Re: Real world accuracy of the Mosin
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kraigWY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any Mosin with a dicent barrel will be a shooter, ASSUMING, the shooter takes the time to learn how to shoot it.
As a CMP GSM Master Instructor, I only know the rifle "as issue".
It's a bit different then other "as issued vintage military rifles".
A quick exampe that comes to mind is: The proper way to shoot rapid fire is NOT TO TAKE THE RIFLE FROM THE SHOULDER when you work the bolt. Not easy to do as the straight bolt handle is a bit farther forward then most military rifles, at least for the average person.
It's a trick to learn to use the stripper clips on the Mosin, but once learned, its almost as fast as the stripper clips for the '03 or 1917 Enfield. Tons of dry fire makes the bolt as smoot as a prom queens thighs.
Most Mosins shoot high. Some say its because they were designed to be used with the bayonet installed, some say it was because the Russian soldier is taught to aim for the belt buckle, I don't know if either is right or wrong, I only know that I don't want my rifle to shoot high, plus the CMP doesn't allow bayonets to be used on rifles in their Vintage Rifle Games.
It's a simple fix, while keeping the rifle in "as issued" condition per CMP Rules.
Simply measure the sight radius. Divide 3600 (100 yards times 12 inches) by that sight radius. The answer you get is how much the sight has to be moved per inch at 100 yards. Just off the top of my head I came up with .0061. My rifle shot 8 inches high when set on the 100 yard mark (I don't know if the russians used yards or not, I do). I figured 8 X .0061 was .0488.
I took the rear sight off the rifle and flipped it over. I milled .0488 off the bottom of the slider on the ladder sight. Put it back on the rifle. You couldn't tell any modifications was made. It is right on at 100 yards, when set on 200, its on at 200 yards, all the way to 400 yards. ( farthest I can shoot on my range).
Most rifles, with surplus ammo will shoot 3 or less MOA. No problem the X-10 Ring on the CMP 200 yard target is 3.5 inches. The rifle is capable of cleaning the targets used in CMP GSM Vintage Military Rifle Matches. If you hand load you can use the SMKs (.310) and cut that down quite a bit.
Personaly I use the Serria 150 grn (.310), loaded mild, (44 grns of 4895) its accurate, mild and easy to shoot. More then capable of cleaning the SR1 target. Hard part is doing it standing on your hind legs. Thats were GSM matches are won and lost (same with most matches).
Slug your barrel, pick the bullet that fits your rifle.
Also a 3 MOA Rifle is capable of cleaning the MR1 target (used in the vintage sniper rifle matches) so again its the shooter, not the rifle.
As a side note, with the advent of the CMP Vintage Sniper Matches, Hornady has came up with match 7.62X54R ammo for these matches. I haven't seen them for sale outside of Perry or the Eastern/Western games, but as the Mosin and GSM matches become more popular, I think we'll start seeing the Hornady ammo show up on the shelves.
What I like about the Mosin and CMP GSM games is it doen't take a lot of money to compete and be competitive. Unlike High Power which to be competitive, one has to spend money. With the Mosin, you can take a < $100 rifle, surplus ammo, and be competitive. CMP GSM Vintage Military Rifle Shooting is not a rich man's sport. If one is willing to put in the effort to learn to shoot the rifle, he/she can be competitive.
</div></div>
Wow, thanks for all the info. I didn't know there were matches for these types of rifles, nor did I know you could handload em, and I certainly didn't know about the sights and how to bring em back to the proper adjustments. I'm gonna see if any places around here host em.
