Range report: Mosin 91/30

[SteelCore]

Shot the 91.30 this weekend, about 125rounds through it. It is more powerful than the M-44 (muzzle velocity up over 200+ FPS over the M-44) so I guess that extra 10 inches of bbl is good for something. Also, kicks a lot less, and seems about 40% more accurate and consistent.

One thing I did note is that there is some play in the bbl near the muzzle--in other words, you can hold the forestock and wiggle the bbl in the stock. I thought about trying to bed the interior of the stock with epoxy or something less rigid to stop the play, but I wasn't sure if I needed to worry about barrel harmioncs or anything.

Anyone experience this barrel play in their 91/30? Is it something I should correct?

Also, I tested it on the 10x12inch and 1.5 inch thick cast steel block again. Using either 172gr. Czech steelcore or Bulgarian 147gr. lead core, the M-44 would carve steel out to a depth of 3/8ths of an inch. THru the 91/30, the same rounds would carve in to about 7/8ths of an inch! Like I said, guess that extra 10 inches of bbl is good for something.

I like the 91/30 even more than the m-44. It was grouping a little low and left at 50yds for me and the others that shot it, which surprised me. I thought if anything it would group high, since the bayo ws not sintalled while shooting. Now, I was using the 100M sight, so maybe the bullet was still in the rise up to the sight plane at 50yds. I'll go to the big range in the next month to try it out at 100,200,300yds.

[Woodman in MO]

Good report...chrono'ed and everything. I never do stuff like that.

I don't recall the last 91/30 having any barrel play. I know it's expected in Enfields, but I just don't know about the Commie guns.

[SteelCore]

Well, "hillbilly chrony" anyway. the depth diff of the shots into steel from the M-44 then the 91/30 suggested that the same rounds fromt he 91/30 were going pretty fast and that made a buncha difference. I did find a page that gave avgs for all of the Mosin makes, and the longer parreled ones did have a higher FPS--200 to 300 FPS faster over the 44s and 38s.

I'll try to dig it up.

I was ble to split some holes with the 91/30 on paper, so maybe the wobble is not a big deal. I might try some non-permanent shimming with cardboard or paper to see if it makes any diff.

[amd65]

You could try a slip of thick card stock paper under the barrel at the front, and see if it makes a difference...

[SteelCore]

That's what I'll do...do you think I shuld just do it there, like for the first few inches, instead of trying to bed 12+inches?

[amd65]

I don't know...a lot of folks like fore-end tip pressure.

[SteelCore]

I'l let you know how it goes. If this thing groups any better, it was worth it, since I was already getting 2inch groups or better at 50yds

[Rampager]

I checked my mosins and didn't find any play in the stock/barrel. Shim it and you should be good to go.

[my-rifle]

I usually use the 50-yard mark solely for adjusting sights. Once I have my sights set to center my shots at 50 yards I move the target out to 100 yds to really see what the rifle can do. I find that at that range my groups open up enough to spot variations more easily. I own 3 M44's and 1 M38, and I find all of them shoot 10" - 12" groups at 100 yards, while the M91/30's can make 4" - 8" groups at the same range. Since I have 12 M91/30's I have a fairly good crop among which to compare. The long sight radius really makes a difference in aiming the M91/30's too. On a side note my Mauser K98's are a bit more accurate.

The fellow who runs the range where I shoot out in the swamp mentioned to me that he has rented a dozer to move one of his berms from 100 yards to 300 yards and fill the swamp. I can't wait to see what that rear ladder sight is all about. He said he was going to resrict use of the long range lanes to a few people, but since I'm the only customer of his who makes AKM's and RPK's I have reason to hope I'll be among that number.

[SteelCore]

"I checked my mosins and didn't find any play in the stock/barrel"
-->Funny, I went to a local dealer who had assorted 91/30s, from izhvesk to Tula, late 30's early 40s, and they all had a bit of bbl wiggle. you put the butt on the floor, then hold near the top of where the front stock ends, ten hold th bbl with the other hand, and there's space in there...enough for wiggle...