M39 at 300 yards

[hillbilly]

Finnish M39

Polish Light Ball from Aim Surplus.

It took six sets of "sight adjustment" groups to get the thing dialed in at 100 yards.

With the M39, you adjust windage by moving the set screws on either side of the front sight.

Once I was on at 100 yards with the 150 meter setting on the rear sight, I moved the sight to the 200 meter setting and took on the 200 yard target.

Satisfied with that, I slid the rear sight to the 300 meter setting, and acquired the 300 yard target.

I fired 15 shots.

There are 13 holes visible, with the rifle covering up the 14th shot.

The wind was whipping so hard that it blew my sunglasses of the bench twice.

Old milsurp rifle.

Old milsurp ammo.

Open sights.

Lots of wind.

I'll take it.

bang......

hillbilly

 

[Mooseman]

Awesome man, I read your post and regretted I have to wait until next payday to get my 91/30. There's just something about those old rifles.

 

[Cacique500]

Very nice shooting. I'm glad a lot of people underestimate the M39 - leaves more for me to collect...

 

[Roadkill]

Good shooting. Knew a guy years ago who would win 300-500 yd matches with a Mod 39 and a K98 with open sights. He had great vision and understood the guns. Put the high dollar outfits to shame.

rk

 

[Koobuh]

I am duly impressed.
We tried out my new M39 today, and I got somewhat mediocre results with most of my ammo. We didn't try the new batch of polish yet, so I'll reserve judgement until then, but the best group was achieved with Winchester FMJ at 100 yards.
Czech silvertip was down and right and scattered, hollowcore was at bull level and right on but scattered, and the Russian hunting ammo didn't even impact paper, but the Winchester hit about a foot high and to the right, making a 3.5-inch spread group.

At this point, needing new glasses, I have trouble seeing a standard target bull even at 200 yards, let alone 300. More power to ya.

 

[grimjaw]

hillbilly, where are you shooting that you have a 300 yard target available? I know there's lots of land out your way, but even on 600 acres of farmland we don't have a berm built up or hills to shoot down a slope.

jmm

 

[hillbilly]

Grimjaw, the shooting was done at the Old Fort Gun Club just east of Fort Smith.

They have a 300 yard range there.

http://www.ofgc.org/

I live on 30 acres in rural Arkansas myself.

On my property I currently have a pistol range I can get 40 yards out of.

And, I've got a lane cut through the jungle that I can get 200 yards out of.

I don't have my big safety berm on it yet, but I do have the lane cut, and can safely shoot .22s on it. However, I won't shoot any big bore stuff on that one until I save up a little more money and get my big safety berm put up.

hillbilly

 

[jagdpanzer347]

Hillbilly, those results are inspirational. I picked up a super nice M39 from AIM about a month and a half ago. Unfortunately I haven't fired it yet. On the positive side I'll be joining a club with up to a six hundred yard range next month. I'm eager to see what we can do at two hundred and then go from there.
-jagdpanzer

 

[english kanigit]

Simply awesome.

 

[Ad Astra]

Great stuff, and thanks.

M39's are the best. What variety is that one, HB?

Mine:
1968 "sneak"
1941 VKT
"B" barrel with hang tag

Need a SKy...

 

[forrestd]

That's way cool. My M39 was the first rifle I ever bought and have just gone plinking with it up in the hills. I'd love to take it to to a proper range and see what I could do with it.

For those interested, there's a good read on different types of ammo for the different Nagant rifles located here.

 

[MechAg94]

I have never heard anyone underestimate the Finnish rifles.

 

[forrestd]

My dad balks at milsurp rifles in general. He thinks I'm throwing my money away on the milsurps I buy.

 

[Koobuh]

Har. I'm sure he'll still be laughing when M39's sell for $500 each in a few years when the supply dries up.
Or K31's for that matter. Get em now, boys!