Mosin Nagant Accuracy...

[Aragorn243]

That's not quite true...but I agree for sure about Nagant rifles. They're probably at peak from the factory.

They peaked when the Finns captured them and were finished with them. Otherwise, yes, they peaked at the factory.

I hear so many stories about 91/30's, the worst being having to beat the bolt open with a section of 2x4 after every shot, most likely because they are using cheap, steel cased and heavily coated shells that melt and stick. If I was only allowed to keep one Mosin Nagant, it would be my Finn 38. I also have a Finn 91/30 that probably had little done except a replaced front sight and a bit of trigger work. Previous owner claimed sticky bolt which was most likely shellacked shell casings because I haven't had an issue with it.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Eaglelord17]

I hear so many stories about 91/30's, the worst being having to beat the bolt open with a section of 2x4 after every shot, most likely because they are using cheap, steel cased and heavily coated shells that melt and stick.

Don't forget failed to clean the cosmoline out of the chamber and locking lugs properly. If you fail to do that, you will cause all sorts of lovely issues to your rifles, such as the bolt being stuck shut.

[Ridolpho]

They peaked when the Finns captured them and were finished with them. Otherwise, yes, they peaked at the factory.

I hear so many stories about 91/30's, the worst being having to beat the bolt open with a section of 2x4 after every shot, most likely because they are using cheap, steel cased and heavily coated shells that melt and stick. .

I watched a movie titled "The Winter War" recently and it was truly noteworthy how the actors/re-enactors were struggling to cycle their rifles- often setting them down on the ground and pounding on the bolt handle. This is a characteristic of the standard M91 or 91/30, etc. My bent bolt sniper rifles are very smooth and easily worked due simply to the leverage gained from the longer bolt handle. As far as accuracy goes, I think it's always necessary to remember that the Soviet refurbs may or may not have had much attention payed to the bedding. Some are pretty good, others not so. With regard to bedding, original Soviet documents indicate that solid bedding is necessary under the barrel reinforce with shimming under the front receiver flat being strictly to avoid bending the receiver when tightening the main screw. Finn shimming often seems to not follow this rule, with shims at the front receiver flat and tang intended to simply lift the barrel up out of the channel (float it) without contact under the reinforce. Many of my Finn rifles give the impression of wartime expediency with brass shims tacked in as a quick and dirty method of getting a barreled action into a stock without lots of nitpicky woodworking.

Ridolpho