wildchild2010
Member
Most of the 8mm ammo is dried up and no countries I know uses it anymore so no need to manufacture new ammo. Now with the 7.62x54r many countries still use that round and manufacture ammo and probably will for some time.
Is it me or are the Nagants a HOT ticket these day?
- Thread starter wildchild2010
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Franco2shoot
Member
I have a 1943 91/30 and it took a good bit of cleaning(using gasoline), but once cleaned the bolt action is just as smooth as my Remington model 7. With ATI mod, a medium priced scope was added, and once I read up on how the Soviet Sniper's accurized their 91/30's and applied the cork, mine is capable of 1 MOA, and I'm no Lord's gift to shooters. All this for under 2 bills, coupled with several Spam cans of ammo everybody should have at least one.
KKKKFL
KKKKFL
I bought one a couple of years ago for $89. I personally think it is a cool looking rifle and it reminds me of "Ememy at the Gates". I have probably not put 50 rounds through it since I got it but it hnags over the doorway at my clubhouse.
crracer_712
Member
I've been really tempted lately to pick one up at the gun shows, they generally go for 110 and include all SI gear.
ApacheCoTodd
member
I often wonder - at any given time - what gun today is representative of one of the greatest firearms purchase blunders in my personal past. I found recently that it's probably the Nagant.
I look at mine and don't shoot it, I see accessories and don't buy them, I see relatively inexpensive ammo and think the money is better spent elsewhere, etc...
Then through one of the links in an earlier posting I see an outfit selling them for $79.95 and they can be bought by the case to boot!
So... One of my greatest purchase blunders of my gun buying life? That would have been not buying a couple of cases of SWEET unissued SKSs from Jim's Pawn Shop in Fayetteville, NC with my re-enlistment bonus money. He was selling them at $79.95 individually and an added incentive when bought by the case as well as getting the accessories that were packed in the case. This was the early 80's and as I recall, I used many of the same arguments back then to talk myself outa that opportunity.
Now, to find that "by the case" deal on the Nagants again.
I look at mine and don't shoot it, I see accessories and don't buy them, I see relatively inexpensive ammo and think the money is better spent elsewhere, etc...
Then through one of the links in an earlier posting I see an outfit selling them for $79.95 and they can be bought by the case to boot!
So... One of my greatest purchase blunders of my gun buying life? That would have been not buying a couple of cases of SWEET unissued SKSs from Jim's Pawn Shop in Fayetteville, NC with my re-enlistment bonus money. He was selling them at $79.95 individually and an added incentive when bought by the case as well as getting the accessories that were packed in the case. This was the early 80's and as I recall, I used many of the same arguments back then to talk myself outa that opportunity.
Now, to find that "by the case" deal on the Nagants again.
GunnyUSMC
Member
A Nagant is a revolver, A Mosin Nagant is a rifle.
Calling your Mosin a Nagant is like telling someone you have a Rimchester.
I have several Mosins, Russian, Polish, Finnish, Chinese, Hungarian, Romanian and US (New England Westinghouse and Remington).
I like them in their military dress, but have seen some really nice sporters.
One of the best accessories is the sissy pad that looks just like the one for the Ruger Mini 14. It helps the guys that don't like recoil and the ones with long arms.
http://www.mountsplus.com/AR-15_Accessories/AR-15_Scope_Mounts/Mosin_Nagant_Accessories.html
C & R Surplus Springs will improve your accuracy.
https://www.crsurplusspring.com/
Calling your Mosin a Nagant is like telling someone you have a Rimchester.
I have several Mosins, Russian, Polish, Finnish, Chinese, Hungarian, Romanian and US (New England Westinghouse and Remington).
I like them in their military dress, but have seen some really nice sporters.
One of the best accessories is the sissy pad that looks just like the one for the Ruger Mini 14. It helps the guys that don't like recoil and the ones with long arms.
http://www.mountsplus.com/AR-15_Accessories/AR-15_Scope_Mounts/Mosin_Nagant_Accessories.html
C & R Surplus Springs will improve your accuracy.
https://www.crsurplusspring.com/
Lj1941
Member
Mosin/Nagants
IMHO they are the hot ticket because of many factors 1. Low cost 2. Availability( Uncle Joe Stalin made 17 million or so) 3. Ready availability of cheap ammo. Also the fact that with the present administration ,we never know when the supply will no longer be available-read no more imported firearms especially x military arms to potential terrorists which includes 1. NRA members 2. Members of the Republican Party 3. Red necks clinging to their religion and guns 4. Any one who speaks out against the KING.The fact that balistically they are roughly equal to the 30/06 and 308 Winchester/762x51 ball loads.This plus the fact that they are a rugged -almost fool proof weapon.
