Why I bought Mosins rather than other military surplus..make sense to you???

[iamkris]

I don't understand this phrase you are using..."instead of". It doesn't make any sense...in that a real phrase? [[end of pathetic attempt at joke]

I own Mosins...and Enfields...and Springfields...and K31s...and Mausers...and Garands...and P17s...and Finn M39s...and FR8s...and Swede M96s...

TO be perfectly honest, I own a 91/30, an M44 and an M38. I've shot them a bit...but I really don't like them. Once you shoot the other mil-surps, you quickly see that they are crude, rude and fairly crappy. Fine rifles for what they are...the others are just much better.

 

[iamkris]

double tap

 

[saturno_v]

Ok I explain myself better...

I can shell 70-80 bucks for a milsurp iron sight but, in my view, as practical collector, I will not pay 200+ for an old warhorse shooting an increasingly scarce and expensive cartridge (i.e. the Enfield in 303) when for the same money I can buy an used modern sporting rifle in a common caliber (i.e. 30-06) and possibly scoped already.

If you want that particular rifle (Enfield, Mauser, Springfiled) and you are a milsurp collector it is ok but for me I rather use my money for something different.

Answering to Joe.

Yes Mosins are good..very good indeed. Robust, extremely reliable very well balanced (something nobody mention..I find them more balanced than an Enfield or a Mauser) and extremely accurate if in good shape.
If you pick a good specimen it will give you lots of shooting satisfaction back.
I like them aestetically too (but that is subjective).
They shoot a very good, effective and very inexpensive (at the moment) round.
They have their quirks and defects but every gun has some
IMHO for 70-80 bucks you get A LOT in value back, more proportionally than an Enfield or a Mauser...never mind a Springfield...

I would pay 80 bucks for a Mosin all the time over 250 for an Enfield (this is the price for one of them around here in Seattle)
But this is me.....for example I would never pay the asking price nowdays for a Colt 1911 when there are so much better handguns (my own opinion)around for less price....if I find a 1911 for $200-300 would I buy it?? Heck yes!! I'm just not willing to pay the reputation or popularity premium....on the other side would I buy a $150 Hi-Point pistol?? Not a chance.....

 

[jpwilly]

I have 5 Mosins now a m38, 2 m44's an m91/30 and a m1/30PU great fun. Have a 1200rnd stack of surp ammo too!

 

[elmerfudd]

How many modern sporting rifles do you need? Once you've got five or six of them in different calibers and configurations why get more? You can't really do anything different with them, they're not collectible and they don't appreciate much in value. Yes, it is nice to have a few tackdrivers and a couple rifles that are perfect hunting rigs, but I really can't understand accumulating them.

Milsurps on the other hand are extremely collectible, full of history and almost all of them appreciate in value. You buy them as much to enjoy a piece of history as you do to take them to the range, so even if they never get shot they can bring enjoyment. I've got a pair of Murata's, (predecessor to the Arisaka), hanging over my front door. They shoot a completely obsolete cartridge and one is missing half the parts to it's bolt, yet I enjoy seeing them and occasionally taking them down and handling them more than some of the modern sporting rifles in my safe. At some point I'm going to try to build the remaining parts on my own and then I'll only have to figure out a way to handload 11mm Murata cartridges and 30 gauge shotgun shells.

 

[Mauserguy]

I agree with Elmer Fudd. Mil-surps are collectible in a way that modern arms never will be. I would add, though, that the Mosin is a fine basic rifle. My tastes have changed in the past, and they will probably continue to evolve, but if the big quake hit tomorrow, and I had to join the local militia holding off the hords of looters, my Mosin would go to the field.
Mauserguy

 

[silverlance]

any of my m39s will shoot better than most k98s.

the mosin is also a helluva lot simpler. you can't screw up disassembling an MN the way you can with a muser.

