M91/30 scoped

[WeedWacker]

Today has to be one of my most exciting days. I picked up a 91/30 with matching numbers and scope side mount (matching as well). My hands reek of oil and it's fantastic! (I might need an intervention here ) Now, the bore has definitely seen better days. It's pitted and worn but the rifling still stands out. Maybe 75% condition of the bore... and that's being generous. (I am on campus right now so no pictures, they will come later) Stamped 1940 came with spike bayo and oil/conscript kit and 4x scope.

My question: Should I try shooting it or just keep it as a collector item? I am a little pessimistic about the bore condition as far as accuracy goes.

[the rifleer]

Most definitely go out and shoot it. I'd give it a good cleaning all around and get all the cosmoline off. After you clean it up really well go buy some ammo and test it out at a local shooting range. Mosins are tough guns and are usually fairly accurate. give it a shot, you'll love it.

[Drachenstein]

Shoot it, you'll be impressed. After years of shooting US and German Surplus I finally shot my first Mosin this last week end. I got a standard 1940 round reciever, all matching for very little at AIM. First round took out a shaving cream can at 100 meters with iron sites. I would love to see what it can do scoped. I passed it around for all to try and all were shocked to find out I spent less than $100 dollars for it. They were also shocked to find how big a round could kick so little.

Where did you get it from?

[WeedWacker]

Rifleer: There is virtually no cosmo. I remember getting my 91/59 and that had probably been pulled out of the box, washed off and stuck on the shelf and had cosmo gunking up the bolt and magazine.

Another question about the scope. I looked through it and the sight picture seems strange to me, as if the post and side bars are placed a little too high...

Anyway, I'm almost wanting to put one of my Burris scopes on there (I have a spare timberline 2-7 that would work nicely) just to see what exactly it can do. Are the rings on the PU mount 1 inch tube?

[the rifleer]

Ive never shot one with a scope on it, but i believe that you are just supposed to aim using the lower post. Basically ignore the side posts. I could be wrong though... That's just another excuse to go to range and test it out.

Edit- forget the Burris in my opinion, keep it original. Do what ever you want, its your gun, but if it were me i'd keep it original, even if it isn't the original PU scope that you have.

[WeedWacker]

It's a standard german post where the side bars line up with the tip of the post. Only when looking through the scope it appears as though the side bars and post are set high of center.... It might just be me and I need to look again and get the cheek weld right (or, in the case of the PU mount, a chin weld ).

And I just want to mount the modern high(er) power scope to check accuracy at 100 yards. I don't usually do very well with low power scopes and I haven't used a German post reticule before.

(Not mine BTW, still have to take pictures )

[Drachenstein]

I've been doing a bit of research on this as I've been thinking about getting a sniper for a while. This should help;

http://www.mosinnagant.net/sniper%20...t-sighting.asp

Frank

[madcratebuilder]

So were would one look for a 91/30 sniper like this? My mil-surp sniper collection is expanding and I may 'need' one.

[p99guy]

thats normal for the scope reticle to look like that....and when you set the turret on top of the scope to a further away yardage setting, the reticle goes down in the scope picture......also the method of centering the reticle right or left in the scope picture
involved shims, or grinding on the rear of the scope mount
not sure how much luck you are going to have putting a one inch scope in the pu rings...they arent 1 inch rings if i remember correctly.

[WeedWacker]

Kalinka Optics carries a standard weaver rail that can be put on in place of the PU mount. I believe they also carry shims to bring the 26.5 mm ring to 1 inch.

ETA:http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/mounts/...59f08321dee48c


http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/mounts/...1-inserts.html

I haven't looked too closely yet but I think this will work.... but me and thinking don't usually get along too well

@Drachenstein: I didn't intentionally go out to get this, I walked into Big 5 and they had one in the rack. Serial numbers matched, not much cosmo and the wood looked great (bore pitted but probably useable). I suppose the best thing to do would be to look around gun shows and see if there's something C&R specific. Or gunbroker, but as we all know it can be hit or miss.

[Drachenstein]

AIM, J&G, Centerfire, and SOG have these in both hex and round recievers, if you have a C&R it's no problem. They start at about $379.

[madcratebuilder]

Thanks Drach, I'll go check them out, I don't know a damn thing about Russian rifles.

I have watched the prices of other sniper rifles go from cheap to "I could buy a car for that kind of money" price. I figure I should buy one or two of these while the price is some what low.

[p99guy]

that mount don't look like it will directly replace a PU....looks like it needs a plate installed on the rifle, like the one on the side of alot of AK47's

[mapsjanhere]

As for the off-center reticle, old scopes used to move just the reticle when adjusting POI, moving the image off-center. Modern scopes have the reticle and a set of lenses in an internal tube that gets moved as a whole, seemingly keeping the picture centered even while moving the reticle.