IMHO they are the hot ticket because of many factors 1. Low cost 2. Availability( Uncle Joe Stalin made 17 million or so) 3. Ready availability of cheap ammo. Also the fact that with the present administration ,we never know when the supply will no longer be available-read no more imported firearms especially x military arms to potential terrorists which includes 1. NRA members 2. Members of the Republican Party 3. Red necks clinging to their religion and guns 4. Any one who speaks out against the KING.The fact that balistically they are roughly equal to the 30/06 and 308 Winchester/762x51 ball loads.This plus the fact that they are a rugged -almost fool proof weapon.
Justin
Moderator Emeritus
If cost is the single data point by which you judge a rifle, then the Mosin Nagant is the best thing going.
GunnyUSMC
Member
That's because your Mosin has already been sent back to the factory to be refurbed. 
warbirdlover
Member
I don't know where they had all these things hidden all these years but I've seen pictures of crates of them being unloaded (on GunBroker). For the money you can't go wrong. I've also seen some pretty impressive (open sight) groups from them at the range. The only thing I would never bother to do with one is sporterize it. It still looks ugly! Just buy it and shoot it and have fun.
ThorinNNY
Member
a fighting rifle
I forget who said it, but some gun book author said of the rifles used during the first World War:" The Germans brought a hunting rifle, the Americans brought a target rifle and the British brought a FIGHTING rifle".
The Mosin Nagant is something I`d classify as a fighting rifle. Some are very accurate, some can be made more accurate, some of them not so much.
Making `em pretty is another matter. What do they say - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder !
If a rifle is or can be made reasonably accurate, very reliable, I`d use it as it is or modify it to suit yourself.
Only you can decide if it`s worth it- just keep in mind it may not appeal to someone else.
I forget who said it, but some gun book author said of the rifles used during the first World War:" The Germans brought a hunting rifle, the Americans brought a target rifle and the British brought a FIGHTING rifle".
The Mosin Nagant is something I`d classify as a fighting rifle. Some are very accurate, some can be made more accurate, some of them not so much.
Making `em pretty is another matter. What do they say - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder !
If a rifle is or can be made reasonably accurate, very reliable, I`d use it as it is or modify it to suit yourself.
Only you can decide if it`s worth it- just keep in mind it may not appeal to someone else.
Well as I see it:
The available in abundance and have been for years.
Their relative inexpensive compared to most any other surplus military rifle at the moment
Ammo is plentiful and can be found almost anywhere now days
They shoot well for what they are
There relatively powerful, almost to 3006 stats
If a Russian peasant can make it work and can't break it who can (well maybe Baba can)
I bought my first one in 1958 for $9 thought the mail and there still selling them cheap ( won't they ever run out?)
Almost 3,000,000 Germans including my Uncle found out they work well "too well" and made good firewood in the winter too. When I got my first one he said "O NO not them again" and the stories he told about them verrrry interesting. He of coarse had a very personal relationship with a number of them from the wrong end and was lucky to make it home.....what there was of it....
The available in abundance and have been for years.
Their relative inexpensive compared to most any other surplus military rifle at the moment
Ammo is plentiful and can be found almost anywhere now days
They shoot well for what they are
There relatively powerful, almost to 3006 stats
If a Russian peasant can make it work and can't break it who can (well maybe Baba can)
I bought my first one in 1958 for $9 thought the mail and there still selling them cheap ( won't they ever run out?)
Almost 3,000,000 Germans including my Uncle found out they work well "too well" and made good firewood in the winter too. When I got my first one he said "O NO not them again" and the stories he told about them verrrry interesting. He of coarse had a very personal relationship with a number of them from the wrong end and was lucky to make it home.....what there was of it....
ApacheCoTodd
member
I wonder - Russians being as they are if there isn't some enterprising entrepreneur over there trying to find the old tooling laying about somewhere?
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Just to add perspective, I'll quote myself:
I don't know that any other group of weapons has ever come close to that level of proliferation. Enfields were made in vast quantities, of course, and around the world. But not with that Soviet almost absent-minded doggedness. They came into this country regularly for decades and were quietly bought up and stashed away, hacked into bubba deer guns, and leaned in closet corners. Same with the various Mausers. But I suspect the numbers of any of those guns is mere fractions of what the USSR constructed. Whereas most countries built arms or bought arms with some tangible readiness goals in mind, it seems the Soviet ideal was to simply never stop making, ever.
