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Mosin Nagant M44

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  • PWF3

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    Sep 15, 2008
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    I knew you Gunsmith-types would know this answer better than anyone -- With a Mosin Nagant M44 that shoots 7.62X54 ammo, will it also take a 7.62X39 shell? Is that practical for target shooting? Is that smart?

    Also, what do you recommend for cleaning the bore for the corrossive military surplus?

    Thanks for your info!
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    Porter

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    Jun 3, 2008
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    I knew you Gunsmith-types would know this answer better than anyone -- With a Mosin Nagant M44 that shoots 7.62X54 ammo, will it also take a 7.62X39 shell? Is that practical for target shooting? Is that smart?

    Also, what do you recommend for cleaning the bore for the corrossive military surplus?

    Thanks for your info!

    In answer to your first three questions, no.
     

    Infamous

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    Jul 28, 2008
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    when i used to shoot corrosive ammo id put 3 parts water with 1 part windex.

    shoot the gun till its scorching hot to the touch and pour the solution into the bore with a funnel. itll dissolve the salts. dont forget to clean the bolt face as well.

    a mosin is excellent fun if you have money to spare. its loud.
     

    Leper

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    Be careful with ammo for that rifle. If you use some of the older stuff and you get into a no fire situation, give it 30 seconds or more before you try to open the bolt. Keep it pointed in a safe direction. I have a 44 and a 91 and once, so far, I pulled the trigger and nothing happened. For whatever reason, I kept it on target for a little while and BAM. It was at least 15 seconds from the time I pulled the trigger until the round fired. Had I opened the bolt or moved my line of fire, it could have been deadly.

    Do NOT use 39 ammo in a 54 rifle. The bullet will not be in the barrell properly and your gun may/will explode. 15mm is more than 9/16 of an inch shorter.
     

    Texas1911

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    Be very careful of Milsurp ammo as well. Do not run ammo marked as "Machine Gun" ammo in the bolt-rifle. It's loaded a bit hotter. The Germans made it in 8mm, and I'm somewhat certain that the Russians did some as well.

    7.62x54R and 7x62x39 are vastly different. Your chamber is sized for a 54mm (hence the 7.62x54) round. The AK47, SKS, etc. all use the shorter 39mm round.

    Stay away from lacquered case ammo as well if you can. It tends to stick badly in the chambers, especially if you have a tight chamber to begin with.
     

    phatcyclist

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    Be very careful of Milsurp ammo as well. Do not run ammo marked as "Machine Gun" ammo in the bolt-rifle. It's loaded a bit hotter. The Germans made it in 8mm, and I'm somewhat certain that the Russians did some as well.

    7.62x54R and 7x62x39 are vastly different. Your chamber is sized for a 54mm (hence the 7.62x54) round. The AK47, SKS, etc. all use the shorter 39mm round.

    Stay away from lacquered case ammo as well if you can. It tends to stick badly in the chambers, especially if you have a tight chamber to begin with.

    Machine gun ammo will be marked with a backwards 'E' at 9 o'clock on the headstamp. That's with the date code at 12 o'clock.
     

    phatcyclist

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    There was very little higher pressure ammunition made in that caliber. Most machine guns used standard pressure rounds, the rounds with that particular headstamp are the only exception as far as I know.
     

    Morgan

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    one other point of clarification, the 54 is 54R which means it has a rim. I can't begin to imagine you could even load 39 in the magazine well, I can't imagine it would feed.... hard to imagine, but bad all around if you managed to actually get it to line up with the firing pin, as stated.
     

    SIG_Fiend

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    I'd stick with the stock caliber. 7.62x54r can be had a decent amount cheaper than 7.62x39 actually. Usually you can find sealed surplus tins of ~1000-1200rds for like $150-175, whereas 7.62x39 has gone up lately and is generally $200-225 even for a 1000rd case of steel-cased Wolf brand (the "cheap" stuff).

    If you look around, there is some better quality ammo out there in 7.62x54r, like more along the lines of match grade. It's expensive just like any other match grade ammo, and the point you are considering using that stuff, you have to wonder if it's worth it in a $69 Mosin lol. ;) j/k

    As far as cleaning for corrosive ammo, the way I always heard it, you can just use soap and water to clean the bore and chamber out. Just make sure to dry it out well of course and re-lube it plenty. Corrosive ammo isn't that bad, just make sure you are consistent in cleaning the gun immediately after use. Like when you are done at the range, I'd spray the chamber and bore down liberally with some Breakfree CLP (just a quick jet of the stuff is fine) so that it will protect it a bit better until you make it back home. As soon as you get home, go clean it! Don't wait a week or two like I sometimes do. A week or two of that corrosive debris sitting in the barrel is enough to cause some corrosion from what I understand.
     

    nalioth

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    Oct 13, 2008
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    As far as cleaning for corrosive ammo, the way I always heard it, you can just use soap and water to clean the bore and chamber out. Just make sure to dry it out well of course and re-lube it plenty. Corrosive ammo isn't that bad, just make sure you are consistent in cleaning the gun immediately after use. Like when you are done at the range, I'd spray the chamber and bore down liberally with some Breakfree CLP (just a quick jet of the stuff is fine) so that it will protect it a bit better until you make it back home. As soon as you get home, go clean it! Don't wait a week or two like I sometimes do. A week or two of that corrosive debris sitting in the barrel is enough to cause some corrosion from what I understand.
    The way some folks carry on about 'corrosive ammo', they make it out as if it's the same as pouring industrial acid down your barrel.

    It is not.

    "Corrosive ammo" is called such because the primers contain metal salts that if left on your gun will attract moisture and cause rust. Left too long, and you get pits (or worse).

    It's not corrosive like acid.

    The "week or two" mentioned above is quite conditional. If you live in a humid area like me, you'll likely have light rust before you get home from the range, if you don't swab it there.

    Hot soapy water - worked for decades for the black powder boys (black powder residue is far more detrimental to leave in your gun than the leavin's from the modern stuff).
     
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