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Mosin Nagant

FogRider

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Joined
Jul 23, 2007
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1,412
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Centennial, Colorado, USA
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I cashed in my spare change today, and was pleasantly surprised to find I had about enough to get the Nagant I've been looking at. I was planning on getting one off of Gunbroker.com. Is there anything specific I ought to look for? Something that would tell me to pass, or something that is a good sign that it's a good gun? I know what to look for in general, but I need some Nagant specific advise.
 

Evil Ernie

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Nov 18, 2007
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779
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Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
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Fog,

Head over to Big 5 on Quebec. Bring a borelight or a small maglight to check the bore. Also if you have a 7.62x54R round handy (or 7.62 of any length) to check for counterboring and/or heavy bore wear.

M/N's are clunky to begin with so don't worry if the bolt wobbles in the groove, as long as it locks in solid to the chamber, you're ok.

Biggest thing to really worry about it bore condition. Most will be worn but servicable. What you don't want is a sewerpipe where the rifling is either filled in or gone. Big 5 sells commonly found Izzy's and an occasional Tula. If you find an ex-sniper or a Finn, then you've witnessed a miracle!

I'm looking to get a new one as well. My 16 yr old took his with him when he left and it sits in a closet in Central PA.:cry:

If you decide to head over there, let me know. I might tag along if ya don't mind!

Also, for more infoon www.7.62x54r.net
 

FogRider

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Jul 23, 2007
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Well, I stopped in to the Big 5 on Illif and the had one M91/30, so I picked it up for $110. It seems to be in pretty good condition, but I'm not sure the previous owner ever cleaned it. I'll have to take it out to the range in the next few days and let you know how it shoots.
 

Evil Ernie

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Nov 18, 2007
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Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
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CONGRATS!!!!!!!
Not too bad of a price!
OK, big advice here. Clean that rifle to within an inch of it's life. Last time it was cleaned was probably 40+ yrs ago, then glommed with cosmo and set in storage til the russians needed to raise $$.
Also, head over to www.surplusrifle.com and get the tear down specs and procedures. I wish I coulda came with ya today!!!

Get pics!!!! I wanna see!!!!!!!!!
 

FogRider

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Jul 23, 2007
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Centennial, Colorado, USA
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I did some googling and found some disassembly instructions. It took me a good hour and a half to get all the crud out of it, but once I did it looks pretty good. I got a couple pics, but it's to damn long to get a decent shot of the whole thing.

005.jpg


004.jpg


003.jpg


001.jpg


002.jpg
 

FogRider

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Jul 23, 2007
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Centennial, Colorado, USA
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I had it out at the range today, and it shoots pretty good. The only problem is it's shooting pretty good high and right. I've figured out that I can move front sight to bring it left, but I need to bring it down about 6" at 50yd, and the rear sight is already as low as it will go. What's the best way to go about this?
 

Evil Ernie

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Ah, gotta raise the front sight but there's no real estate left to do so. The high/right problem is very common. According to what I've heard and read, the Mosin Nagant was intended to be used with the bayonet fixed and was usually sighted in as such. The deflection caused by the bayo usually made it shoot high/right when the bayo was removed. I've also heard that Mosin Nagants were sighted in for 300 meters at the factory. No biggie.
Most folks use two ways of raising the sight.

1. Get a nail the same diameter as the sight post. cut it to length (preferably longer than the original sight :p) and install it. Shoot 3-5 round groups and cut/grind/file the nail down as needed. This may take some time and possibly a few nails.

2. Go to Wally World or a local pharmacy and look for the hollow tubed Q-tips. Usually the really cheap ones have a diameter that will fit the existing sight. Cut to length and adjust as necessary. Most folks paint them black and super glue them into place once the desired zero is achieved.

There are those few brave souls that go to the extreme and start filing a deeper sight groove in the rear sight, but sometimes that doesn't turn out so well.

When adjusting to and fro on the front sight, use a wooden dowel and a brass hammer, or just the brass hammer alone. Every Mosin Nagant Masterpiece is different; some sights move just right, some don't move at all without using a low yield nuke, some shoot across the firing line and take out the eye of some 8 yr old first timer shooting the Cricket that their daddy bought them.

Welcome to the addiction. Those of us afflicted lovingly call it "Mosinitis". The only way to ease the pain is to get your C&R license and start having them delivered to the house!!!

Hope this helps and get us some pics of the reciever details!!! Oh, and look for setscrews inside the reciever wall on the left side. If ya got those, then it's an ex-sniper!
 

Phreakedout

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Aug 15, 2008
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Bayonet will likely fix the issue. Try it and you'll see how much of a difference it makes. Apparently its really bad on the M-44 models. Your 91/30 is pretty sweet, nice wood, what did you pay if you don't mind me asking? Quite a looker...


Oh and watch out for the dreaded "sticky bolt" syndrome! although annoying its fairly easy to fix. Have fun with that gun Comrade!
 

FogRider

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Jul 23, 2007
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Centennial, Colorado, USA
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Phreakedout wrote:
Bayonet will likely fix the issue. Try it and you'll see how much of a difference it makes. Apparently its really bad on the M-44 models. Your 91/30 is pretty sweet, nice wood, what did you pay if you don't mind me asking? Quite a looker...
I might try the bayonet just for grins and giggles, but I'd rather just fix it. I gave ~$110 for it at Big 5 Sporting Goods. What I really like is $10 for a 20rd box of ammo. That's going to be great.
 

Evil Ernie

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WHAT?!?!?!?!? 10$ for 20 Rounds?!?!?!? My friend, you got ripped off...

440rounds of milsurp ammo can be had for less than$80. You can either order it online, or wait til the Tanner show and buy it right there.

Remember: Buy It Cheap and Stack It Deep
 

demnogis

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Jul 21, 2008
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Orange County, California, USA
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I usually buy a tin of ammo for my M44 (nice choice, btw!) from cheaperthandirt.com. Good 'ol steel core rounds, great for hitting a ¼" plate 500 meters out.

Just remember to ask for the opener for your tin... (Learned that one the hard way...)

Also, I think a lot of ranges won't let you fire with the bayonette out.
 

357luvr

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Jul 10, 2006
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Barboursville, Virginia, USA
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I've been watching this thread and have a lot of interest in war rifles. I would love to have a Garand or M1 Carbine. However those are both rather expensive especially when compared to the Nagant. To learn that the ammo is as cheap as the gun is the deciding factor that has led me to believe that a Nagant will be my next weapon. Can anyone give me a history of this particular weapon. Comparing it to the 1903 springfield would be appreciated. Thanks!
 

FogRider

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Jul 23, 2007
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Centennial, Colorado, USA
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I know that was more than I had to pay, but I wanted to shoot and Gander Mtn. was my only reasonable option at the time. It looks like the Tanner Gun show is coming up within a few weeks, so I will be stocking up. The $10 was compared to the rest of my big guns.
 
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