A while ago, I posted my intentions to obtain a chamber insert for my Turd Nugget truck gun. This insert will allow me to shoot .32acp out of my Mosin for the purposes of small game collection. Well, I finally got it and had the opportunity to test it out at the range. The results were rather impressive. Here is the insert and the loads that I tested:
I was using Fiocchi 73gr FMJ and two other variety of old rounds that came through the gun shop that someone didn’t want anymore. The two older rounds were from Peters and U.S.C.Co. The last two were of a jacketed round nose variety. All shot well but the Peters ones gave me pierced primers due to the hard hitting firing pin of the Mosin Nagant. Let me take this time to say that eye and ear protection are MANDATORY. Those pierced primers, even though they were .32acp and pretty low powered, peppered my face with unburned powder and soot even with the bolt closed. Also, the report of these things was louder than I was expecting, much more than a .22LR. These aren’t going to do lasting damage to your ears if you are taking one or two shots at a critter without ear protection on, but while on the range, you should wear them.
As to how they performed, they grouped very well, even at 25m, but shot low and a little to the right for me. I experienced no key holing and was easily good enough for minute of squirrel or rabbit noggin. I found that setting my rear sight leaf to 600m mark brought me up for elevation, but some kentucky windage was still necessary to get hits. My rear sight on the Turd Nugget is currently set to 400m due to the higher front sight welded to the top of the barrel and that will get me out to 100m with surplus ammo.
I don’t have a chronograph to measure the velocity but I will say that these are hitting with around 150-160 ft-lbs of muzzle energy out of my 17″ barrel. Out of a standard Mosin, I expect these to hit with less power due to the fast burning pistol powder of the .32acp coupled with the longer 20″-28″ barrels on unaltered Mosins that would slow the bullet down due to increased friction.
Feeding these was slow, requiring you to place a loaded insert singly into the chamber on the Mosin. Don’t use the magazine because that will dent the mouth of the insert upon feeding, rendering your insert dangerous and unusable. I have read of problems extracting the spent casings from the insert, but mine didn’t exhibit any of those issues. In fact, normal extraction of the insert caused the .32acp case to fall out 90% of the time. Take care not to extract the insert with gusto, as this will cause it to fly out and possibly damage the mouth of it.
This insert is cool and won’t save you any money despite the claim on the instructions that came with it. It is a good tool for training new and recoil sensitive shooters or for use at an indoor range that doesn’t allow full house 7.62x54r ammo. For me, it adds another use for the Turd Nugget as a small game getter and has a novelty factor as well. As a truck gun/survival rifle, this is my normal setup.
I have the standard issue ammo pouch with 20rds of surplus ammo on stripper clips in one side and the double oil bottle full of windex and a plastic baggie with the new insert and 10rds of Fiocchi 73gr FMJ. I am impressed with it’s performance, and can’t wait to test it out on some bunnies out here.
Dive! Dive!
bubbleheadgunnut 