Show me your Mosin's

[ski9393]

After this year's deer season, I want to refinish the wood on my ugly old homemade mosin sniper. I would really appreciate some tips if anyone has any and to see what all is out there for my inspiration if you wil. About my rifle, it is a Finnish capture, with a P/U scope that my granddad brought back from Korea 60 years ago. I have shimmed the scope to obtain a proper sight picture, shimmed the trigger spring retaining screw to achieve a trigger of about 2.5 lbs and bought the proper bolt and mounts for the scope. In about six months or so I want to make it as pretty to look at as it is to shoot. I appreciate all of your advice and especially the pictures (hey what can I say, I'll always be a kid at heart) I'll soon post a picture of it as is and one on completion of this project. Thanks again to all members of TFF.

[cosmo05]

If you do anything at all, just wipe it down. Unless the finish is totaly gone I wouldn't touch it. And if it is gone, there is a certain way to refinish the stock without ruining the rifle's value. Do you realize what you have there? Check this site, after that you may not want to touch anything on your rifle. Go down to the collector's forum, Mosin Nagant Headqurters and see what you can find.

http://forums.gunboards.com/

Also check here:

http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/default.asp

And here:

http://www.7.62x54r.net/

[ski9393]

When I bought this rifle in 2002, I paid about 90 dollars for it. I think that is good, hope I didn't rip off the gun dealer, but no I don't have any idea how valuable this rifle is. The stock is pretty rough looking. The bluing seems pretty good for it's age. You seem to know a bit about these, on the reciever it has a mark that looks kind of like a family crest or something along those lines, mosin nagant.net says it may be an austrian mark, it has a hex reciever, the magazine trapdoor has a serial number that has been lined out, the arshens on the left side of the rear sight have been lined out and meters stamped in on the right side, it has a D marking wich I understand indicates it was rechambered for d166 cartridge,the curious thing about this is that the D isn't up write like when I type it but on it's side, a B marking on the barrel, and a boxed SA wich I understand to mean property of the Finnish Army,and the barrel is dated 1942. It was not originally a sniper, I inherited the PU scope after my grandad passed and bought the bolt handle and mounts to fit this rifle.It shoots darn good now, the trigger pull was rediculously heavy before, it is just some shims under the trigger spring screw and can be taken out easily to bring it back to factory. Now that you know this cosmo, I'm very interested in your opinion. But once again I really don't know what I have as far as monetary value goes. I also remember seeing something in the bowels of the rifle's reciever dated 1905, if I had to gues, given the above info, it was originally a Russian reciever with a later barrel installed in a Finn arsenal or something. I don't really know however, eventually I will pull it back down to confirm wether or not my eyes were playing tricks on me when I went to shim up that trigger.

[gdmoody]

[ski9393]

Very nice. I like the 91 being shiny and all. Did you buy it shiny or did you have to work on it to get it that way? If you had to do anything to it I'd like to know so I have a better idea about what I'm getting into when it comes to be that time.

[50 BMG]

[JLA]

I built mine into a deer gun. Its an M91/30 1929 over the hammer and cicle.

[ski9393]

Looks great all of them. I greatly appreciate all of you taking the time to put these little tackdrivers online.

[gandog56]

And I want MORE!

[ski9393]

These are just great rifles. I only have the one but I wouldn't mind a few more setting around the house.

[Claude Clay]

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinHumor.htm

a repeat for many of us
but it may be new to you.......

[clamenza]

great collection. i have a couple of SA marked my self. sk y hits in the 9 ring @ 200 yards

[ski9393]

Here's a couple shots of my one and only Mosin. She's a little rough around the edges, but it shoots a darn good group at 100 yards. Let's see, it has an SA mark, and a B mark hex receiver. The bolt body isn't original, I had to buy that, the Scope and half of the mount came from a rifle my grandad destroyed in Korea. I don't know if he came across an arms cache or killed a gook sniper or what, I just know he found a sniper rifle somehow and brought the scope back sometime around the Chosin Reservoir campaign. That scope has a sickle and hammer marking, no import marks. Enjoy, I know I do.
Ski

[zkovach]

Here is one of three the other two i left original

[ski9393]

these are great deer rifles, well maybe not the 91/30 on account of it's weight and size but the 44's are.

[phx gun owner]

Nice rifles !!

[Airborne80]

You guys have talked me into buying one of these. Where is the best place to pick up a decent one?

[bbqznbeer]

I bought this Fin capture '36 Tula 91/30 over 25yr ago from a cataloge company out of Manitoba Canada , long before the internet . ( $48 delivered to southern Ontario )
I don't hunt with it but it's staying in my collection.
Much of the shellac was worn off so I cleaned down the stocks with Methyl Hydrate and handrubbed in a thin coat of amber colored shellac.

[SwampElk]

I gave 2 stock M38's to my sons but decided to make a 91/30 custom for me...

Richards Microfit stock, floated barrel, bedded action, and my perversion of a turn down bolt, along with my own version of a ring pull safety that's been ripped off on several sites (all using a cheap silver soldered u-bolt) and an ATI scope mount.

It shoots 1" groups at 250 yds only because I wiggle too much....

