Problems with new (to me) Mosin Nagant

Don't ask me why Prvi loads .308 bullets into 54R ammo. There are precious few Finns like the M28-76 with .308 bores.
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For the same reason that everyone in the states loads 8x57mm Mauser* with 0.318-0.320" bullets, in already low pressure loads (even if it's marked "For .323" barrels only")...
They're afraid to sell proper loads, due to people that are ignorant of the variations of mil-surp rifles (such as different bore and groove dimensions), and the abundance of rifles with questionable histories.

There are many less-than-ideal conditions affecting mil-surps that, taken alone, are often not a big deal. But if you combine a several (or many) of those less-than-ideal conditions in a single rifle, it can create the perfect storm ...and a lawsuit for the ammo company.



*(I can't remember which company it is, but either Federal or Remington does offer one load with a .323" bullet. It is, however, quite anemic, with a max pressure of just 36k psi.)
 
Hi, Skizzums,

You wrote: "all you need to slug your bore is take a lead bullet and using a dowel(just something hard enough but not metal)hammer the bullet through your barrel..."

I can't think of a better way to end up with a splintered dowel jammed in the barrel. Bores are slugged with a soft lead slug driven by a brass rod of near bore diameter.

Jim
 
works for me, i am always afriad to hammer a cleaning rod down thinking i could scratch my bore, however you get it through is fine, i just prefer to use wood or plastic
 
I'd use a piece of buckshot to slug the bore. Start by tapping it in with a soft mallet and toss what shears off then finish off with a cleaning rod with a jag or a brass rod.

I've also used various size fishing sinkers to slug bores since they're almost always soft lead. A cast bullet would be too hard and likely get stuck in the bore in the process and a jacketed bullet is pretty much guarantied to get stuck in the bore...

Tony
 
slugging

check out beartooth bullets web sight they explain slugging and suggest slip sinkers (sinker with hole though the center ).
 
Update

Ok, so finally got moved in to our new place, joined the local rifle and pistol club and was able to get the rifle mentioned in the OP out for some shooting again. I had picked up some Wolf 148 gr steel cased ammunition in order to try a lighter bullet weight.

I have not yet tried to slug the bore, just been to busy starting new job, moving etc. but I did pull and measure one of the 168 gr projectiles from the Privi Partisan ammo that was tumbling so bad and it did measure to 0.311". One person had mentioned that maybe PPU had used .308 projectiles in the rounds but this appears to not be the case.

I was able to get a couple fist sized groups from 50 yards. I know that is nothing impressive by any means and actually quite pitiful by the standards of a lot of people here, but I was just happy that this appeared to fix the tumbling problem. I had some corrosive surplus ammo that I was going to try as well, after a dozen or so rounds my shoulder was starting to get kinda beat up and I was flinching noticeably so I decided to call it a day ( call me a wimp if you will, but I will be finding a slip on recoil pad before I try to shoot it again, still have a bruised shoulder a week later). I am realizing that shooting a rifle with iron sights at distance is something that I have A LOT to learn about, but that is a different thread altogether.

Anyway, it appears that this rifle maybe just doesn't handle heavier weight bullets. I am probably going to pull the bullets on the rest of the PPU ammo so I can use the brass to try to develop a slightly less punishing load in the future. Thank you all for your help and input!
 
Hello,

I will buy the pulled bullets from you if you want to sell them.

The Mosin's rifling twist is 1:9.5". It was designed for a 212 grain cupro-nickel jacketed round nose, long surface bearing bullet fired at around 2100fps.

When the Germans went to the pointed 150 grain bullet in 1905, the Russians followed shortly after. Even though it was overstabilized, the light ball round would hold about 4moa, so it was deemed acceptable.

The average shooter has no idea of what his Mosin is capable. The Finns knew and made such rifles as the M39. With D166 ammo, it was 1.3moa max.

Use a fishing sinker to slug your bore. It's dead soft lead. Grease it up well.

Regards,

Josh Smith
Smith-Sights LLC
 
Use a fishing sinker to slug your bore. It's dead soft lead. Grease it up well.
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...Unless it's steel or zinc. ...In which case, it will be difficult to impossible to use for slugging. ;)

In some parts of the country, lead fishing weights are getting harder to find. Almost everything is steel, and much of the rest is zinc.
 
I will buy the pulled bullets from you if you want to sell them.
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I only have two and half boxes or so left, maybe 55 projectiles. Would that even be worth your time? They are Privi Partisan 168 gr FMJ-BTs...
 
I have had issues with keyholing at 50 yards with some military barrels. It never had anything to do with bullet diameter, it was always bullet weight and twist rate. I still have a 7.62x39 I used an Arisaka barrel to build(.312) and It really likes .308 bullets. At 100 yards it really shoots. Using .312 bullets it is worse.
 
I have had issues with keyholing at 50 yards with some military barrels. It never had anything to do with bullet diameter, it was always bullet weight and twist rate. I still have a 7.62x39 I used an Arisaka barrel to build(.312) and It really likes .308 bullets. At 100 yards it really shoots. Using .312 bullets it is worse. Had the same problem you did with a 6.5 barrel and an 8mm barrel. Bullet weight fixed both of them.
 
Sounds like some kind of issue with the rifling that is preventing the bullet from being properly engaged causing it to tumble.

That's the problem with surplus Fire Arms, You never really know what you are getting.
 
Mosin diagnostic time

mosins originally shoot ammo that was acidic and if not treated ATE away the rifiling over time. it could also be buildup of disuse and long ago shoots

if its just cosmetic or built up gunk we can hopefully get this at least shooting better

-to begin shine a light down the barrel(is it shiny nothing to do)
-if dark looking(or you feel you want to try this)

Dark means it still has gunk baked onto it and can remove said buildup
-grab windex (or another amonia based product ) and run a windex dripping pad or snake down the barrel, let it sit for maybe 15 minutes.

clean the barrel , if still not clean, use HOPPS cleaner (this gets hot and cooks the gunk off)

after application of pad or snake(with hopps), let sit for 20-15 min(depending of amount of gunk)

run cleaning pads (or snake)
(REPEAT)
till you've removed the gunk from barrel, hopefully this helps

WORSE case Gunk removal(method)
place barrel into a oven on a aluminum tray(if oven is big enough lol) to 300 degrees and let it cook for 5 minutes, this will make the gunk run out like water
-thus the TRAY to catch and not let it drip all over the inside of oven

Do not worry about the barrel, the steel in mosins was not "great" but the structure of the metal is able to heat up to 500 degrees , so it wont Warp or damage the barrel

300 degrees is about the same as a nice long day of shooting , you can also try that method and see if after shooting cleaning helps
 
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