Mosin Nagant Review

One of the most popular surplus rifles on the American market today is the Mosin Nagant. Popular especially with collectors and those in the survival and disaster preparedness community, the Mosin Nagant is a very rugged, durable, and well-made rifle, and it also has a very neat and fascinating history.

Mosin Nagants are also very affordable, and back in the 1990s, they were being shipped into the United States in droves. You could buy them for only $50 to $100 a piece. Today, the average Mosin you find will cost around $250 to $400, which means that they can be a good investment as they only continue to rise in value.

In this article, we will discuss the history of the Mosin Nagant, its and pros and its cons, and why you should give strong consideration to owning one.

History of the Mosin Nagant

One of the neatest aspects of the Mosin Nagant is its history. In fact, the history of the Mosin Nagant alone is worth spending the money to buy one even if you have n practical use for it otherwise.

The Mosin Nagant remains to this day an icon of Russian firearms. It was originally adopted as the main service rifle of Russia in the 1890s, and served with distinction throughout World War I and World War II. In fact, it remained the number one service rifle for Russia and later the Soviet Union until the late 1940s when it was replaced by the AK-47.

Originally, there were plans to scrape the Mosin Nagant as the main infantry weapon by the semi-automatic Tokarev SVT-38s and SVT-40s. However, these plans fell through because of the high cost of the Tokarev rifles and their unreliability. The Mosin Nagant was cheap to make and very durable, and it continued to be made by the millions throughout the second World War.

The Mosin Nagant continued to be used by many USSR-allied nations throughout the Cold War, and American troops fought against North Korean and North Vietnamese soldiers armed with the weapons in the Korean and Vietnam War as well. Even to this day, the Mosin Nagant is still being used in conflicts throughout the world, most notably in the Syrian Civil War where it has found use as a sniper rifle.

In the 1980s and 1990s, millions of surplus Mosin Nagants in decent condition were imported into the United States where they were sold for very cheap prices, at one point as low as $50 a rifle. The value of these rifles have gone up as the supply has began to drop and demand continues to increase.

Pros of the Mosin Nagant

The fact that the Mosin Nagant has been so widely used for over a hundred and thirty years speaks volumes about its quality. The Mosin Nagant’s main benefits are its inherent simplicity and durability. The action is very rugged and this is largely what has made the rifle so successful.

For a cheap surplus rifle, Mosins (assuming they have been well-taken care of) are also surprisingly accurate. No, they are not competition level, but you can still definitely expect to get decent groups at long ranges.

Another big benefit to the Mosin is its caliber, the 7.62x54r. This is an old round, but it’s also very affordable and the ballistics are very similar to the American .30-06 Springfield round. With a Mosin Nagant, you will be more than capable of bringing down literally any kind of North American big game.

Cons of the Mosin Nagant

There are cons to the Mosin Nagant rifle. For one thing, it is a long and heavy rifle. The M38 and M44 carbine variants are shorter and therefore more nimble, but are also very heavy.

In addition, the Mosin is admittedly a bit crudely fashioned. Yes, it is accurate, reliable, and durable, but the finishing is definitely rather crude. This is one reason why the rifles were made for such a low cost, and why they are still highly affordable as well.

Two more big negatives to the Mosin Nagant are the sloppy trigger pull and the hard to use safety. The safety on the rear of the receiver is very difficult to pull back and release, to the point that most shooters pretend it doesn’t even exist and don’t use it. The trigger also has a lot of movement in it and is a bit heavy, but it can be tuned up and adjusted by a gunsmith if the user so desires.

Why Do You Need A Mosin Nagant?

There are many reasons to consider owning a Mosin Nagant. First and foremost, it’s simply a neat piece of history, having served as the main Russian service rifle throughout World War I and World War II.

As noted previously, the Mosin is a solid investment. Twenty years ago, these rifles were selling for under a hundred dollars apiece, and are now sold for several hundred dollars for one in good condition. Since the Mosin Nagant is no longer made, the value of them will only increase in the future so long as the demand remains high.

There are many practical benefits to the Mosin Nagant as well. It’s an excellent hunting rifle as the 7.62x54r can be used on anything from deer to elk to bighorn sheep to wild hog to bear and so on. As a very durable rifle, the Mosin would be a great  budget firearm to use in an SHTF situation. Granted, it is a bolt action rifle with a low magazine capacity and slow rate of fire, but that’s better than nothing.

Last but not least, Mosins are also a lot of fun to shoot at the range. If for no other reason to own it, you are all but certain to have a good time and many fond memories shooting it at the target range, where you can easily tap targets out to several hundred yards.

Conclusion

The Mosin Nagant is without question the most popular surplus rifle on the US market today, and it’s easy to see why. These rifles are well-made, durable, and simple, if also a bit crude. If you are looking for a rifle that offers strong historical value, is likely to increase in financial value in the future, and that is very rugged and great for both big game hunting and fun target shooting, the Mosin Nagant represents a great choice.

Written by Sgt. Gunner

Sarge is one olde salty Goat. He is the operator of the popular 1:3 scale miniature gun models. His aim is to miniaturize the 'Greatest of All Time' Guns for users to display on their desks. Get to know the Sarge on a more intimate level by purchasing a miniature gun model at GoatGuns.com