I've used them all and would take the AR every time and for every circumstance. Now if you threw in the M14, that would be more difficult!

I don't understand the appeal of the Mosin other than the price. They are the biggest pile of crap. The only people I see with them at the range are young people because they are affordable and they have seen Enemy at the Gates and believe they are Vasily Zaytsev.

Most of the time, they can't hit the target at 100 yards.

I don't have an AR or AK but I do have:

MSAR STG 556 (American Steyr Aug Clone)
Sig 556
PTR 91 (American HK91 Clone)

I love them all but the STG is so damn handy. 27" overall length. All are excellent weapons.

Scott

As a side note...

The Steyr AUG... With the original Swaro Battle sight scope.... A most Awsome Piece of "Kit"...

One of the best Combat 223/5.56 guns on the Planet, IMHO...


The Best... Just might be the H&K 91[for Civilians]/G3... Everything considered...

I won't say the Mosin would beat the mentions firearms for combat today, but until you've had a few of them and at least one of the really good ones like the Finn 39, I wouldn't mock them. They are for one brute strong. Part of their design was to work in extreme severe artic type weather, such as Russia does have....and Finland too!. Although the 98 Mauser is a nicer looking rifle, was well made at the beginning of hostilities, The Mosin was the better rifle on the battlefield.

If you haven't seen a Finn 39, 28, or 27 shoot you don't have a clue as to what they can do.

I hear Keith Stone shoots a Mosin Nagant. Now how cool is that! Something about a Mosin and cheap beer just goes together.

"Hold my Stones baby so I can shoot that empty can." Ha!

Terry

I'll take my Noveske or LMT MRP with 75gr H-Day OTM LE over any of my SAR's and even my VEPR. Please don't let my VEPR know I said that....

A guy at our club has really got a few Mosins to shoot well. I am talking 1-1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with the old sniper scopes.

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
A guy at our club has really got a few Mosins to shoot well. I am talking 1-1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with the old sniper scopes.

My Finn 39 will shoot a ten shot 1/2 inch group. It's scoped.

Old is not always better. I have never like the mosin Naqant seems like a club to me. A AK is better then the Naqant. But I'll take the AR platform over both.

Agree the Finn 39 is a real step up on the Mosin chassis. Great sights, great trigger and Sako barrels. The 39 will even outshoot a minty Swede 96. That's accurate!

My Fin 39 is Awsome. But what do you expect from a rifle rebuilt by Sako.

quote:

Originally posted by Antelope Sniper:
My Fin 39 is Awsome. But what do you expect from a rifle rebuilt by Sako.

Tikka and Valmet made them also.

quote:

Tikka and Valmet made them also.

Mine has the Sako stamp on it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with a Tikka or Valmet stamp either.

On the other hand, my Polish M44 is Junk, and My Russian M38 shows boarderline pressure signs with standard ammo. They in no way compare with the excellent work of the Finns.

It really is sort of useless to compare the three.

One was made over 100 years ago and was an exceptional design for it's time. Easy to maintain, worked in all conditions and climates, was more than accurate enough for a battle rifle, and has killed thousands and thousands during combat.

Another was designed to be a reliable and easily maintained battle rifle, cheap to produce (as many, many thousands were projected to be needed soon) and designed for mostly automatic suppressive fire. Granted it has also killed thousands and thousands.

The third was designed to be a rifle used by secondary troops, out of the main battle, with more "knock down power" than an M1 carbine. It was adopted basically because it was a good jungle weapon, a soldier could carry more bullets as they were lighter (as was the rifle), and it was capable of automatic fire, being somewhat controlable. After adoption the military refused to accept it's limitations and continued with it's use. Not as many thousands.

It's good to keep things in context.

Eric

We hunt with AR's quite a bit. I know people who have cabins on the Yukon, keep those 100 dollar mosins in the cabin. Then when the tourist river thieves clean out their cabin, the gun they lose doesn't hurt quite as bad. Locals are buying them for that purpose alone.

Just take it for the humor that it was suppose to be nothing more. As for the Mosin Nagant, its a beefy rifle, my first rifle was one, made in 1938. Mine shot well enough for what it was, fed good ammo it shot fine enough for me to kill several deer with it. I would love to have a Finnish rebuild sniper version. The 7.62 x 54R is the longest serving military cartridge in History.

George, remember back in the day when you could get a tin of 440 rounds of the good Russian 7.62x54 for $45.00?

You could practice all day with a full power rifle cartridge, and not break the bank. Most guys won't practice sitting, kneeling, and standing at 200 yards, with their $40.00 box premium ammo, but $45.00 a can opens up a whole new world of practice. Will I take my Mosin on my next hunting trip? NOPE, but the confidence from the practice will come with me.

quote:

Originally posted by George Semel:
Just take it for the humor that it was suppose to be nothing more. As for the Mosin Nagant, its a beefy rifle, my first rifle was one, made in 1938. Mine shot well enough for what it was, fed good ammo it shot fine enough for me to kill several deer with it. I would love to have a Finnish rebuild sniper version. The 7.62 x 54R is the longest serving military cartridge in History.

Oh I took it as the "fun" it was, and that link was hilarious. I was poking at those who did take it seriously George because all three have merits. Except I still don't like the AR platform even after carrying it in uniform since 1970. Up to today.

Eric

The Mosin M44 is a very handy and practical rifle in my opinion. It's just the thing to keep behind the seat of the truck or stashed at the cabin full time or in the closet at a vacation home. Clearly, they are not precision weapons by any means, but they are sufficiently accurate and reliable that I would absolutely count on one in a pinch.

Buying only $1000+ rifles means that you will invariably be reluctant to keep it on you or nearby ALL the time. Not many people will just leave a G3 sitting at their cabin or behind the seat. Invariably, there will therefore come a time when you really need a weapon and don't have it because it is sitting in the safe back home. This circumstance is why someone might justify stashing M44s and a spam can of ammo in any number of places they frequent. If one gets stolen or lost or ruined by weather, no big deal.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tendrams:
The Mosin M44 is a very handy and practical rifle in my opinion. It's just the thing to keep behind the seat of the truck or stashed at the cabin full time or in the closet at a vacation home. Clearly, they are not precision weapons by any means, but they are sufficiently accurate and reliable that I would absolutely count on one in a pinch.[QUOTE]

The M44 and M38 are VERY handy. They might have a muzzle blast like a 105 howitzer, but they are handy.