 

[24kshooter]

It only makes sense to me given the fact you do not reload. For $100 ish you could be reloading. Otherwise you are missing what I would consider part of the historical aspect of firearms. A new modern rifle costs $500 (Savage) to $700 (REM/WIN/CZ) so you can buy several of the Enfields. Mauser and so forth for the price of one "new" rifle. What ever floats your boat.

 

[NC-Mike]

How many modern sporting rifles do you need? Once you've got five or six of them in different calibers and configurations why get more? You can't really do anything different with them, they're not collectible and they don't appreciate much in value. Yes, it is nice to have a few tackdrivers and a couple rifles that are perfect hunting rigs, but I really can't understand accumulating them.

Milsurps on the other hand are extremely collectible, full of history and almost all of them appreciate in value. You buy them as much to enjoy a piece of history as you do to take them to the range, so even if they never get shot they can bring enjoyment.

I thought I wanted to collect and started buying guns again 2 years ago. I ended up with a lot of the staples. German Mauser, Yugo Mauser, SKS, CZ-52, Garands, etc.

What I found is I'm not a collector. I'm a shooter so I sold all my old mil-surps and got myself into a Sig 556 and a couple of Bushmasters. I'm much happier and don't miss the old rifles.

I'm not making any judgments on either side. I can understand and appreciate the idea of collecting, it just wasn't for me.

I did however keep my Mosins. They are good shooters and I put a lot of work in them.

 

[cracked butt]

But best milsurp in my opinion is the Swiss K31. Here in Switzerland K31 are cheaper the Mosin Nagant.

Ditto that. They were cheaper than mosin nagants on this side fo the pond for about 5 years and then the supply ran out.


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Mosin nagants are ok for cheap blasting. Out of 6 that I currently have, I only regularly shoot 2 of them- a Finn and a prewar 91/30 as they're the only ones that look like they have any potential at all to hit somethign smaller than a broad side of a barn.

They are neat to buy and own, especially the various prewar variations, but from what I've personally experienced with shooting them, they won't hold a candle to most fo the various mausers, Swiss rifles, Swedish rifles, and U.S. rifles in my collection. One of the saving graces of the Mosin nagant is the jam resistant magazine, they funtion 100% of the time- can't say the same thing about enfields.

 

[researchdoc]

I think your reasons are spot on... as almost all of them are my reasons...
I also wanted to have a full power rifle for the trunk of the car, so the price allowed me to have some for the house and one for the car. Ammo is great.. the rifle is accurate and tough as nails.... what's not to like in my opine....

 

[cracked butt]

IMHO for 70-80 bucks you get A LOT in value back, more proportionally than an Enfield or a Mauser...never mind a Springfield...

You get more 'fun' for the money for sure. On the other hand, they typical $70 Ukranian rearsenalled mosin that you buy today will only be worth $70 adjusted for inflation 20 years from now. How much do you think a far less common $300 mauser or $700 springfield will be worth in that time? There's a reason why I can pass over a few hundred $70 mosins until I find the 'right one' while I'll pull $400-1000 out of my pocket with blinding speed if I see the another type of rifle I'm looking for. I probably spent $1400 last year on just 3 milsurp rifles alone without any kind of buyers remorse. I do regret most of the <$100 mosin nagants that I've purchased.

 

[Cosmoline]

You get more 'fun' for the money for sure. On the other hand, they typical $70 Ukranian rearsenalled mosin that you buy today will only be worth $70 adjusted for inflation 20 years from now. How much do you think a far less common $300 mauser or $700 springfield will be worth in that time?

Apples and oranges. You need to compare a purchase of a rare rifle with a rare rifle. And you can buy Mosins so rare they were made in the tens of thousands or even UNDER ten thousand for less than $300. To understand what that means you have to realize virtually no military rifles were made in such tiny lots. Even "rare" South American Mausers were made in larger numbers, and try finding any of them in mint condition for under three bills. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've been watching the surplus rifle market for years, and NOW is the time to buy rare Mosins. Every year the price is going north. Get Finns, get Poles, get odd E. European models.

