Accuracy of Mosin Chinese 53

[WeldonHunter]

I had read about the bayonet being extended was how they were sighted so that's how I shoot it...plus you have to admit the gun just looks cooler WITH the bayonet out! I know ammo can make a difference too. I was shooting from a surplus tin of 440 rounds and have no idea what kind or how old it is.

I personally consider the grouping I got to be pretty accurate...especially with no scope. I know my Mosin was hitting green with MUCH more accuracy than a guy shooting a Henry (with scope) in the lane next to me.

Oh I forgot to welcome you to the forum. Welcome! Yeah the bayonet extended does get attention. If you have a picture of the writing on the tin we can tell you where it was made and what year it is. If you don't have the tin a picture of the headstamp on a round will work.

Here's the only picture of the ammo tin that I have. I forgot about posting it in an earlier thread where someone said they thought it was Russian surplus made in 1982. The rim of each round has the numbers 82 and 60 on them.

If this is indeed 1982 Russian would it possibly be non-corrosive? When I cleaned it after my last trip to the range, after firing 25 rounds, the barrel was very clean when I did a flush. The previous time, using the same ammo, I got a good bit of "black gunk" in the water...this time nothing? Makes me wonder if the previous cleaning was still getting traces of cosmolin out of the barrel?



Thanks again for the replies from everyone.

Yeah, I remember now. The picture has some of the info. cut out but I see enough. I responded when you asked about it before. It's Lugansk factory 60 in Russia 1982. It is most definitely corrosively primed ammo. I have the same ammo but it's 1985 and it splits too. That's the ammo I was talking about in the previous post. The previous time you cleaned it you were most likely still getting some of the remaining gunk left behind from years of being in storage. Doubt it was cosmoline (actually grease is what these rifles are covered in). If you cleaned the bore before shooting this rifle most likely any grease would have been removed. What would be left in the bore is the remains of the last time the rifle was shot including previous pitting (which includes micro pitting) and metal discoloration/corrosion from field use. That's why they say these have dark bores. The bore will be easier to clean the more you shoot it. It may never shine like a new rifle but it will get better with each use.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Not if the dark is caused by pitting no, that will never go away.

[RugerFan]

Is the 60 the ID # for the Lugansk factory? Does that mean there are many (at least 59) other ammo factories?
My spam can is from '82. I'd be curious to know how far back some military surplus 7.62 some of you have found?
Being new to this...does the ammo in a spam can ever reach an age that it would not fire or would be unsafe to use?

Sorry for all of the questions, but just very curious about my new hobby.

[WeldonHunter]

Is the 60 the ID # for the Lugansk factory? Does that mean there are many (at least 59) other ammo factories?
My spam can is from '82. I'd be curious to know how far back some military surplus 7.62 some of you have found?
Being new to this...does the ammo in a spam can ever reach an age that it would not fire or would be unsafe to use?

Sorry for all of the questions, but just very curious about my new hobby.

Yeah 60 is the factory ID but it was moved a few times if I remember correctly. The number 60 isn't really a number that's in a sequence as in the 60th plant. The Russians liked to screw with the enemy so numbers only really mean anything to them. The oldest 7.62x54R I have is 188/1947 I believe but it goes back half a century before that. As for when it might be bad to shoot, that's a judgement call. The 1947 stuff I have fires just fine with no duds except one that may have colapsed te anvil in the primer pocket. That may be age or may be a factory defect. Others have older stuff. I just shoot it if I'm not trying to collect it. You just have to pay attention for squibs but much older than WW2 I'd probably just relegate it to collectable ammo. Have a look around here. http://62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmoID.htm Lots of neat info. there.