Pulled the trigger on a Mosin 91/30...

A

Albacore

New member
Please don't bash me for starting a new thread just to declare my new purchase. I am just excited to have bought a Soviet M91/30. It's my first milsurp, and I look forward to firing it. I am fairly new to the gun thing, but am getting hooked pretty quickly. My first purchase was a Ruger 10/22 that I just picked up on Sunday. Now I wait ten more days for my Mosin. I have two #440 cans of 7.62x54 on the way. Mine was made in 1943. How safe are these things to shoot? Can I shoot it on a regular basis providing I clean and maintain it well?
 
First, welcome.

Why would anyone bash you for posting? If they do, that's just their way of saying "welcome".

Congrats on your new 91/30. Just make sure the gun is completely "cosmoline-free" before firing. Follow the guide on this site and you're good to go:
http://www.surplusrifle.com/russianmosin189130/index.asp

Going from a 10/22 to a MN91/30 is going to be exciting for you (and a little painful if you haven't shot a mil-surp before).

Don't worry about the nay-sayers, just be safe and have fun with your new toy.
 
Congrats! Mosins are great fun. As long as you have the right ammo, and clean it well you can shoot it all you want. I have two of them myself.
 
Mine was also a 1943 manufacture. It shoots fine. Gook luck removing all of the grease. If it probably safe to shoot. If you are really worried then bring it to a gun smith.
 
Loads of fun for short money. Web site info has already been provided and I have a 1939 and a 1930. With a little TLC they are great buys. Here is another place for info and parts if ever needed,
www.surplusrifle.com
www.tickbitesupply.com
If you should desire more info just ask.
I like the rubber butt pads from tickbite they help the shoulder from a bunch of pounding.
 
Welcome to the Forum, and to the wonderful world of milsurps!!!
Congrats on your MN. Great fun, good shooters, and cheap ammo still available. Most milsurp ammo is corrosive, so make sure you clean it good. A search on this site, and others will give you a welth of information on how to clean after using corrosive ammo.

Do you have a C&R FFL yet. It opens up a great number of purchasing options, better prices, but unfortunatly, can empty out your bank account!:eek::D:D
Well worth having if you really want to get into military surplus firearms. Plus, on-line retailers like Midway, and Graf & Sons give you a discount for any FFl.
Good luck with your new Mosin. It's just the beginning!!!
 
That mark on your shoulder isn't a bruise, it's a badge of honor.

Actually, I've never been bruised by a 91/30. My M38 carbine, now...
 
Going from a 10/22 to a MN91/30 is going to be exciting for you (and a little painful if you haven't shot a mil-surp before).
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FWIW you want a size "small" Limbsaver slip-on recoil pad. :D

The M91/30's recoil isn't actually all that bad by milsurp standards; it's just that the tiny steel buttplate magnifies it. :(
 
Anytime you buy a new gun, you should be proud to start a new thread. If any of the rest of us aren't buying a gun in the same moment ourselves, we are wishing we had could, would etc. Congrats on fine C&R rifle.
 
Anytime you buy a new gun, you should be proud to start a new thread. If any of the rest of us aren't buying a gun in the same moment ourselves, we are wishing we had could, would etc. Congrats on fine C&R rifle.
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I really never thought of it like that but you hit the nail on the head.
 
Enjoy!! Mosins are great fun. Make sure to fire at least 10 rounds without any recoil pads and the metal skullcrusher still on the back. So much fun!:rolleyes:
 
Thanks for all the replies, and all of the fantastic websites and ideas. And thanks for humoring my child-like excitement regarding my purchase. I ordered a buttpad, and a cleaning rod, both from websites suggested in this thread. Thanks, guys.
 
Congratulations, the Mosin-Nagant is a great rifle to shoot, with lots of history. Think Russia from 1905-1945, they were pretty much constantly at war with Japan, Germany, Menshevik-Bolshevik Civil War, Czechs, US intervention, Finland, Central Asian wars, again Germany, on to Berlin from Stalingrad.

Now go find a good hex receiver and an earlier date, and enjoy them both!

The rifles are well made, and safe to shoot. First round, lash it to something and pull it off with a string, then inspect and enjoy the rest of your shooting.

I've got six of them, myself, at these prices, it's a steal. They'll never be worth a lot, this was the service rifle for a 5-million man army for 54 years, there must be 100 million of them in their war reserves.
 
Welcome aboard.
Nice choice.
You will probably use the whole of one day for cleaning; you will lose the whole of several others shooting. (unless you have a wife).

I'm not sure if that particular ammo is corrosive, but you might want to do a little research about basic cleaning when using corrosive ammo. It's nothing to worry about. I just ran a patch of water/ammonia through my bore/chamber and over my bolt/bolt face after I took my last shot. I then ran through a couple dry patches to soak up the salts. The hot barrel dried up anything I missed. I never had a problem. Then I would clean my rifle using regular Hoppes 9 at home.
If you clean your rifle, it will probably outlast you. Start thinking about what niece or nephew you would like to give it to.
 
To answer your original question, most Mosins- especially if your 91/30 is one of the re-arsenaled ones- are usually safe to shoot...

WITH THAT SAID, I would personally never shoot any high-power centerfire, with no history, without a headspace check.

I was told when I purchased my first two 91/30's that there are never headspace issues, and not to worry about it. Well, I do worry- and accordingly purchased a no-go gauge to check it. One of the rifles failed- the bolt closed on the no go gauge. So much for there "never" being an issue with MN headspace. I ultimately solved the problem by swapping out the bolthead.

My advice is to purchase a no-go gauge, and do a quick headspace check. The 91/30 is about as far from a .22 rimfire as you can get, respect it.

Edit to add...

Some may suggest using a field gauge, which is less stringent than a no-go. If a rifle fails a no-go, but passes a field gauge, headspace is marginal, at best- and it's on the way out. CMP standards suggest not shooting rifles in that condition.
 
WITH THAT SAID, I would personally never shoot any high-power centerfire, with no history, without a headspace check.
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You have probably confused, and scared the crap out of a new member, and new milsurp owner!


The "strap it to an old tire" head space test has worked fine on all my milsurps. Check for difficulty of opening the bolt, signs of primers backing out, buldging, or split cases. I know in a perfect world everybody would be a machinest, and have a complete set of go-no-go gauges, but sometimes the C&R world ain't perfect!

The rifles are well made, and safe to shoot. First round, lash it to something and pull it off with a string, then inspect and enjoy the rest of your shooting.
Click to expand...

Of course I do always wear eye and ear protection. My standard procedure at the range shooting any firearm.

JMHO
 
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