Finns in particular have always been special rifles. Rifle for rifle there's a MUCH greater chance you're getting a real "veteran" rifle that's seen combat than with any other service rifles I know of. Get a Garand and nine times out of ten or 99 out of 100 it never fired a shot in anger. But the Finish Mosins, esp. pre-39, were almost all pressed into service. These are rifles that were really "there." And many have shrapnel scars to prove it. With their darkened stocks they were the black rifles of white death. Even after all these years of shooting them the grace, balance and accuracy of the breed amazes me.

Those of you who's experience is limited to busted up USSR rejects in the Big Five bargain bin have no idea what you're missing. For another C note you can have one of the finest combat arms known to man. I just picked up a black old M91 Tikkakoski for $180 off gunbroker that shoots light ball MOA even with a counterbored and pitted bore. And if you spend some time and learn what to look for you can find some nice looking old Soviet and Imperial Mosins as well. The Mosin-Nagant didn't survive because of inertia. It survived because it's a simple, elegant design that just won't die. Don't forget the greatest snipers in world history virtually all used Mosin-Nagants, either in the deep cold of Finland or the ruins of Stalingrad.

 

[Danus ex]

The first time I shot military surplus firearms, I got to try four major WWII rifles: an M1 Garand, a K98, a No. 4 Mk. I, and a 91/30. Of those, the M1 was clearly in another class in terms of its overall usability/shootability, so a CMP service grade Springfield became my first centerfire rifle. Add to that the fact that .30-06 surplus is clean, reloadable, and often already on en-bloc clips, and you have a huge winner. The M1 is my primary rifle.

After that, I started buying Mausers. An 03-A3, a Swedish 96, 98/29, even an excellent Mexican 1910. I like these rifles a lot--the Persian in particular fits me like no other rifle (K98 is a close second)--but there's something about Mausers that just doesn't hold me.

Recently, though, I've been on a Mosin kick. I like these rifles a lot--they're plenty accurate, fit me nicely, and have a richly satisfying bolt action. The Finns have an incredible history, and I like the neat mix of parts you get when you buy one. My M39 has Finnish, Soviet, Tzarist, French, Belgian, and US parts. A wide selection of cheap ammo is another bonus, as are the nifty Soviet-era accessories.

Remember, saturno_v, the only rationalization you need is "I like it". I do recommend that you detail strip any Mosin (well, any rifle) that's new to you and get to know it. Once you understand it, you might accurize it a bit and use the ammo it likes--in time you'll have no trouble outshooting your range pals with their non-Mosins.

 

[cracked butt]

You need to compare a purchase of a rare rifle with a rare rifle. And you can buy Mosins so rare they were made in the tens of thousands or even UNDER ten thousand for less than $300.

LOL. I'm just stating that in my opinion, most Wartime Russian Mosins aren't worth bothering with, but I agree with you about other variations. As for value of run-of-the-mill Russian Mosins, I believe I'm spot on.

I bought my first milsurp about 9 years ago and I had a choice between the following:

Turk M38 $69
Russian 91/30 $69

I picked the Turk.

The next milsurp I bought, the prices were about:

'Turked' 98/22 $99
Russian 91/30 $79

The next milsurp I purchased was an unissued Yugo M48 for $169 (About a week after I bought the 98/22.)

After that it was a pair of Swedish M96s for $160 and $170.

Since then, I've bought 7- K-31s for $100 or less each, 3 enfields including a Savage for $150 or less each, A Swedish M94 carbine with a few pieces missing for $199, Several Mosin nagants, I'm not going to include anything over $200 just to keep things as close to an apples to apples comparison.