[SwampElk]

JLA, that looks like one of my ring pulls....did you get it on ebay or do it yourself? and let me see the bolt handle please....

[blackcat_attilio]

Hi folks! Here is my M91/30. The Finns captured and reworked it. It's a nice kid, for me...

[pinecone70]

Originally Posted by blackcat_attilio

Hi folks! Here is my M91/30. The Finns captured and reworked it. It's a nice kid, for me...

Very nice! Mine doesn't look so nice!!

[blackcat_attilio]

Originally Posted by pinecone70

Very nice! Mine doesn't look so nice!!

....1,000,000 thanks, Piney....

[mesinge2]

Stuff you know if you have an AK
Stuff you know if you have an AR
Stuff you know if you have a Mosin Nagant

AK-It works though you have never cleaned it. Ever.
AR-You have $9 per ounce special non-detergent synthetic Teflon infused oil for cleaning.
MN-It was last cleaned in Berlin in 1945.

AK-You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from inside.
AR-You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from 600 meters.
MN-You can hit the farm from two counties over.

AK-Cheap mags are fun to buy.
AR-Cheap mags melt.
MN-What's a mag?

AK-Your safety can be heard from 300 meters away.
AR-You can silently flip off the safety with your finger on the trigger.
MN-What's a safety?

AK-Your rifle comes with a cheap nylon sling.
AR-Your rifle has a 9 point stealth tactical suspension system.
MN-You rifle has dog collars.

AK-Your bayonet makes a good wire cutter.
AR-Your bayonet is actually a pretty good steak knife.
MN-Your bayonet is longer than your leg.

AK-You can put a .30" hole through 12" of oak, if you can hit it.
AR-You can put one hole in a paper target at 100 meters with 30 rounds.
MN-You can knock down everyone else's target with the shock wave of your bullet going downrange.

AK-When out of ammo your rifle will nominally pass as a club.
AR-When out of ammo, your rifle makes a great wiffle bat.
MN-When out of ammo, your rifle makes a supreme war club, pike, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood.

AK-Recoil is manageable, even fun.
AR-What's recoil?
MN-Recoil is often used to relocate shoulders thrown out by the previous shot.

AK-Your sight adjustment goes to "10", and you've never bothered moving it.
AR-Your sight adjustment is incremented in fractions of minute of angle.
MN-Your sight adjustment goes to 12 miles and you've actually tried it.

AK-Your rifle can be used by any two bit nation's most illiterate conscripts to fight elite forces worldwide.
AR-Your rifle is used by elite forces worldwide to fight two bit nations' most illiterate conscripts.
MN-Your rifle has fought against itself and won every time.

AK-Your rifle won some revolutions.
AR-Your rifle won the Cold War.
MN-Your rifle won a pole vault event.

AK-You paid $350.
AR-You paid $900.
MN-You paid $59.95.

AK-You buy cheap ammo by the case.
AR-You lovingly reload precision crafted rounds one by one.
MN-You dig your ammo out of a farmer's field in Ukraine and it works just fine.

AK-You can intimidate your foe with the bayonet mounted.
AR-You foes laugh when you mount your bayonet.
MN-You can bayonet your foe on the other side of the river without leaving the comfort of your hole.

AK-Service life, 50 years.
AR-Service life, 40 years.
MN-Service life, 100 years, and counting.

AK-It's easier to buy a new rifle when you want to change cartridge sizes.
AR-You can change cartridge sizes with the push of a couple of pins and a new upper.
MN-You believe no real man would dare risk the ridicule of his friends by suggesting there is anything but 7.62x54r.

AK-You can repair your rifle with a big hammer and a swift kick.
AR-You can repair your rifle by taking it to a certified gunsmith, it's under warranty!
MN-If your rifle breaks, you buy a new one.

AK-You consider it a badge of honor when you get your handguards burst into flames.
AR-You consider it a badge of honor when you shoot a sub-MOA 5 shot group.
MN-You consider it a badge of honor when you cycle 5 rounds without the aid of a 2x4.

AK-After a long day the range you relax by watching "Red Dawn".
AR-After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Blackhawk Down".
MN-After a long day at the range you relax by visiting the chiropractor.

AK-After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for a stiff shot of Vodka.
AR-After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for hotdogs and apple pie.
MN-After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for shishkabob.

AK-You can accessorize you rifle with a new muzzle brake or a nice stock set.
AR-Your rifle's accessories are eight times more valuable than your rifle.
MN-Your rifle's accessory is a small tin can with a funny lid, but it's buried under an apartment building somewhere in Budapest.

AK-Your rifle's finish is varnish and paint.
AR-Your rifle's finish is Teflon and high tech polymers.
MN-Your rifle's finish is low grade shellac, cosmoline and Olga's toe nails.

AK-Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Mikhail Kalashnikov.
AR-Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Eugene Stoner.
MN-You're not sure there WERE cameras to photograph Sergei Mosin.

AK-Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to hold your rifle over your head and shout "Wolverines!"
AR-Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to clear your house, slicing the pie from room to room.
MN-Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the the yard to sleep in.

There you have it. In the end, it is clear to any open minded inquirer that the Mosin Nagant is the most superior weapon of all time, but the AR and the AK come out as a draw when compared side by side.