Is my Mosin Nagant barrel shot out?

BullpupSS · January 10, 2014, 01:27 AM

I just recently bought a 1932 Hex receiver Mosin Nagant for $180. I have a standard Mosin Nagant also that I used to compare. But when I take an empty shell of the 7.62x54R and put the tip in the end of the barrel, it goes all the way in up to the neck of the shell and even has some wiggle room. On my 1938 round receiver Mosin, it doesn't even come close to getting inside the barrel. Let alone have wiggle room. I'm just wondering if they made the barrels open up towards the end on earlier models or something. I really hope the barrel isn't done for.

ckpj99 · January 10, 2014, 02:08 AM

There's a chance that the barrel on your Mosin has been counter-bored. Most of the Mosins were worked over backed in the day by the Russian arsenals before they were packed away. Also, a lot of them had screwed up crowns on the muzzle from improper cleaning in the field.

The easiest way to fix a screwed up crown is to drill into the barrel down an inch or so until you get to good undamaged rifling.

If you look into the muzzle of your gun (after you safety check it), you should be able to see if the rifling goes all the way to the muzzle. If it doesn't, then your rifle has been counter-bored. If it does go all the way to the muzzle, then you might have problems.

Heavy Metal 1 · January 10, 2014, 09:37 AM

If your rifle has been properly counterbored have no worries as it will shoot better than one with crown problems that has never been counterbored.

RC20 · January 10, 2014, 01:53 PM

If it was counter bored you would see it.

Further check would be to take a bullet and gently drop it down the bore and see how far it goes. Measure the depth to the back of the bullet (I suspect its going to go a bit deeper than the neck distance.

The other check is on the back end and that would be to use an empty shell with a light neck tension and see how long the combo is before the bullet contact the lands.

If there is decent throat then you can decide to cut off or see if you can counter bore that far.

No idea if you really can counter bore down that far, but its likely if its that shot out the throat is gone and you have a wall hanger.

BullpupSS · January 11, 2014, 03:22 PM

Just got a chance to shine a light down the barrel. The barrel looks completely fine. It's the last 3 or 4 inches of the barrel that is opened up a bit. Is that what counter boring looks like?

armabill · January 11, 2014, 03:27 PM

Yes.

Mobuck · January 11, 2014, 03:58 PM

NOT 3-4"
Usually 3/4-1" at most.

WardenWolf · January 11, 2014, 06:06 PM

If it's 3-4", that could mean it's been counterbored multiple times. In that case I would say yes, your barrel is shot out.

January 10, 2014, 01:27 AM	#1
BullpupSS Junior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Posts: 4	Is my Mosin Nagant barrel shot out? I just recently bought a 1932 Hex receiver Mosin Nagant for $180. I have a standard Mosin Nagant also that I used to compare. But when I take an empty shell of the 7.62x54R and put the tip in the end of the barrel, it goes all the way in up to the neck of the shell and even has some wiggle room. On my 1938 round receiver Mosin, it doesn't even come close to getting inside the barrel. Let alone have wiggle room. I'm just wondering if they made the barrels open up towards the end on earlier models or something. I really hope the barrel isn't done for.

January 10, 2014, 09:37 AM	#3
Heavy Metal 1 Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2012 Posts: 247	If your rifle has been properly counterbored have no worries as it will shoot better than one with crown problems that has never been counterbored. __________________ The blood runs free, the rain turns red, give me the wine, you keep the bread.

January 10, 2014, 02:08 AM	#2
ckpj99 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 386	There's a chance that the barrel on your Mosin has been counter-bored. Most of the Mosins were worked over backed in the day by the Russian arsenals before they were packed away. Also, a lot of them had screwed up crowns on the muzzle from improper cleaning in the field. The easiest way to fix a screwed up crown is to drill into the barrel down an inch or so until you get to good undamaged rifling. If you look into the muzzle of your gun (after you safety check it), you should be able to see if the rifling goes all the way to the muzzle. If it doesn't, then your rifle has been counter-bored. If it does go all the way to the muzzle, then you might have problems.

January 10, 2014, 01:53 PM	#4
RC20 Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 7,014	If it was counter bored you would see it. Further check would be to take a bullet and gently drop it down the bore and see how far it goes. Measure the depth to the back of the bullet (I suspect its going to go a bit deeper than the neck distance. The other check is on the back end and that would be to use an empty shell with a light neck tension and see how long the combo is before the bullet contact the lands. If there is decent throat then you can decide to cut off or see if you can counter bore that far. No idea if you really can counter bore down that far, but its likely if its that shot out the throat is gone and you have a wall hanger.

January 11, 2014, 03:22 PM	#5
BullpupSS Junior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Posts: 4	Just got a chance to shine a light down the barrel. The barrel looks completely fine. It's the last 3 or 4 inches of the barrel that is opened up a bit. Is that what counter boring looks like?

January 11, 2014, 03:27 PM	#6
armabill Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 2001 Location: Glenolden, Pa. USA Posts: 250	Yes.

January 11, 2014, 03:58 PM	#7
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	NOT 3-4" Usually 3/4-1" at most.

January 11, 2014, 06:06 PM	#8
WardenWolf Junior member Join Date: December 12, 2013 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 135	If it's 3-4", that could mean it's been counterbored multiple times. In that case I would say yes, your barrel is shot out.