M1 Garand or Mosin Nagant?

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 13:51:26 -0500

If you had to pick on or the other as your old school rifle which would you pick and why? The M1 has a lot of nostalgia for me but there are a lot of Mosin Nagant lovers out there.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Nov 3 at 2014 1:55 PM

SGT Richard H. — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 13:55:51 -0500

I have a Mosin...I didn't care much about the nostalgia of it. There are only a very few that are even worth anything...but the ammo is cheap & plentiful, as are the rifles. For Nostalgia purposes, I'd go Garand. For something you can cut up, rebuild, and have fun with...Mosin.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Nov 3 at 2014 1:56 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 13:56:50 -0500

I think there is something to be said about holding a M1 Garand. Yes the nostalgia it has pulls me towards this weapon. It has one heck of a service history behind it. On top of that, it is an accurate weapon with good stopping power which is something some of the modern day assault rifles are missing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2014 1:58 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 13:58:43 -0500

You didn't have an option for "both."

shame...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2014 2:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 14:03:44 -0500

Both.

Response by PO2 Gerry Tandberg made Nov 3 at 2014 4:47 PM

PO2 Gerry Tandberg — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 16:47:13 -0500

I've obtained two Garand's; a 1942 Springfield and a late Harrington-Richardson made in 1953. Since I was in the Navy, we didn't have to qualified with side-arms like one does in the Army or Corp. Regardless, I shot #6 out of 500 squids shooting an M1 Garand on that particular day. Interestingly enough thereafter I never touched a firearm while in the service. However, I have done a lot of shooting, reloading, build AR's, and do minor gun repairs. The Russian Mosin Nagant is an excellent bolt action rifle, but I'd much prefer something that shoots more common ammo. However, finding a Garand in good condition at the right price can be challenging. Garand's were made by Springfield, Winchester, International Harvester, and Harrington-Richardson. If you don't have a Garand get one, otherwise go for the Mosin Nagant and make sure in in good condition. Find an original sniper version if at all possible, as it will likely be a good shooter. There are a lot of good military bolt actions out there, but they are getting harder to find.

Response by SSG Eric M Hersh made Nov 3 at 2014 5:57 PM

SSG Eric M Hersh — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 17:57:47 -0500

not enough fire power no scopes or night sight etc

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Nov 3 at 2014 6:19 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 18:19:57 -0500

I would love to have a Garand, specifically a match grade!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2014 9:19 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:19:07 -0500

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2014 11:06 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 23:06:30 -0500

It's a close call, but the M1 wins out for 2 reasons: 1) it's an American rifle and 2) it's much easier and faster to reload.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2014 11:59 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 23:59:56 -0500

That's a easy one for me, the M1 Garand. I have shot a match grade M1 from a national guard shooting team. And that baby was a nice rifle, dead on.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 4 at 2014 5:22 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 05:22:50 -0500

Garand! Have owned many over the years. Zero in 3 adjustments. Boring at 300m. Ammo is pricey, but too fun to complain about.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2014 8:25 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:25:46 -0500

I'll have to go with the M1 Garand. I just love that rifle.

Response by SFC William "Bill" Moore made Nov 4 at 2014 8:26 AM

SFC William "Bill" Moore — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:26:23 -0500

I've fired both and own a Mosin. I love the ruggedness of it and mine is damned accurate.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2014 8:36 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:36:02 -0500

Garand all the way!

Response by SSG John Bacon made Nov 4 at 2014 11:43 AM

SSG John Bacon — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 11:43:29 -0500

And don't forget about the M1 Carbine.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2014 2:46 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:46:32 -0500

I'm sorry but I have taken both to the range many a time and both hunting as well, when it comes to just stock versions of both, the garand hands down.
But when it comes to even the slightest of modifications, the Nagant is my baby, slain many a deer with my Nagant and never miss a target at the range.
The ammo is plentiful and easy to obtain, the only real downside I have with my Nagant is the corrosive rounds.
7.62x54R is a beautiful and beastly round but has to be clean every time one goes down the barrel.
For nostalgic reasons, they are both beautiful and important firearms in history and both deserve equal recognition, same with the Kar 98K.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 5 at 2014 9:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 21:20:01 -0500

I love my Mosin!

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Apr 12 at 2015 2:14 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 14:14:50 -0400

It's not in the list, but I love the SKS as a combination of the best of all things. Accuracy, decent hunting capacity, slight ability to modify, great historic value, semi-auto capability, and a rugged action.
Since that isn't in the list, I would personally pick the M1 if I had the money for one.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Apr 12 at 2015 2:28 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sun, 12 Apr 2015 14:28:30 -0400

Kinda an apples vs. oranges question. The most heavily produced bolt ever vs. an innovative for the time gas pusher. You'll probably pick what you've either shot the most or got the most use out of. I did vote for the M1 primarily that's what I started shooting service match with. Something about cutting and grinding clips for SLDs, doubles, etc. Single Load Device really knocked down "M1 Thumb". I kept mine in 06 as it gave me back 2-3 clicks at 1000 yards. Anything to encourage the oval to be more round. I used an M1A for the shorter distances and never moved into black mouse guns primarily because we adopted two boys and that hobby went to the back burner.

A friend of mine is a WW2 collector and has a couple of Mosins. They are nice shooters and it's reliability and usefulness as a military tool is legendary. So I'd expect the same question asked on Euro Rally Point to flip the result.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2015 7:51 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 07:51:53 -0500

Doesn't include the M1, but this is always my favorite reply to anything resembling a question about the Mosin.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jan 21 at 2018 7:00 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 19:00:52 -0500

I may be in the minority, but no one said I could not chose the Mosin, so I would go with the latter TKIV Finnish Sniper rifle, built off the Mosin Nagant.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Jan 21 at 2018 9:10 PM

SGT Aaron Atwood — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 21:10:46 -0500

I have to pick one? I can't have both?

Response by Matt Moon made Sep 7 at 2018 5:28 PM

Matt Moon — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 17:28:18 -0400

M1 Grand

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2019 9:19 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 09:19:06 -0500

Nagant simply because it has fewer moving parts and can be field stripped and cleaned quickly. Very accurate as well. I have both and love both, but something about that old Russian hunk of wood and steel putting rounds down range that makes me smile.