Y'all are a bad influence!

[hunter63]

I hope ya'all are proud of your selves, your leading me down the long and slippery slope....................

Needed to pick up some boxes to put some reloads in, been raining here last couple of days.
So as luck would have it, I dirfted back to the gun rack, (I normally do) just to drool all over the cool stuff.

Well, as every one has been touting the Mosen-Nagent's, sks's, Ak's and such, I thought I would just check them out.

Sks's were in sort supply, did have a few w/laminated stocks, and tricked out, but were sort of low on standard sks, about $250.

So any way, ended up taking home an M-38 carbine, $119 bucks ,store special. And some 7.62 X 54 ammo.
Cool little rifle.
So it goes............................

[tallpaul]

hahahahahahahaha.....


I need ta pick up one or ten of them myself.... I am wantin to finish a few projects first but a smith M&P compact may be a temptation bigger than my will if I see one in person before the rebate and two free mag deal is still in effect

[Tom Bombadil]

M-38's are cool and fun to shoot. Enjoy!

[diamondtim]

The M38 is like an M44, but without the 13" swing-out bayonet. If you are shooting Eastern Bloc surplus ammo, you need to know that the primers are corrosive. Swab out the barrel with a 50/50 mix of ammonia and water right after shooting and clean normally. The muzzle blast is awesome with the surplus ammo.

You may also want to use a slip-on recoil pad as those guns have a kick like pappy's corn squizin's.

Next you'll want to go to : www.russian-mosin-nagant.com
They will tell you what all those marks on your gun mean. Then you'll want a 91/30 and a Finn and a ... etc.

Have fun with your new toy!

[hunter63]

Originally Posted by diamondtim

The M38 is like an M44, but without the 13" swing-out bayonet. If you are shooting Eastern Bloc surplus ammo, you need to know that the primers are corrosive. Swab out the barrel with a 50/50 mix of ammonia and water right after shooting and clean normally. The muzzle blast is awesome with the surplus ammo.

You may also want to use a slip-on recoil pad as those guns have a kick like pappy's corn squizin's.

Next you'll want to go to : www.russian-mosin-nagant.com
They will tell you what all those marks on your gun mean. Then you'll want a 91/30 and a Finn and a ... etc.

Have fun with your new toy!

Thanks for the tip on the ammonia and water, I'm assuming that the normal gun solvent would follow?
Did check out the site, seems to be purists with a lot of info, have to hang out awhile and see what I can glean.

So, this is how the disease starts?
Sorta like the H&R/NEF SS, start with one, next thing you know ........

So what started ya'll on the downward path?

P.S. 91/30's are $98 bucks right now, M44's $138, sks's $198,
This is gonna be bad!

[diamondtim]

Originally Posted by hunter63

Thanks for the tip on the ammonia and water, I'm assuming that the normal gun solvent would follow?
Did check out the site, seems to be purists with a lot of info, have to hang out awhile and see what I can glean.

So, this is how the disease starts?
Sorta like the H&R/NEF SS, start with one, next thing you know ........

So what started ya'll on the downward path?

P.S. 91/30's are $98 bucks right now, M44's $138, sks's $198,
This is gonna be bad!

The ammonia and water is to neutralize the salts from the primer. Then use the regular solvent and cleaning process. I didn't do this with a Mauser I have and when I got around to cleaning it two days later the sound of the initial patch running through the bore was horrible - as if the inside was covered in loose rust. Never again!

The M39 Finn is what you'll want ultimately. Those crazy Finns took Russian receivers and rebarreled them and restocked them into their own battle rifles. Barrels were made by Sako, Tikka and Valmet. Supposed to be the most accurate Mosins manufactured. Ol' Diamondtim had a 1944 Sako in his hands 5 years ago. Newer stock and great condition. Asking price was $150 and I put it back in the rack. Been kicking myself since.

Another site you'll want to check out is:
http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearm...firearmsforums

Good folks with a lot of knowledge and they'll salt your oats for sure!

Wait 'til you become friends with your Dunham's store manager and he lets you look over the new arrivals before they hit the rack. Or when you find the rarer ones, like a PE/PU sniper rifle (Enemy At The Gates?) at gun shows. Or you get your 03 FFL so you can buy directly from the distributors and buy surplus ammo by the case.:baby04:

[hunter63]

M38 -up date.
Had a chance to do a little "bonding" with the new (old) toy.
Shot pretty good, was expecting it to be all over the map, but was grouping about three inches @ 100 yds, with surplus ammo, open sights.
Had to play with the ramp a little to bring it up but shot in a straight line vertically, right from the start.
Makes you wonder it they were ever used to shoot at us at some point.

Didn't feel like it kicked to much, but then again I'm used to to the 7 mm mag.
Safety a little strange to get used to, but all in all not a bad rifle for the bucks.


Did the ammonia and water solution, and cleaned it (brass brush, solvent, etc.) right there on the card table.
Ran a clean patch down the next day, didn't see any rust, but was still getting dirt out?
Do they ever get really get clean?

Ordered up some more ammo from Sportsman's Guide. 300 rd in a can for about $65 bucks, and got a discount, so brought it to $51 bucks.

Re-did my home range a little, built the berm a little bigger and laid some logs on top of the back stop, to catch any high ones.

Burned up some of my reloads, .223 in the AR, seem to cycle thru with out any problem in 3 mags, 90 rds.

[diamondtim]

Originally Posted by hunter63

M38 -up date.
Had a chance to do a little "bonding" with the new (old) toy.
Shot pretty good, was expecting it to be all over the map, but was grouping about three inches @ 100 yds, with surplus ammo, open sights.
Had to play with the ramp a little to bring it up but shot in a straight line vertically, right from the start.
Makes you wonder it they were ever used to shoot at us at some point.

Didn't feel like it kicked to much, but then again I'm used to to the 7 mm mag.
Safety a little strange to get used to, but all in all not a bad rifle for the bucks.

Did the ammonia and water solution, and cleaned it (brass brush, solvent, etc.) right there on the card table.
Ran a clean patch down the next day, didn't see any rust, but was still getting dirt out?
Do they ever get really get clean?

Ordered up some more ammo from Sportsman's Guide. 300 rd in a can for about $65 bucks, and got a discount, so brought it to $51 bucks.

Re-did my home range a little, built the berm a little bigger and laid some logs on top of the back stop, to catch any high ones.

Burned up some of my reloads, .223 in the AR, seem to cycle thru with out any problem in 3 mags, 90 rds.

A little forewarning that some people have had problems with the bolt sticking after firing surplus ammo (usually laquered steel cases). They had to whack them open with a 2x4. You might want to read the threads in the sites I gave you regarding this problem. Usually had to do with dirty chambers from cosmoline or grime left by previous owners.

All of those old battle rifles usually shoot high, made that way.

Glad you're enjoying your new toy!

[CGUARDSMAN]

Glad we could help

[mousecat33]

cool indeed. enjoy.

mc and co.