We may indeed be nearing the end. But I'm not sure. If we're still saying that 20 years from now I'm not sure I'll be too surprised.
Sam1911 said:The Soviet Union set up their factories to make things like Mosin Nagant rifles, SKS carbines, and AK-47s/AKMs/AK-74s, (along with heavier stuff) and simply go, go, GO. They made millions and millions, and sent them to every corner of their union, and to all their outlying puppet states -- and then sent the technology, including whole factories to those places as well, and told them go, go, GO!
The eastern bloc was very long on mass production and rugged reliability (with weapons at least) but very short on efficiency and inventory control.
If you get the chance, read C.J. Chivers' The Gun. Tons of great info in there about this stuff. I don't have the book right to hand at the moment, but he cites one of the ex-eastern bloc countries (Bulgaria I think. Maybe it was Romania.) as conducting an inventory during the last decade to try and figure out how much of their military gear was still sitting around and hadn't been stolen and/or sold on the black market. At the time, even with all the losses, they had on hand one hundred AKMs for every single soldier in their army.
Wow.
And that's just one type of weapon owned by one small satellite state of an enormous empire which produced enormous quantities of a bunch of different weapons. They literally filled up bunkers with cases of rifles, then closed the door and started filling up the next bunker, and so on.
I don't know that any other group of weapons has ever come close to that level of proliferation. Enfields were made in vast quantities, of course, and around the world. But not with that Soviet almost absent-minded doggedness. They came into this country regularly for decades and were quietly bought up and stashed away, hacked into bubba deer guns, and leaned in closet corners. Same with the various Mausers. But I suspect the numbers of any of those guns is mere fractions of what the USSR constructed. Whereas most countries built arms or bought arms with some tangible readiness goals in mind, it seems the Soviet ideal was to simply never stop making, ever.
We may indeed be nearing the end. But I'm not sure. If we're still saying that 20 years from now I'm not sure I'll be too surprised.
txcookie
Member
Well I wouldnt pay 200 fr one but man for 100 or less you get a gun. Not a bad deal cheap sells well. Probably snag one up in the next yr or two before the prices go up.
GunnyUSMC
Member
Mosins keep going up in price, but I don't think that the supply will dry up anytime soon, unless big brother stops them from being imported.
Here is an ad form from 1959. Mosins for $14.95 with 20 rounds of ammo.
You could get 100 rounds of surplus ammo for $7.50 or 20 rounds of soft point hunting ammo for $2.95.
These were not your Russian refurbs, but most likely from Spain, weapons that were used in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. These are the rifles I look for to add to my collection. I have 4 or 5 of them right now. Most shooters would pass on them due to them having dark bores and being in somewhat rougher shape. I wish I could get them for $14.95, but they sell for $100 to $150 now days.
Here is an ad form from 1959. Mosins for $14.95 with 20 rounds of ammo.
You could get 100 rounds of surplus ammo for $7.50 or 20 rounds of soft point hunting ammo for $2.95.
These were not your Russian refurbs, but most likely from Spain, weapons that were used in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. These are the rifles I look for to add to my collection. I have 4 or 5 of them right now. Most shooters would pass on them due to them having dark bores and being in somewhat rougher shape. I wish I could get them for $14.95, but they sell for $100 to $150 now days.
Gunnerboy
Member
^ i got me one of em spanish civil war mosins , wouldnt mind 14.95 each i think id have me a few more
BCRider
Member
As Sam1911 so ably pointed out these are the last of the old military surplus rifles from that long ago time to hit the market. So of course the price is low. The market went through this same low cost dumping of the Lee Enfields, Garrands, Mausers and others all in turn. The Mosin is no worse or better a deal than those other guns were in their time of cheap sales.
But in the meantime it DOES give us access to a cheap but reliable rifle for whatever our purposes. In a few years as the supplies dry up the costs of these will rise just like it has with the other milsurp rifles.
As for value I fail to understand the attitude of some. It was a tool made to do a job and do it well in the conditions it was designed for. In those terms it does this job very well. It's foolish to compare it to some sub MOA rifle on those terms.
For my part having tinkered with the three of them that I seem to have tripped over I'm actually really amazed at the thinking and engineering that went into them. It is not easy to design any mechanism that does a lot with few easily machined parts wich are made to relaxed dimensional standards and goes together and works with no fuss or muss. And does it in a way that a poorly trained farmer can actually manage to maintain and keep running with nearly zero tools. If you look at these rifles in that light they are truly amazing pieces of functional art.
