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New Mosin Nagant
Dr.Nipps
Member Posts: 642 ✭✭✭✭
I have finally purchased my first Mosin Nagant and just had a few question about it for the experts. I would like to strip it down to give it a complete clean, but after taking the bolt apart I found out I am lacking a few tools. Also upon cleaning the bore I realized that a 3 piece cleaning kit from academy doesn't fit. To overcome this I attached the firearm's cleaning rod to the three piece, but I looked absolutely silly. The rifle is in great condition, but didn't come with a sling or tools. The Questions:
1)What is the chance of the 60+ year old rifle breaking if taken apart
2)What cleaning rod do ya'll use that fits the entire length of the bore
3)Does the .308 rifle boresnake work
4)What additional tools/accessories should I get
In advance thanks!
1)What is the chance of the 60+ year old rifle breaking if taken apart
2)What cleaning rod do ya'll use that fits the entire length of the bore
3)Does the .308 rifle boresnake work
4)What additional tools/accessories should I get
In advance thanks!
Comments
2. I use a one piece Dewey coated rod- the longest they make.
3. It can for a quick clean, but given caked in cosmoline, small pits in the bore from years of corrosive ammo, etc., it should be considered a temporary expedient only, not really something to do a thorough cleaning.
4. Depends, which model did you get? Does it have a folding bayonet, or no? Carbine or long rifle?
See mosinnagant.net and 7.62x54r.net. A search will reveal other sources of inf.
1)What is the chance of the 60+ year old rifle breaking if taken apart
Zero. The gun was designed in the 19th century for use by illiterate Russian Peasants. You may not know how to disassemble/reassemble it properly, but its not "rocket science" and the chance of you breaking it by stripping it down is nil.
quote:2)What cleaning rod do ya'll use that fits the entire length of the bore
Any cleaning rod will work. I use the same one for this as my other rifles.
quote:3)Does the .308 rifle boresnake work
Sure, it will work. For CLEANING purposes, there is no difference between patches/brushes for a .308 bore and the .312 Mosin Bore.
Note that as mentioned, most authorities think something like a boresnake is basically for a quick-and-dirty field type cleaning. A proper rod with brushes and patches is better.
Also note that *ALL* surplus Mosin ammo is corrosive, so if you're shooting ANY of this, you MUST clean your gun immediately after shooting or the bore will rust within a few days after shooting. In fact, most of these surplus Mosin guns ALREADY have rusty bores from military use with corrosive ammo and insufficient maintenance. When you clean the gun, also make sure to clean the bolt and breech areas, because those can rust too from primer residue.
quote:4)What additional tools/accessories should I get
Don't go too crazy here. Again, you're talking a 100+ year old design intended for Russian peasants. A proper take down tool (these used to come with the gun) and a cleaning rod is most of this.
Personally, I like a recoil pad on these. Guns themselves fire a reasonably powerful round, so recoil is brisk. On top of that, the average 19th century Russian soldier these guns were designed for was 5'5" tall and wearing a heavy winter jacket (which helps absorb recoil). A 1-2 inch recoil pad will not only reduce bruising to your shoulder from the antiquated design, but it will also increase the length of pull of the gun to something that's a little more appropriate for an average 5'9" American.
quote:Growing up I was taught that to much oil on a wood stock firearm will run down onto the stock leading to softening of the wood. Does this apply to cosmoline too? Cosmoline is a preservative. It won't damage the wood, but if you have too much of it sticking around, it can get into the gun's action, gunking it up, and (perhaps worse) onto your clothes, etc. For this reason, most people thoroughly clean and de-grease these types of military surplus guns immmediately after getting them as a first step. Consider it a "rite of passage".
An ammo pouch, oiler, and combo tool are nice accessories (the combo tool measures firing pin protrusion, but in practice this isn't hard to determine- if it sets off the ammo and doesn't pierce, it's right), and a sling with collars. That's basically it.
On the subject of corrosive ammo- use hot water. It flushes out the salts that attract rust. They dry, and clean as normal.
If you go with surplus ammo, you will likely find some types shoot better for you than others, same as anything else. If you go commercial, save your brass- even if you don't reload, it's good material for the auction side. If you DO reload, I can strongly recommend the Sierra 174 gr HPBT and Hornady 150 gr soft point spires in .311 and .312 respectively.
Neal
Jonk, that was only on the M-44 Carbines, with the bayonet extended.
Nipps, the Mosin combo tool is really the only tool you'll use in the kit. The tear drop hole in it is to remove the bayonet. Bayo's were serial numbered to the rifle, because each one had to be fitted to that rifle. If you get a bayo for it, 90% chance you'll have to fit it to the rifle. Emory cloth on a dowel is all it takes to do it.
The screw driver end is to keep the action screws tight. The FP depth gauge is a must for checking adjustment when the bolt is taken apart for cleaning.
You'll find page after page on gun forums telling you how to clean your gun after shooting corrosive primed ammo. I have an ongoing experiment with two of my M-44's. One gets the Windex/water cleaning, and one gets a regular cleaning with Hoppe's #9. Both have had hundreds of rounds of the nastiest combloc surplus made put through them. After seven years now, there is absolutely no difference between the two.
Take a look at this auction-
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=424071298
Firing pin protrusion should be .075 to .095, and is adjusted by turning the rear of the striker 1/2 turn at a time.
I've slugged dozens of Tula and Izhevsk Mosin barrels, pre-war and wartime, and all bores have been .300 to .302 and the grooves .312 to .313. These were new-condition barrels, corroded ones may run larger. I use .313 bullets exclusively for reloading. I've measured LPS bullets from eight Com-bloc arsenals, and all were .311.
Hoppe's works, my pipes have stayed shiny for years. Not just the Russian guns, but the WW1 U.S. and British stuff that I've routinely fired with corrosive ball since the '60's.
The only way to break a Mosin is by standing it upright and slamming it between two T-34's.