The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Posted: **Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:05 pm**

I'm curious to see some of the reasons collectors enjoy collecting Mosin Nagant rifles. I'm sure a vast majority of us here appreciate other milsurp rifles, but how did you start collecting Mosins?

Contrary to what many believe I think Mosins are beautiful rifles. I like the look of them and especially the design of the M44. Also, back when times were different you could really enjoy collecting a lot of variations of these rifles and accessories at very reasonable prices. The history, availability, and having a powerful round that was also very affordable all made for collecting these rifles enjoyable. I look forward to hearing what other members here have to say!

Posted: **Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:14 pm**

I started because they were pieces of WWII history that a working man with kids could afford. After a few, they really grew on me.

Posted: **Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:16 pm**

I was gifted 3 of them and had to figure out what I had.

Posted: **Sat Jun 05, 2021 8:50 pm**

I just loved it. No two rifles were the same. Each was unique in the appearance, the finish and the markings. I collected 10 of them; eight M91/30 rifles and two carbines (M44 and M38). Of course, I bought them when the prices were in the 100-135 range and it was easy to acquire a good collection without a large investment. Today, all of them would command three times the original cost. That's what so fun about gun collecting.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 1:15 am**

I didn't even know that surplus guns were a thing. I just wanted a Winchester model 70 .30-06. I'd outgrown shooting .22lr and wanted to step up to larger cartridge that had some longer range accuracy and power. I'd always liked the wood and blued steel of older guns.

My friend bought a 1942 91/30 for $100 while we were in college and he told me about it. I could not believe he was able to buy a full power rifle for so cheap. He told me a little of the history and showed it to me. I was transfixed! I loved history, especially around the time of WWII, and I'd been interested in Russia ever since my parents vacationed there a few years before. Mosin Nagant rifles hit several interests of mine at once. I had no idea that these things even existed or that I could own one so easily. I immediately started researching them and learning everything that I could about them. I bought my own only a week later.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:48 am**

I am a Martial Arms Collector, I collect for the history, I could care less how they shoot, or even if they do. I have all sorts of commercial sporters if I absolutely must place a tiny hole in the middle of the target, but the only history they have is my own. If it's a martial arm then I collect it, doesn't matter what it is, it could be a sword, deactivated grenade, rifle from any country used in war or not. Mosins first came my way 35 years ago, chopped up US made M91's, then type 53's, Vietnam Vet bringback stuff, and of course the massive Finn, and Soviet hoards that came later. I ended up with more Mosins than any other one type of weapon because they were cheap, and readily available everywhere I went. The Mosin is a rifle that is stuffed full of history.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 10:08 am**

I can't really explain it but I was drawn to it when I first saw it I asked him at the big five store so let me look at it and it was for $79 and for some reason was ugly as looking as it is it really wasn't ugly I can't explain it I really like the uniqueness of it I've been hooked and then went out first took it out shooting I learned lessons about sticky bolt and history of it and once I got it taken care of cheap ammo it was fun shooting and it was a 9130 made in 1942 Tula I believe and I caught the dreaded case of mosinitis

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 10:49 am**

I started collecting early on in 1970. I was young and had a hard time getting up enough money for a $15 dollar rifle (back then). My first mil-surplus was a Enfield N0. 5 "Jungle Carbine" I bought for $15. Picked it out of a three fiber barrels full of surplus rifles. I used it for hunting for two years.

I went from collecting a few mil-surplus to shooting black powder (reproductions). Heavy into that for years. Shooting is way different then collecting.

Then I decided to collect Revolutionary War muskets. Now, that slowed me down a bit because it was hard to come up with $600 to buy one. Also, no internet at that time, so you had to "hunt" for them. Mostly back east, as California had very few that made it out here. But, that was part of the fun. Then some jerk wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal about what a great investment antique firearms were. They soared up over $1,600 and that was it for me. I have about 12 of them, still do.

