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amadeus: I have a few Finn "refurbished" 91/30's and they're nothing special. Some of the Soviet refurbs are pretty decent with new pieces added as required and decently bedded (at least in the few I've owned). As an example, I have a refurbed '27 upgraded Dragoon that I got for a whopping $200 and used as a range gun along with playing with the bedding. Shot some of the best groups at 100 yards I have shot with a milsurp with the bedding it came from refurb with. Had fun trying various combinations of shims, wraps, etc but only improved it marginally. It would make an excellent repro sniper. Just try to make sure the bore in whatever you're looking at is good or better!
Rudolph
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Go for it! They shoot well and, with good reloading, even very well.
If you have a bad trigger, they're easy to improve without making mistakes, just do it going step-by-step.
I made a nice trigger job on my M44, nice rifle with awful trigger. A few minutes and, without trouble, got a great one.
With my 91/30 I shoot as well as with any other rifle I own. The sights are easy to read.
If you have trouble with elevation, think about buying an adjustable front sight from a very nice guy in Canada. Look under euclideanmachine.com and get the one for you.
I first put a bic-pen ink tube on the original sight, then bought a new adjustable front sight from this guy and am now as happy with my soviet friend as I could be.
Rugged, badass and good enough.
I would define a MN this way.
Enjoy!
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I see Bad Ace tactical is a sponsor here. I used one of their Mosin Accurizing kits with a $22 AIM scope and $20 scope mount I got from amazon that was made for air guns. I often get 1 moa out of it at 100 M with hand loads. Milsurp is 1.5-3 MOA typically.
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I have a '36 Tula. It could be a SCW Mosin, no import marks or Made in USSR. It has a dark bore with good rifling and it shoots great and has one of the best triggers of any of my milsurps.
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Mine all shoot as well as my o3A3,i.e. about 2 inches at 100 yards.
Jon
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I wouldn't buy the Finn if you intend to modify it. You're paying even more to turn the rifle into something no one else will want. Collectors want original.
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I agree with Aragorn. Don't touch a Finn MN. There are lots of Russian ones that are worth much less, although I would never ever touch a Milsurp.
I just treasure them all...............
If I wanted to tinker on one of them I guess I would buy one that has already been altered, so that my conscience would stay quiet.
Apart from that, have fun with that old horse.
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I lucked into an ex-sniper for $69 at Dunhams a few years ago. Obviously won't find one for that these days but would be an option if you plan to put a scope on one. I did a do it your selfer with a repro scope and it came out nice. I have problems shooting it due to the eye relief and my eyes. To shoot it, I have to take my glasses off which makes me blind to anything but what is in the scope. So I haven't shot it yet.
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There are a wide variety of Finn owned 91/30's ranging from all original matching parts/ finish to no original matching parts. The latter are cheap (up here, at least) but do have the advantage of looking like period correct rifles as opposed to the dip bluing and, often, unused replacement stocks of the Soviet refurbs. One of these less collectable Finns might make a great looking faux sniper.
Ridolpho
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Actually before you say how accurate a rifle is you have to ask: what is the test condition? specifically:
A) How many shots in the group?
B) Do you define accurate by the average groups of "A" shots or the smallest achieved or the worst achieved? Different folks use all three measures to measure group size
C) With what ammunition? Factory surplus ball or hand loads using Lapua match bullets? That will have an effect on "B " above.
D) Do you make a differentiation between group size and center point of aim? Said another way, do you care or measure the deviation of the point of aim as a rifle heats up and over the sequence of a range session?
E) What influence does position hold points or sling pressure induce on the center of the group relative to the point of aim. Different designs show a marked difference in the influence of sling tension for example.
The above really affects the result:
Competitive shooters tend to evaluate groups sizes with 10 shots, take the worst group with any called flyers disregarded, match ammo and pay high attention to any deviation due to forend pressures or other influences that affect the fall of the shot relative to the point of aim.
A lot of guys test their guns by: 3 to 5 shot groups, of whatever ball ammunition is available , and more or less select for the smallest or average group size, while ignoring the deviation from the point of aim. That is where folks come up with 1 MOA rifles firing ball ammo.
As a general rule most WWII era rifles could be expected to put 5 shots in under 4.5 MOA at 100 Y/M for a rifle rest with an experienced rifleman.
Certainly the Mosin Nagant rifles could be accurate, as evidenced by the Mosin Snipers and Mosin match guns made up post war.
