Mosins and “gracefully aging” THR members

[daniel craig]

Because folks swooning over poorly designed rifles that armed a tyrannical state sometimes brings out my inner curmudgeon.

The only time Mosins were put to good use was by the Finns.

I mean I put mine to good use just about every year taking deer. It's still my least expensive option at this point and until I get a decent career level job that I can stand for an extended period of time it'll probably be my main rifle.

The nice part about it is it's cheap enough that I don't really care if it gets scratched up or dinged or gets a little bit of rust here and there. I can use it as practice for metal polishing and rebluing etc etc

 

[mgmorden]

Not over 45 quite yet (5 years to go ) but I've got a Mosin M38 in the safe that I got from Aztec Arms for $49. Wish I'd have bought a lot more of them.

The only one of the surplus rifles that I missed out on and wish I'd bought was the Steyr M95. Most other stuff I grabbed one of when they were available.

 

[Remington1911]

Because folks swooning over poorly designed rifles that armed a tyrannical state sometimes brings out my inner curmudgeon.

The only time Mosins were put to good use was by the Finns.

You are assigning a hunk of steel and wood human traits.

Poorly designed? For something designed in the late 1800's, and did not get rolling till 1891, it is pretty darn good. Name one other arm that has lasted that long. This is before springfield, before smle, before Krag and same year as carcano, and we now are finding some....good things to say about it . Think back to 1891 and look at what was rolling.....look at the mosin next to it, in 1891 it did not stack up too badly. Remember the state of russian, or czarist industry at that time, it was a country that was not that modern, they could make it themselves, the same is said of carcano and it is looked at as a good thing, but the russians, just because of politics now you dislike it.

 

[wiscoaster]

The Mosin-Nagant does what it was designed and built to do, and does that well. It's not a target rifle and was never intended to be one. It was intended to be rapidly produced in massive quantities by crude production methods in order to kill as many of the enemy as fast as possible. And it's good enough to do that well. Even if you're not Vasily Zaitsev.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I bought one for 49 bucks at a big box variety store in 1990. For the next few years, I carried home ammo for less than ten cents a round. I would have to count it, but I have several thousand rounds of ammo. Haven't shot it in years and have no desire to.

 

[bigpower491]

I just may have to load up a few cases tomorrow night and pull that sniper out.
It's been a while.

 

[illinoisburt]

Eh people getting their skivies in a knot over how anything was used in the past by bad people is kind of silly. I don't think there is any gun design which hasn't been put to evil effect by someone, somewhere, at sometime. An awful lot of folks seem to be just fine with Mauser pattern rifles and their descendents - let's just say some not good dudes tried twice to take over the world with them. In the end these are simply machines. Good or bad is the intent of the user, not the object itself.

Anyway, I've been a fan of milsurps since I started shooting as a kid. The #1 reason for me has always been cost of ammo. When you could get crates of centerfire rifle ammo for less than 8 cents per round for a rifle that costs less than $100, what's not to like about that? The M/N might be crude by modern standards but that doesn't mean it isn't good enough for a fun and challenging day at the range. Some people like whacking a plate (used to be milk jugs and clays) at a couple hundred yards from field positions - no chairs or benches need apply - and it does just fine for that! Stand up and shoot like a man with some friends. You might actually like it

 

[Remington1911]

Eh people getting their skivies in a knot over how anything was used in the past by bad people is kind of silly. I don't think there is any gun design which hasn't been put to evil effect by someone, somewhere, at sometime. An awful lot of folks seem to be just fine with Mauser pattern rifles and their descendents - let's just say some not good dudes tried twice to take over the world with them. In the end these are simply machines. Good or bad is the intent of the user, not the object itself.

Anyway, I've been a fan of milsurps since I started shooting as a kid. The #1 reason for me has always been cost of ammo. When you could get crates of centerfire rifle ammo for less than 8 cents per round for a rifle that costs less than $100, what's not to like about that? The M/N might be crude by modern standards but that doesn't mean it isn't good enough for a fun and challenging day at the range. Some people like whacking a plate (used to be milk jugs and clays) at a couple hundred yards from field positions - no chairs or benches need apply - and it does just fine for that! Stand up and shoot like a man with some friends. You might actually like it

Could not be better said.

I love you bringing up the Mauser.....You can point to any country and say hay look at the horrid things you did, and the US is pretty high on the list of bad things, from well that is shady to genocide. But we don't want to talk about that...no.

The items are that just items, you can't assign anything to an object past what the object is, how it is used has nothing to do with the object. The people getting their "skivies" in a wad, personally I think panties would likely describe it better, need to turn around and look at how the US media talks of guns, and think just how his statement is exactly the same as that.

 

[Remington1911]

I need to include some pics of my "newest" one, pretty darn good looking for being over 100 years old.

After looking at the photos, I now can't remember if in my other post I said westinghouse or remington......I have the westinghouse and need the remington.

 

[valnar]

I didn't have a desire to buy one until Pat Burns started selling the Finnish M39 versions for slightly more coin. Then I bought a 1897 Sestroretsk after looking over their options.

This scratched my itch enough because it killed 2 birds with 1 stone. I got (by most accounts) the best Mosin variant you can buy, and my very first antique gun that is still in a respectable cartridge. It was kinda neat getting it shipped directly to my house - no FFL needed.

 

[MistWolf]

But one thing you can't say about them is they are POS.

I can and I did. I'll add crude- because I can and did

I mean I put mine to good use just about every year taking deer.

You make a good point. I appreciate the lack of swoon.

You are assigning a hunk of steel and wood human traits.

