The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi all,

I picked up my first centre fire, a Mosin 91/38 carbine, before Christmas and have taken it once to Bisley. The serial numbers all match and there are loads of interesting markings. From my research it is a 1914 Izhevsk M91 cut down later to carbine length, probably in Czechoslovakia sometime during the cold war. It’s quite possibly one of the Czech legion rifles, used in WW1 and the Russian Civil War.

The rifle went bang every time and apart from a few feeding issues, that were probably just my loading, cycled well. Accuracy wasn’t good but I think there are probably multiple reasons for that, not least of which is my lack of skill. Although others tried it without dramatically better results. It is difficult to be sure but I’d say it was consistently shooting high with possibly some stringing. I was shooting 1977 Russian milsurp ammo that looks fine and was in a sealed tin when I bought it.

The only obvious problem was that the barrel bands kept shaking loose from the recoil. This allowed the upper fore grip to shift. The spring on the front band was probably a replacement as it didn’t fit properly and was a different metal to the back spring and both bands. The rear spring and bands were reddish brown and the rest of the metalwork black. I’ve now got some replacement black springs from mother Russia and fitted both. They fit better that the original fore spring and as well as the back one did. Annoyingly that snapped very easily when I was messing with it.

I’ve stripped the rifle down and cleaned it all thoroughly both before and after shooting the corrosive ammo. There are no signs of rust and the bore seems clean and shiny. The rifling is visible and distinct but doesn’t look that deep. Although I’m not 100% sure what a good Mosin bore should look like it seems fine to me. The screws holding the action have been drilled out with a fine drill at some point but come out easily now and screw back in tight. They seem to hold everything secure and didn’t come loose when firing. I didn’t over-tighten them. Maybe they need replacing.

So hopefully the barrel bands will stay on now and I can get a better idea how it shoots. I’ve seen it said that you can improve the accuracy by bedding or shimming, or wrapping the barrel in an oiled cloth wrap under the wood of the fore-guard. I thought that might be worth a try, especially as it might also help keep the bands in place.

Any comments or suggestions on what I should try next would be appreciated.

Thanks



Sent from my boing using "An application"

I would say just shoot and enjoy the rifle for a couple more outings before contemplating any changes.

What Dromia said! Pictures of our favourite firearms are always appreciated...well, by me anyway.

Welcome to Vintovka Mosina ownership Tovarisch

As others have said we need pics

You may have seen these but I'll leave them here just in case....

http://www.mosinnagant.net/global%20mos ... arbine.asp

http://www.7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM9138.htm

The vast majority of Mosins shoot high at around 100m, this is easily remedied.Floating the barrel in the stock, adding the oiled wrap and shimming the action etc can all help, often making a very noticeable difference, but I have found that it yields greater gains on the longer M91 and M91/30 rifles than it does carbines.Most Mosins have been arsenal refurb'd a few times and may not have the original stock and over the years the action can "dig" into the stock and the barrel can be pressing on the fore end etc (the barrel on my '39 was pressing into the stock along most of its length and accuracy was awful as a result) which will all have a detrimental effect on accuracy, as will a heavy and gritty trigger pull (which is common on the majority of Mosins, with the exception of the majority of Finnish rifles) but again the trigger is fairly easy to improve.

I have a 1926 Izhevsk ex-Dragoon and a 1939 Izhevsk M91/30 (also had a 1944-dated M44 Carbine and a 1953 Romanian M44, both sold on) and the rear band moves on both despite numerous attempts to get them to stay put, now I just live with it!.

As said I would shoot it as it is for a while before contemplating any changes and one more piece of advice........once you have one Mosin they can have a tendency to multiply!

Thanks all for the comments and links. I forgot to mention how much fun it was to shoot, so I’m all for shooting more and will take that advice.

Dromia I had to look that one up but I’ll take some photos in the day light.

Comrade snayperskaya, remember the zampolit teaches us that ownership is exploitation of the workers but I will ensure the rifle is retained for the use of the people. [WINKING FACE]



Sent from my boing using "An application"

Sent from my boing using "An application"

Alberto wrote:
Comrade snayperskaya, remember the zampolit teaches us that ownership is exploitation of the workers but I will ensure the rifle is retained for the use of the people.

Ownership by the Proletariat is acceptable when pertaining to ownership of Glorious Vintovka Mosina for Defence of The Motherland tovarisch.

Nice rifle you have there, plenty of history.

Out of curiosity , what makes you think it was cut down in Czechoslovakia ?
Nice looking rifle you have BTW

Lovely condition for a rifle that age, make sure you get some of that type of milsurp ammo that shoots a two foot ball of fire from the muzzle when you shoot it; adds value in my opinion!