"hex" receiver versus round receiver

[rfd8w5]

Just bought my first Mosin-Nagant a 91/30 with a round receiver. I was offered an upgrade to a 91/30 with a hex receiver, made before 1935. Is there any advantage as far as shootability is concerned. Any safer or more valuable. I fully intend on shooting mine so I'm not too concerned about the value. Any thoughts from long time shooters/ collectors. Thanks


Rich

[Jumperwire]

There's not really much difference They stopped making the Hex receivers sometime around '36 , I believe to speed up productions. So basically they are older.

[SA1911a1]

The shape of the receiver will not make any difference in how it shoots. To select for shooting, you look for the best bore and crown. The second thing to gauge shootability would be the trigger pull, which can vary greatly between rifles.

There is some conversation on different forums about Hex vs Round for the strength of the receiver, but that is just not a real issue. The hex receivers are also the pre-WWII guns and generally look better, as much more effort was put into cosmetics when the Soviets were not having to fight for their lives. The round recievers took less machining and could be turned out faster. Either rifle is as solid as an anvil, and if the headspace is correct will be safe to shoot for generation. I shot two boxes of ammo through one that was 126 years old yesterday.

[desdem12]

Just a different variety not really an upgrade but in all fairness you should buy a hex to go along with the round and then you could decide for yourself which is better to you.

[pacanis]

The hexes are getting harder to find now, so it might be nice to grab one while you can... and still keep the round receiver 91/30

[MN Fan]

I haven't found a hex receiver yet...and want one pretty bad now lol. In my case, a hex is worth a bit more, or at least I personally would pay a bit more to buy one. But, overall, it seems like their isn't a significant difference in value from a hex or a round receiver.

[mosinjunkie]

Every milsurp seller I know of charges at least ten bucks extra for a hex receiver Mosin. I don't know if they are rarer, or if they are just in more demand. They are definitely older, and to me, they are more nicely made.

[Jumperwire]

Every milsurp seller I know of charges at least ten bucks extra for a hex receiver Mosin. I don't know if they are rarer, or if they are just in more demand. They are definitely older, and to me, they are more nicely made.

I was collecting them pretty regularly, but realized that I was finding Finn's for a few dollars more. Not hard to decide on that one. A 1928 exDragoon or a Finnish M91

[Ironnewt]

If you are going to collect, eventually you will eventually get a hex as some variants were not made with round receivers. Some 'hex receivers were used when round were the norm and as a result they are a bit of a find. As to 91/30's the original idea was to go to a round receiver but there were too many hex receiver ready to be used to just scrap so there were used. Once production caught up the round receivers became the norm. If you want to see the difference in finish, check out a early 30's production rifle, a late 30's and a war time. All three will shoot (and the War Time production may surprise you) but the finish will really open your eyes.

[etprescottazusa91]

You need both, I know I do.

[dou44]

i just like the looks of the hex's better and that is what i try to buybut i do have 2 round ones a laminated 43 Izhevsk and a pu sniper that is also a 43 Izhevsk

[crwjr]

I have both styles and love shooting each one of them Hope this helps

[bunkysdad]

Sometimes when I am looking at a rifle that makes me drool I almost forget to check if it is hex or round.

Ya gonna pull those pistols, or whistle Dixie?~ Josey Wales

[pacanis]

I have a question.
Why do we call it a hex when really it's an octagon?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Take a hex and a round receiver, flip them over and look at them only from the bottom, they look the same, this is because they are the same except for cosmetic appearance. There are several types of round receiver as well, high and low wall, wartime beaver chewed, and so on. The hex is one way of ensuring you get an older rifle made before the war if that is what you want, otherwise it's just another excuse for the sellers to shove it up your ass price wise, once upon a time they could care less what receiver type they sent you until someone told them they could make money overcharging for the hexes.

[MN Fan]

I have a question.
Why do we call it a hex when really it's an octagon?

Because hex receiver sounds cooler and is easier to say than octa receiver? Or octagon receiver? Since I can't seem to find one around here ( ), I have never seen one in person. From the numerous photographs I have seen, it always appears that the width of the slanty faces are a bit wider than the width of the top face. It may just be camera angles or my old eyes, but they don't appear to be equal length. I am probably wrong, but if that's the case, they aren't even true octagons, but more of a "chamfered square receiver"

Can someone measure one sometime?

[pacanis]

Yeah? Well they didn't call those old repeaters hex barreled...
Maybe Ivan (or more likely Bubba) couldn't count and the name just stuck.

[Greatguns]

Well, if you really want to get picky, it's not an octagon barrel either. It is four sided on top and round-ish on the bottom. If they split the bottom rounded side into two parts(separated by the action screw mount/hole) then that would indeed make it a 'Hex' receiver. Just sayin' (yeah, I know, grasping at straws here)

[Chumlee Bumsnag]

I was wondering the same thing. ^ works for me.