Anyone hunt with a Mosin?

[kb4ns]

So does anyone hunt with a Mosin? I'm looking at getting into hunting (if someone will teach me the ropes!) and looking to do it at a low price for now, getting a better rifle as time goes on and funds become available. With the 7.62x54R round falling (ballistically) between the .308 and the .30-06 and the nice relatively flat trajectory, it has to be a decent hunting round, right?

[Guest Jcochran88]

I took mine last year but never, seen anything during legal shooting hours.

[Rightwinger]

Yep, I hunted with the Mosin. You just need soft point ammo. Available on line and a few stores in Tennessee.

[DWARREN123]

If in good shape and with the right ammo it can take most North American game. It was used in many countries (may still be) as a hunting rifle.

[kb4ns]

Well I think I'm going to have to pick up another 91/30. I had an M44 & a 91/30 for a while, but sold them when I needed cash. Seeing as how the 91/30's are still cheap, I might have to pick another one up. If memory serves correctly, the 91/30 did so well with iron sights, I can get by with those 'til I decide to get a more expensive gun.

[Good_Steward]

I haven't, but I would. Basically the Euro version of the .30-06, which has killed probably as many whitetail as anything, except maybe the 30/30.

[Guest Bronker]

...except maybe the 30/30.

And General Motors vehicles:D

[G27]

I've not hunted with any of my 91/30's but would without a second thought, as long as I had the bayonet on...

[Guest Bronker]

...thinkin'...

[Rightwinger]

does it hurt much?

[G27]

...thinkin'...

I can smell the smoke from here...

[kb4ns]

...thinkin'...

I guess that didn't end up going anywhere...

Well, I figured at the price of a 91/30, I can't go wrong. I ordered a hex receiver 91/30 yesterday. Let the wait for the big brown truck begin...

Depending on how well it does, I might buy a regular ole round receiver model and give it my best shot at "sporterization". Normally, I'd be 110% against "sporterizing" an old military gun, but there were something like 17 MILLION 91/30's made - hence the $69 price tag. Plus, I've seen some good looking sporterized 91/30's...

Edited August 5, 2010 by kb4ns

[Alleycat72]

The K31 Swiss is the most accurate military surplus rifle I have ever shot and it’s $199 at JG sales.

[roverboy]

I'm not much on sporterizing either but they did make a lot of them. I had a '43 Izhvesk that looked like they milled out the reciever in about 30 seconds. Deep tool marks everywhere. Good bore though. I sold it to my brother who loves it. Oh by the way I've not hunted with my Mosins yet. I will though.

[my82cam]

that is just how i got into deer hunting, a mosin that i sporterized. think i killed 2 deer with it before i got bigger and better things. but it sure did the job well, that's for sure! i would hunt with one again if i needed to.

[Angus]

I plan on removing some yotes from a friends property with my 91/30.....we have no use for the pelts, so the 7.62x54 is perfect for "disposing" of most of the animal.

[G27]

Depending on how well it does, I might buy a regular ole round receiver model and give it my best shot at "sporterization". Normally, I'd be 110% against "sporterizing" an old military gun, but there were something like 17 MILLION 91/30's made - hence the $69 price tag. Plus, I've seen some good looking sporterized 91/30's...

Yah, I'm with you 100% here. Normally I'd never consider it but I already have three VGC hex 91/30's, might be fun to make one that's a little diff.

Let me know how it goes, I wanna see/shoot it when you're done. You should start a thread about it as you do it...

[kb4ns]

Yah, I'm with you 100% here. Normally I'd never consider it but I already have three VGC hex 91/30's, might be fun to make one that's a little diff.

Let me know how it goes, I wanna see/shoot it when you're done. You should start a thread about it as you do it...

That's not a bad idea - if I go through with it. I'm not in as big a hurry since I picked up a "real" huntin' rifle.

[Guest BEARMAN]

Had a friend who hunted with his Mosin, back in the 70's...it put some big 'ol holes in the deer he shot with it...and they dropped DRT.

So kb, from what I can say about it is this bro...practice, practice & practice some more...and then go have fun and put you some delicious venison on the table, my friend.

Bearman

[Guest 1shot]

Just practice with it a lot. You may have to build up the height of the front sight. Most of the 91/30's shoot about 6 to 8" high at 100 yards unless you have the bayonet attached. They were sighted in with the bayonets fixed because they were always to be used with the bayonet fixed. Have you ever seen a scabbard for a Russian 91/30 bayonet? No, and you will not because they were never made.

The Wolf 200 gr SP ammo usually shoots pretty well in these. If you hand load you can really make these rifles shoot. I would do this anyway. Remove the barreled action from the stock. Take you a piece of metal or hard plastic about the thickness of a credit card and drill a hole in it the size of your action screws and cut them to fit under the action where the action screws screw into the action. place them between the stock and the action. This is called shimming the action and this will free float your barrel in the forearm. Then take a piece of felt cloth about 4 inches long and wide enough so it will make one wrap around the barrel about 2 inches back of where the barrel exits the forearm. Put some oil on this felt piece and wrap it around the barrel and place it into the stock and replace the hand guard. This will help float the barrel and give it a cushioned pressure point. This is how the Finn's did their sniper rifles. It really makes these rifle more accurate.

Next slug your bore. Take a soft lead fishing sinker or muzzle loader ball .314 to .316 diameter, I use .315 diameter muzzle loader ball. Remove the bolt of the rifle and drop it into the chamber. Take the metal cleaning rod and insert it through the action down onto the ball. Place a piece of wood on top of the end of the cleaning rod sticking out of the action and hammer on the wood to drove the led ball into the bore as far as you can. Now use some dowel rod pieces that will fit into the bore that are cut about 6" long and after removing the steel cleaning rod drop a dowel piece in and hammer it some, repeating this procedure until you push the slug out the muzzle. Measure the slug from the opposing high spots these are where the grooves in the bore were. If it measures .310 to .3105 use a .311 diameter bullet. If it measures .3105 to .3115 use .312 diameter bullets.

Here is THE LOAD for the 7.62X54R that is super accurate in every M/N I have ever seen. 50 grs of Accurate XMP-4350, CCI 200 primer, Graf/Prvi case, If you need a .311 diameter bullet use a Sierra 180 gr SP for hunting and the 174 gr Match King for target and the OAL is 3.000 and use a Lee Factory Crimp Die with a medium crimp. For rifles that need .312 diameter bullets use the Hornady 174 RNSP and load it with an OAL of 2.790 and again use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. This makes this load more accurate. Have fun dragging you deer out. [:=})

Edited August 30, 2010 by memphismason
broke up the post for easier reading