I decided to either go to Civil War era, or beyond. Civil War was climbing so fast in price I decided to skip that era. And I moved on to "Post Civil War" and bolt action. I found a lot of bolt action very cheap, so I found my new "home. When Mosin's started to be imported, they were so cheap and easy to get, I settled in there for a while. But most of my bolt actions were WWII of older. If it hasn't been in a war, I'm not really interested in it. Like Jim, it's the history and the battles that draw me to them.

Picked up a few Post Civil War carbines also. I love carbines.

Watched the Mosins go up in price beyond what I though they would ever go to. To this day I'm shocked at the prices they are bringing today.

This is what is killing this hobby. The lack of inexpensive mil-surplus that new collectors can afford. Especially younger new collectors. I watched when Mosins first came in and the younger collectors were here all the time. Now, less Mosins for sale and less new collectors. Not sure where the collecting path will take us next. If at all.

Darryl

PS: I have never sold a firearm I have ever owned. I have them all.
But, some day (like when I move next year) it's going to be a problem!

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 12:38 pm**

Sandy Hook drought in 2012 or 2013, I bought my first surplus rifle--a Mosin. Ammo was pretty cheap, and the rifles were still selling under $200. I then found some surplus groups on Facebook, and got obsessed with surplus firearms. Also, started looking up info on Mosins, and was surprised at all of the variations/markings. Never saw them before, and had the impression that I'd never be able to find all of those odd variations and markings. Started buying a lot of stuff, trying to get everything. Ended up sticking mainly with Mosins. For me, there is just too many firearms to be able to know all the necessary information on all of them, so I chose to stick with one--the Mosin rifles.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:08 pm**

I bought my first in '08 saw how accurate and functional they were, and they were $99-$169 and a crate of ammo was about $160. After that first M44 I got crazy, bought 'em cheap, stacked 'em deep.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:34 pm**

For me I bought two at the same time, so they were my 2nd and 3rd Milsurp. Bought it because I had a love of military history and well they have a history. Then as I started to learn about my 2 new M91/30s I discovered there were different models, then different countries used them and made them better (Finnish ones).

All that started me jumping head first with even looking down the milsurp and Mosin Nagant rabbit hole, the rest is history.

Or as Paul Harvey would say......."Now you know the rest of the story".

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:34 pm**

A coworker asked me several years ago if I wanted a $75 rifle with all the extras including ammo and I said yes. Pulled that war time 91/30 rifle out of the box and thought this has to be the crudest built gun I've ever seen, even the bolt lifts when you pull the trigger. Tried the ammo and it all delayed shooting so bad it made us laugh. I put it away for a long time until the Sandy Hook shooting happened and my friend who lives near by needed to unload some rifles. Due to safe room at the time I only wanted 1 of everything so I bought and tractor parts traded him out of a truck load of stuff including ammo and reloading supplies. All that stuff has probably tripled in price since then. I've picked up some local surplus guns along the way and still watch for cheep things to cross my path. They're still out there to be found by those who don't know what they have. I picked up a 91/30 a couple months ago for $150

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 5:38 pm**

steelbuttplate wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:08 pm I bought my first in '08 saw how accurate and functional they were, and they were $99-$169 and a crate of ammo was about $160. After that first M44 I got crazy, bought 'em cheap, stacked 'em deep.

"Bought 'em cheap, stacked 'em deep"

I wish years ago I would have done that! I remember years ago going into a gun shop with my uncle and seeing my first ever crate of Mosins and I saw they were $100 each.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 5:42 pm**

Darryl wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 10:49 am I started collecting early on in 1970. I was young and had a hard time getting up enough money for a $15 dollar rifle (back then). My first mil-surplus was a Enfield N0. 5 "Jungle Carbine" I bought for $15. Picked it out of a three fiber barrels full of surplus rifles. I used it for hunting for two years.

I went from collecting a few mil-surplus to shooting black powder (reproductions). Heavy into that for years. Shooting is way different then collecting.

