Mosin questions

[ShafTed]

As threat... uh, promised I managed to get some pictures.



I don't completely understand the podiatric fetish in these pictures, but I hope this qualifies.


Hard to see much except the importer's mark, but it's a 1940 Tula with matching numbers, except a forced match magazine floorplate.



There is a square with a diagonal line on the stock. I have no idea what it means.


Some flaking paint on the barrel.



It has been counterbored, but to my un-expert eye the bore doesn't look too bad. (Maybe I'm not much of a photographer either, but it was REALLY hard to get a photo of the inside of the bore!)


PS how the heck do I get the pictures to appear in line with the text instead of all bunched up at the bottom? I looked at the FAQ section which mentions an arrow next to the icon image, but I can't seem to find any arrows!

 

[Infantry23]

Nice looking rifle!

 

[monsternav]

Square with a slash is an arsenal re-furb mark, I do believe.

Counterboring is done based on muzzel damage, not general bore condition. It either had a nick or something, or more likely, was wallowed out from improper cleaning with the steel cleaning rod.

Even when nice and clean, firing the light ball ammo Mosin often need to be manhandled. What DennisCA says is true in my experience. Do make sure it's clean though.

 

[Machodoc]

Just a bit of further elucidation to a good response ....

Square with a slash is an arsenal re-furb mark, I do believe.

Usually attributed to an arsenal in the Ukraine, but that could be urban C&R legend.

Counterboring is done based on muzzel damage, not general bore condition. It either had a nick or something, or more likely, was wallowed out from improper cleaning with the steel cleaning rod.

True, but so many of the arsenal refurbs have been crowned or counter-bored that it's apparent this was just done as a matter of course. From my own observation of probably a few hundred Mosins over the years, most appear to have just had the muzzle crowns dressed, rather than being counter-bored, but many were counter-bored.

Even when nice and clean, firing the light ball ammo Mosin often need to be manhandled. What DennisCA says is true in my experience. Do make sure it's clean though.

"Sticky bolt" is usually caused by some (even a very small) amount of cosmoline being left in the chamber, but some lacquer-coated ammo casings will also essentially "hot glue" themselves into a chamber if the tolerances are tight on the chamber. As a test for the latter, you can wipe the lacquer off a few rounds with acetone (or the wife's fingernail polish remover ... or your own, if you are a goth or cross-dresser ... don't want to be sexist here) and then try them.

 

[Alphabrew]

Yep, the square with a diagonal is def a refurb mark. They can also appear on the receiver and sometimes slightly different, like as a box with a line bisecting the middle that is not diagonal.

Although your pics of the counterbore are really good, you can also quickly check to see if it's counterbored by sticking a round down the muzzle end of the barrel. If the muzzle swallows up part of the neck of the casing, it's counterbored. If the bullet itself hangs up before you get to the casing, it's not counterbored. As far as I know counterboring is not good or bad, nor does it affect accuracy or collectibility.

 

[Erno86]

A Mosin jam, {failure to feed}, with the bolt grabbing the base of the cartridge and the nose of the bullet pointed down --- is a potentially dangerous hazard --- due to the possibility of the round going off if you try to force the bolt too close.

Ease the bolt back and remove the live round. I've had one my Mosin's jam like that once --- though I can't verify the potential hazard of this type of jam --- I've heard from a member at AGC...that a former RSO over at AGC, suffered an unintentional discharge from that type of Mosin jam, with the bullet exiting the bottom of the wooden forearm and passing thru his support hand.

I bought a small sized slip-on recoil pad for my Mosin's from Cabelas, but it made the length of pull way too long. I just use a number of "Bag of Rags" that I buy from auto parts stores...and stuff a few under my shirt.

 

[zebramochaman]

I have the butt plate from Tickbite. It works very well on all of my Mosins.

 

[knastera]

Fighting the sticky bolt syndrome on the Mosin Nagant

For the sticky bolt, I recommend that you check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLL20Oh4P8M. Instead of the bore compound, I used a heavyweight carb cleaner. As far as the spring mod goes, I don't have that guy's tools so I bought a 21 lb. light load spring from C&R Surplus Spring for $6.95 (https://www.crsurplusspring.com/SSfiringpinspring.html). Between the techniques in the video and the light spring, Katja rocks with only needing two fingers to open and close the bolt.

Andy Knaster
U.S. Army Veteran
NRA Member
Mosin-Nagant M91/30 Loyalist

 

[poppop02]

I just purchased my first Mosin 91/30 and it arrived today. Lots of work to do to clean it. Looking at the markings it looks like from what research I have done it is a Izhevsk 1933 Dragoon. Is that possible? I am very new to these and want to make sure I am correct in posting what I have received.

 

[yellowsled]

post a pic of the markings on the reciever

 

[poppop02]

Trying to upload the pictures now having difficulty getting error trying to load them

 

[reverendbeer]

Trying to upload the pictures now having difficulty getting error trying to load them

Use imageshack. It's easier and works better, IMHO...

 

[Boom Boom]

In regards to bruising, a shotgun shoulder pad will work, http://www.midwayusa.com/product/680235/past-field-recoil-pad-shield-ambidextrous

 

[psoyring]

Could be a 91/30 ex-dragoon, but if it was full of cosmo then probably not a regular dragoon.

I just purchased my first Mosin 91/30 and it arrived today. Lots of work to do to clean it. Looking at the markings it looks like from what research I have done it is a Izhevsk 1933 Dragoon. Is that possible? I am very new to these and want to make sure I am correct in posting what I have received.

 

[jkeiler]

I have a Mosin 91/30 with a chronically sticky bolt. A M-44 that runs pretty fine. I consider it just the luck of the draw and the charm of the Mosin. Remember the conditions under which these rifles were built, the soldiers that were expected to use them, and the conditions under which they were fought.

 

[Chaunsey]

I have a Mosin 91/30 with a chronically sticky bolt. A M-44 that runs pretty fine. I consider it just the luck of the draw and the charm of the Mosin. Remember the conditions under which these rifles were built, the soldiers that were expected to use them, and the conditions under which they were fought.

sticky bolt is not simply a characteristic of some mosins.

it is an issue and is normally a pretty easy fix.

heres a good article on it.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/eliminatesbs/index.asp

 

[Melnic]

for those wanting more accuracy from your mosin look at smith-sights.com article on the subject. he now sells a worthwhile kit that is cheaper an much quicker than hunting around for the parts and is ready to put in. I think all you will also need is some 100grit sandpaper to add to the process.

also don't shoot too fast barrel heating even if you accurize is a factor in both accuracy and sticky bolt with surplus rounds

 

[poppop02]

Picture of markings

Here is the picture of the markings. All serial numbers match except the bayonet.

 

[psoyring]

Looks like an Izhevsk arsenal refurbished 91/30, would have to see the back of the rear sight base to know whether it was an ex-dragoon, but the date is kind of late for that.

 

[Son of the Oozlefinch]

As others have mentioned, there is a dodge to loading Mosin strippers. The rim of each round must go in front of the rim of the round below it. If done right, the rounds in the loaded stripper clip will be angled slightly upward from the perpendicular. When you insert the stripper into the receiver cut the rounds should point "up". Loading the stripper upside down, i.e. rounds pointing down, will cause jams. If the clips are loaded correctly you can load them in one motion with moderate, even thumb pressure. You can still get cuts from them, though. Even from real Tula-marked wartime clips. Nothing fixes that.