Mosin-Nagant: Real men shoot Russian...

[Cypress]

The Mosin-Nagant: Russia’s Other Legendary Service Rifle

These aren't "sissy guns" so if you are happy shooting your .22 Thunderbolts, stay away from these. Real Men shoot Russian. -- Larry Beach, fieldandstream.com

The Mosin-nagant is an old school bolt action rifle from Russia. Chambered in the powerful 7.62x54R – rimmed – cartridge, the Mosin-Nagant represents one of the most widely manufactured and dispersed military rifles of all time, similar to the famous AK-47 that replaced it. In fact, the Mosin-Nagant is one of the top 10 most successful bolt-action military service rifles produced in world history, with production numbers approaching 40 million in Russia (and formerly, the Soviet Union) alone.

Hollywood audiences may remember seeing this rifle prominently in the 2001 war drama and book adaptation Enemy At The Gates, wherein legendary Soviet sniper Vasily Zaytsev, depicted by Jude Law, employs incredible marksmanship skills using the Mosin-Nagant.

Originally designed by a drunk Russian engineer and an even more drunk Belgian gunsmith, who drew up blueprints on napkins in the back of a pub somewhere in Siberia in a vodka-induced stupor. The Mosin-nagant fires the 7.62x54r cartridge, which can kill a polar bear at a thousand yards and keep going right through the tree he was standing in front of.

The Mosin-nagant was used by the Russians in both world wars, so it's killed more Germans than collisions on the autobahn and under-cooked sauerkraut combined. Surplus Mosins can be found at gunshops in the States for like a hundred bucks on sale, and ammo is cheap surplus, so this is what real men shoot who don't want to drop $1299.99 on an AR-15.

Many of them come with a bayonet that's roughly the size of the sword William Wallace used in Braveheart. In the absence of gun oil, you can clean a Mosin by pissing down the barrel and wiping the bolt off with a dirty rag that you found on the floor in a Grease Monkey. Try that with a rifle that was designed less than 50 years ago.

Joe: " I need a rifle that is ten feet long and fires anti-tank rounds, but I've only got 200 dollars!"

Ivan: "Amerikan comrade, you need mosin-nagant . Spend 100 on the rifle, fifty on case of ammo, use rest for vodka!"

In Soviet Russia, rifle fire you!!!

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mosin-nagant
https://www.fieldandstream.com/answ...-nagant-rifles-i-have-never-understood-desire
https://www.nrablog.com/articles/2016/12/the-mosin-nagant-russias-other-legendary-service-rifle/

 

[USFREEDOM911]

I've got one with all matching numbers, except for the bayonet.

 

[Cypress]

Groovy.

I think there are a lot of interesting and cool things about guns that could be discussed....without the relentless need some have to lie their asses off about federal agents coming to confiscate "all" their guns.

The Mosin-Nagant in an incredible gun with an incredible history....I personally appreciate the fact that it was used to dispatch hundreds of thousands of Nazis. Does it get any better than that?? I liked the story of the drunken Russian engineer and inebriated Belgian gunsmith designing it on napkins in a bar in Siberia. Obviously, artistic license, but freakin' funny nonetheless.

Another historically significant firearm is the Tokarev TT Russian semi-automatic service pistols...fun to shoot, historically interesting, and undoubtedly used to kill its fair share of Nazis.
https://militaryhistorynow.com/2016...-relic-thats-loved-and-feared-the-world-over/

 

[iDont]

The Mosin is not a gun, it is a CANNON.

When I shot one for the first time damn near blew my arm off.

 

[Cypress]

It has been decades since I shot my fathers, and I don't remember it nearly taking my shoulder out, but I do recall feeling it was a very powerful rifle. I remember it had very significant recoil compared to the M-1 carbine my father let me shoot.

 

[USFREEDOM911]

Groovy.

I think there are a lot of interesting and cool things about guns that could be discussed....without the relentless need some have to lie their asses off about federal agents coming to confiscate "all" their guns.

