Rifle

[ned2683]

I went to a gun show and bought a rifle. it is an M38 russian bolt action rifle. any one know about these? they use 7.62x54 rounds and i was wondering where would be the best place to get there and if u can use any other types of ammuntion (more common?) for these?

Originally Posted by ned2683

I went to a gun show and bought a rifle. it is an M38 russian bolt action rifle. any one know about these? they use 7.62x54 rounds and i was wondering where would be the best place to get there and if u can use any other types of ammuntion (more common?) for these?

I don't mean to sound condesending but if your not sure about the proper use of a firearm you need to get training. Call a local gunsmith or gunclub to find help getting aquainted with the gun.

[Botnst]

That's not condescension, medMech, that's great advice. Plus you'll get to know some really dedicated firearms experts. They can put you in touch with NRA sanctioned shooting. Great source of info from knowledgeable people.

[Zeitgeist]

...uh, he's asking about sources for ammunition, not whether it'd be a good rifle to use shooting apples off his nephew's head.

[MikeTangas]

Before locating ammo, you need to have the gun checked out by a competent gunsmith to ensure it is safe to shoot. Many times these old guns at the shows are toast, or too old to handle modern smokeless powders.

It is very likely you could have picked up a "mantel piece".

[KirkVining]

My grand dad had one of those I believe - it has like an extended magazine that protrudes in front of the trigger guard, at an angle if it is the one I am thinking of. They were actually made by Remington, I believe, and are all around 1917 vintage.

Its dangerous to play mix and match with guns like that. I would go to a gun shop and ask them about special order for the proper ammo - also check the mag ads, obsolete ammo is usually listed in those, especially Guns and Ammo. I believe the story on those is Remington made a zillion of them for use in WW I by the czar, and when Russia went commie, they got stuck with them and they got dumped on the American market. They used to be real cheap and real common.

You might want to use my dad's method for firing an old gun like that for the first time. It involves a couple of saw horses, and some duct tape, and rope, which you attach to the trigger, so you can pull it the first time without having you face in it. Also, a lot of those are "closet queens" and may not have been fired in years. Run a few patches down the barrel before you shoot it to make sure the thing isn't full of dead mud daubers or something.

[william rogers]

Any bigger gun store should have ammo for it .There are a lot of that model floating around ,used to be able to buy them for 20 bucks or less , they are rugged but rather awkward to handle . There were a lot of crude cut down sporters made from them.............

William Rogers.............

[moparmike]

The Mosin-Nagant M38 is a great gun. I have shot one before, and its sort of an intermediary between the 91-30 and the M44. The 91 will be as tall as you are (and more with the bayo on it) and the M44 will be a short barreled carbine that will double as a flame-thrower on anything that is closer than 20yds.


The 7.62x54R is still used today as a deer/sniper round, just like it was before WWII. You can easily find ammo for it, mainly online. If you have a gunstore nearby, they will most certainly carry some for it. If you go surplus, watch out for it being corrosive. It will rust your barrel if you dont clean it properly for that.

Go to www.thehighroad.org for more info. You will find boatloads of information about old Mosins. Just dont get sucked into a Mosin/Mauser debate that happens every month or so.