7.62 x 54 mosin

brollin · January 8, 2012, 07:48 PM

I am wanting to pick up a surplus mosin nagant. My question is would it even be worth my time to reload these rounds considering how cheap this ammo is. I am just target shooting with the gun so not sure if it is worth getting set up for something that shoots so cheap.

3kgt2nv · January 8, 2012, 07:56 PM

just buy surplus. most of the available cases are non reloadable berdan primed so you would have to buy brass to reload it.

hk33ka1 · January 8, 2012, 08:00 PM

I just got one and am having a great time loading for it with cast for plinking. You should be able to make more accurate ammo for hunting or targets. Reloading is as much about the fun of loading and shooting as it is money saved.

If you're already reloading a $25 set of Lee dies and a dozen or two brass get you into the 7.62x54r. Same primers and powders as many other rifle rounds and buy some .310-312 jacketed or .312-.314 lead bullets and away you go.

Prvi Partisan, Lapua and Sellier & Bellot make reloadable cases along with Win and Hornady I believe.

Bamashooter · January 9, 2012, 03:38 AM

Get surplus if you dont mind cleaning it after shooting because of the corrosive primers or get wolf, privi, bear, or S&B because they are non corrosive.

I have nearly 600rds. of Bulgarian heavy ball thats brass cased but corrosive. I love the way it shoots out of my mosin's ( I have three ). I bought the 300rd. tins for $75 apiece a couple years ago.

chris in va · January 9, 2012, 05:44 AM

Not worth it. You won't see any savings over surplus.

Thought about saving your money for a bit and getting a $499 Garand from the CMP?

excelerater · January 9, 2012, 07:05 AM

Nothing shoots better in a Mosin Nagant than ammo from the mother land

jimkim · January 9, 2012, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Nothing shoots better in a Mosin Nagant than ammo from the mother land

Especially the stuff loaded with IMR-4895. We sent boatloads of it to the Commies during WWII.

Don P · January 9, 2012, 08:31 AM

Just curious as to why folks make such a BIG deal about shooting corrosive primed ammo?

jaguarxk120 · January 9, 2012, 08:40 AM

Because you have to clean the bore with soap and water to get the salts out. Regular cleaning solvents won't touch the stuff and your bore will rust in no time as the salts attract water from the air.

I know someone may have a special cleaner for corrosive primers but thru the years it has been found that water takes the stuff out best. Just as water is best for black powder fouling.

jimbob86 · January 9, 2012, 08:55 AM

I did the math when I bought mine a couple months ago ..... I already have a complete loading set-up, so I only need to recoup the cost of the dies..... I also wanted soft points for hunting ......

reloads will cost you 80 cents a shot, if you can get the brass. You can get crappy corrosive primed ammo for half that, sometimes ......

Don P · January 9, 2012, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Because you have to clean the bore with soap and water to get the salts out. Regular cleaning solvents won't touch the stuff and your bore will rust in no time as the salts attract water from the air.

All I use is Hoppe's #9 Who told you that cleaning solvents won't touch the stuff. Here is link from www.7.62X54r.net about cleaning after shooting corrosive primers,http://www.7.62x54r.net/MosinID/Mosi...ng.htm#Routine

hornetguy · January 9, 2012, 09:56 AM

If all you are doing is poking holes in paper, and don't care about getting the best accuracy out of it, then, by all means, just shoot the surplus stuff. It's cheap, and fairly plentiful.
If you want to occasionally hunt with it, you can buy foreign made softpoints that work well.
The only reason I reload for mine is for more accuracy, and the capability of lighter loads, and cast bullet loads.
I'm about to scout-scope mine, hoping to turn it into my back-up hog gun.

Bamashooter · January 10, 2012, 01:31 AM

Don P.....

I have used just hoppes to clean one of my mosin's after shooting corrosive ammo and checked it a few days later and it was starting to rust inside the barrel. I can tell you for a fact it will not clean the corrosive salts out of the barrel. When I flush it with hot water before cleaning with hoppes it cleans it up just fine with no chance of rust.

