What is a good price for a Mosin Nagant M91/30 Rifle?

[Chris9472]

I have a chance to buy one of these locally at my Gander Mountain in very good condition with all accessories included. http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...446823&uf=trueI heard that the first batch of these that came into the country could be had for as little as $100, but that they were a bit banged up condition wise. I got to check one of these out up close and it this recent batch seems to be in nice shape, cleaned up of the heavy grease and ready to go.

I know that GM prices are high when things are not on sale, but $179 doesn't seem like a bad deal anyway you look at it for all this if I can pick up locally, no shipping, sellers fees, etc. They still have around 15 of them left, which is the same thing they told me a week ago so apparently they are either giving me bad info or nobody is rushing out to buy these, which makes me wonder about the price.

Should I hold out and wait for a better price? This is not the type of thing that I would really lose sleep over if I didn't get it but I could use a good cheap rifle.

[stubbicatt]

I dunno man. I bought mine for $70 or so many years ago. I have had many pleasant days shooting it since then. If I sold it to you I would DOUBLE my money, but still only sell it for $70 more than I paid for it.

Just buy the thing. I doubt that prices will come down very far, and if they do, you *might* lose $20, which is less than a Friday night at the club drinking beer.

[Chris9472]

I've been looking around and Gander had these on sale at one time for $99, but all seem to be OOS expect at my GM. So maybe I'll wait a week or so and see what happens. Nobody seems to be in a hurry to buy them up at the moment.

[tahunua001]

yeah the first batches that came in were closer to $50 each, $35 if you bought a whole crate of them.

$179 is about the new average price for these as the availability starts to slip. however just because the one in the rack looks cleaned up does not mean the one you get will be the same. a lot of times they clean up one as a display model and the rest are still vaccuum wrapped and packed in cosmoline. either way, surface cosmo is not what locks up guns, it's the stuff packed in the barrel, reciever and bolt. a good thorough cleaning is recommended no matter what it looks like on the outside.

[whiskyrunner]

In my area just outside charlotte nc a 91/30 can be had for about $129 at most pawnshops that includes the bayonet fireing pin tool etc

[LockedBreech]

A month ago I paid $149 for an excellent-grade 1943 Izhevsk 91/30. I was very happy with the condition. If it's in great shape, $179 isn't bad.

A lot of folks will insist you should go above $120 or so, but I prefer a little bit fewer imperfections.

Fun rifles.

[kilimanjaro]

$179 seems to be the new price point for these. Look for matching numbers on the major bits, good bore and smooth action.

Haven't seen a $100 M-N in two or three years, here.

They won't be in the marketplace forever, once they're gone, that's it.

[Matidas]

Last year Dunhams had Mosins on sale for about $90, $120 originally. Our local one runs adds about once a month. Maybe you could snag one if there's one near you.

[Closing The Gap]

I picked up an immaculate hex receiver 1929 ex-dragoon at GM recently for $179. It is by far the best of my collection and the sweetest shooter.

If your GM is like mine they have a rack of them on display. Just look them over and take the one that calls your name.

For me $179 is nothing compared to the joy I get out of shooting these pieces of history. Just knowing that my boys will get them and love them too when I'm gone is priceless.

[madmo44mag]

I was just checking the prices today and almost fell out of my chair.
The last one I bough was hand select and cost $100.00.
I have a buddy that wanted one for a project gun but now at 145.00 and up a he may be looking for a RC Mauser.
I myself would go the Mauser route - LOL

[emcon5]

Wholesale prices on 91/30s are around $150 now, $179 doesn't seem out of line for a retail, non-sale price.

I have a buddy that wanted one for a project gun but now at 145.00 and up a he may be looking for a RC Mauser.
I myself would go the Mauser route - LOL

You price RC Mausers lately?

[madmo44mag]

You price RC Mausers lately?

yeah - LOL!!!

IMHO a better choice though.

[Skarekrow88]

I paid $135 for my hand select 91/30 at my LGS around 6 months to a year ago. It came with all the goodies too. It was the prettiest on the rack but it was by no means in excellent condition. At the time he was selling absolutely terrible condition Type 53's for $149. Now he's selling the 91/30's for $199 and the Type 53's for $179. The prices are only going up from what I've seen. If it is in good enough condition I wouldn't hesitate to get one for $179. They wont be on the racks forever

[TommyP]

That's really not a bad price, as things are today, and the price will only go up. I remember when brand new great condition Chinese SKSs were $60.....those days are LONG gone.

In your shoes I would buy it.

At a Houston gun show two weekends ago I saw a fair-good condition M91/30 priced at $349 and watched somebody pay $300 for it.

[lagavulin62]

TommyP we must have seen the same guy. He must come out to the Conroe show too. Tell you what, if that isn't reason enough to get your C & R I don't know what is?

Ok I got another itch. What do you guys think of the 91/30 carbines? SOG says they are excellent and has them for like 250. It's either that or a Mauser 8mm. What do I do?

[tobnpr]

Not bad if it includes the transfer (assuming you don't have a C&R to buy direct). But, you can do better.

Buds has them for $139 with free shipping, other sites for $129 currently (plus shipping).

[stubbicatt]

I may be wrong, but what hurt the surplus Mauser guys was the ammo drying up. To me, one of the "features" of the Mosin Nagant is that ammo is readily available for it at a low price. Were that to change, and I think that change is a' comin', then the value of the Mosin Nagant would go down in my rating system.

