Russian M91/30 Mosin Nagant Rifle

B

Bernie Link

New member
Hi Friends, I have a chance to trade for a Russian M91/30 Mosin Nagant Rifle. I know it weighs a ton, but my question is: is it worth $150, is it a good gun, & will it kick me back on my backside?

Any thoughts will be appreciated, Thanks, Bernie
 
Just have to wonder with the political changes if they will go back to the $89.95 of a few years ago.
As far as recoil, they are not punishing if you know how to hold a military bolt rifle. About the same recoil as a 30-06.
 
$150 is quite good IF it has a good bore.

If the bore is bad, $150 would be more than I would pay personally.

As a rule I pay about $100 to $120 for them as actions to make sporting rifles on. The rest of the rifle gets thrown out or given away.
 
Decent recoil, heavy and powerful. Ammo is dirt cheap. Here is mine:

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Buy one. They are great pieces of history.
 
Perhaps, Perhaps, and yes.

Depends on condition. If good or better, it's priced on the low end. Online prices run a little above $200 now ( down a bit recently) for the newer production round receivers.
If it has condition issues- worn rifling or heavy bore pitting it's too much- even as a parts gun.

Just had a customer complaining to me this week about his shoulder having had enough after just a few rounds...no doubt the steel buttplate isn't comfortable when wearing a T-shirt.
 
Ammo was dirt cheap.
Click to expand...

Fixed that for you.

Surplus has dried up, and I really doubt it will come back. I can't find the discussion on the subject, but the last batch of imports, the spam cans were mostly dated 1988. Not going to be much newer than that in Warsaw Pact nations......
 
Quote:
Ammo was dirt cheap.
Fixed that for you.

Surplus has dried up, and I really doubt it will come back. I can't find the discussion on the subject, but the last batch of imports, the spam cans were mostly dated 1988. Not going to be much newer than that in Warsaw Pact nations......
Click to expand...

I just checked prices, you are right. Good think I have a half dozen 880 round cases saved up for my Mosins!

Op they aren't that heavy at all compared to most guns of the era and even guns of today. An M4 fully loaded with scope, rails, etc. etc. wouldn't weigh much less. The weight is not bad at all. If it is too heavy for you, get a bipod or shooting stick.
 
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If it's in good shape, that's a good price.

As a rifle, it's crude, clumsy, and primitive with a nearly unusable safety. The 91 in the model number is for 1891. However, the Mosin series was plenty good enough for a couple world wars and accurized versions have been used to win gold medals.

Recoil is moderately unpleasant since it has a steel buttplate. A slip on recoil pad makes all the difference.

The price and availability of ammo is to be considered. Its price has finally surpassed that of .308, and it can be difficult to find locally.

If the rifle is in good shape and if anything at all about it appeals to you, buy it. It's a good price. If you tire of it, you could sell it for a small profit.
 
That's a good price and I don't see them getting any cheaper.

They are fun to use and once one learns to shoot them, they are accurate.

Most shoot high, if that's the case with yours let me know and I'll tell you how to fix it without changing it from AS ISSUED condition so it will comply with the CMP ruled for the vintage military rules for their matches.

When I got mine, I refused (and still do) to shoot that surplus ammo. Only brass I found was Norma. I found out that I could buy loaded Winchester ammo cheaper so I bought 200 rounds and have been reloading that brass every since.

You don't need to load heavy, mild loads extend the life of the brass. I load 150 gr. (.310) bullets for matches. If one wants to hunt with it, (Millions of Russians do), its capable of taking any game in North American. Might want to go with heavier bullets for elk size animals.

If recoil bothers you load the lighter bullets for the 7.62x39 cases.

I also cast bullets for mine. I can shoot it for not much more then it cost for todays 22 RF bullets. 10 cents a piece of $5 per 50.
 
To the OP's question, what is it you are looking for?

I am a big fan of Mosins, but for the historical artifact that they are, not because they are awesome rifles. If you are wanting the Mosin as an inexpensive way to get a hunting rifle, you are probably better off holding out for a modern rifle, like a Savage Axis, Remington 700 SPS or Ruger American.

Mosins are generally not all that accurate by modern standards, the split bridge makes scope mounting more difficult, and the ammo is about the same price as .308 any more, the days of $40 440 round spam cans are gone.

If you are planning on using it as a base for a sporter hunting rifle, add the price of the stock, scope mount (plus the labor to install it) and any other stuff you want to do, you will be well over the cost of the entry level modern rifles, and the new guns will be a better rifle in pretty much every measurable way.

