New Mosin 91/30

Reloader762

Active Member
I've always wanted a 91/30 to go along with my M44 but I waited to long mostly because of financial reasons and the prices around here on the few that showed up were really high an most were in pretty bad shape. Lucky for me my brother had bought up several Tula HEX receiver rifle years ago for around $100 each and let me have on at his cost.

The bluing was really nice but the old finish was in pretty bad shape so I stripped it with some 0000 steel wool and denatured alcohol right down to the wood without having to ever touch sandpaper on the exterior of the stock. I always want a blonde finished Mosin an it took me about a week to get it refinished using several coats of Minwax Golden Oak and satin poly finish but she turned out nice.

While I had the rifle disassembled I made sure the barrel was floated and cork bedded the action and made a cork rest pad for the barrel to rest on the bottom forearm where it exits the stock. I also gave the bore a good swabbing several time over with Kroils and let it set overnight each time before giving it a good scrubbing with a brush and patching it out dry. The old 1933 Tula HEX receiver appears to have a pretty nice bore once I got all the crud out,probably a #2 bore on a scale of 1 to 5.
f4g1AvT.jpg


I wanted to shoot a heavier bullet in this long barreled rifle and make good use of a slow powder in the 1:10 twist bore. On my one family income it takes time to get things together so I just bought what I could when I could and made good use of what I had. My first purchase was the Lee .312" 185 gr. RN bullet,I was hoping it would cast a bit large say around .313" as most all my Lee molds do cast larger and it did drop bullet at .314" so I was pleased,it's also one of the new style molds. I'm currently casting these bullets from COWW +2% Tin an quenching stright from the mold using Gator checks and Lars 2500+ lube.
cflyreP.jpg


I was able to get out a couple months ago and try out some loads I had worked up using 2400 as I had plenty of that on hand,it's a keeper load but I want to push it faster. I just picked up a lb. of H4895 a couple weeks ago as I want to push the velocity up higher but give it a slow push,hopefully this weekend I will get to shoot some of the H4895 loads and do some chrono and accuracy test. After I got my MOJO rear peep sight only settled in I was getting 5 shot groups like this on a regular basis,some were even better.
45oYpWe.jpg
 
Last edited:

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
A fine looking rifle and a very nice group you've shot there !

Ben
 

Intheshop

Banned
Like money,"finishing" is such a personal thing.I (as a cabinet/furniture pro) get a kick out of folks bashing on this or that "schedule".All it takes is one small detail within the finishing schedule to dramatically change the results.It boils(ha) down to;are you happy with the finished product?It looks like you did a fine job,and hopefully enjoyed the process.

Google foo,trans tint dye..

Generally (lots of room here),manufacturing doesn't do "stain".Being in a hurry,we tint film finishes'.So,just for S&G's,snag some trans tint and mix it in with your CC(clear coat)...

Most definitely sprayed.Like the ole Bril-cream ads..."a little drop will do ya".We use it in,water bourne,oils,and even epoxy CC's.Start lighter than what you think...you want to "build" the color.And you didn't hear this from me.

Running some mahogany through the shop today.There won't be any "stain" in the finishing.We'll tint the clear to match customers original pcs.Edit;just because,cut out a bunch of late 18th century bracket feet.With a fully restored 1939 Walker Turner 16" BS(bandsaw) looking over our shoulders,the parts got cut on a '39 Delta Milwaukee 14" little brother.

Good shooting!
 
Last edited:

Chris

Well-Known Member
Really nice looking refinish job. Good work and nice group... bet you might shrink it further given some fussing with loads. BTW, I have been liking Lars 2500+ for a while but one of these days I'm going to make a bunch of the lubes these guys here have created and see what happens.
 

300BLK

Well-Known Member
"Hex" receiver? Are there really only 6 sides, or am I missing something?

Congratulations on both the fine shooting and good looking rifle.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Hex is correct: top, two slanting sides, to straight sides and bottom. Total of six.
 

Josh

Well-Known Member
"Hex" receiver? Are there really only 6 sides, or am I missing something?

Congratulations on both the fine shooting and good looking rifle.
Just the front of this hex receiver, but you will get the idea.

 

Reloader762

Active Member
Thanks everyone for the kind comments,that was my first test loads using the 2500+ and my new to me RCBS lubesizer. Really looking forward to trying my H4895 loads in it this Sat. if the hurricane stays away for NC,still calling for some rain here though so we will see. While I'm at it I might as well put up a pic of my M44 I've had for about 10 years,I refinished the stock on it as well years ago but put it back similar to the Russian finish.

After I mounted the S & K scout mount and a 3 x 7 x 32 scope and got it tuned in this was my first test 5 shot cast load for groups using the Lee .312" 160 gr. TL bullet which I originally bought to use in my SKS rifles,but it shoots just as well in my Sav. 99 in 300 Sav. sized to .311" too.
gCEwtUY.jpg


A little better lighting on the stock
WGP0qDX.jpg
 
Last edited:

Reloader762

Active Member
I know it's been awhile since I updated this thread on my cast loads in my 91/30. Life kinda got in the way when my father-in-law who is 81 fell and broke his ankle in several places and was out of commission for about six months so had to deal with all that but family comes first and it's been pretty nasty and cold this Winter around here on the days I had off so it is what it is.

Anyway I was able to get out for a couple hours with some loads I had worked up no serious fact finding mission just where the loads were headed accuracy wise with my new 215 gr. FN bullet mold I got from Accurate. Well it looks like I hit a good node with the 34.0 grs. of H-4895 I'm using. I will load up another batch of the 34.0 gr. loads so I can get some number on that as well as a couple more loads with 35.0 and 36.0 grs. and run them all through the chrono this time around.

Here is the 5 shot test load I shot over at my buddies house off some sand bags in his back yard range, the first test load with 33.0 grs. measured about 1.250" an dropped down to .750" with 34.0 grs. Hopefully it want be so long this time before I can get back out and do more testing.
 

Attachments

  • 100_2822.jpg
    100_2822.jpg
    55 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:

fiver

Well-Known Member
your just shy of 2,000 fps.
you got another 8grs. of room until you get to about 50-K.
 

Reloader762

Active Member
Thanks for the info I hope that proves out to be true. It will be interesting to see what the chrono has to say and if the accuracy still holds as I push the load up a couple more grains. I plan to head down to the public range at the National Forest once I get some loads I see are constant an stretch it out a bit.
 
Last edited:

Ian

Notorious member
Probably the best that rifle has shot in the history of its existence. That had to put a smile on your face after all you been through lately. Good job!
 

Reloader762

Active Member
Thanks, I've been waiting a long time to put those few loads down range with that new bullet / powder combination, you just never know how things are going to turn out but sometime it's worth the wait.