MN 91/30

[renegade757]

Hey guys, first timer here on the forums. Just wanted to pool in the vast knowledge lurking in here to ask a few questions. I recently purchased a '42 91/30 and I'm currently in the process of removing the cosmoline. My questions are as follow.

1. What can I expect in terms of accuracy out of the box using surplus ammo?
2. I'm planning on purchasing the Mojo microclick rear sight and leave the stock front post sight. Is there any adjustments necessary on the front sight after rear aperture installation?
3. At what distance should I zero the Mojo sight? 50m? 100m?

Thanks all

[Lt. Skrumpledonk Ret]

My un-counter-bored Mosin 91/30 gets about 5 MOA off a bench rest with standard commie ammo. My M39 is worse.

The Mojo allows for lateral adjustments with the teeny tiny Allen wrench. I have one on each Mosin Nagant.

Zero at 100m.

[DPris]

I have one that's gone 3 under an inch at 100 yards with surplus, my PU does 1.5 with good commercial, a full sporter does the same.

It can vary highly.

If you plan to shoot at 50, zero at 50.
If you plan to shoot farther, zero at 100.
Up to you.
Denis

[Mosin-Marauder]

You've made an excellent decision. The Mosin is my favorite rifle and what sparked my interest in shooting.

My counterbored 1941 Izhevsk can shoot 2" at 100 with Winchester Soft Points, and 1 1/2" at 75.

My battle sight zero is 2" high at 50 and an inch High at 100. I use this for hunting. I can keep all 5 shots on an 8" gong at 200 with this zero and surplus ammo.

[skizzums]

I have had four mosins over the last two years. I really enjoy them. Surplus ammo, expect 5" at 100, hope for better. It really depends on the gun. Surplus ammo is also not extremely accurate, but can do 3 out of a good rifle. Booking water is really great for removing cosmo btw

[tahunua001]

the accuracy in many of the wartime production rifles is pretty lacking, neither of my 1942 Izhevsk 91/30s were capable of better than 4 MOA with surplus ammo, the one I still own will do slightly better with wolf ammo but really, you wont be winning any competitions with it without a little bit of luck on your side. a great deal could have to do with sights though I tried a number of different stock configurations and every new mod seemed to make accuracy worse. something simple like a new rear sight could be just what yoy need to bring it down to a 2 MOA rifle or better but I wouldn't hold my breath. I have have no experience with after market sights but if you decide to swap out you might look at Josh Smith at smith-sights, he makes a number of sights for the MN family of firearms and a lot of his concepts make a lot of sense.

as for sighting distance it really comes down to what range you'll be shooting with it. if you want to do a lot of vintage rifle competitions, they are often done at 200 yards or 100 yards on reduced targets. if you hunt open fields, a 200 yard zero may be a good idea and also if you alternate between close range and long range as a 200 yard zero is also on target around the 25-40 yard mark and just hits a couple inches high for everything in between those ranges. whatever range you think will be your average should likely be the range you zero it for.

[T. O'Heir]

Hi. It'll depend on the rifle. Years ago, the Mosins that came through the shop I worked in, up here, were bang on at 200 yards. Norma ammo was the only thing around then though. Milsurp ain't as good.
Sight in at 100.
Don't think I'd bother with a new rear sight when the barrels and triggers are stock. Kind of like using 100 octane gas in a Chev Spark.

[DPris]

I have a Smith front on one, good deal.
Denis

[renegade757]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful information. I have one other question. When my Mosin has the rear mojo sight, I won't have to make any adjustments to the front post, correct?

[kilimanjaro]

Try it with the issue sights, first. You may not need new ones.

[tahunua001]

most of the aftermarket sights are all adjustable but you may run out of windage adjustments depending on the position of your front and you may have to push the front sight to finish the adjustment.

[hooligan1]

I bought a mosun from my neighbor buddy for 100.00, and bought 220 rnds from my son, for 50.00, my 15 year old pretends he's that old russian sniper who's name I dare not try to butcher....PRICELESS!