Servant · January 10, 2012, 02:12 AM

Are there certain Mosins that are good and certain ones that are bad, like it is with an AK?

micksis86 · January 10, 2012, 03:03 AM

FWIW once I get home from shooting my mosin I just boil a kettle full of water and place a funnel in the chamber and pour the boiling water down the barrel. This dilutes all the salts and then I give the bolt a quick wash with some hot water and dry them off.

Then I clean the rifle as I would any other. It means that it takes me about 5 minutes longer than any other rifle and I haven't had a single problem with rust anywhere on the rifle.

Don P · January 10, 2012, 07:29 AM

Quote:

I'm about to scout-scope mine, hoping to turn it into my back-up hog gun.

Just curious as to which method of scoping you are going to use. FWIW I scoped my 2 rifles and used the Weaver rail that replaces the rear sight. I had to drill the rear sight mount on the rifle through the Weaver rail and put roll pins in. The mounting screws kept loosening up. Nice and firm now. And yes folks Blue Loc-Tight did not work and I have no desire to use Red in its place. Short money fix.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · January 10, 2012, 10:59 AM

I reload because I shoot cast boolits through mine. MUCH cheaper than surplus.

Rangefinder · January 10, 2012, 11:57 AM

I reload because I shoot cast in mine as well--grat and accurate paper-punching that way. I also get sub-MOA very easily with mine on my hand-loaded FMJ's.

That's a 10-shot group with my cast at 50yds. Jacketed runs even tighter groups than that. You're going to have a long road ahead trying to get that from some of the mil-surp junk ammo out there.

CZVZ · January 10, 2012, 12:20 PM

You will not see the accuracy potential from these guns unless you reload. Very impressive, group Rangefinder, will you share your recipees? Both Cast and jacketed?
Thanks CZVZ

hornetguy · January 10, 2012, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Just curious as to which method of scoping you are going to use.

I've got my order in for a B-Square mount from Optics Planet. They were backordered, but I called yesterday, and they said it was about to ship.
I think this mount was designed more for the shorter eye-relief pistol scopes. It looks like the rail part is pretty short.
I bought a Burris 2X matte blue pistol scope, and am anxious to try it.

hornetguy · January 10, 2012, 12:30 PM

either that's a really big quarter, or that's a GREAT group.

I'm just now starting to seriously work up a cast load. I've played with a 173gr flat nose and 2400 powder, which wasn't bad. I'm now casting a 314299, that is a 200gr round nose. It shows pretty good potential. I'd like to be able to get good groups at about 2000fps or so, if possible.

Mausermolt · January 10, 2012, 12:37 PM

Mil surp ammo is quite cheep. but you get what you pay for. i shoot it when im out just making the barrels hot. but if i were to hunt with it i would defiantly reload. my M38 that is counter-bored and the previous owner frosted the barrel a few times..has M.O.barn accuracy (bout 6" at 50) with Mil-surp ammo. I would really like to see what a Timney would do to it. haven't had the pleasure of reloading for it yet.

FrankenMauser · January 10, 2012, 03:14 PM

Quote:

I did the math when I bought mine a couple months ago ..... I already have a complete loading set-up, so I only need to recoup the cost of the dies..... I also wanted soft points for hunting ......

reloads will cost you 80 cents a shot, if you can get the brass. You can get crappy corrosive primed ammo for half that, sometimes ......

I am reloading 7.62x54R with Hornady .312" 174 gr RN, 47 gr H4895, WLR primers, and free brass, for $0.39 each. Most of that cost is the bullet. Using a .308" 150 grain bullet would cut that cost by as much as 6-7 cents per round.

The free brass? I bought a box of boxer-primed factory ammo for $12, and kept the brass. Considering that I got the brass, bullets, powder, and primers for less than most people can buy new brass... I'd say it was worth it.

You can get PPU factory ammo (150 gr SP) for $16, or less. Why bother worrying about sourcing component brass, when you can get the exact same thing in a pre-loaded form? (If you're having difficulty finding it.)

And, as I have discussed in the past...
I am loading 7.62x54R with 215 gr Woodleigh Weldcores for $16.20 per box. That is stupidly expensive, in my opinion. But... a comparable load runs $62 per box (or more).

If you want custom loads, or are seeking accuracy, hand loading 7.62x54R is well worth it.