Oh sure, I know that compared to some of the other military rifles of the times they are about as crude as you can get. But then that was always the Russian way. Even to this day their aircraft and helicopters are examples of this. A buddy that works on Russian made helis says that he'd rather trust one of those than some of the domestic ones. The Russians made everything bigger and stronger than it needed to be. But by the same token the parts seldom fail from stress buildups over time like with some parts of domestic machines. The first time he worked on them he was shocked by the unfinished sand cast surfaces on some of the items where in domestic made helis they use highly expensive and intracate forgings. But both work. The Mosin is faithful to this concept which seems to be the Russian way.
But in the meantime it DOES give us access to a cheap but reliable rifle for whatever our purposes. In a few years as the supplies dry up the costs of these will rise just like it has with the other milsurp rifles.
As for value I fail to understand the attitude of some. It was a tool made to do a job and do it well in the conditions it was designed for. In those terms it does this job very well. It's foolish to compare it to some sub MOA rifle on those terms.
For my part having tinkered with the three of them that I seem to have tripped over I'm actually really amazed at the thinking and engineering that went into them. It is not easy to design any mechanism that does a lot with few easily machined parts wich are made to relaxed dimensional standards and goes together and works with no fuss or muss. And does it in a way that a poorly trained farmer can actually manage to maintain and keep running with nearly zero tools. If you look at these rifles in that light they are truly amazing pieces of functional art.
Oh sure, I know that compared to some of the other military rifles of the times they are about as crude as you can get. But then that was always the Russian way. Even to this day their aircraft and helicopters are examples of this. A buddy that works on Russian made helis says that he'd rather trust one of those than some of the domestic ones. The Russians made everything bigger and stronger than it needed to be. But by the same token the parts seldom fail from stress buildups over time like with some parts of domestic machines. The first time he worked on them he was shocked by the unfinished sand cast surfaces on some of the items where in domestic made helis they use highly expensive and intracate forgings. But both work. The Mosin is faithful to this concept which seems to be the Russian way.
highbrow
Member
Mosin-- best value in firearms today.
Murphy4570
Member
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2010
- Messages
- 433
I currently own two, and will likely purchase more before their price gets over $150-200 a pop. For $100 each, I can't go wrong. Mine shoot around 3" groups at 100 yards too, level and relatively centered on target too! Not bad for a $100 rifle!
Ammo costing $70 per 440 rounds really helps too.
Ammo costing $70 per 440 rounds really helps too.
After Top Guns tonight I bet they will be even more popular.
I've never seen a M/N that accurate.
I've often thought if I came across a Remington marked one I might be tempted.
I always liked the looks of the carbine versions better but prices on those have gone way up.
I've never seen a M/N that accurate.
I've often thought if I came across a Remington marked one I might be tempted.
I always liked the looks of the carbine versions better but prices on those have gone way up.
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earlthegoat2
Member
Not HOT. Just cheap. Lots of new shooters gravitate towards them because of this reason. New shooters also tend to be very vocal about their new hobby for the first few months and love to discuss just how awesome their recently acquired Nagant is.
That said, I tend to think plenty of gun owners have them whether they are new shooters or not and you cannot deny the overwhelming value they represent....especially if you have a nice stock of surplus ammo.
All in all though they are barely a fair rifle by modern standards. But so are Lee Enfields and that does not stop me from owning one.
That said, I tend to think plenty of gun owners have them whether they are new shooters or not and you cannot deny the overwhelming value they represent....especially if you have a nice stock of surplus ammo.
All in all though they are barely a fair rifle by modern standards. But so are Lee Enfields and that does not stop me from owning one.
SleazyRider
Member
Don't understand much of the hate here. My M-N is highly functional and reliable, and historical to boot. It is robust in conctruction, even though the workmanship is not on par with my Winchester 70. Folks don't seem to mind buying a modern rifle for several hundred dollars and sinking double or even triple that amount into them to get them to run right, yet the M-Ns run just fine with a little more than a good cleaning.
I like my M-N, in fact, I'll likely be buying a Nagant gas revolver any day now, as soon as my wife is in the right mood. But I won't expect my $100.00 Nagant to look, feel, or run like my Python.
I like my M-N, in fact, I'll likely be buying a Nagant gas revolver any day now, as soon as my wife is in the right mood.
But I won't expect my $100.00 Nagant to look, feel, or run like my Python.- Status
