The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Hi all,

I've only been in the hobby for less than a year, I've been shooting .22 target rifles at a local range and my MN when I head out bush. The .22 rifles I use have both scopes and iron sights, and I usually achieve reasonable groups relative to my experience from ranges of 50-100m. I'm also using a modern scoped .308 at 150m and getting great groups with that, despite it's stronger kick than the MN.

Unfortunately though, firing my beloved '43 Tula ex-sniper yields rather embarrassing results! I'm firing all over the shop... If I'm firing at, say, a cinder block from 50m, it takes about 5 rounds to land a hit! I thought I'd ask the experts because although I'm bad, God help me I hope I'm not that bad!

I usually fire from 50m, and I was wondering if I have the leaf sights set at the minimum of 100m do I have to take this into account? The rifle otherwise is in excellent condition and I'm firing Bulgarian milsurp ammo as Australia has literally run out of modern mosin ammo! Any advice from you seasoned shooters much appreciated!

Jesse wrote:Hi all,

I've only been in the hobby for less than a year, I've been shooting .22 target rifles at a local range and my MN when I head out bush. The .22 rifles I use have both scopes and iron sights, and I usually achieve reasonable groups relative to my experience from ranges of 50-100m. I'm also using a modern scoped .308 at 150m and getting great groups with that, despite it's stronger kick than the MN.

Unfortunately though, firing my beloved '43 Tula ex-sniper yields rather embarrassing results! I'm firing all over the shop... If I'm firing at, say, a cinder block from 50m, it takes about 5 rounds to land a hit! I thought I'd ask the experts because although I'm bad, God help me I hope I'm not that bad!

I usually fire from 50m, and I was wondering if I have the leaf sights set at the minimum of 100m do I have to take this into account? The rifle otherwise is in excellent condition and I'm firing Bulgarian milsurp ammo as Australia has literally run out of modern mosin ammo! Any advice from you seasoned shooters much appreciated!

Hey Jesse, how ya been? My first thought is it's an ex-sniper for a reason and this may be why. It's possible that inconsistant POI was the reason. I have some Mosin Nagants that are right on and some that hit all over the place. The crown may be worn and/or the bore too.

Ah I hadn't thought of it being decommissioned for a good reason but that does make sense, thanks Weldon! Hope everyone is well, I've been working on getting my handgun license here.

I think you need to shoot at a good size paper target with a large round bull or square silhouette from the bench with a good rest at about 50m and really see where these rounds are impacting. Many of these weapons shoot high; some significantly so. Also the rifles were sighted with the bayonet attached which changes barrel harmonics. I have had to adjust almost all of my M91/30 shooters by moving the front sight. Most seem to impact right of the point of aim causing me to drift the front sight to the right. You gotta figure out what it is doing and adjust from there.

Yeah that's my plan for my next trip out bush in a few weeks, get a 1m square piece of board and aim central. I'll try again with bayonet attached and report back.

I definitely noticed an improvement in accuracy with the bayonet on. As some of the other guys said, use that big target to figure out where the rounds are going and then adjust the sight - a little bit at a time. It might take a while but you'll get there. Good luck!

Minute of man was what the Soviets considered OK for these rifles, that's 3-8 MOA at 100 yards. The idea being that a torso hit, no matter low or high on the torso would incapacitate if not outright kill the target, so that was good enough. Detail work was for real snipers, and even then the PU sniper was never the precision instrument that the US M1903-A4, German Mauser, or British ( or Australian) Enfields were.

timlin33 wrote:I definitely noticed an improvement in accuracy with the bayonet on. As some of the other guys said, use that big target to figure out where the rounds are going and then adjust the sight - a little bit at a time. It might take a while but you'll get there. Good luck!

I noticed no change at all when mounting the bayonet on my last shoot, but then it would take an act of God to improve my performance at 275 yards as I can't see past 75 or so

So it's nit my lack of shooting skills? Go figure. ;-)

Many people buy these ex-snipers thinking they have gotten the top of the line in Mosin shooters. They sure forget like it was spoken above they may be ex-snipers because you can't the side of a barn with them anymore. I put little faith in shooting with the bayonet on and it almost for sure means if you change the sight with the bayonet in place the next time you head to the range you will forget to bring the bayonet! Just not worth looking strange and getting strange looks at the range to me. Bill

I have two ex snipers, both shoot as well as any average refurb 91/39, neither comes close the least of my M39's