For some strange reason, the Mosin-Nagant rifle has become popular over the last few years. Maybe it’s because there has been thousands and thousands of them that have washed up on our shores, like flotsam and jetsam, since the end of the Cold War. Maybe it’s because people are watching and re-watching “Enemy at the Gates” on their favorite streaming media service. Or maybe it’s because kids of all ages have been using virtual versions of this ancient weapon in the first-person-shooter video games for generations now.
Whatever the reason, the Mosin-Nagant rifle is now a fixture in American gun culture, but it’s much more that that, it’s an invasive species of firearm. It’s the ballistic equivalent of kudzu. Sure, importing them by the caseload seemed like a good idea at the time, but now we’re stuck with them on our shores, and dealing with scores of heavy surplus rifles with questionable accuracy is now everybody’s problem. So in the spirit of American ingenuity, I present to you the Top Five Uses for a Mosin-Nagant rifle.
5. Furniture. Turning Mosin-Nagant shipping crates into rustic furniture is a popular DIY project that can produce attractive home décor that’s relatively cheap. But why stop there? Why not turn the Mosin Nagant itself into a furniture item? Lampstands and hat racks are just two of the items that spring into mind that would be perfect uses for your surplus surplus rifles.
4. Interior décor. Why not take inspiration from the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum and use a few dozen spare Mosins as staircase railing? With a little thought and effort, I’m sure you’ll find many other ways to bring the rustic charm of a Communist rifle into the American home.
3. Outdoor Living. Need a spare fencepost? I can think of few things more suited to the task of holding up fence rails than a Mosin Nagant rifle. A Mosin Nagant can also serve as a tomato stake, mailbox post, light pole or just about anywhere else a big, tall heavy piece of wood with no other purpose is needed, and because they were built to survive the abuse of a long Russian winter and a Russian infantryman, they’ll last for generations outdoors.
2. Sports. Not a shooting competition, of course, because accuracy is important in such an event, but rather track and field. A Mosin with a bayonet makes an excellent javelin, and without a bayonet, it will work as a vaulting pole in a pinch. And for those who prefer to enjoy the great outdoors, adding a few yards of monofilament onto the end of the barrel turns a Mosin into an excellent improvised fishing pole.
1. Shoot it. If all else fails, take your Mosin to the range and annoy your fellow gun owners. The muzzle blast from a Mosin firing is sure to throw off their aim, and you’ll annoy them even more when you hit their target whilst aiming at yours. Don’t worry, they won’t complain, because deep-down inside, they appreciate being so close to an authentic piece of military history. Even if they’re shooting a Garand, M1903 Springfield, Lee-Enfield or an Arisaka, because they’re not shooting a Mosin, and you know those guns are not as good as your rifle.
