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How To Build A Budget "Sniper" Rifle Part 3 - Ammo Selection Guide
AMMUNITION 101 Now that you've purchased your Mosin-Nagant, taken it home and cleaned all of the cosmoline from the rifle off of and from inside of the rifle, it's time for a range day to test the weapon out and to find out what kind of ammunition it likes the best and shoots the most accurately. I've found in the past that these rifles can be very accurate with one kind of surplus ammo, and terribly inaccurate with another. Some rifles prefer different loadings, and some seem to shoot all of them pretty well. Each rifle has its own personality in this respect. For the sake of repeatable accuracy, once you find a good supply of fairly accurate ammunition, make sure to purchase a large amount of it and begin an ammunition stockpile. Different surplus ammunition shoots differently and this could radically affect how the rifle is zeroed at range. I've seen as much as 5 inches of variation between different commercial loads when shooting some of my other rifles. If you do decide to change ammo, make sure to adjust your scope's zero to compensate for the new loading. I've had the best luck with Czech steel core ammunition, which comes in a light blue cardboard box and has a silver tip painted on the bullet. These are reasonably high quality cartridges and I've never had problems with them in any of my Mosin-Nagants. I highly suggest finding this ammunition if you can. My local gun shop sells each box for about $6.00 after tax. All surplus ammo should be considered corrosive and the rifle must be cleaned accordingly.  Another favorite of mine is the Wolf/Prvi Partisan commercial ammunition. It is available in a large variety of different bullet weights and types, all with varying degrees of accuracy. Since its new, non-surplus ammunition, it tends to be much higher quality than the surplus stuff. Make sure to save your brass after shooting as the cases can be reloaded. If you don't reload, I'd be more than willing to purchase your reloadable brass from you at a reasonable price.Buy several different kinds of ammunition for your test shoots! Find out what kind works best for you and your rifle. I suggest bringing no less than 3 different brands (or country of manufacture) ammunition to the range to help determine which is best. Five different kinds would be even better. REMEMBER TO INSPECT EACH CARTRIDGE OF MILITARY SURPLUS AMMUNITION FOR DEFECTS, PREFERABLY AT HOME BEFORE GOING TO THE RANGE. It is not uncommon to find split case necks and shoulders, poorly seated bullets and other deformities. Do not fire severely dented ammunition cases as they might get stuck! To give you an idea, my buddy purchased a spam can of Bulgarian ammo, and there was at least one questionable cartridge in each little package of 10 rounds. Some packets had 2 or 3 question-ables that were either dented up or completely split. When you're using commercial ammunition, since most of it has been produced in the last couple of years inspection is not required but still suggested. To Part 4 - Initial Accuracy Testing
| Cleaning After Shooting Corrosive Ammo? Some people have some intricate rituals for cleaning their rifles after having fired corrosive ammunition through their rifles. While some different steps should be taken afterwards, it's not as mysterious as some people make it out to be. I have found that a squirt bottle of Windex is an excellent way to flush the corrosive salts left in the bore by surplus ammo. Simply remove the bolt from the action, point the muzzle of the rifle downward towards the ground and spray the Windex down into the chamber. Squirt about 25-30 times, or until frothy Windex flows from the muzzle. Follow this with some general purpose lubricant or CLP to help preserve the bore until you get home. Make sure to clean the rifle thoroughly when you return home from the range. |
LJ126 |
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, Oct 19 2011, 12:17 PM EDT
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