I'm either incredibly lucky at picking winners in the 'value' race, or I bought things based on my perceived quality of them. Once again, I agree wholeheartedly about Finish Mosins- they are like comparing a Corvette to a Chevette- both Finish and Russian rifles have the same brand name but couldn't be more different in performance. I'll stand by my assertion that one of the gazillion rearsenalled 1942 Ishevsk 91/30s won't be worth more than $70 in today's money 20 years from now.

 

[cracked butt]

I should add that no matter how down I am on Russian M-Ns, I still enjoy shooting my 91/30s.

 

[Cosmoline]

One huge advantage the Mosins have over similar priced Mausers (Turks, for example) is headspacing. I've had far, far more problems with headspace in 8x57JS rifles than in 54R, both because the rim gives you fewer headspace problems and because the Mosin design allows for very easy headspace adjustments. Adjusting Mauser headspace is a much more complex task.

 

[frisbee2421]

got a russian m44, russian 91/30, and a finnish m39, and a boat load of ammo. knocks the dog ****e out of anything you shoot.

 

[frisbee2421]

so solly, i got carried away

 

[frisbee2421]

i love em though

 

[jws527]

My first encounter with a Mosin was at a local gun show. While browsing one of the larger vendor's tables, I saw this dirty, military-looking bolt action rifle with a $79 price tag affixed to the butt of the stock. I pointed it out to my friend (at the time far more knowledgeable on the subject than I was) and asked him how a rifle could fetch such a price on a table full of $700 Garands and modern handguns. He simply replied, "Oh, that's a Mosin-Nagant" and went on to explain that parts actually fell off of a Mosin the first time he handled one. We had a good laugh about it and that was that - since Leon Nagant's name has a French ring to it, I naturally figured it was of French manufacture. While the French make fine furniture and wonderful food and wine, their reputation for engineering weapons, automobiles and similar items of industrial manufacture is somewhat less distinguished and I used that assumption to explain the price.

I ended up purchasing a pistol at that show (my first firearm) after waffling between rifles and handguns for hours; nevertheless, I still wanted a rifle and began my research accordingly. Though I saw them around, Mosin Nagants were never even considered - remember what they say about first impressions! To make a long story short, I narrowed it down between a Mauser 98k and an AK clone, posted a few poll threads on some gun boards, and was deluged with a variety of intriguing suggestions (most notably the K31, which ultimately became the first rifle I bought). That led to me sending in for a C&R license, which in turn led to a Milsurp purchasing spree, which inevitably brought me full circle with the suddenly tempting "cheap" Mosins.

This story is now coming to a close: my first two Mosins (a 91/30 and an M44) are on their way as I write this and are scheduled to arrive on Monday. The Bulgarian surplus ammo I ordered to accompany them should follow shortly thereafter - even worse, I've already started looking at the Finnish models. I fully expect it to end well (for everybody/everything except my wallet, that is).

 

[cracked butt]

We had a good laugh about it and that was that - since Leon Nagant's name has a French ring to it, I naturally figured it was of French manufacture. While the French make fine furniture and wonderful food and wine, their reputation for engineering weapons, automobiles and similar items of industrial manufacture is somewhat less distinguished and I used that assumption to explain the price

The ironic thing about that statement is that French rifles are much better made than the Russian stuff.

 

[researchdoc]

Wasn't Nagant a Belgian?

 

[Drgong]

I think that I am going to pick up another one in the near future, a M44 was the first one I bought, sight unseen, and got burned badly, at least I got a 120 busnell scope out of it. Might pick up one when I finish buying the Browning.

What is the most one would pay for a excellent condition Mosin that has a good barrel and excellent hand picked stock from Inter Ordnance?

 

[esmith]

Yes Mosins are good..very good indeed. Robust, extremely reliable very well balanced (something nobody mention..I find them more balanced than an Enfield or a Mauser) and extremely accurate if in good shape.

Excluding finnish, mosins suck in terms of accuracy. You'll be lucky if you can hold 2-3 MOA with one. My m-44s bore is amazingly in good shape, it shoots groups that are 7-8 MOA.