The Mosin-Nagant in an incredible gun with an incredible history....I personally appreciate the fact that it was used to dispatch hundreds of thousands of Nazis. Does it get any better than that?? I liked the story of the drunken Russian engineer and inebriated Belgian gunsmith designing it on napkins in a bar in Siberia. Obviously, artistic license, but freakin' funny nonetheless.

Another historically significant firearm is the Tokarev TT Russian semi-automatic service pistols...fun to shoot, historically interesting, and undoubtedly used to kill its fair share of Nazis.
https://militaryhistorynow.com/2016...-relic-thats-loved-and-feared-the-world-over/

I was thinking of getting a period style scope for it; but then I would have to make changes to the bolt, so I guess I'll just stick to the adjustable sights.
I do own one of the original cleaning and oiling kits, along with an original pouch to hold all the items.

I would really like to get out and figure out the settings for about 3/4 and 1/2 of a mile.

Unless things have changed, never use the cartridges from overseas; because they really foul the barrel and it's best to buy ones from an US manufacturer.
The overseas ones have aluminum casings, whereas the ones made here are brass.

 

[Nomad]

I have a Nagant revolver.

Identical to this one...

My dad liberated it from a dead Russian officer during WWII.

 

[USFREEDOM911]

I have a Nagant revolver.

Identical to this one...

My dad liberated it from a dead Russian officer during WWII.

Now, that's cool.

 

[Cypress]

I have a Nagant revolver.

Identical to this one...

My dad liberated it from a dead Russian officer during WWII.

That's bloody awesome.

Man, that is a cool ass old-school service revolver.

 

[Cypress]

My father had the M1-carbine, basically the rifle that won World War 2, at least in the Pacific theater. It was hella fun to shoot.

If I were to start my own collection of vintage service rifles, a Lee-Enfield would be a good start. This rifle is beautiful.

 

[Nomad]

Now, that's cool.

That's bloody awesome.

Man, that is a cool ass old-school service revolver.

Thanks.

Unfortunately, for some reason (which I forget) he was required (he claimed) to scratch his initials onto it in a couple of places. So on one side of the barrel and on the bottom of the trigger guard, are my dad's initials kind of scratched into the metal.

Was thinking about contacting a gunsmith to see if there's any good, inexpensive way of filling them in and buffing them down smooth then refinishing the entire gun.

If anyone knows of anything, happy to take suggestions.

Also, I've never fired it. It takes a specially designed type of ammo with a tapered cartridge in which the actual bullet does not extend past the casing. This is due to the unique cylinder design that moves forward when the trigger is pulled, sealing the gap between the cylinder and the back end of the barrel, trapping the exploded gas emitted from the fired bullet thus increasing the acceleration and power behind the bullet as it's expelled from the barrel. I've seen it for sale, but it's kind of expensive. I've heard you can use .32 caliber ammo, but I'm not sure.

No way I'm going to experiment....

 

[Nomad]

My father had the M1-carbine, basically the rifle that won World War 2, at least in the Pacific theater. It was hella fun to shoot.

I have a vintage old Crossman BB gun replica of the M1 carbine...

Real thing on top, BB gun replica below it.

The removable clip stores extra BBs.

Got it for Christmas when I was 10 years old. Still shoots, but not real powerful. You could shoot a raccoon or something with it and it wouldn't break the skin.

Scares the piss out of them and makes them haul ass, though.

Probably stings a little for a minute.

 

[Cypress]

Thanks.

Unfortunately, for some reason (which I forget) he was required (he claimed) to scratch his initials onto it in a couple of places. So on one side of the barrel and on the bottom of the trigger guard, are my dad's initials kind of scratched into the metal.

Was thinking about contacting a gunsmith to see if there's any good, inexpensive way of filling them in and buffing them down smooth then refinishing the entire gun.

If anyone knows of anything, happy to take suggestions.

