New to Mosin Nagant

[Zebra644]

I just obtained a Mosin 91/30 PU Sniper version. Its stamped 1942 and I beleive it was imported by ATI, so I know its not worth any more than what I paid for it. I have read that the matching numbers dont really matter since there is no way of telling if the parts are original even though the four digit numbers are matching lol. It does have the angled bolt and the side mounted scope mount that sits over the action and is raised enough to allow you to use iron sights or the scope.
The scope has the traditional Russian hammer and cycle and is a fixed 4 power with the 3 post cross hair. The rifle also came with all the standard stuff, cleaning kit, a funky looking take down tool ect. I know that surplus ammo is corrisive and that the firing pin needs to be measured using the tool to ensure that I dont receive light primer strikes or punch through them. This is my first Mosin and would like to know what to watch out for, types of ammo ect. and any other words of wisdom so to speak on dealing with this weapon system would be greatly appreciated. I would also like to find where or who makes a leather style cheekpiece for this as I would like to try to keep it a close to the period as possible, if possible. I will post pics up as soon as I can.
Thanks Guys

 

[Twitch2120]

Re: New to Mosin Nagat

anything that comes in a spam can is corrosive. clean bore and boltface with windex and/or boiling water after shooting. prvi makes cheap brass cased boxer primed 54r ammo if you reload. lapua and i think norma make brass as well. both my 91/30 and m44 have retarded large chambers and full length sizing dents the crap out of the shoulders so i dont invest in expensive brass. ymmv

 

[Joop]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

Post some pics! If it's a real '42 PU, they're quite uncommon.

The above poster is correct in that any milsurp ammo should be considered corrosive. There's a million and one opinions on cleaning up after using the stuff, but I can tell you the one thing that will hold true over all of them; get the bore <span style="font-weight: bold">clean</span>! No amount of magic elixirs, raindances, etc, etc, are going to prevent corrosion. A clean bore will, though. So, in short, it doesn't matter what you use, so long as the bore is clean when you're done. Don't let it worry you, though. Most people make this out to be WAY harder than it actually is, or has to be.

As for accurate ammo, you won't know what works best until you try it. People will try to tell you that "this bullet", or "brand X ammo" will be "best" for your gun. Well, that may be true for them but, unless they have shot that ammo in YOUR gun, they have absolutely no authority on the matter. That's for you to figure out. Of course, handloading changes everything, because you're then in control.

As a side note, I've never had trouble with denting shoulders while full sizing brass cases (and I FLR all mine). I have some Prvi brass that's approaching ten loads now and it's still fine. Just keep an eye on your trim length and case heads.

Once you get them dialed in, these rifles are far more accurate than most give them credit for. The satisfaction will be yours, however, the first time you embarrass/piss off some gear-head with his "fad of the week" rifle, while shooting your 70+ yr. old "Commie Junk".

John

 

[RoosterShooter]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

Ah ... the proverbial 91/30. As stated above, they are quite common, but hard to find at the moment. There are tens of thousands of them in US collections, but people hold onto them. I predict that in the next 20 years you will see a lot of them on the market through estate auctions, gun shows, etc ...

As for shooting the 'spam can' ammo. Go for it! I've always shot it, because when I bought it at $20 a can it was a steal even at that time.

Go to your nearest Wal-Mart and pick up a couple cans of Thompson Center T-7 Bore Blaster. I buy it by the case due to the large amount of BP Cowboy Action shooting I do, but it is also very good for old milsurp ammo. It's ammonia free so it won't drive you out of the garage, or harm metal finishes.

What you need to do is give it a few good blasts of T-7 with the ACTION REMOVED from the stock. If your barrel is caked with old powder residue or worse, cosmolene, get a gallon ice cream bucket, an old bore brush, and some paint thinner. Dip the muzzle in the paint thinner and scrub away.

The only thing that will remove caked on cosmolene is paint thinner, kerosene, or gasoline, and you won't want to use the later two. Paint thinner is the best approach.

I have literally cleaned 50 or more milsurp rifles this way, and have had nothing but luck. A couple of them were the first chinese SKS that came into the US back in the early 90s in the straw filled wooden boxes. All matching numbers ... yep ... I have several of those in mint condition as well.

 

[cz777]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

one of your best friend will be http://www.ballistol.com/ use very well !my old 91/30 sniper which was NOT rebuilt in medal was gray in color but i replaced the broken stock -oh yes inletting the scope mount etc like the old one ..after the work done she would get 1.5'' at 100 yds with 7n1 ammo ...take good care of that commie sniper - hell i wish it could talk about what it saw ?.....

 

[Zebra644]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

I have been refering to a web site and I'll have to look later but I believe there is a 02 stamped above the 1942 date which if I understand correctly according to the web site I was looking at makes it a Hungarian M52? Does that add to or take away from anything?

 

[Joop]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Zebra308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been refering to a web site and I'll have to look later but I believe there is a 02 stamped above the 1942 date which if I understand correctly according to the web site I was looking at makes it a Hungarian M52? Does that add to or take away from anything? </div></div>
The 02 code is Hungarian. However, I don't believe your rifle is, as they were not made until the 1950's in Hungary. It is not uncommon to find other numbers on barrels (especially on wartime Tula arsenal rifles). I have a couple like that and one may even have those numbers, IIRC.

ETA: If you have a legit '42 Tula arsenal PU sniper, I would be extremely jealous. They're pretty much the holy grail of wartime sniper rifles.

 

[Zebra644]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

Very intresting, I will deffinatley have to take a closer look and have to get pics up over the next couple of days. I just happened across the rifle and thought it would make a good conversation piece and add to my collection, I swear after becoming a member of this forum I have spent more money that I care to count lol.

 

[Joop]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

Which arsenal is it? If Tula, it will have the star with arrow on the barrel shank (like the stock cartouche in my avatar). If Izhevsk, it will have the small triangle/arrow with wreath/hammer/sickle on top. Any '42 Tula sniper is a very rare bird. However, a '42 Izhevsk PU would be very uncommon, as well, since PU snipers weren't being produced until the end of 1942 and weren't really seen in large numbers until the following year.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: New to Mosin Nagant

congrats on the purchase, after a few years of tinkering on how to completely clean the rifle of corrosive salts, I found the outers foam bore cleaner.
it removes everyting from copper, believe me there is a lot of it, and carbon fouing all in one pass.
foam the bore and the bolt, go do something else for 1/2 an hour then come back and wipe the stuff off, done.
have fun at the range.

 

[Mike Hull]

Re: New to Mosin Nagat

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Twitch2120</div><div class="ubbcode-body">anything that comes in a spam can is corrosive. clean bore and boltface with windex and/or boiling water after shooting. prvi makes cheap brass cased boxer primed 54r ammo if you reload. lapua and i think norma make brass as well. both my 91/30 and m44 have retarded large chambers and full length sizing dents the crap out of the shoulders so i dont invest in expensive brass. ymmv </div></div>

You Might check your resizing die for excess lube. That's the main reason for shoulder dents when resizing.

 

[Heronion]

Re: New to Mosin Nagat

For surplus 7.62x54R, Aim Surplus probably has the best deal. 440 rounds is only about $95 including the shipping.