Its all factory matching parts and looks nice for what it is, don't know all I could about them, with the ammo it shoots about 4moa at 100 yds. And I've watched my son hit paper with 5 consecutive shots standing unsupported @that distance, which would have hit a whitetail every shot.....made me proud....made him gloat...

[tahunua001]

Vasille Zaitzev?
Simo Hayha's were it's at.

[renegade757]

Guys, I'm having trouble sweating out the cosmoline from the stock in this 18 degree weather here in Chicago. I bought some mineral spirits in order to clean the stock. Is it necessary to submerge the stock or just add the liquid onto a cloth and wipe down?

[Josh Smith]

Hi Renegade,

Ya' really don't want to go submerging the stock.

Wrap it in newspaper and set it on your heater overnight. The majority will come out.

Mineral spirits are really better for removing the shellac from the stock. (I prefer denatured alcohol for this.)

Regards,

Josh

[tobnpr]

To answer your question, the surplus ammo is generally accepted to deliver accuracy within three minutes. It's very rare to find heavy ball surplus anymore- most is the light 147 grain. If you handload as I do, a good rifle can deliver minute of angle or rarely better. Finns, much more accurate in general.

That's the ammunition. The rest is up to the rifle, and shooter. You can have one with an excellent bore and crown, but if there's a sloppy fit between the receiver and the stock, it's going to shoot broad side of a barn like any other turnbolt.

When shooting off a rest, make sure the forend isn't on the rest putting pressure on the barrel.

Use a hair dryer ( a heat gun on low, used judiciously will also work) on the stock to sweat out the cosmoline, followed with paper towels. You obviously don't want to get the mineral spirits on the shellac

[wingspar]

I used a hair dryer on the stock. Keep the dryer moving around. Don’t point it at the stock without moving it around. Pick small areas, such as one side of the stock, and work on that area. It’s time consuming and you don’t have to do it all at once. Then next summer on the first hot day you take it out, expect some more cosmoline to seep out. Take a rag to the range with you. And, it is most likely grease, not cosmoline.

Mine looked like this. Mineral Spirits worked perfectly on the metal.

[renegade757]

After baking my stock all day, it doesn't sweat the cosmoline anymore. However, some lumps have surfaced and don't know how to proceed. Any advice should be appreciated.


[IMG][/IMG]

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[DPris]

Looks like it's a bit over-cooked.
That's why I don't bake mine.

Sandpaper?
Denis

[renegade757]

What grit should I use?

[Josh Smith]

Denatured alcohol, then refinish.

Looks like you baked the shellac!

What did you turn the temp to???

Josh

[renegade757]

I used a metal round duct, stashed the stock in it and topped it off with a reducer, then I used a hair dryer on low until it stopped sweating cosmoline. What technique do I use when applying the alcohol? What finish do you recommend? I was thinking linseed oil.

[tahunua001]

I agree, a little overboard, shellac is ruined.

time to pick up a can of boiled linseed oil and denatured alcohol.

remove the shellac, coat with a few coats of linseed oil. she'll look quite pretty, has a good wood tone, assuming the red isn't just burnt shellac.

[renegade757]

Remove how?

Remove as in applying it to the stock and some elbow grease? Or remove as in let it soak for a few then wipe off?

[tahunua001]

just apply to a rag and wipe until the shellac is gone.

then take 0000 steel wool and rub down the entire stock.

wipe with a clean rag to get rid of any steel wool fibers.

apply boiled linseed oil to a rag and rub vigorously until the wood has a healthy shine to it.

let sit near(not on top of, or directly in front of) a heater or vent for 24 hours to dry.

a good stock should have at least 2 coats but some people recommend as much as 5. as far as I'm concerned 2 is enough for a mosin and just make sure you give it a fresh coat once a year or so or if you notice the wood feels a bit dry.