Assigning human traits? No

Seeing it as a symbol? Yes

Poorly designed? For something designed in the late 1800's, and did not get rolling till 1891, it is pretty darn good. Name one other arm that has lasted that long. This is before springfield, before smle, before Krag and same year as carcano, and we now are finding some....good things to say about it . Think back to 1891 and look at what was rolling.....look at the mosin next to it, in 1891 it did not stack up too badly. Remember the state of russian, or czarist industry at that time, it was a country that was not that modern, they could make it themselves, the same is said of carcano and it is looked at as a good thing, but the russians, just because of politics now you dislike it.

MAusers were a more refined rifle before 1891. I've always disliked the Mosin Nagant. Piling on what the Soviets did to Finland is a bonus. The only reason the Mosin is popular in this country is because the rifles and the ammo were cheap.

Although the Mausers were used by the NAZIs, they're a much better rifle.

 

[theotherwaldo]

So far I've picked up eight Mosins for my firearms archives, most of which are Finn marked.
These include a N.E.W. M-91, an M-24, an M-27, an M-28, an M-28/30, an M-39 and a couple of 91/30s, one a re=arsenaled '36 Tula and the other a completely Arkangelized hex-receiver with all the bells and whistles.
Gotta catch 'em all... .

 

[CapnMac]

More than a bit north of 45, and just never "cottoned onto" an M-N. Back in the 90s, my LGS had some nice ones, some US-built ones, too. Even the odd '44 Carbine or two that I picked up out of the rack more than once.

Mind, I passed on some nice South American Mauser Engineer carbines too--at prices that were only past the c-note by the sales tax. Dumb? Maybe. Maybe not.

I also did not buy anything that runs on 7.5french nor 7.5swiss, either. I know several who did, and more power to them, really.

 

[swg1]

Turned 58 yesterday. Yeah there are a dozen or so mosin-nagant kicking about and I’m positive not a one cost me over $200. Well, the unissued Polish m44 might have, but I doubt it was over $250.

Same story with a lot of other milsurps over the years.

 

[drobs]

Passed on them when they were $60. Pass on them now when they are $600 plus.

Back when they were cheap, I intended to buy 2 of them from R-Guns in Illinois. Went and looked them over, couldn't do it. Tomato stake looking rifles compared to the Enfields and Mauser I drooled over in the 1990s. R-Guns didn't do any favors either by using an electric pencil to scribble their name onto the receivers.

 

[brunowbe]

I’ve got 4 Mosins. 2 were fairly cheap (both hex 91/30s) at $79 for a 1936 (bought it to go with my 1936 K98) and $119 for a laminate stock 1920ish (don’t remember the exact year, but it’s definitely in the 20s). I picked up an M44 for $270 about 4 or 5 years ago, guy I bought it from gave me 260 or so rounds of loose ammo with it. My last one was my expensive one, a Finn M39 for $375 from a friend of mine.

 

[wiscoaster]

You guys with the multiple Mosins --- how about some pics!?!?!

 

[Rockrivr1]

I can and I did. I'll add crude- because I can and did

So what is your criteria for what is a good rifle? It’s obviously not accuracy. What, plastic, modern, tactical, how much crap you can hang off of it? I guess when you get older you appreciate accuracy over the other things. Glad you like your inaccurate but flash rifle!

 

[Scooter22]

Does anyone have any Mosins? Heck yes. I jumped on them back in the 90s when they were 79.00 bucks or so a pop. Not sure how many. Maybe 20. M91, 91/30s, M38s, M44s, Finn M27, M39, M30(pot belly). Plus one of the brand new unissued Polish M44. Clunky but accurate as any milsurp. I like em. Finns are a step up.

 

[hso]

So how many guys still have Mosins from when they were cheap?

Most of mine are Finns, but I have a couple of Russians...a Remington and a Westinghouse.

 

[Whiterook808]

I've got two Russian M44s, one with a laminated stock. One 91/30 which I bought when Century was selling them three for $99. I also have 91 long rifle, which has Finn markings. All were made by Ishevsk.

 

[easy]

A T53 for $51.00 delivered to my door (Chinese M44). And a 91/59 for about $70.00 from the barrel at The Range (indoor range) about 10 years ago (91/30 cut down to M38 clone).

 

[daniel craig]

I can and I did. I'll add crude- because I can and did


You make a good point. I appreciate the lack of swoon.


Assigning human traits? No

Seeing it as a symbol? Yes


MAusers were a more refined rifle before 1891. I've always disliked the Mosin Nagant. Piling on what the Soviets did to Finland is a bonus. The only reason the Mosin is popular in this country is because the rifles and the ammo were cheap.

Although the Mausers were used by the NAZIs, they're a much better rifle.

Though x54 is a lot closer to .308 than the 8mm the Germans used in the Mausers. I find the former to be a much better round for all around use than the latter. The 8mm has its upsides, but also enough downsides that 8mm never became popular the way the various 30's did, even in Europe and the country that invented it. For the, that's a point for the mosin again. My very last reason I like it, and again not swoon, is that the loose tolerances and simple construction make it easier for me to operate with thick winter gloves on in sub zero temps, than just about any other bolt gun out there.

 

[AMraider]

I wanted to get a centerfire rifle since all I have ever shot were rimfire or shotgun. I was convinced a Remington 700? was the way to go but they were out of my price range. Then I happened to read a survivor's forum where the owner just raved about these cheap comblock surplus rifles and ammo. The next gunshow I attended there were a few M44's and 91/30's so I bought a 1944 M44 and a 440 round tin of polish lightball for $140. Accuracy for most is just ok at best but a couple are far better than I will ever shoot. The one thing I have noticed at the ranges I frequent is that the surplus shooters always smile more.

 

[commygun]

Got in on what was probably one of the last rounds of Big 5 $99 91/30’s. Probably about 2009 or 2010. Nicely arsenal refinished with a laminated stock and the standard doodads. Got a couple of unopened sardine cans somewhere.