I love my Mosin Nagant 91/30.  I shoot it as much as I do my 10/22.  It’s reasonably accurate (minute of  Nazi at 200 yards), cheap to shoot, and comfortable on the shoulder.  Yeah, I get a humungous bruise after shooting 40 rounds through it in an afternoon, but it’s a good bruise.   Ammunition, even though it’s come up significantly since I started shooting it, is dirt cheap, and there has started to be more brass cased ammunition on the market, so reloading is definitely possible.

But I’ve always wanted to take it and the 7.62x54r round it fires to another level.  I’ve put Mojo Microclick sights on the rifle, and I’m considering a Timney trigger too.  I bought a scope mount for it that replaces the rear sight and put a Long Eye Relief scope on it for a while, but eventually took it off.  I could just never get comfortable with that setup.

But none of the major American rifle manufacturers make guns in this caliber.  A search for aftermarket barrels hints that someone used to make them, but no-one appears to be selling them at the moment.

So what’s a 54r junkie with a jones for a modern hunting rifle to do?

Thanks to a FB friend, I have hope:

It’s a single shot break action, but that also intrigues me.  I’ve seen some Baikals in a few gun shops.  I’ll have to keep my eyes open for one in God’s Own Caliber (Eastern Orthodox).

Also, Izmash appears to be making a true hunting rifle in 7.62x54r.  Never seen one of these in the wild, but it’s definitely something to watch out for.

Until either the U.S. manufacturers wake up to the merits of 7.62x54r and the large market of people who already have Mosins or the Russian imports start to become more prevelant, I’ll just keep plugging away with my little 91/30.