Also, I've never fired it. It takes a specially designed type of ammo with a tapered cartridge in which the actual bullet does not extend past the casing. This is due to the unique cylinder design that moves forward when the trigger is pulled, sealing the gap between the cylinder and the back end of the barrel, trapping the exploded gas emitted from the fired bullet thus increasing the acceleration and power behind the bullet as it's expelled from the barrel. I've seen it for sale, but it's kind of expensive. I've heard you can use .32 caliber ammo, but I'm not sure.

No way I'm going to experiment....

Interesting stuff.
I have no where near enough knowledge on the technical specs to share any useful suggestions.
Just to add that this revolver is an amazing piece of history. These things go back to the Imperial Russian Army in tsarist times, were ubiquitous throughout the Russian Civil War, and were in wide use by the Red Army and Soviet security forces up through WW2. My father had one, which I think he might have inherited from my grandfather, who was an officer in the imperial army, having served in the Russo-Japanese war. I never saw my Pop bring it to the gun range, and I never saw him shoot it, so your explanation on the ammunition specs all kind of seems to hit the mark.

Thanks for sharing the info, and good luck restoring that revolver!

 

[Nomad]

Interesting stuff.
I have no where near enough knowledge on the technical specs to share any useful suggestions.
Just to add that this revolver is an amazing piece of history. These things go back to the Imperial Russian Army in tsarist times, were ubiquitous throughout the Russian Civil War, and were in wide use by the Red Army and Soviet security forces up through WW2. My father had one, which I think he might have inherited from my grandfather, who was an officer in the imperial army, having served in the Russo-Japanese war. I never saw my Pop bring it to the gun range, and I never saw him shoot it, so your explanation on the ammunition specs all kind of seems to hit the mark.

Thanks for sharing the info, and good luck restoring that revolver!

Thanks.

Another interesting bit of the history of the Nagant revolver involves the manufacturing date stamp on the side just behind the trigger and above the grip.

They were manfactured between 1895 and the 1930's or 40's I think. I saw the date 1917 stamped on mine and thought that because of the significance of that year to the history of Russia, that maybe it would increase the value.

Turns out that several thousand of them were recalled and rounded up by the govt, sent back to the factory and had the original manufacture date ground off and restamped with the year 1917.

Oh well.

 

[/MSG/]

Thanks.

Unfortunately, for some reason (which I forget) he was required (he claimed) to scratch his initials onto it in a couple of places. So on one side of the barrel and on the bottom of the trigger guard, are my dad's initials kind of scratched into the metal.

Was thinking about contacting a gunsmith to see if there's any good, inexpensive way of filling them in and buffing them down smooth then refinishing the entire gun.

If anyone knows of anything, happy to take suggestions.

Also, I've never fired it. It takes a specially designed type of ammo with a tapered cartridge in which the actual bullet does not extend past the casing. This is due to the unique cylinder design that moves forward when the trigger is pulled, sealing the gap between the cylinder and the back end of the barrel, trapping the exploded gas emitted from the fired bullet thus increasing the acceleration and power behind the bullet as it's expelled from the barrel. I've seen it for sale, but it's kind of expensive. I've heard you can use .32 caliber ammo, but I'm not sure.

No way I'm going to experiment....

Don't refinsih it, you destroy the historical value of the piece.

If you want ammo PPU makes some, as does Fiocchi. Both are fairly under powered compared to military loadings that it was designed for.

https://ammoseek.com/ammo/7.62x38-nagant-revolver

 

[/MSG/]

 

[iewitness]

I have a Nagant revolver.

Identical to this one...

My dad liberated it from a dead Russian officer during WWII.

that is not a pistol; that is a hand grenade.

 

[USFREEDOM911]

that is not a pistol; that is a hand grenade.

???

 

[iewitness]

???

it is a joke.

 

[signalmankenneth]

I purchased an unissuesd 1952 Russian SKS rifle in the mid 1990's, put it on a modern stock and mags!