Mosin-Nagant
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Had a few more moments today to work on the rifle. The buttplate and magazine bottom serial numbers match, so all 4 places match. The stock has one small round patch/plug, about 5 to 6mm dia. On the left side just above the trigger.
I wiped with paper towels every bit of the grease that I could see and reach. Took the thing apart. The rings that hold the upper wooden heat shield were very difficult to get off. More about that later. Wiping is the only cleaning of the stock thus far.
The hot water bath is not suitable for my situation but probably is one of the better methods. I used the aerosol brake cleaner on the metal parts. The bad part is that it messes up the black paint on the aforementioned rings and on the magazine housing. Mineral spirits would have been better but more work.
Someone wrote that mineral spirits should not be used on the stock. Most cured finishes are not affected by mineral spirits and if this resists oils, the spirits should not hurt it. Turpentine would be unlikely to harm cured finishes. Other solvents, especially aromatic hydrocarbons, probably would ruin it. I may test that theory soon.
On the underside of the receiver, buried in the stock when assembled, was another serial number, a different number from the other 4. It looks to be done at the same time as the other 4. ???
I wiped with paper towels every bit of the grease that I could see and reach. Took the thing apart. The rings that hold the upper wooden heat shield were very difficult to get off. More about that later. Wiping is the only cleaning of the stock thus far.
The hot water bath is not suitable for my situation but probably is one of the better methods. I used the aerosol brake cleaner on the metal parts. The bad part is that it messes up the black paint on the aforementioned rings and on the magazine housing. Mineral spirits would have been better but more work.
Someone wrote that mineral spirits should not be used on the stock. Most cured finishes are not affected by mineral spirits and if this resists oils, the spirits should not hurt it. Turpentine would be unlikely to harm cured finishes. Other solvents, especially aromatic hydrocarbons, probably would ruin it. I may test that theory soon.
On the underside of the receiver, buried in the stock when assembled, was another serial number, a different number from the other 4. It looks to be done at the same time as the other 4. ???
nate_g_2003
New member
Nice score to have all the metal numbers match. I was 3 for 4 on mine, the mag bottom was a strike through. Not sure on the stock number though, I've never heard of it.
I'm sure you probably have heard of it, but I'll mention it anyway: to get the cosmo off/out of the stock, try wrapping it in newspaper, and putting it in a black trash bag, set in the sun. That might help get a lot of it out.
I'm waiting on a good, sunny weekend to try that method. The barrel channel is pretty sticky on mine.
I'm sure you probably have heard of it, but I'll mention it anyway: to get the cosmo off/out of the stock, try wrapping it in newspaper, and putting it in a black trash bag, set in the sun. That might help get a lot of it out.
I'm waiting on a good, sunny weekend to try that method. The barrel channel is pretty sticky on mine.
"I'm sure you probably have heard of it, but I'll mention it anyway: to get the cosmo off/out of the stock, try wrapping it in newspaper, and putting it in a black trash bag, set in the sun. That might help get a lot of it out.
I'm waiting on a good, sunny weekend to try that method. The barrel channel is pretty sticky on mine. "
Colder has set in here. For the moment, wiping off all that can be seen is the process. Whatever is wiped off is gone. Makes for less to be dealt with later.
I'm waiting on a good, sunny weekend to try that method. The barrel channel is pretty sticky on mine. "
Colder has set in here. For the moment, wiping off all that can be seen is the process. Whatever is wiped off is gone. Makes for less to be dealt with later.
Comment and question: The mineral spirits (the kind that smells) does slowly remove the cosmo residue from the stock with no damage to the finish.
On ammo for the M-N, anyone able to interpret the markings on the crate and cans? A78-75-60 BT 85/74 C.
Paper sticker on the can, as close as our alphabet can come to the Cryillic characters: Kohtpoab OTK No.5007
On ammo for the M-N, anyone able to interpret the markings on the crate and cans? A78-75-60 BT 85/74 C.
Paper sticker on the can, as close as our alphabet can come to the Cryillic characters: Kohtpoab OTK No.5007
Again the folks here have the answers I seek.
So my ammo is from 1975.
Comments about my buy. The steel strap, very rusty, around the wooden case was there but rusted into on the bottom. The wooden crate showed no signs of water damage. Due to the strap issue, the crate sides were cracking. The nails were holding quite well. The inner paper sheets over and under the cans were OK. The pull strap around one of the cans broke when pulled. The paint on the cans is quite good, no rust. Have not opened a can yet.
So my guess is that this was in a high humidity environment, perhaps salty air, for some significant period of time.