If you just want to sling cheap projectiles at paper.... stick with surplus ammo. If you dig, you can find it even cheaper than this: $0.15 per round, or $0.195 per round shipped from VA to UT.

boostedtt91 · January 10, 2012, 10:56 PM

its definitely worth it if you care at all about accuracy. If you just want to go out and blast a bunch of ammo and don't care about accuracy to much then yes surplus ammo is the way to go since its so cheap.

If you want to shoot accurately and see what the gun can do, highly recommend handloads, i am using Sierra Match bullets for .303 which is .311 diameter and they shoot quite well!! Old surplus ammo is god knows how old and you aren't gonna get constant results, every round could shoot different depending the condition and way it was stored

croc4 · January 10, 2012, 11:33 PM

if you care about accuracy at all, then reloading is where it is at. I have shot reloads through a scoped mosin that puts a lot of modern rifles I see at the range to absolute shame. There is a difference between cheap and inexpensive, the mosin is not a cheap rifle. It is a good deal for the money and will make the shooter the weak link each and every time, don't let the price fool you.

Croc4

January 8, 2012, 07:48 PM	#1
brollin Junior Member Join Date: January 1, 2012 Location: spencer,ohio Posts: 12	7.62 x 54 mosin I am wanting to pick up a surplus mosin nagant. My question is would it even be worth my time to reload these rounds considering how cheap this ammo is. I am just target shooting with the gun so not sure if it is worth getting set up for something that shoots so cheap.

January 9, 2012, 08:31 AM	#8
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,187	Just curious as to why folks make such a BIG deal about shooting corrosive primed ammo? __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

January 9, 2012, 09:56 AM	#12
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 970	If all you are doing is poking holes in paper, and don't care about getting the best accuracy out of it, then, by all means, just shoot the surplus stuff. It's cheap, and fairly plentiful. If you want to occasionally hunt with it, you can buy foreign made softpoints that work well. The only reason I reload for mine is for more accuracy, and the capability of lighter loads, and cast bullet loads. I'm about to scout-scope mine, hoping to turn it into my back-up hog gun. __________________ I always felt that if I got to the point where I thought it was time to bury my firearms, it was actually time to pick them up..

January 10, 2012, 02:12 AM	#14
Servant Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 116	Are there certain Mosins that are good and certain ones that are bad, like it is with an AK? __________________ "If you want to lead, you must first learn to serve, for the 1st shall be last and the last shall be first." If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. Lead, follow, or get out of the way!

January 10, 2012, 03:03 AM	#15
micksis86 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Posts: 420	FWIW once I get home from shooting my mosin I just boil a kettle full of water and place a funnel in the chamber and pour the boiling water down the barrel. This dilutes all the salts and then I give the bolt a quick wash with some hot water and dry them off. Then I clean the rifle as I would any other. It means that it takes me about 5 minutes longer than any other rifle and I haven't had a single problem with rust anywhere on the rifle. __________________ Never argue with morons, they will lower you down to their level and beat you with experience.

January 8, 2012, 07:56 PM	#2
3kgt2nv Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: hudson valley NY Posts: 517	just buy surplus. most of the available cases are non reloadable berdan primed so you would have to buy brass to reload it.

January 8, 2012, 08:00 PM	#3
hk33ka1 Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2010 Posts: 275	I just got one and am having a great time loading for it with cast for plinking. You should be able to make more accurate ammo for hunting or targets. Reloading is as much about the fun of loading and shooting as it is money saved. If you're already reloading a $25 set of Lee dies and a dozen or two brass get you into the 7.62x54r. Same primers and powders as many other rifle rounds and buy some .310-312 jacketed or .312-.314 lead bullets and away you go. Prvi Partisan, Lapua and Sellier & Bellot make reloadable cases along with Win and Hornady I believe.

January 9, 2012, 03:38 AM	#4
Bamashooter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2010 Posts: 1,860	Get surplus if you dont mind cleaning it after shooting because of the corrosive primers or get wolf, privi, bear, or S&B because they are non corrosive. I have nearly 600rds. of Bulgarian heavy ball thats brass cased but corrosive. I love the way it shoots out of my mosin's ( I have three ). I bought the 300rd. tins for $75 apiece a couple years ago.

