Finn M39 Mosin-Nagant

[Remiel]

So I finally went out and got a M39 Finnish Mosin-Nagant. Its a nice '43 Sako in a wartime stock, all matching with an unmarked butt plate, I plan to take it to the range this weekend and try it out
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/dorianse7en/IMG_20150826_1705101_zpsoaecojjk.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dorianse7en/media/IMG_20150826_1705101_zpsoaecojjk.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/dorianse7en/IMG_20150826_1705361_zpsm965jdnv.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dorianse7en/media/IMG_20150826_1705361_zpsm965jdnv.jpg.html)

[WineMan]

With Cast the stock sights should be fine, although you may need to move the adjustable front sight for windage. With jacketed, mine shot high. The 150 was more like 350 even though the sight height and barrel stamp matched numbers. Like many military rifles, the lowest sight setting was Battle Sight Zero (300 meters?). Hold on the middle of your target as long as you could see him, and the shot was bound to hit somewhere. They tend to come with shims around the trigger and forward receiver area. If you take the action out of the stock, don't turn it upside down and shake it. Get out your cell phone camera and snap a photo or two to get them back to arsenal specs.

Dave

[Remiel]

With Cast the stock sights should be fine, although you may need to move the adjustable front sight for windage. With jacketed, mine shot high. The 150 was more like 350 even though the sight height and barrel stamp matched numbers. Like many military rifles, the lowest sight setting was Battle Sight Zero (300 meters?). Hold on the middle of your target as long as you could see him, and the shot was bound to hit somewhere. They tend to come with shims around the trigger and forward receiver area. If you take the action out of the stock, don't turn it upside down and shake it. Get out your cell phone camera and snap a photo or two to get them back to arsenal specs.

Dave

Thanks for the heads up, going to try and slug the bore this weekend and get it setup for cast

[30calflash]

Congratulations on getting a great rifle. Once you shoot a Finnish MN you'll be glad you acquired it.

The bores seem to run tighter than Russian MN's so standard 30 cal heads could be used if it's like mine. Deep grooves help a lot too. For lead shooting 30-06 loads or close to them seem to work well.

[WineMan]

I think that you will find something like 0.302x0.310. The earlier Finnish rifles had tight (for Russian and Finnish) barrels. M28-30's have the smallest groove diameter close to US standards. The M39's have pretty consistent 0.310 grooves and are not all over the map like Soviet 91/30's. The triggers are usually better too although mine has a spongy second stage and you never know when it will break. Still they are the best of the bunch for Mosin Nagant designs along with the M27, M28 and M28-30 models. Many were built on early Hex receivers and if the stamp on the bottom of the tang is older than 1899 they are legally Antiques and not "real" guns. No license is needed to purchase, ship or own these.

Dave

[Motor]

I have 3 of them. All 3 have nice triggers although some are lighter than the others. All 3 slugged from .310ish to the largest at .311ish. I use the Lee 160gr 2R TL and although they drop in the .313" area I still use them as cast for the M39s and if I gas check them which I do for super sonic loads I use a .314" die to install the check. They very well could shoot as good at .311" but I also use the same load in a 91-30 that slugged .313+ so I just do them all the same. The M39s don't seem to mind the little extra diameter.

As for j-word bullets I tried .308s in my first M39, only tried 150s, and it shot like a shotgun. So then I tried Hornady 150gr .312" and got 1.1" groups at 100yards. Then repeated this with Hornady 174gr .312s. Since then the 312" Hornady bullets is the only j-word my M39s ever see.

I just started powder coating so I am thinking about maybe using my .311" die to install gas checks then powder coating and not re-sizing just for the M39s.

We, my 2 sons and I have all takin deer with our M39s. My youngest son took a buck last season at 265 yards with a 150gr Hornady .312" j-word. He's captain of his high school rifle teem.

I've been reloading for the M39s for probably about 8 years now. I'd be happy to help out in any way if you feel the need. I think you are going to like your M39. They are typically very nice accurate rifles.

Motor

[Patrick56]

With Cast the stock sights should be fine, although you may need to move the adjustable front sight for windage. With jacketed, mine shot high. The 150 was more like 350 even though the sight height and barrel stamp matched numbers. Like many military rifles, the lowest sight setting was Battle Sight Zero (300 meters?). Hold on the middle of your target as long as you could see him, and the shot was bound to hit somewhere. They tend to come with shims around the trigger and forward receiver area. If you take the action out of the stock, don't turn it upside down and shake it. Get out your cell phone camera and snap a photo or two to get them back to arsenal specs.

