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I have a Polish Mosin Nagant M44, dated 1952, the condition is excellent, the woodwork and metal, all look in an unissued condition.
The thing is it will not shoot consistently, one day it will shoot all in the black, the next it will shoot high and sometimes will not even be on target?
The barrel looks ok, rifling looks ok, although a bit of pitting at the muzzle, could this cause the inconsistentancy?
Or could it be something else?

Have you checked all the screws are tight?

Have you had the woodwork off and checked for any cracks?

How are you shooting it of the bench, off a support free hand. The Nagant has a heavy trigger. Trigger pull can cause inconsistent shot placement.

The screws seem tight, but I have not had the woodwork off, from the outside it looks unissued, where would I be looking for cracks? On the inside of the woodwork?
I'm shooting it off a heavy sandbag, prone, and have got used to the trigger pull now, so that's why I was wondering if it could be something else?

Bayonet out or in?, mines feels better balanced in the hand and has better results when the bayonet is deployed.

Is the fitted beetroot being kept topped with vinegar?

If allowed to dry out the barrel harmonics are affected

Are you using the same ammunition each range trip? The Pole should generally have a much better trigger than a Soviet refurb.

RichT wrote:I have a Polish Mosin Nagant M44, dated 1952, the condition is excellent, the woodwork and metal, all look in an unissued condition.
The thing is it will not shoot consistently, one day it will shoot all in the black, the next it will shoot high and sometimes will not even be on target?
The barrel looks ok, rifling looks ok, although a bit of pitting at the muzzle, could this cause the inconsistentancy?
Or could it be something else?

Were did you buy it from if you don't mind me asking?.I have an immaculate 1944 Izhevsk M44 and it isn't the most consistent or accurate, as long as they went bang every time and hit centre mass out to say 300m that was all that was asked of them as most were issued to artillery crews and truck drivers etc.

Yeah its been shot bayonet in and out, using same ammo.
I bought it from a local gun shop who had had it for a while, and had it at a very good price.
Yeah I understand its not gonna be the most accurate rifle, just wonered if the big inconsistancy could be down to anything???
Although still good to shoot!!
I'm gonna take all the woodwork off and have a look to see if I can see anything?

It might sound daft but in the rear sight moving?.I have a 1939 Izhevsk 91/30 and sometimes after firing some rounds the rear sight adjuster will move forward due to the recoil and will shift the point of impact.Also are you using milsurp or commercial ammo?, if its milsurp it could be inconsistentancies in the ammo exasberating the problem.