It will be lighter, more accurate, have a better trigger, be set up for a scope from the factory, and will shoot a caliber that ammo is available off the shelf at your local sporting goods store/Wal mart. Manufacturing technology and metallurgy has come a long way in the last 70-125 years.

The days of modifying a military rifle to a sporter as a more economical way of getting a quality hunting rifle are gone. This made a lot of sense when they were a fraction of the price of the bottom of the line Remington or Winchester, and could be found by the barrel full in the local hardware store for $10. Those days are long gone.

If you want a shootable piece of history, that took part in at least one World War (possibly two), then Mosins remain the most inexpensive way to get a historic rifle.
 
Somewhat a "loaded" question

pardon the pun, but WHAT are you planning to trade for it??????

You could be making a big mistake! Beware! Let us know what they want for it!!!
 
You buy Mosins for the history. Many have rough bores, all that corrosive ammunition, many users weren't too conscientious about cleaning them, etc. Sight a little crude by our standards, the Russians then the Soviets saw a rifle as a way to carry a bayonet. Recoil ? Depends on you, your build shooting positions, etc.
 
I bought mine a year ago. Shoots high using the irons sights for me. Scratching my head.

A friend told me about converting it, so I ordered all of the parts such as the Archangel stock, Timney trigger, muzzle break, rail. I know it's heresy but it will be more fun with a modern touch.


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I prefer to use the Mosins how they were. These guns are better left "as is". Throwing parts and tacticool stuff at it just defeats the purpose. These are historic rifles that were used to help save the world.

Of course, it was the Americans with their M1 Garand that won WW2 (:rolleyes:) but the Russians at least helped a little bit with their Mosins!! ;)
 
Shoots high using the irons sights for me. Scratching my head.
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Most Mosin's shoot high for some reason. But its a simple (no cost) fix that leaves the rifle "as-issued" and CMP GSM Rule compliant.

Mine shot 8 inches high when I got it.

To fix:

Measure the sight radius.

Note: Don't take these numbers as gospel. I did this years ago and I forgot the exact measurements but its close.

Divide the sight radius by 100 yards in inches

Lets say the sight radius is 21.6 inches.

There are 3600 inches in 100 yards ( 100 x 36 =3600)

Divide 21.6 by 3600 which will give you 0.006.

Therefore each .006 inch movement of the sight will move the impact 1 inch at 100 yards.

Again, my Mosin shot 8 inches high, so I need .006 X 8 to correct the sights.

8 X .006 = .048, meaning to zero my elevation at 100 yards I had to raise the front sight OR lower the rear sight .048".

The rear sight consist of a sight block that slides up and down the ladder, increasing or decreasing elevation.

There is one pin that you punch out that allows you to remove the rear sight.

Take the sight off and remove metal on the bottom of the sight.

In my case I needed to remove .048. So I stuck the sight in my milling machine and milled off .048 from the bottom. Put the sight back on the rifle and when the sight was set on the 100 mark I was on at 100 yards. I set it on 200, and was on, 300, same, all the way to 400 (I have gone be on that, 400 is the max of my range).

I used a milling machine, I file or stone can be used but care must be taken to keep it flat.

I don't know if the sight marks are yards, meters, or what ever the Russian common core math is, but the sights work with yards for me.

If you're off on windage, just drift the front sight left or right, depending on what you need. I made a sight drifting tool and use the above math to determine the drift. But trail and error works too.

Any way, you end up with an "as issued" rifle that shoots where its suppose to, and no gunsmithing bill.
 
The value actually depends a lot on the year, the arsenal and the condition. Remember that these things were produced from the time of the Czars through WWII. The earlier ones are more sought after. Tula is more sought after than Izhevsk. Matching numbers are more sought after than not. Counterbored or not? The range is anywhere from $100 to $500 depending those conditions.
 
I have three total. Hungarian M-44, 91/59, and Izhevsk 1929 Hex reciever. They were all cheap because I bought them at least 4-5yrs ago but I paid $69.99+shipping+transfer for the 1929 online. Supposedly in VG condition. It was all matching numbers except the bayonette, in great shape except the finish of the wood was crappy(Ive since refinished), and it had a pristine barrel with tons of rifling and no discoloration from not being cleaned after using corrosive ammo. At 100yrds sitting at a table shooting Tula 147gr ammo it puts all 5 rounds on paper just low and right of POA in a 3-4" group. Next time I take it out I will be trying some PPU 180gr brass cased and some old S&B Ive had forever that is loaded with Sierra 174grSMK bullets that shoots lights out and see how well it shoots with much better ammunition. I love the Mosin's and if you can find a good one that hasnt been tampered with I say get it. They are a blast!!:D
 
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