On this week’s episode of Two Guys One Gun, the crew discusses one of the most prevalent military surplus rifles on the market: the Mosin-Nagant. 

There is a great deal of controversy around the bolt-action Mosin, from its pronunciation to where people feel that it lands in the grand scheme of things. Most people either think it is a cheap piece of crap or that it is one of the coolest and a favorite in their collection. Regardless of how you feel, the Mosin-Nagant is packed with over 130 years of history. 

Few firearms were manufactured in the same numbers as the Mosin, and few firearms have served for so long in so many different conflicts. In fact, the 7.62x54mmR cartridge introduced along with the Mosin in 1891 might be the only rimmed cartridge still in main military service with a major military. 

Affectionately known as the "garbage rod," there was a time when Mosin-Nagants sold for less than $90 at gun shops across America, as the rifles would simply be dumped in an empty trash bin for easy display. Unfortunately, long gone are the days of the sub-$100 military surplus rifle, as Mosins have risen in price over the years. That said, it is still a very affordable, entry-level military surplus rifle. 
 

Related: Two Guys One Gun, Episode 1 – What Happened to Affordable Military Surplus Guns?

From the Russo-Japanese War to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Mosin has seen just about every major battlefield over the past 130 years. Love it or hate it, it boasts quite the resume and is often overlooked simply because it was a cheap rifle.