my new Nagant

[MR.T.]

Well, I just bought an Nagant. I was wandering if anyone here could tell me some things about it.

Here is a picture, and on the top of the chamber it has the proof marks, the numbers 1946r and the SN

[Broken External Image]

 

[SparkyOKC]

Very nice M-44. What did it set you back?

 

[Cheepshooter]

I have a couple or 3, but no M44s. I've heard that if accuracy isn't great, open (or maybe remove) the bayonet and accuracy will improve. I've only fired one.

My M91 and 91/30 are both surprisingly accurate. The 91 was a barrel and action that was already cut down. Unfortunate since it was a Remington made piece. The 91/30 is original and in a great looking stock.

On yours, the 1946 is the year. I'm not sure about the "r". There are a couple of good resources on the web to ID the markings.

The 7.62x54R round is a good one. There is more that one version of surplus ammo, some getting near 308 performance. Ifyou handload, you can get 308 performance pretty easy, but you need to slug the barrel and see what diameter you have. It's usually .311 or .312, but I've heard of .310 and .314.

Commercially, you can get various ammo for hunting from various former Soviet sources. The softponts are usually 203 gr, which is really too heavy for deer in that round in my opinion, especially because the lead inside seems way too hard. Winchester has some, but the are .308 dia bullets and keyhole at 50 yds in my guns. There is an outfit for S. America called "Hotshot", I think. Those seem to be good hunting rounds, though I've never shot anything with them other than paper.

Any specific questions?

Jpt

 

[MR.T.]

Thanks for the info. I don't know very much about these rifles. What is the easy way to tell a M44, M91, and a 91/30 just looking at them, aside from looking at the SN or date stamp?

I will probably use this as a range gun until I get more time with it and more confident, then maybe a shorter range deer rifle.

 

[Cheepshooter]

The M44 has a side folding bayonet. The M91 is the looong (31+ inch) barrel. The 91/30 is very similar, but has a date after 1930. The M38 is a carbine (I have one of those, two).

Some of the M44s have a cheaper blond stock. Yours looks nice. The real nice ones have a laminate stock. I wish I had bought a laminate M38 or 91/30 when the were dirt cheap. You can still find decent 91/30s for $150 or less, though. At that price, every man, woman, and child should be issued one.

The real premium Nagants are the ones the Finish captured. They kept the action, but replaced the barrel, stock, and everything else. A lot (maybe all?) of those are .308 bores and are superb shooters. and they are the best looking of the bunch. I kick myself for not getting one when I twice had the chance to get a real nice one.

You sould really enjoy shooting that gun. Grafs.com has some good prices on 54R ammo right now. The silvertip is good stuff, but the primers are corrosive, so clean well after firing.

You may not make full velocity w/ surplus ammo (slow, extruded powder of some kind), but it will make a heck of a fireball out the muzzle at dusk. Nagants are hard to beat.

Jpt

 

[Cheepshooter]

No need to limit it to a "short range deer rifle." Pull the pin and remove the bayonet, and mount a scout mount that replaces the rear sight (you need a long eye relief scope). Then you'll have no permanent mods and can always go back to factory configuration.

I can consistenly hit 2 liter soda bottles at 300 yds with surplus ammo. Good handloaded Hornaday 150gr SST .311 dai bullets are $30/ 100 at Grafs right now. They would be real deer slayers out to those ranges.

I have used IMR-4895, but I haven't expermented much, since I was using .308 dia bullets and they keyholed real bad in my guns.

Jpt

 

[MR.T.]

Awesome info guys, thanks.. I will be doing my range report with it within the next few weeks.
I may want to get some info from you on that scout mount for a scope, that sounds like a good idea for a future project when I am bored and need something to do.

So, all in all, not a bad deal for $130

 

[chris]

Well, I just bought an Nagant. I was wandering if anyone here could tell me some things about it...

This website has all the info you'll ever need about your Mosin-Nagant:

http://www.7.62x54r.net/

I also have an M44 and they are really fun, but they can sure hurt your shoulder after a bit of shooting.

 

[MoBoost]

"r" is first letter of word "year" in Cyrillic.

 

[Baron Driver]

Show us a pic of the top of the receiver and I can tell you where it was manufactured.