Mosin Nagant 1938 Carbine for a first firearm

[andre66]

Hey folks,
Don't own any firearms yet, still waiting for my pal, so i wanted to know what people here think about buying a milsurp as a first firearm.

I like the history associated with these firearms as well as their looks and i know that at some point i will get one but should i garner some experience with firearms before delving into the whole milsurp world.

I want something that i can shoot on a regular basis and not worry about it being a collectible. Is the Mosin Nagant a good choice?
thanks
Andre

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[Claven2]

Hi Andre,

It depends who you ask and what you want to use the gun for. If you just want a beater to burn alot of cheap ammo, minimal maintenance, etc. then I would suggest getting an SKS and a crate or two of ammo.

By the time you shoot through a couple thousand rounds I'm thinking you know better what it is you want out of a firearm.

The Mosin will be more expensive to shoot and in most cases is more collectible than a cheaper SKS like a chicom. Bear in Mind here in Canada, a Mosin will start around $150 and go up from there. An SKS is $130 or so and the ammo is less than half the price.

As for Mosin collectibility, some are more collectible than others. If you want one you won't have collectors screaming at you over if you abuse the hell out of it, get something made in 1942 or 1943 that isn't a Tula. Even better, get one that has a big ugly import stamp on the receiver and use the stamp as a bargaining point to get dollars taken off the price

If you shoot milsurp, be prepared for thorough cleaning or the bore will rust out from corrosive ammo - truck gun or not.

If you just want something that goes bang that you can get ammo for at Canadian Tire or Wallyworld, pay $70 and get a sporterized Lee Enfield in .303 British. It's not collectible, built to last, and no-one will give you grief if you back over it with the truck 5 or 6 times.

If you still want a Mosin, the M38 is not hte best choice for a first mosin or you may develop bad flinching habbits from the loud report and big fireball. Better off looking for an M91/30 to learn on IMHO. Also, they are usually less expensive, less collectible, easier to find and more accurate due to the long sight radius.

Hope that helps.

[andre66]

excellent reply thanks, i will take your post into account when the time comes.
Andre