Today's Mosin Shooting

[Josh Smith]

Hi All,

I did a few more tweaks to my favorite Mosin and took it out to verify the sights.

Turns out it was shooting a little high, so I settled down to get it about 1/2" high at 50 or 60 yards. This will put me on at 100 yards.

After trying to figure out why I was shooting high no matter what I did, it occurred to me that I'd been predominately shooting at humanoid targets most of my life, and that I was, in my attempt to shoot COM, actually shooting the bottom of a color transition on the target. I made a new target and ended up with this:



I need to get out and see where it's at at 100 yards, now. I have a feeling I'll have to lower the front sight, but at this time of year long shots on anything are rare, so I'm not overly concerned. Coyote season doesn't start for a bit, and I might try a scout 'scope from Brass Stacker for that this year.

I've read that the average engagement distance in WWII was 50 yards, anyway, and that was part of the reason the assault rifles came to be.

I'm out of match bullets for loading and will have to get more before I go about doing much more testing.

Speaking of which, does anyone know what the terminal effect(s) is of a Hornady BTHP match bullet? I know it's not designed to expand, but I figure it will either shatter or pencil on through.

Thanks!

[Eljay]

Mosins weren't really intended to shoot so close. Yes, the average distance in WW II was quite close, but that wasn't the thinking in 1930 when they designed the sights.

The Hornady a-max bullets apparently have relatively shallow penetration and then shatter violently. They're not recommended for hunting because they spoil the meat although some people use them that way. I seem to recall you get more penetration on thin skinned animals so they might make a decent defense round but nobody's really tested it enough to recommend it.