My First Mosin Nagant

cwilliams · Post by **cwilliams** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:30 am

Hello everyone!

I've researched the proof markings and have a pretty good idea of what I have, I'll just let the pictures do the talking. Purchased it from Big 5 straight out of the box (never was on display). I know for a fact it has been counterbored, so that question has been answered. Enjoy!

cwilliams · Post by **cwilliams** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:32 am

And some more!

desdem12 · Post by **desdem12** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:42 am

Very nice Gun...and an ex dragoon it looks like

With all this talk about that

I find the butt plate interesting for sure. They lined out the number then put the exact one back on..or at least it looks like it. Cool piece.

Kilroy · Post by **Kilroy** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:49 am

Dat Cosmoline.

I got my first Mosin from Big 5 a few weeks ago, I can guarantee you will love it. ^_^

I have noticed that the Big 5 Mosins have some beautiful stocks on them.

Oramaac4572 · Post by **Oramaac4572** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:44 am

Great looking rifle!!

SA1911a1 · Post by **SA1911a1** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:55 am

That is a very nice entry into the Mosin world. The big question I have is what is the mystery date under the tang??????? Let us see a pic of that!

Congrats!

cwilliams · Post by **cwilliams** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:01 pm

Thanks everyone! I will for sure take more pictures as I start to de-cosmo it. The firing pin clearance was perfect and I'll be checking the headspace as soon as it is clean. It will become a shooter if it checks out.

bb91 · Post by **bb91** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:13 pm

desdem12 wrote:Very nice Gun...and an ex dragoon it looks like With all this talk about that

Man you guy's are good, I still have so much to learn! Maybe that's one reason "we Keep talking about them". Between this post and the one yesterday "I got it". (yeah, I was never accused of being the brightest bulb in the box) LOL!!!!!

Thanks desdem!

To the OP (cwilliams), I hope you have lots of space for all the ones to follow! Nice start!

BostonMike · Post by **BostonMike** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:14 pm

I see a Tula hammer on the receiver. Wonder of its a recycled receiver

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redspoon · Post by **redspoon** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:11 pm

cwilliams I also would like to see the tang date on that Tula receiver, bettin it's a late 1890's.
What a nice first mosin an early hex updated Dragoon.

BTW Welcome to the forum.

tjtM38 · Post by **tjtM38** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:07 pm

You bought a really nice rifle; great pick for your first. Welcome to the forum.

Celt · Post by **Celt** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:22 pm

very nice! You will enjoy the hail out of that rifle garuuuuunnnnteed!

WeldonHunter · Post by **WeldonHunter** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:55 pm

Very nice rifle. Ex-Dragoon, you got two ammo pouches and a manual. I only got one pouch with mine and no manual. :(

Post by **Junk Yard Dog** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:57 pm

Yes, an ex dragoon, 1932 would make it one of the last dragoons. Very nice

Post by **Longcolt44** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 3:14 pm

Nice rifle. You don't get much better for a first Mosin.

Post by **bunkysdad** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 3:31 pm

Cwilliams you really did great. Nice early 91/30 but a late ex-dragoon. You take excellent pictures too. This one is very easy on the eyes.

tincansailor · Post by **tincansailor** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 3:47 pm

Nice one - You're really going to enjoy it!

cwilliams · Post by **cwilliams** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:03 pm

bunkysdad wrote:Cwilliams you really did great. Nice early 91/30 but a late ex-dragoon. You take excellent pictures too. This one is very easy on the eyes.

Thank you very much! I was blessed with the career of being a professional photographer (shooting sports mostly), and as with everything in photography, it's all about the lighting. The camera was my Canon G12 that I use to carry around when I don't feel like hauling the big SLR's. That camera has an excellent macro mode that is further refined when you add some lighting. In this case, I bounced an external flash off the white ceiling to make it as soft as possible. It's best to avoid using direct flash with highly reflective surfaces.

To everyone else - also a big thank you! I'm very excited to own this Mosin Nagant. I will have it completely stripped down by Tuesday to start the cosmo removal process. I need to grab a pair of snap ring pliers to get help those barrel bands off. There was no other way I could think of to loosen their tension, and no tool that I own to do the job without possible damage to the bands or the stock.

I will certainly take more photos and try and locate any hidden proof marks or dates.

cwilliams · Post by **cwilliams** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:57 pm

bb91 wrote:
desdem12 wrote:Very nice Gun...and an ex dragoon it looks like With all this talk about that

Man you guy's are good, I still have so much to learn! Maybe that's one reason "we Keep talking about them". Between this post and the one yesterday "I got it". (yeah, I was never accused of being the brightest bulb in the box) LOL!!!!!

Thanks desdem!

To the OP (cwilliams), I hope you have lots of space for all the ones to follow! Nice start!

I'm already planning out the space for any future MN's or other military surplus rifles. I can't tell you how many Big 5's I've been to in the Los Angeles area in the past week. No one had anything left in stock other than some what I believe are fake snipers and some WWII dated MN's from another importer - the ones that don't go on sale. I got extremely lucky with my purchase. Every store has said they sell extremely fast and they can barely keep any on hand. A manager told me they go on sale every 6-8 weeks and they always get a few new ones around that time. Thankfully, with the information from this forum, I now know that they will usually do the last sale price in case I come across another soon.

I am also very intrigued by the Mauser's now after coming across a beat up Yugo M48 at a Big 5. I hadn't seen one ever prior to that and neither had that person working in that department. Without knowing anything about them at the time, I was very fascinated by the bolt and the way it functioned. There is no wonder why that design has been copied for decades. I'm not really interested in the M48, but very much so in the K98. The history behind those guns is scary, but they are reminders of what this world has been through and hopefully never to repeat.

The others on my list are an M1 carbine, SKS, M38, and M44.

For those who go to gun shows, how often do you come across MN's of any model? We have several shows coming up and I plan to go to as many as I can.

WeldonHunter · Post by **WeldonHunter** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:44 pm

cwilliams wrote:
bunkysdad wrote:Cwilliams you really did great. Nice early 91/30 but a late ex-dragoon. You take excellent pictures too. This one is very easy on the eyes.
Thank you very much! I was blessed with the career of being a professional photographer (shooting sports mostly), and as with everything in photography, it's all about the lighting. The camera was my Canon G12 that I use to carry around when I don't feel like hauling the big SLR's. That camera has an excellent macro mode that is further refined when you add some lighting. In this case, I bounced an external flash off the white ceiling to make it as soft as possible. It's best to avoid using direct flash with highly reflective surfaces.

To everyone else - also a big thank you! I'm very excited to own this Mosin Nagant. I will have it completely stripped down by Tuesday to start the cosmo removal process. I need to grab a pair of snap ring pliers to get help those barrel bands off. There was no other way I could think of to loosen their tension, and no tool that I own to do the job without possible damage to the bands or the stock.

I will certainly take more photos and try and locate any hidden proof marks or dates.

You probably shouldn't use snap ring pliers to get the barrel bands off. The band retainer on the right side of the stock in front of the barrel band just needs to be depressed and they should slide forward. If shellac is holding them you may need to pursuade them a bit. I wouldn't use snap ring pliers because the barrel band may break or bend out of shape making it unusable. This shows you how to remove them as well as how to disassemble the whole rifle. information/clean/index.html

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