Thus, whether OP buys the rifle he is looking at or not, he would be remiss to avoid purchasing as much ammunition for the thing as he can afford. I suspect, without knowing, the days of the cheap imported surplus are drawing to a close, and he with the good quality surplus ammunition stands to make a bunch of money, or, at the very least, enjoy his rifle for its intended purpose long after others have put theirs away due to the prices of then available, domestically produced, fodder.

Just my view of things.

[Old Stony]

At one time I bought a bunch of Mosins @ 3 for 100.00 wholesale and was selling them for 59.00 each. Naturally this has been some time back. The ammo was next to nothing back then too. We actually took one out and tried to blow it up...just to see how tough they are. I packed the barrel full of dirt and loaded a case full of bullseye. It bulged the side of the bolt outward a little and cracked the stock lengthwise...but it held together. That's one tough rifle !

[tobnpr]

I may be wrong, but what hurt the surplus Mauser guys was the ammo drying up. To me, one of the "features" of the Mosin Nagant is that ammo is readily available for it at a low price. Were that to change, and I think that change is a' comin', then the value of the Mosin Nagant would go down in my rating system.

Ditto. I've expressed the same opinion. However, I'm not so sure about the surplus drying up to the extent that others have. The 54R is still used by weapon systems currently deployed (PSL, PKM MG). But no doubt, the cold-war stockpiles will eventually be depleted and with that, the current prices. Even though more than they used to be, still a great value for plinking ammo, though not accurate enough for anything else.

If you could buy ammo for the Steyr for $0.20 round, they wouldn't be $100 anymore.

[emcon5]

If you could buy ammo for the Steyr for $0.20 round, they wouldn't be $100 anymore.

If that is true, then shouldn't Mauser prices be coming down?

[tobnpr]

If that is true, then shouldn't Mauser prices be coming down?

Point taken, but as much as I like the MN platform-for what it is- it's not a Mauser... and it's still easy enough to find Turk and Yugo Mausers in the $250 range (less for Turks). I don't know the "numbers" on the Mausers, but they've got to pale in comparison to the 18,000,000 Mosin-Nagants.

[emcon5]

Point taken, but as much as I like the MN platform-for what it is- it's not a Mauser... and it's still easy enough to find Turk and Yugo Mausers in the $250 range (less for Turks). I don't know the "numbers" on the Mausers, but they've got to pale in comparison to the 18,000,000 Mosin-Nagants.

True, but it wasn't that long ago you could get an unissued M48s for $180 retail, and Soviet capture Nazi K98s were $219. The fact that 8mm ammo has dried up has probably lessened demand a little bit, but not enough to balance out the lack of supply. RCs are essentially gone, what is available is $500+, and M48s are ~$300 wholesale. You used to see racks of them at chain sporting good stores (Big-5), I can't remember the last time I saw one on the shelf (although the local Cabelas had M24/47s on sale last October with accessories for $250.

I think the fact that Steyr 1895s are going for ~$100 is primarily a lack of demand. They are neat rifles, but they are not very desirable. They are not as well known as Mausers and Mosin-Nagants, and the fact they fire an oddball cartridge from enbloc clips, and the straight pull is different.

Too bad really, they are neat little rifles.

Mosin prices have gone up because demand is relatively flat, but the supply has lessened. Whether this is because the supplies are actually drying up, or simply the exporters manipulating supply to increase prices, we don't know. I have read that most of the Mosins in the past have come out of Ukraine, but the latest batches (of M38 and M44 at least, as well as PU Snipers) came out of Russia, repackaged by Molot as "Hunting Carbines" to get past EU restrictions on Military rifles.

Maybe Russia is sitting on another 5 million rifles, just waiting on the prices to come up a bit more before bringing them in. We will have to wait and see.

[Justice06RR]

Should I hold out and wait for a better price? This is not the type of thing that I would really lose sleep over if I didn't get it but I could use a good cheap rifle

If you have the money to buy it, I would suggest to get it now. $179 is really not a bad price, and you'll be under $200 with taxes and background fee.

I have been thinking of buying another 91/30 myself. Local gun shows price them well above $200, so $179 is a good deal. Gone are the days of $89 or $99 Mosins. I have watched as prices have slowly creeped up through the years.

Sometimes Aimsurplus will have them for $119, but if you take into account shipping, transfer fee, and background fee, you are at the same price as buying one at Gander. And with buying online you don't know what you are getting. At least when you buy at GM you can inspect the rifle and try to pick out the best of the lot.

[Duzell]

when i searched for my first mosin i looked through a few at a local big 5, now a trick i learned was get a flashlight and check the bore, if you see pitting put that one down and keep looking. another thing to check is the bolt, see if its sticky or has any issues.


price wise i got mine on sale a few years back for 98 with tax and such came to be 109 i think? overal its one of my favorite guns to shoot and has made many a mosin lover after shooting it. and the common price right now is 179, but ive seen places jack it up to 400$, so i suggest get it while you can but make sure its in good condition


the mosin is a full powered rifle at low cost, with many accessories available due to its popularity. if you need recommendations i can help with that, as well as sporterizing or just wanting to find a good case for it. just ask and we are here to help

[emcon5]

For what it's worth, S.O.G. just sent an email for an "Inventory Reduction Sale", listing round receiver 91/30s for $119.95, (Regular Price: $149.95)

You need to have a FFL to order, and they do a 3% surcharge for credit cards.