Educate me on the Mosin/Nagant

[high standard 40]

OK, so I finally gave in a purchased one of the Mosin Nagant M91/30 rifles today from Cabela's and this is my first such rifle. I have no experience with this piece of history so am asking for some knowledge. I understand that the bores can vary but are usually .311" to .312". Is this true? I do plan to slug the bore to be sure. Are these rifles usually throated long? What weight bollit and design do they seem to like? Any favorite loads, light plinkers or full hunting loads? Where can I find boxer primed brass? My mind is a sponge, load me up.

[Larry Gibson]

Ya know, if you'd run a "search" (on the tool bar for this forum at the top of the page) you will get an information overload that will answer your questions. Volumes have already been written/posted answering your questions. Do clean your MN's bore and slug it. They are "supposed" to be .311 - .312. Most are but a lot are larger and smaller and they are long throated.

Larry Gibson

[high standard 40]

I used the search function and found answers to some of my questions. I do find "searching" to be somewhat frustrating though. I entered 7.62 X 54R and got absolutely no matches. How you enter a word or phrase affects your results. I used Mosin and got a bunch of unrelated hits along with some good posts. I found a lot of info at 7.62x54r.net

I was unable to find an answer to another question. If I choose to go with the Lee C312-185-1R mold, is the shank sized for 30 caliber gas checks or 32 caliber gas checks?

[Hamish]

Your Google-Fu is weak, Grasshopper, when you can snatch the Boolit from my hand, ready then, you will be,,,,,

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/search.php?searchid=3772036

[Beekeeper]

whada you want to know?
Got 8 of them and shoot 2 regulary.
am not an expert by any means but will give what I got if you ask.


beekeeper

[plmitch]

I've been using the Lee C312-185-1R with .30 GC and have had no problems. Its a good little mold, makes a nice boolit for my Mosins.

[burntpowder]

Some are really good the rest are really good.

[high standard 40]

whada you want to know?
Got 8 of them and shoot 2 regulary.
am not an expert by any means but will give what I got if you ask.


beekeeper

What are your favorite loads? What have you tried that did not work out?
In the searching I have done, of the 3 suitable Lee molds, I have heard that the 155gr and 185gr bullets perform better than the 160gr which is a tumble lube design.

What about brass? I see that Prvi Partizan, Norma, and Lapua sell cases. Sellier & Bellot has boxer primed ammo. What has been your experience with brass.....the good, the bad, and the ugly?

[Dutchman]

What about brass? I see that Prvi Partizan, Norma, and Lapua sell cases. Sellier & Bellot has boxer primed ammo. What has been your experience with brass.....the good, the bad, and the ugly?

Lapua is king of the hill right next to Norma.

However, I use Graf (Privi) brass in 7.62x54R and 7.5x55 Swiss. With cast bullet loads there's not a lot of destructive pressure on the cases so they last a lot longer than if you were shooting j-type bullets.

Dutch

[Kraschenbirn]

I've used Privi brass in my Tula 91/30 from Day One and some of my cases have been reloaded a half-dozen times or more. (Actually, I just, last night, "loaned" a buddy 25 of my multi-fired Privi cases and a few dozen boolits so that he can begin experimenting with loads for the Sako M39 he picked up last weekend.)

So far as loads, I've pretty much settled on the Lee 312-155 over 19.5 gr. of A2400. In my rifle, more accurate at 100M than any FL I've tried...either milsurp or Privi factory...and inexpensive/easy to load. While I've tried a couple combinations...with 'ho-hum' results...using the 185 gr. Lee, I haven't put a lot of time/effort into the project because the 155-grainer shoots so well in my MN and, as others on this forum have lamented: "So many rifles, so little time..."

Bill

[high standard 40]

Thanks for the replies. I just completed scrubbing the bore very well and then slugged it. It came out .314" The rifling looks OK but I can see some pitting. The rifling is sharp all the way to the crown. Time will tell how it will shoot.

[Larry Gibson]

What are your favorite loads? What have you tried that did not work out?
In the searching I have done, of the 3 suitable Lee molds, I have heard that the 155gr and 185gr bullets perform better than the 160gr which is a tumble lube design.

What about brass? I see that Prvi Partizan, Norma, and Lapua sell cases. Sellier & Bellot has boxer primed ammo. What has been your experience with brass.....the good, the bad, and the ugly?

If the barrel is within reasonable specs .311- .314 then I find the 314299 to be the best cast bullet. The Lee C312-185 is a very good choice also if you know the groove diameter is .312 or less. Both will work very well with faster powders at lower velocities and but work very well in the 1850 - 1900 fps range with 4895 and a dacron filler.

The C312-155 also is good for a lighter weight cast bullet with faster powders such as Unique or Red Dot. The Lee TL314-90-SWC is excellent over 3.2 gr Bullseye for plinking and small game.

Use a .31 Lyman M die.

As to the difference in brass quality I concur with the Dutchman that lapua and Norma are top of the line. However, the other makes serves just as well as I doubt your MN will be able to tell any difference. However, longevity of the cases is another matter but I suggest you set up to neck size the cases for the longes case life regardless of make.

Larry Gibson

[Beekeeper]

I have a M44 that was bubba'd when I got it so it now sports a homemade stock and a pistol scope on a rail designed to take the place of the rear sight.
It has a .314 groove and will shoot the NOE or Lyman .314299 boolits well but likes the Noe .316299 better for some reason.
I have been using IMR4198 powder to good advantage but still have not found a load I will say is good oraccurate enough to be used everyday so still experimenting.

I use Privi brass from Grafs and don't think the rifle knows any diference between it and Lapua or Norma brass.

I have a 91/30 that has a counterbored muzzle and it is just as accurate as the M44 and will hold at 1" at 100 yards if I do my part and don't pull it off target with its lousy trigger.

I have not found any of the ones I have that like the .312 boolits so stopped using them.

Hope this is of some help.


beekeeper

[dualsport]

The Lee CTL boolit(a Ed Harris design) and the NOE 316299 both have fat noses, mine go .304 for the Lee and .305 for the NOE. Both are good bore ride designs that shoot well in any of my MNs and many other .31s. Seems like they just can't shoot bad. I like the Lee for 100/200 yds. and the NOE for getting out there to 500.

[Hang Fire]

For MN information, IMO this is the absolute best source there is bar none.

http://62x54r.net/

[Multigunner]

You can try the Gunwriters site, which seems to be based in Finnland, at least most of the content comes from Finns.
It has a tremendous amount of information on all sorts of Finn used weapons, and more than a little on the 7.62X54r as reloaded for hunting use.
The Finns seem to be most interested in reduced power loads for small game, birds, and fur bearing creatures. Not that much on full power loads for larger game.