And while online shopping, some of the sources offering this surplus ammo are out of stock. So is the supply dwindling? And price shopping does pay as prices vary significantly among sellers.
So my ammo is from 1975.
Comments about my buy. The steel strap, very rusty, around the wooden case was there but rusted into on the bottom. The wooden crate showed no signs of water damage. Due to the strap issue, the crate sides were cracking. The nails were holding quite well. The inner paper sheets over and under the cans were OK. The pull strap around one of the cans broke when pulled. The paint on the cans is quite good, no rust. Have not opened a can yet.
So my guess is that this was in a high humidity environment, perhaps salty air, for some significant period of time.
And while online shopping, some of the sources offering this surplus ammo are out of stock. So is the supply dwindling? And price shopping does pay as prices vary significantly among sellers.
nate_g_2003
New member
The Dragonov and it's variants still use the round as well.
Couple of stores in the area have the 7.62 x 54R ammo supposedly from Russia, noncorrosive. White box, 20 rounds in brown paper inside the box. No company name or address on the box. Priced $16.95 at one store, $11.95 at the other and was at $9.95 for one week at the lower priced source. I bought one box to inspect and compare.
With tax, the cost each ranges from .905 down to .53 at those box prices.
Makes surplus ammo look like a bargain.
Cartridge is copper colored, but casing is magnetic as is the bullet jacket. Bullet color bright copper all over.
Neat stamping on the head on the flat surrounding the primer. 7.62x54R LVE 11. No marking on the outer rim.
With tax, the cost each ranges from .905 down to .53 at those box prices.
Makes surplus ammo look like a bargain.
Cartridge is copper colored, but casing is magnetic as is the bullet jacket. Bullet color bright copper all over.
Neat stamping on the head on the flat surrounding the primer. 7.62x54R LVE 11. No marking on the outer rim.
nate_g_2003
New member
I picke up a box of that a few weeks ago from gander mountain. I think I paid 11.95/20, which I didn't find all that bad.
I researched it. Made by Wolf, known as their "polyformance" ammo. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet.
I researched it. Made by Wolf, known as their "polyformance" ammo. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet.
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I picked up a 440 round tin a month ago for $109.98 shipped. That’s $0.25/round or $5.00 per 20. That’s almost as cheap as .22 LR is these days, and .22 LR can not be found anywhere around here. It’s corrosive, and you do have the hassle of having to clean it as soon as you get home, but for $0.25/round, the cleanup is no problem.
steveNChunter
New member
I had a case of that one time, a few doses of penicillin cleared it right up
For $193, I wouldn't even consider it. $200 will buy you a decent used bolt action rifle (that's not a mil-surp) if you look around a bit for a good deal.
Was the penicillin oral or injected?
"For $193, I wouldn't even consider it. $200 will buy you a decent used bolt action rifle (that's not a mil-surp) if you look around a bit for a good deal."
That is a point worth considering. But if the price of ammo is factored in, the cost for a few hundred rounds plus the rifle may be quite skewed in favor of the M-N. It is very easy to spend more on an ammo supply than on the firearm.
Winter is really upon us here and firing mine may have to wait a while.
"For $193, I wouldn't even consider it. $200 will buy you a decent used bolt action rifle (that's not a mil-surp) if you look around a bit for a good deal."
That is a point worth considering. But if the price of ammo is factored in, the cost for a few hundred rounds plus the rifle may be quite skewed in favor of the M-N. It is very easy to spend more on an ammo supply than on the firearm.
Winter is really upon us here and firing mine may have to wait a while.
i just picked up 2 cans(880) for 179$ at adventure outdoors in smyrna georgia. they have racks and racks of the spam cans. even on the very high end, you shouldn't pay more than 5.99 for a 20 round sackful of milsurp. and about 75c a round for pmc or other commercial production.
For "plinkers", this holds true.
For others like myself, "only accurate rifles are interesting"...
Surplus ammo isn't accurate enough for target shooting, and can't be used for hunting. So, it's really only for plinking, and it's original purpose, which isn't applicable here unless you're stocking up for the apocalypse.
Far as supply of surplus drying up, I doubt it. The 54R is still in use and current production today, so seems that stocks will continue to be rotated.
Because FMJ bullets are anti personnel, non jacketed soft point lead bullets are for hunting, and not vice versa. Most places it's an actual law, ie can't hunt animals with military rounds, they don't expand enough, while if someone shoots a person with a hunting round he'd blow someone's leg off, and dum dum bullets have been banned since post WWI