Mosin Nagant

If you have no idea how to pronounce the title of this post, you are 1) not Russian, and 2) not a gun fanatic.

While being thoroughly not Russian, I am a gun fanatic. (This is where you check the post's author and discover this is Tyler not Maleen.) I am so fanatical, that I tell my co-workers that I maintain two gun-related lists: one for the people I would protect in the event of a non-mail postal event, and the other lists destinations in the event I turn out to be the "disgruntled" person. When my co-workers do something extraordinary, I add them to one list or the other.

Have no fear, I am currently very gruntled, and one of the lists doesn't actually exist.

So now that we've discussed my psychological well being, back to the Mosin Nagant (pronounced Mo'zin Na'gaunt.) In 1891 two  comrades combined their knowledge to engineer one of the longest serving rifles in military history. Sergei Ivanovich Mosin (Russian) partnered with  Léon Nagant (Belgian) to create this fine bolt-action rifle:

It also happens to be one of the most-accurate rifles ever manufactured, though don't ask the internet because you'll end up with a variety of [wrong] opinions. None the less, just such a rifle found its way into my hands on the 22nd of December. While this date is just another shopping day for most, it's Maleen and my anniversary. She got me an original issue (never been shot) 1937 Mosin Nagant M91/30. I drooled a little when she gave it to me.

It came with a full original kit including a shoulder strap, tools, a dual-compartment canteen for solvent and gun oil, belt case for ammunition, and an honest-to-goodness bayonet! Sweet! How many people do know that can kill an intruder with a bayonet? Awesome.

Anyway, without getting too technical for the un-initiated, I'll leave you with a few pieces of information about this fine feat of human marksmanship:

• The 7.62×54R (R for "Rimmed") is the oldest cartridge still in regular combat service with several major armed forces in the world. 
• Round has a muzzle velocity at around 2,600 ft /sec - meaning it can travel a mile in 2 seconds.
• 17.4 million M91/30 Mosin Nagant rifles were produced, which means a lot of surplus rifles that can be purchased for less than $150 each.
• Surplus ammunition is still available. I bought mine for about 23¢ each in a ham can (yes the same cans they pack Spam in) of 440 per case from the 1960s. You even get a convenient can opener with ammo purchase.
• You know that famous story about a sniper who shot a counter sniper down the barrel of his scope? That amazing shot came from Carlos Hathcock, widely acclaimed as the best sniper in U.S. history. And the scope that took the bullet through it, killing its operator, sat atop a Mosin Nagant. 

Any-hoo, this is a freaking awesome weapon. I had to wait to shoot it because no shops were open over Christmas, and with the rush on gun stores of late, it's been crowded at gun stores where they've got all the ammo. But I finally got some ammo, and I recently spent some time with the Mosin Nagant in my shoulder. I was in frigid Idaho for my break-in period over New Year's, but hey, that's warmer than Russia, right?

My Dad and my brothers accompanied me for its maiden voyage.

And, because pictures are worth about a thousand words, videos must be like a million... Even if you're not into guns, you should watch this for the big boom at the end. This is a video including J.R., my Dad, me, and June. Yes, June went with me because I believe education is one of the most-important issues facing America today.

So to finish up, I have not killed anyone and I'm not planning on it, though I would if someone broke into my house; Maleen's the bestest damn wife in the whole world; and guns are funs.