Then I decided to collect Revolutionary War muskets. Now, that slowed me down a bit because it was hard to come up with $600 to buy one. Also, no internet at that time, so you had to "hunt" for them. Mostly back east, as California had very few that made it out here. But, that was part of the fun. Then some jerk wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal about what a great investment antique firearms were. They soared up over $1,600 and that was it for me. I have about 12 of them, still do.

I decided to either go to Civil War era, or beyond. Civil War was climbing so fast in price I decided to skip that era. And I moved on to "Post Civil War" and bolt action. I found a lot of bolt action very cheap, so I found my new "home. When Mosin's started to be imported, they were so cheap and easy to get, I settled in there for a while. But most of my bolt actions were WWII of older. If it hasn't been in a war, I'm not really interested in it. Like Jim, it's the history and the battles that draw me to them.

Picked up a few Post Civil War carbines also. I love carbines.

Watched the Mosins go up in price beyond what I though they would ever go to. To this day I'm shocked at the prices they are bringing today.

This is what is killing this hobby. The lack of inexpensive mil-surplus that new collectors can afford. Especially younger new collectors. I watched when Mosins first came in and the younger collectors were here all the time. Now, less Mosins for sale and less new collectors. Not sure where the collecting path will take us next. If at all.

Darryl

PS: I have never sold a firearm I have ever owned. I have them all.
But, some day (like when I move next year) it's going to be a problem!

Having a rifle from the Civil War would be pretty awesome. That is out of my price range though lol. As time goes on these prices will continue to increase, sad it's more of a collector market than a surplus market now. With the Mosin Nagant being so affordable back in the day pretty much anyone could enjoy a cool rifle. I can't bring myself to spend nearly $400 on a 91/30 but maybe one day I will find a good deal on a Mosin and add atoner one to the collection.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 5:44 pm**

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:48 am I am a Martial Arms Collector, I collect for the history, I could care less how they shoot, or even if they do. I have all sorts of commercial sporters if I absolutely must place a tiny hole in the middle of the target, but the only history they have is my own. If it's a martial arm then I collect it, doesn't matter what it is, it could be a sword, deactivated grenade, rifle from any country used in war or not. Mosins first came my way 35 years ago, chopped up US made M91's, then type 53's, Vietnam Vet bringback stuff, and of course the massive Finn, and Soviet hoards that came later. I ended up with more Mosins than any other one type of weapon because they were cheap, and readily available everywhere I went. The Mosin is a rifle that is stuffed full of history.

I am the same way, history is something that should be appreciated and preserved.

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 5:44 pm**

Thank you everyone who commented. It was good reading all the different stories!

Posted: **Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:14 pm**

The history of some milsurps I traded for drove me to Mosins and I havent stopped yet.

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 am**

I picked up my first 91/30 (1943) while waiting for the paperwork to be processed on an AR. For the $89.95 price it was at the time I thought "Yeah why not, add it to the paperwork!" I added a 1944 SKY M39 to my collection cause I really like the history of the Winter War and Continuation War especially the Civil Guard's actions. I'm looking to add a SKY M28 down the road.

Posted: **Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:27 am**

For me, a M44 was what got me into this hobby. I was actually shopping for my first CCW on a local trader, and ran across a for sale ad for a M44, M24/47 Mauser, and a little ammo. I didn’t know what either were so I started researching. As I researched I became really intrigued by the idea that I could own something that once served on distant battlefields, AND that it might still function. So I bought them, liked the M44 better, sold the M24/47 to fund other stuff, and here we are!

And yes, I did eventually add other Mausers to my collection and have grown into appreciate them and other items as well.

Posted: **Sat Jun 12, 2021 1:38 pm**

For me it was opportunity. I had a chance to buy a collection at a very reasonable price. I decided to only keep one of each "kind" of Mosin.
Tula Hex, Tula Round, Izhevsk Hex, Izhevsk Round, Laminated stock, Finnish Capture, Carbines M38, M44, M59. See there, all done, instant collection. Then I find a Remington, need a New England Westinghouse to go with it. Find the Westinghouse, what? There's a Sniper model? Have to get it! Polish .22 cal trainer, sure, I'll buy it. I don't see and end in sight. LoL

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