Round or hex

[Tonymin]

So my brother in law and I are ready to jump into the Mosin 91/30 pool. I see some with round receivers, some with hex. What is the difference and which is better?
Also, other that condition and bore what else should we look for? What is desirable and which to stay away from?
Thanks

[Chaos47]

Hex are "older" and rounds are "newer" it was done to speed up production. Hex are usually sought after more and therefore can be worth more. There are more types of different arsenal marks during the time period they made Hex.

Really there is no functional benefit with one or the other. Its a matter of taste and opinion.

Round on Top
Hex on Bottom
(Not my photo or rifles)


Also check for:
Arsenal
All numbers matching
Counterboring

Not necessary but:
Signs of being an ex-sniper or ex-dragoon
Rare proof marks

Everything Mosin Nagant can be found here:

http://7.62x54r.net/

[Emdawg]

Well, the difference is obvious. The "hex" recievers were cast in a hexagonal shape. While the rounded recievers are rounded like a normal bolt action. EDIT: Look at Chaos' pictures^^^

Technically, the hex reciever 91/30's were made in the 30's. When it comes to Mosins, the earlier the better.

The round recievers were designed to ease production and save material. After 1941 the Soviets were pumping as many 91/30's out as possible and quality suffered. So round recievers made in 1942 and after tend to be rougher than pre-War models.


When it comes to 91/30 barrels, just check to make sure they were cleaned properly. The corrosive surplus can do horrors to the barrels and throuts when not cleaned after use.


There is no Mosin to stay away from. If you want a cheap shooter get round reciever standard stock 91/30 or a Type 53 carbine.

If it is hex recievered or it has a laminate stock then it will fetch a little more money.

Ex-Dragoons and ex-snipers can go for the same (or a little less) as M44 carbines, all depending on year made and/or shape.


Then we get into the other numerous Mosin makes and models and they vary in price.

[Tonymin]

Thanks guys,
Personally I can't shoot 100 yards without a scope due to poor eye sight. So, should I only buy a sniper because it has the holes for a mount or is it easy to do a mount on any Mosin?
I would want a Russian scope. Repro is fine but it has to look the part.
Thanks again.

[Chaos47]

Attaching a scope is not a really easy job on a Mosin.

Ex snipers mount holes have been filed so no an ex-sniper would not help in this case. I mentioned them for collectability sake of things to look for.

IMO do not use any scope mount that requires drilling and tapping.
Probably one of the best ways to mount a scope is to remove the rear sight base and use the dovetail rail that is under it (save the original parts) But then you will need a long eye relief scope..

[DennisCA]

Attaching a scope is not a really easy job on a Mosin.

Ex snipers mount holes have been filed so no an ex-sniper would not help in this case. I mentioned them for collectability sake of things to look for.

IMO do not use any scope mount that requires drilling and tapping.
Probably one of the best ways to mount a scope is to remove the rear sight base and use the dovetail rail that is under it (save the original parts) But then you will need a long eye relief scope..

I agree!
basically|:
Round=more plentiful
Hex=less plentiful
Youtube has several vid's on this, just type:
"what to look for in a mosin nagant"

How about a scout scope?
Most of the are non-permanent.

[Armistice]

Choose a flavor. I like hex because I think they look better

With what I've seen, mosins don't seem to be too accurate. I'd scope a Finnish one since they have a tighter grouping, so I've heard

[Chaos47]

Round=more plentiful
Hex=less plentiful
Youtube has several vid's on this, just type:
"what to look for in a mosin nagant"

How about a scout scope?
Most of the are non-permanent.

Why did you quote my post?

[Wee Gussie]

If you do decide to get one, I would like to shamelessly plug Berserk9 in San Jose to see if he has any for offer. It is a bit of a jaunt, but worth the trip and he is a very nice young man. I picked up a hex from him and I couldn't be happier.

Cheers

[knucklehead0202]

any mosin in reasonably decent shape is capable of nothing short of superb accuracy. some may require some tricks, like bedding, but most mosins are good shooters. I personally like carbines, just because they're not 7ft. long but they're all fun. long-eye-relief scopes aren't for everyone, I personally despise them so if it's a scope you want, there are other methods for mounting them. i'm building a sporter, albeit slowly, but plan on using a weaver side-mount on it. other options include the rock solid mount or repro-original-type sniper mounts and scopes. point is, it's your rifle and you can do whatever you want with it, despite what some people say. that said, I wouldn't buy a really nice dragoon and hack it all up. best bet may be just to buy one of the repro snipers and call it a day. good luck and enjoy whatever you end up with. mosins rock.

[NOTABIKER]

buy mosins, buy often. m-91-30s, ex snipers, M-44 a must if you are a shooter. if you like scopes and do not care if it is a original sniper or not pick up a reproduction and shoot the hell out of it. i bought one from big 5 imported from PW ARMS and the parts are top quality for shooting.

[Spyder]

Why did you quote my post?

?!?!

[Chaos47]

?!?!

He edited his post, originally it had no reply to my post or any connection to what I was talking about. So I had no idea why he quoted my post..

[ckcadavona]

This is a hard one to answer. There are so many opinions. I'd say a Finnish Hex of any variety will be better in more cases then a round Russian.

[89 Vision]

I go for both. I love my rounds because they're made during wartime. I love my hexs' because they're a little less rough around the edges, and have cooler barrel shank marks. Hexs' are more fun to collect, but there's nothing like a European rifle made between 1939-1945.