Mosin or Mauser
 

I hope I don't start a sh**storm with this question, but I ask it with most sincere intention.

If you had to choose one, would you select a Mosin or Mauser?

Mosin = any common/Russian variety, 91/30, M38, M44, no special/collectible type.

Mauser = any common 8mm (7.92) Mauser variety, German, Yugo, or Czech.

Please tell us why, and offer the strengths and weaknesses of your choice.

Thank you in advance!

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

Nah, I'd get a Springfield. Prefer the handleing quality of a Mauser, but I like the cocking pin of the Mosin and Springfield. So would get a mauser rip-off~~~~~~~~ heeheeheee

Don't have one right now, have a mauser

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

I have both Mausers and Mosins. Lots & lots of Mosins. That being said, if I could only have one, it would probably be a Mauser.

Better trigger pull as issued.

Better accuracy.

Less finicky feeding (unrimmed cartridge).

Minuses on the Mauser would be higher price for the rifle and (probably) higher ammo prices.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

Agree on most points. As an owner of both, I'll add another, less felt recoil with a 8mm Mauser vs 7.62x54R M-N. Never had a problem with my Mosin feeding. Also, on average a M-48 Mauser probably can be found in better average condition than a M-N. I was fortunate enough to hand select my M38 at my dealer, from a large number of M-Ns for sale, instead of buying one on the Internet.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

They are both good bolt action fighting rifles, even if that kind of rifle is obsolescent. The Mauser has a chrome lined bore which the Mosin does not. The Mosin can be unloaded very quickly and fed from stripper clips which means it is fast and easy to change ammo types with the Mosin. While Enfields legitimately have some issues with feeding their rimmed cartridge that isn't a realistic problem with the Mosins. The solution in the Mosin's action is rather ingenious actually, the round on top is physically isolated from the other rounds in the mag and can't get hung up. 8mm is a good round but it isn't used by any military anymore that I am aware of. 7.62x54r on the other hand is still standard issue in several countries, has been for more than 100 years and will be probably until they switch over to energy weapons. The benefit to you is a never ending stream of surplus 7.62x54r in addition to commercial production. At the end of the day the Mauser is the nicer rifle but the Mosin is a good rifle and probably more practical.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

Mauser. There are more aftermarket parts for the Mauser.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

I have much better guns than either the Mauser or Mosin fo a primary weapon so for a cheap loaner setup It would be the Mosin for me lots more bang for my buck.

I can buy a Mosin, 500 rounds of ammo and any accesories I want for less than 200frn's

I can not do that for near that price with a shootable Mauser.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

Are you sure about the "chrome lined bore" in Mausers? That doesn't seem to be the case in any of my Argentine, Spanish, German, or Yugo Mausers.

As to feeding issues with Mosin Nagants, yes, I'm aware of the ejector/interrupter which is supposed to keep round #2 down below the first round being fed into the chamber. Unfortunately, a number of my Mosin Nagants must not be familiar with the concept. There have been times where I've got to open the mag baseplate to lower the rounds in the mag before I can chamber the first round (due to the rims locking against each other). This is something that I could probably adjust (via tweaking the interrupter), but never got around to it.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

THis might lend some insight. http://mouseguns.com/compare.htm

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

Thank you all, for your opinions! :ok:

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

If I could only pick one it would be the mauser. Of course in real life I wasn't limited to only one choice and have both. I really like them both and wouldn't get rid of either. As others have mentioned though, the mauser has a nicer trigger and just seems "smoother" to me.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

You're right. I thought my K98 did based on its bright bore but upon closer inspection it looks unlined.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the rifles produced when the war was going against the Russians? Are yours round or hex? High wall? Izhevsk or Tula?

I have seen re-arsenalled Mosins that had improperly fitted floor plates that keep them from loading or feeding properly but in every case they would function correctly after swapping the new floorplates in. As you well know there is a lot of variation in the build quality of Mosins depending on when and where they were put together. I have seen some receivers that were so rough from machining they looked like a rat had chewed them.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

As to the build date, receiver style, armory (what about Sestroyetsk?)...my answer is YES. I've got "almost enough" MN rifles, and have run into this problem with a number of them. I can't recall if they were round/hex, wartime or pre-war. I just drop the floorplate a wee bit & cycle the bolt. Back to shooting....

I've got some ~1942/1943 MN91/30 rifles with VERY rough machining. As you said, it looks like an animal gnawed the receiver out of a block of steel. Barrel external finish is also pretty rough. Mother Russia was cranking out the rifles as fast as they could, so I see these rifles as an interesting bit of history.

Even wartime MN91/30 PU rifles (both Tula & Izhevsk) tend to be a bit rough on the outside. It's pretty obvious that the Russians wanted quantity rather than quality. The Finns took a very different approach - it's interesting to tear down a Finn 28/30 or 39 rifle & see the hand fitting that went into the manufacturing process.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

I haven't seen a Sestroryetsk to my knowledge, nor a Remington, Westinghouse or Chatellerault. There's certainly a lot of depth you get can into when it comes to collecting Mosins. I have even heard quite a few Finnish Mosins have pre-1895 receivers if you check the tang stamps. My main point with Tula and Izhevsk was that I have heard the Tula rifles are generally nicer than the Izhevsk rifles.

I have never owned one of the really rough wartime rifles but I would say there's a lot more history with one of them than there is in your run of the mill unissued rifle. If you were trying to put together a history of the rifle's service I'd say one of the rough and ugly wartime expedients is a must. It really drives home that line from Enemy At The Gates, "first man falls, second man picks up the rifle." Desperate times.

My understanding was most or even all of the sniper variants were built on "high wall" war expedient type receivers, if for no other reason than these were easier to get a scope rail on than the round receivers.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

My only "Sesty" is a Mosin Nagant 91. Add the bayonet, and the thing is so long that it's all too easy to accidentally punch a hole in the ceiling!

Too bad the MN91's (as with many other C&R weapons) aren't as available as they were ~10 years ago. Rifle + bayonet for $35-$50.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

If I were to reach into my safe and randomly grab a rifle it'd probably be a Mosin.

I can't speak for the 8mm Mauser, but if it were a choice I'd grab a Swede in 6.5x55.

Re: Mosin or Mauser
 

I've never had the pleasure of shooting a Mauser, but I do have experience with the Mosin's (M44 and M91/30 Ex-Dragoon). Can't say you would go wrong getting either the Mauser or Mosin, but whichever you choose (or another type rifle) make sure you get a bunch of ammo for practicing and for stockpiling.
The 7.62x54R has gone up in price over the last year or so, even the corrosive, surplus stuff, but as far as I can tell, it is still cheaper than the 8mm.
If you haven't been warned already, the Mosin's have a substantial recoil.