Dave
Have you noticed that when you push the left small lever on the slider it will move to 300m and if you push the right lever it stops at 150m. This made it possible to change the right battlesight fast and even in dark. Zeroing the height is done by changing the front sight. They should have small markings telling the height on the base. The change is done by removing only the right screw ( or was it the left?) and lifting the post up. Doing so the windage will not change much. The M39 is very accurate if you check that the barrel do not touch the handguard or the stock when the rifle is hold vertical standing on the buttplate. Most rifles are reamed to take the 13 gram (200gr) D166 bullet so this can explain why they prefer bigger bullets.

[Remiel]

Thanks for the info, a question i have is when i looked for the tang date(appears to be 99r w/ the tula hammer) i did not see any shims, now i did not take it apart fully due the the nose cap wanted to fight me. could the be missing?

[JeffHolt]

Remiel,
The M-39 chambers were reamed to accept Russian ammo. Hence, you should see a "D" marked on the barrel shank. The bores were nominally .310 and the throats were made to accept the Lapua D-166 200 gr bullet. The .308 bores were made for earlier Finn variants like the M-27 and 28's and early production M-91s.

[Patrick56]

If you are talking about the shims that could be found in the stock, they were used to adjust the action and barrel to the stock. Some shims found was attached by small nails. They were cut from brass or iron sheets. It was a fast way of "bedding" the action and freefloat the barrel. The part of the barrel that was hidden by the handguard, was usually treated with a graphite grease to prevent it from rusting. This was the procedure when we overhauled many hundreds of M39 rifles as young conscript gunsmiths 1977.

[LAGS]

If you havent got the Nose cap off, then how would you see if there are shims under the action ?
You have to have the action out of the stock.
It is receiver shims, not Barrel shims that you are looking for.

[Remiel]

If you havent got the Nose cap off, then how would you see if there are shims under the action ?
You have to have the action out of the stock.
It is receiver shims, not Barrel shims that you are looking for.

I did not want to pound on it w/ a brass hammer so I lifted it only enough to get the tang date and maker, but i got to shoot it today and had less than 1 in groupings at 50yrds with hand loads and surplus(both light and heavy ball Bulgarian), high as hell as other had said so i was aiming at the bottom of the target to hit center, would have taken it to the 100yrd bench but i was helpin teach the wife's sister how to shoot(who BTW loved my 8mm VZ24 sniper clone) gonna slug the bore but initial measurement puts it right on .311, now to get the pot fired up for cast

[JeffHolt]

148419Remiel,
The Finn Battle sight is at 150 Meters so ya, they tend to shoot high. Also Military training for European troops was that they would hold their zero at 6 o'clock. the entire bulls eye therefore would be visible above and across your horizontal hold. I was able to squeeze off a nice group with my M-39 5 rounds, point aim shoot in under 30 seconds standing, no rest

[Remiel]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/dorianse7en/IMG_20150906_1727261_zpsarba129y.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dorianse7en/media/IMG_20150906_1727261_zpsarba129y.jpg.html) i was getting used to the sites on this one, i did forget to take a photo of the first 10 before i put a new sticky target up but this was a mix of hand load and heavy ball, the vertical string was the wifes second try with it,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/dorianse7en/IMG_20150906_1728201_zpswp1cxbjh.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dorianse7en/media/IMG_20150906_1728201_zpswp1cxbjh.jpg.html) this one was surplus light ball the hits to the left were the wifes first try

[Remiel]

BTW has anyone used the lee 312 185 gr 303 mold in these?

[Larry Gibson]

BTW has anyone used the lee 312 185 gr 303 mold in these?

Yes and it is an excellent cast bullet for the Finn M39.

Larry Gibson

[Remiel]

Yes and it is an excellent cast bullet for the Finn M39.

Larry Gibson

Cool, thank you Larry!

[LAGS]

I thought I would show you how my first load with this bullet did.
And I have got plenty of room to be Tweeking it in the future

[skeet1]

One thing I might add about the height of the front sight. In my case even the shortest front sight I could find was still way to tall and I expect for most cast bullet shooting from 1500 to 1800 fps this will be the case. What I did was purchase another front sight from Pat Burns and filed it to height and I'm much happier. I still have the original sight so I can change it back without a problem.

Ken

[Remiel]

One thing I might add about the height of the front sight. In my case even the shortest front sight I could find was still way to tall and I expect for most cast bullet shooting from 1500 to 1800 fps this will be the case. What I did was purchase another front sight from Pat Burns and filed it to height and I'm much happier. I still have the original sight so I can change it back without a problem.

Ken


that could be possible or i just have to remember to use a 6 o'clock hold all the time