January 9, 2012, 05:44 AM	#5
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Not worth it. You won't see any savings over surplus. Thought about saving your money for a bit and getting a $499 Garand from the CMP?

January 9, 2012, 07:05 AM	#6
excelerater Junior member Join Date: June 27, 2011 Location: Memphis TN Posts: 694	Nothing shoots better in a Mosin Nagant than ammo from the mother land

January 9, 2012, 08:40 AM	#9
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,619	Because you have to clean the bore with soap and water to get the salts out. Regular cleaning solvents won't touch the stuff and your bore will rust in no time as the salts attract water from the air. I know someone may have a special cleaner for corrosive primers but thru the years it has been found that water takes the stuff out best. Just as water is best for black powder fouling.

January 9, 2012, 08:55 AM	#10
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	I did the math when I bought mine a couple months ago ..... I already have a complete loading set-up, so I only need to recoup the cost of the dies..... I also wanted soft points for hunting ...... reloads will cost you 80 cents a shot, if you can get the brass. You can get crappy corrosive primed ammo for half that, sometimes ......

January 10, 2012, 01:31 AM	#13
Bamashooter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2010 Posts: 1,860	Don P..... I have used just hoppes to clean one of my mosin's after shooting corrosive ammo and checked it a few days later and it was starting to rust inside the barrel. I can tell you for a fact it will not clean the corrosive salts out of the barrel. When I flush it with hot water before cleaning with hoppes it cleans it up just fine with no chance of rust.

January 10, 2012, 10:59 AM	#17
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	I reload because I shoot cast boolits through mine. MUCH cheaper than surplus. __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

January 10, 2012, 11:57 AM	#18
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 2,017	I reload because I shoot cast in mine as well--grat and accurate paper-punching that way. I also get sub-MOA very easily with mine on my hand-loaded FMJ's. That's a 10-shot group with my cast at 50yds. Jacketed runs even tighter groups than that. You're going to have a long road ahead trying to get that from some of the mil-surp junk ammo out there. __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

January 10, 2012, 12:20 PM	#19
CZVZ Member Join Date: February 6, 2009 Posts: 17	You will not see the accuracy potential from these guns unless you reload. Very impressive, group Rangefinder, will you share your recipees? Both Cast and jacketed? Thanks CZVZ

January 10, 2012, 12:30 PM	#21
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 970	either that's a really big quarter, or that's a GREAT group. I'm just now starting to seriously work up a cast load. I've played with a 173gr flat nose and 2400 powder, which wasn't bad. I'm now casting a 314299, that is a 200gr round nose. It shows pretty good potential. I'd like to be able to get good groups at about 2000fps or so, if possible. __________________ I always felt that if I got to the point where I thought it was time to bury my firearms, it was actually time to pick them up..

January 10, 2012, 12:37 PM	#22
Mausermolt Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2007 Location: Ory-gun Posts: 508	Mil surp ammo is quite cheep. but you get what you pay for. i shoot it when im out just making the barrels hot. but if i were to hunt with it i would defiantly reload. my M38 that is counter-bored and the previous owner frosted the barrel a few times..has M.O.barn accuracy (bout 6" at 50) with Mil-surp ammo. I would really like to see what a Timney would do to it. haven't had the pleasure of reloading for it yet. __________________ Molon Labe

January 10, 2012, 10:56 PM	#24
boostedtt91 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Location: Danville, Pa Posts: 520	its definitely worth it if you care at all about accuracy. If you just want to go out and blast a bunch of ammo and don't care about accuracy to much then yes surplus ammo is the way to go since its so cheap. If you want to shoot accurately and see what the gun can do, highly recommend handloads, i am using Sierra Match bullets for .303 which is .311 diameter and they shoot quite well!! Old surplus ammo is god knows how old and you aren't gonna get constant results, every round could shoot different depending the condition and way it was stored

January 10, 2012, 11:33 PM	#25
croc4 Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 191	+1 reload if you care about accuracy at all, then reloading is where it is at. I have shot reloads through a scoped mosin that puts a lot of modern rifles I see at the range to absolute shame. There is a difference between cheap and inexpensive, the mosin is not a cheap rifle. It is a good deal for the money and will make the shooter the weak link each and every time, don't let the price fool you. Croc4