The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Hey all!

I'm new to the forums and this is my first post, but I wanted to go ahead and brush a topic that I was most curious about. The safety.
I just purchased my first Mosin-Nagant 91/30 (also my first rifle) and while I was cleaning the rifle I noticed that it was pretty difficult to pull the safety back. I'm a pretty weak dude, so I thought it was just me. I had my father give it a try and even he had some trouble with it as well. I was wondering if it were necessary to have the spring that tight, or if I could replace it with a weaker spring. Also not sure if it is just a new spring and it needs to be broken in.. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

Here are a couple pictures of it:

Bottom line is that the MN safeties suck. You are better off not using it. Just don't chamber a round until you are ready to fire.

What safety? I think I used it once; never again...

Fair enough! I kinda figured that was going to be the case, thanks!

Yeah, the safety is truly a boy dog.

Your first rifle's a Mosin? Nice choice! Go shoot it and you'll have another one in two weeks, tops. Welcome to cosmoline country.

millman wrote:Bottom line is that the MN safeties suck. You are better off not using it. Just don't chamber a round until you are ready to fire.

I couldn't have said it better

Welcome to the board Bick, 25+ years of shooting numerous Mosins I have never once used what they call a safety on these rifles. I do not close the bolt until ready to fire and never load the rifle until I am in position to shoot.

Well said Boss

hoshow wrote:Well said Boss

Never new they had a Safety

Welcome to the Forum

There is a way to use it that seems to work. With the butt of the rifle braced solidly between the elbow and body (kind of between the elbow and armpit), and the supporting hand in the normal spot, use the shooting hand to pull back and rotate the safety.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

It's not a safety, it's an anti theft.

Hahaha thanks everyone! So far I'm loving what everyone has to say on here. I think what I'll be doing is leaving the safety/anti-theft on during storage and when I take it to the range; just leave the bolt open.
I'm going to try and take it to the range today if the weather is permitting! I've already been looking at purchasing an M44 and I haven't even fired a single round. Just cleaning it was enough for me to want a new one

This Safety is only for the very strong...

Rule of Thumbs for Mosins:

No. 1 Never put a round in the chamber until you are ready to shoot.

No. 2 Never close the bolt on a loaded round until you are ready to shoot.

No. 3 Never put your finger on the trigger until you have acquired your target.

No. 4 You can never call back a round once it has left the barrel.

And last but not least, M-N's safeties pull a strong vacuum.

No other nation that entered WWI or WWII had this issue w/ their weapons,
but we still love them for what they are...

What was the Official Military protocol?

You'll have to ask someone younger than me.

I was discharged in '72 so it was the M-1/M-14 while the USMC was prying the M-14's out of the hands of the grunts to replace them w/ the new black plastic & aluminum M-16's.

When I 1st went in the weapons were kept in the squad bay, but because of Detroit and the "brothers" taking them to sell on the streets, then they were relegated to the gun room.

In my fathers day you could leave your wallet on your bunk in the squad bay and it wouldn't be touched, otherwise the suspect would be judged by his peers, and justice meted out.

All w/o having to go before the CO.

[I think what I'll be doing is leaving the safety/anti-theft on during storage ]

Don't leave the safety on while the rifle is being stored. It can put unnecessary strain (i.e. compression) on the spring and wear it out prematurely. Springs CAN take a set if left under tension over time. That's why loaded clips for autos are rotated regularly.
Jon

musketjon wrote:[I think what I'll be doing is leaving the safety/anti-theft on during storage ]

Don't leave the safety on while the rifle is being stored. It can put unnecessary strain (i.e. compression) on the spring and wear it out prematurely. Springs CAN take a set if left under tension over time. That's why loaded clips for autos are rotated regularly.
Jon

I don't really want to start the old spring under tension wears it out argument, but there are documented cases of magazines loaded full for 70 + years that were loaded into guns and worked fine.

I never use the safety on mine, but I do use the decocker though.