91/30 cleaned the barrel

[michaeltpo]

I picked up my all matching, non counterbored, Big 5 Mosin 91/30 today and I have to say I think I did good.
I got to look at the barrel after a a quick cleaning and it looks very good. Very bright and shiny barrel with strong rifling. Almost excellent. The crown is pristine, the stamping clear, orderly and strong. The wood is very good. I'd seen the exterior already but not having been able to see a clean barrel had me a little worried. So far the best $89 I've spent. I used to think they were kinda ugly but it's grown on me. Also I found I like the sights with the sight hood up front. My first one of that type. I do have a couple questions.

1. The stamp is a 1934 Izhevsk (with a PM) forward of the hexagonical receiver. I presume the stamp is on the barrel. If it is on the barrel then why is a 1934 barrel in such fine shape after going thru WW2?

2. I noticed the end of the wood right near the barrel is pretty flexible. I guess I'm saying I could easily push it around with a little finger pressure. Is this normal that the wood is so pliable at this point.

3. Is there a special sized (push) jag I should use. I forget what it is called. The brass spiral looking jag.? Any recomendationson what size I should use?

4. Should I slug the barrel? It's not likely to hurt the rifling is it?

5. Do these puppies kick hard with say the Russian 146gn surplus ammo. I know they weigh 9 lbs but they sure look think pretty thin. It won't stop me but I was just curious.

I'll post pictures in a day or two.

[BroncoBob]

Congrats on your Izzy. I use 30 cal cleaning tools to clean mine up. Kick on them are not too hard, however I did find a rubber buttstock that is contoured to the stock at tickbite.com. Great website for Mosins.

tickbite.comhttp://www.tickbitesupply.com/mos.html

[HskrVern]

I picked up my all matching, non counterbored, Big 5 Mosin 91/30 today and I have to say I think I did good.
I got to look at the barrel after a a quick cleaning and it looks very good. Very bright and shiny barrel with strong rifling. Almost excellent. The crown is pristine, the stamping clear, orderly and strong. The wood is very good. I'd seen the exterior already but not having been able to see a clean barrel had me a little worried. So far the best $89 I've spent. I used to think they were kinda ugly but it's grown on me. Also I found I like the sights with the sight hood up front. My first one of that type. I do have a couple questions.

1. The stamp is a 1934 Izhevsk (with a PM) forward of the hexagonical receiver. I presume the stamp is on the barrel. If it is on the barrel then why is a 1934 barrel in such fine shape after going thru WW2?

2. I noticed the end of the wood right near the barrel is pretty flexible. I guess I'm saying I could easily push it around with a little finger pressure. Is this normal that the wood is so pliable at this point.

3. Is there a special sized (push) jag I should use. I forget what it is called. The brass spiral looking jag.? Any recomendationson what size I should use?

4. Should I slug the barrel? It's not likely to hurt the rifling is it?

5. Do these puppies kick hard with say the Russian 146gn surplus ammo. I know they weigh 9 lbs but they sure look think pretty thin. It won't stop me but I was just curious.

I'll post pictures in a day or two.

I'll pony up on the jag. I found out that a .30 cal brass brush that has a patch wrapped around it works best. You get the scrubbing action of the brush and the wiping action of the patch. Worked awesome for me!

[SCB5794]

I just Cleaned mine The first 15+ patches were Black, after about 25-35 they started to come out white, good luck with your 91/30

[Rem1492]

the 91/30s we get are all arsenal refurbs. You can tell if you have it 7.62x54r.net has info. look at the stock, if the rear portion has two peices of wood (spliced bottom half) then its a refurb stock.

Also there are two possibilites, if the stock is not a refurb it could have been a rear area rifle. Perhaps a round CCCP stock stamp could be visible.

More than likely it was used somewhere and refurbed in the late 40s by POWs. Got a new stock, reserialed (lined out) parts and forcematched, then re parkerized and packed away.

Considering how good your barrel is, it may have not been in battle, most that were have some counterboring or at least some pitting from being left in the open.

yes the wood handguard is a bit loose on some.

When shooting corrosive, clean for corrosive but use a bristle brush and a jag to get all the nooks between rifling.

sounds like you got a good one.

[cryoguy]

check out this website, you will learn alot.

http://7.62x54r.net/

[Scratch705]

I just Cleaned mine The first 15+ patches were Black, after about 25-35 they started to come out white, good luck with your 91/30

mine was not that compliant... haha it was still black after using heavy solvent with scrubbing/soaking and 30 patches.... so i just gave up, and just finished oiling it and put it away.

[joelberg]

I didn't think the kick was too bad. It was definitely there but my shoulder felt fine after about 100 rounds. My buddy who is bigger and stronger than me though was complaining after about 25 rounds that he thought he dislocated his shoulder! I tried to make sure he was holding it correctly, and it appeared he was in every way.

I guess it's just a personal issue. But I'm not bothering with the rubber buttstock pad even though I was originally planning on getting one.

[cryoguy]

The first time I took mine out I had a nasty bruise on my shoulder. Now it doesn't even get sore. It just takes time to get used to it.

[cryoguy]

I'll pony up on the jag. I found out that a .30 cal brass brush that has a patch wrapped around it works best. You get the scrubbing action of the brush and the wiping action of the patch. Worked awesome for me!

I found that a pipe cleaner wrapped around the .30 cal brush does the same thing if you want to save your patches.

[Fate]

The rifles at Big 5 are all Ukranian refurbs that were reworked in the 1970s. Old parts were scrubbed and renumbered with some stocks of blank replacement parts also being used and then stamped "matching." Old barrel bores were also relined.

Re: your flexing wood. You might have a hairline crack in the stock. Find it and try and get some CA glue in there to shore it up.

Don't try and get a Mosin barrel too clean. They often shoot better after they're slightly fouled. But shooting and then cleaning while it's hot is also a good way to break up the fouling and get it cleaner than before.

Finally, for shooting, use a chicken wing type grip for your trigger arm. Stick it out at a 90 degree angle to your body when shooting. This is the stance the rifle was designed for. Shots do not hurt this way. Tuck your arm down, AR-style and shoot from a bench and that mule will give you the business

[mosinnagantm9130]

The recoil on a 91/30 isn't bad at all. It's the carbines you've got to watch out for.....