subject what are all the different types and what are they good for?
 
I would go with a soft point. But I have no idea on what you are hunting.
: soft points good expanding with deep penetration.
Good for hunting deer and just about everything else.
:hollow point expand very well. Good for hunting as well, but not so good for penetration. So I would stick to thin skinned game.
: fmj absolutely do NOT use for hunting!!! They do not expand at all. And just go straight through the animal without expanding it's energy inside of it. But they are good for plinking.
 
On second thought, I'd be very leery of some of the commercial hunting rounds like the Double Tap with the 200 gr. Nosler Accubonds.

Sounds great, but Nosler's 200 gr. Accubond is a .308 bullet- which will most likely shoot like dog doo out of most Mosin Nagants.

I had that problem with a couple of boxes of Prvi- the bullets were .308 dia.
Most MN's (including mine, I shoot Sierra Match Kings) need .311 bullets (sometimes larger) to shoot well.

Best to slug the bore of your rifle, and determine what it needs.
 
I agree with tobnpr... Definitely test out whatever commercial ammunition you decide to go with. Several commercial brands have shot horrible groups out of my rifle, whereas surplus ammo maintains a good standard of accuracy. However, I think most if not all surplus is FMJ
 
Hello, I Have hunted with the 91/30...but that was because at that time, I was only 16, (dad picked it up at garage sale for $17.00), and only centerfire rifle we had for deer hunting. We used NORMA ctg...the only ones we could buy then. But looking back..I would be more concerned about that god-awful safety with wet or cold hands than I would about ammo.
 
It's easier and faster to leave the bolt open than to fool with the safety on the 9130. I can find steel core surplus ammo all day long and they shoot great but I wouldn't hunt with them.
 
I would be more concerned about that god-awful safety with wet or cold hands than I would about ammo.
Click to expand...

That's a non-issue for me, either with the Mosin or my Model 70 hunting rifles simply because I don't use the safety.

I never carry a round in the chamber while hunting. When I need to shoot I load a round by working the bolt and shoot. In my 50 plus years of hunting I never muffed a shot because I didn't have a round in the chamber.

It's a safety issue, no round in the chamber while hunting until you're ready to shoot, my father taught me this and I teach it to my kids and grand kids.

I don't hunt with a Mosin, but I do shoot one in CMP-GSM shooting. The action of the Mosin is plenty smooth and fast enough that I don't believe you're gonna miss a chance at game by working the bolt.

As to the original question. Any of the major hunting bullets out there are more then capable of hunting deer in the 308-311 class bullets. I'd recommend trying as many as you can and seeing what is the most accurate in your rifle.
 
Unless you are reloading the 7.62X54R I have never seen a hollow point in that caliber. That leaves soft points, which are perfect for hunting. Silver Bear makes 203 grain soft points, and Sellier & Bellot makes 180 grain soft points. I would go with the 180's for just about all game.

FMJ's should not be used for hunting, but are great for the range. Just make sure that if you shoot steel it is able to swing/fall down. The FMJ's ricochet more that hunting bullets. You can usually find FMJ's pretty cheap, and usually they are military surplus, so just clean your gun after you shoot.

Antique Shooter
 
+1 on what AntiqueShooter said.

I bought several boxes of S&B 180gr softpoints a bunch of years ago (when they were still about 6 bucks a box) I've shot these on paper a LOT, and they are VERY accurate and consistent. I haven't had the chance to hunt with it (too many other "hunting" rifles, not enough hunting trips) but I wouldn't hesitate to use it out to at LEAST 100 yds, perhaps farther. The only thing limiting me to those distances is 57 yr old eyes combined with open sights. :o The ammunition should be just about perfect for anything up to small elk-sized animals.
I've shot some of the 204gr stuff as well, and it groups nicely. It also kicks more :eek: but it would certainly work for hunting. Mine is non-reloadable steel cased stuff. I'd love to get the chance to pull the trigger on a big hog with it.

As stated before, I would not hunt (sporting) with FMJ ammo, and I don't really even like the military/target type HP bullets, as they usually act just like a FMJ.

Another option would be casting your own bullets with a large meplat, and shooting them at 30-30 velocities. Almost NO recoil, and should kill a deer with aplomb out to 100+ yds. Just a thought.
 
I bought 2 boxes of S&B 174gr. HPBT that was loaded with Sierra bullets. I shot a huge doe from over 200yrds with that bullet and she hit the ground right there on the spot. I know people and even sierra say not to use target ammo but that S&B was the best Ive ever shot through a mosin nagant. I still have just over half a box of that ammo and when I carry one of my mosin's hunting thats what I load it with. I know the safety is not normal but to me its no problem to operate it. Loaded and on safety is how I do it even with a mosin.
 
i'm quite a novice myself so i'll keep my opinions to myself, but a question occurred to me.

would a FMJ be effective if you shot the deer in the head? i imagine anything a Mosin-Nagant is chambered for would easily have the power to kill it, but how likely is a FMJ to result in a wounded animal compared to aiming for the heart/lungs? would the bullet affect that much at all in a head shot?

if you're not looking for a trophy and like a little extra challenge, might be worth a try.
 
Swopjan, I don't know where you are located, but here in PA, my laws state that you must use bullets designed to expand. Even if your laws allow it, I still wouldn't recommend it. Yes, FMJ' kill (they have killed enough of soldiers in the past wars), but if you shoot them in the head, it is going to leave a 7.62mm hole in oneside and out the other. Good soft point bullets can expand up to twice their original diameter, so a .30 cal would leave a .30 cal hole going in, and probably take half the head off coming out. The FMJ is just going to push through the scull, and keep going, the soft point is going to transfer a lot of it's Kinetic Energy to the scull, causing a quicker, more ethical kill. So yes, you can kill one with a FMJ, but the soft point would still be the best choice even if you want to shoot them in the head. If your using SP's, it would still be a challenge to hit one in the head. Aim for the eye!!!!

Antique Shooter
 
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