The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

I have read and heard (on YouTube) the Mosin Nagant rifle described as ugly.

I profoundly disagree.

If you want to see ugly, go to any range and look at the various "black rifles" that military historian and commentator Gwynne Dyer correctly describes as, "Ugly. Utilitarian. Ruthless."

The Mosin Nagant is a beautiful rifle. It has elegant lines and eye-pleasing symmetry. Even with some scratches and dings, the Mosin Nagant is a Grand Old Lady in a world of trollops.

There is nothing that you have to "do" to it. It is perfect, as is.

For its weight and length (indeed because of its ratio of weight to length), it is one of the best balanced weapons I have ever owned/used. The sight radius is excellent and helps even the average marksman put rounds on target.

The history of each rifle-- where it has been and what it has done-- can never be known in detail. But what we do know commands respect.

The Mosin Nagant is amazingly robust. Mine (I own several) will certainly outlast me. I'm just the lucky caretaker on this part of their journey.

Thanks for reading!

What amazes me is the service life of this design in it's many variations.

The Mosin is a beautiful weapon!

jimpierce7 wrote:The Mosin is a beautiful weapon!

That's a big 10-4 !!

Why would i want a black plastic widget of a rifle when I can have something with history and soul ??

My "babies:"

1923 Izhevsk M91/30 Ex-Dragoon (1895 on tang)
1926 Tula M91/30
1927 Tula M91/30
1929 Izhevsk M91/30
1943 Tula M91/30 (hex receiver)

I also read a great deal of that on forums and message boards, and I know what you mean about youtube. I just never understand it. What is it that makes these things ugly? I have this theory that because Mosins are inexpensive people perceive them to be inferior in every way, aesthetics included..

They're just.. incredibly beautiful rifles. Long and slender, beautiful curves. Very elegant..

The only thing even remotely ugly about a Mosin is when you see one painted camo and cut down, with a Bushnell on it. More sad, really, but ugly in my opinion.

As for "Black Rifles", I love my Armalite Ar10. One of the nicest rifles ever built. Although I did put Magpul stock and forearm on it.

The black rifles that are ugly are the new Remington/Winchester/Savage/etc. with synthetic stocks. Butt ugly and not in my safe.

As recent as a year ago you could have heard me say something like "There's no way I would shoot, let alone buy a wore out hunk like that" Then I picked one up and put it to me shoulder and that was all it took. The weight went away because of the balance. The lines are long and sleek and it just feels right. The wife is starting to want to shoot it more The shop at the range we shoot at has a couple T-53's, about 4or5 M38's and a couple M44's oh, and a nice 91/30. I look all of them over every time we hit the range. I got my first, it won't be my last.

Rather than ugly I prefer to think of Mosins as minimalist.

Love the mosin, was love at first sight for me

djbuck1 wrote:I have read and heard (on YouTube) the Mosin Nagant rifle described as ugly.

I profoundly disagree.

If you want to see ugly, go to any range and look at the various "black rifles" that military historian and commentator Gwynne Dyer correctly describes as, "Ugly. Utilitarian. Ruthless."

The Mosin Nagant is a beautiful rifle. It has elegant lines and eye-pleasing symmetry. Even with some scratches and dings, the Mosin Nagant is a Grand Old Lady in a world of trollops.

There is nothing that you have to "do" to it. It is perfect, as is.

For its weight and length (indeed because of its ratio of weight to length), it is one of the best balanced weapons I have ever owned/used. The sight radius is excellent and helps even the average marksman put rounds on target.

The history of each rifle-- where it has been and what it has done-- can never be known in detail. But what we do know commands respect.

The Mosin Nagant is amazingly robust. Mine (I own several) will certainly outlast me. I'm just the lucky caretaker on this part of their journey.

Thanks for reading!

I like the way you think!

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I think that mosins are incredibly appealing. I love them down to ever dent, ding, and the occasional hole. Newer rifles lack in history and class. Though there are a few out there that are close to my heart..... aka my m4 that saved my life many times.

They are an ingenious design developed to 1: Be simple to maintain by an army of conscripts, 2: Ensure continuity of training/familiarity. Note the resemblance to the Berdan rifles that served the Tsar's armies for 20+ years before the M/N was adopted in 1891. 3. Circumvent Mauser's patents that had every other army of the world either buying their rifles or paying them royalties to produce a rifle like Mausers'. (The SMLE and the Lebel excepted.)
And yes, there is a certain graceful beauty to the Mosin Nagant that many of it's contemporaries didn't have.

To me they are ugly in a good way. The bulldozer type of ugly. Tough, down-and-dirty, get the job done.

If you want ugly, to me a 1917 is ugly. I'm not badmouthing them, because I know a lot of people on here own and like them. But that is just my taste in looks. I have just always found them totally unattractive.

IMHO:.......as for "looks", the M39 is always a safe bet to win honors in a beauty contest, of course I'm "partial" to Finnish Gals

I'm with everyone else here, the Mosin is a beautiful rifle! I'd rather buy a beautiful Finnish M27 or an M91 for a very affordable price rather than be gouged on the wiffle bat that is the AR-15 series of rifles.

It being outdated in modern conflicts aside, I'd trust that Russian 91/30 over an M16 to get the job done and not jam on me. My '43 91/30 I got as my first rifle has yet to ever fail on me...unlike a Bushmaster AR15 where I've already had 12 failures.

I think they are beautiful looking rifles, so I half agree with you. I also think the black rifles are good looking rifles. I don't care too much for a lot of add-ons, but a old school Colt AR15 A2 Sporter, or M4 and I'd be super happy. Talk about beautiful, The Armalite AR10 mentioned above is another great looking rifle. I really don't find myself knocking anything because I think it's ugly.

For me, a wood stock will always be better looking than a synthetic.
Mall Ninja tacticool rifles with scopes and lights and laser sticking out all over like warts - that is ugly.

Say what you will about the AR variants.. This is one of the most beautiful examples I have ever seen..



That said, I still think the Mosin is more pleasing to the eye.

i like mosin i think there very cool looking. what the heck how many do you buy and still after more and you say there ugly and i still remember the refurbs suck thing