Mossberg 351KA

[richhodg66]

Picked one of these up on a whim today, just put about 20 rounds through it at 50 yards from a bench and it's as accurate as I think I can shoot open sights under the conditions, light was getting low. It's hitting way high for me, but it's OK as I'll scope anything I plan to shoot very little targets with.

I'll need to refinish the stock at some point, but it's a nice piece of Walnut and the metal is in great shape. I've always liked the idea of a mag tube in the stock and it seems to work very well in this case.

My work horse .22s are bolt actions, but I've kind of thought an auto may be a slight edge squirrel hunting and I'm kind of getting back to .22s lately a little. Gotta figure out a scope that will work on this one. I was playing with a Winchester 190 for a while, got it because it was reputed to work with shorts and longs too, so figured it might work with the CCI quiet ammo, but it isn't really reliable enough with anything. I've broken it down and tightened the barrel nut which is the chronic problem with it, not sure what else to do. I think I'm going to like this Mossberg better.

[georgerkahn]

Congratulations on your new Mossberg! My "first firearm" was my Great Uncle's bolt action .22. which I still have! Needing a part for it, I stumbled upon a firm that exclusively does Mossberg: Havlin Sales & Service -- https://www.havlinsales.com/ -- and, you may wish to see if they have parts you need. Their 'phone is (636) 937-6401 if you wish to ring them. I understand that mounting a 'scope on your new find may be a challenge; I believe the 351KA's were made around 1958-1960 -- recent enough that a 'scope mount may be available. Good luck!
geo

[richhodg66]

This one is grooved. Shouldn't be a problem. I do need to get it scoped and see just how accurate it is. It worked great with the ammo I ran through it yesterday.

I'm convinced that the Ruger 10/22 is hands down the best .22 autoloader out there, at least with regards to reliability, but I never really warmed up to them as a kid despite the fact that my dad liked them and we had several come and go. Not sure why, I just didn't care for them. We have a bone stock one with a scope that stays loaded by the door and has dispatched a small varmint or two now and then, but I really can't warm to the idea of using it in the woods. Vintage ones like this Mossberg trip my trigger more, so to speak.

One thing for sure, you won't find wood that good or metal finish that nice on an entry level .22 nowadays. It needs refinishing, but that's a nice piece of dark walnut on that rifle.

[oldhenry]

My 2nd. .22rf was a Mossberg 151K (grandfather of your 351KA). It was my 15th. birthday present (70 yrs. ago) & was from Montgomery-Ward in Columbus, GA. You're right about the quality of the walnut stock & the polish to the metal. Mine was accurate & functioned flawlessly. Take the metal out of the stock occasionally & do a little cleanup: the blowback action tends to direct powder particles downward into the opening for the magazine tube. My 152 (clip fed) doesn't have that opening, thus no powder particle buildup. Mine still has the Weaver 3/4" B4 scope & I have another with a Mossberg scope..


I love those Mossberg .22s …...I have 6.

Henry

[richhodg66]

I mounted up a scope and did some work with this rifle earlier this week. Not the most accurate .22 I have, but certainly good enough for anything I'm likely to do with it.

It functioned well with several types of ammo, but was misfiring quite a bit. At first, I figured it might be ammo as I was using some pretty old stuff, but I kept all the misfired rounds and then shot them through a Winchester model 67 without a problem, so it was the rifle.

Took it apart today and man was it disgustingly dirty. It's a miracle it worked at all, guess I should have done that first. The bolt assembly is soaking in Ed's Red now and I did some scrubbing of some other parts too. Hopefully, a good cleaning will do the trick, I like this rifle.