Setup: Any sight, Ars suppressor, Skeleton grip, Any laser, 8mm conversion.
History
The Mosin-Nagant (Russian: Винтовка Мосина, ISO 9: Vintovka Mosina) is a five-round, bolt-action, internal magazine-fed military rifle, chambered in 7.62x54mmR. Developed by the Imperial Russian Army in 1891, it was used by the armed forces of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and various other nations.[1] It is the oldest military service rifle in the world, having been officially adopted in various countries continuously since its introduction in 1891. This is followed closely by the Italian Carcano M1891 which was, needless to say, introduced the same year, and the british Lee-Enfield, though the Mosin predates this rifle by a few years.
The Mosin Nagant is one of the most mass-produced bolt action rifles and weapon platforms in the world, being produced in Russia, the former U.S.S.R, and more. In terms of numbers, it is behind the more popular Mauser and the ubiquitous AK-47. A number of Mosin Nagant rifles were also produced by Remington and Westinghouse during WWI in the United States, though these models are quite rare, being highly sought after by collectors. They also saw service in American hands with the American Expeditionary Force, Siberia, from 1917-1919.
There exists a sawed-off variant called the Obrez, which was commonly used by revolutionaries during the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the following Russian Civil War from 1917 to 1921.
The model in-game is the M1891/30, an improved version of the original M1891 that became the standard service rifle for the Red Army in WWII. Compared to the original M91, the M91/30 is shorter, has a smaller and thinner wooden stock, is considerably lighter than the original rifle, has a circular receiver (compared to the hex of the M91), a hooded front sight, and a modified rear sight. The M1891/30 also has a sniper rifle variant equipped with the 3.5x PU-1 scope with earlier models equipped with the more complex 4x PE scope.
In-Game
General Information
The Mosin Nagant is a fast hit and run sniper rifle. The Mosin has its own default sniper scope, the PU-1 scope, which is similar to other default scopes on other sniper rifles, although the magnification level is a bit lower, at 6.2x. Its iron sights have an impressive 4.0x magnification level.
Comparatively, it has the second lowest base damage of any sniper rifle in-game, passing the Steyr Scout, but can still pull off a one-shot kill (1SK) to the head at any range like other sniper rifles barring the Dragunov SVU. Despite the low damage values, the Mosin Nagant can still pull off a 2SK to the torso and limbs at any range unlike the Steyr Scout. It makes up for the low damage by possessing the second fastest rate of fire (RoF) of all bolt-action sniper rifles at 70 RPM—low by most standards but quite quick for a bolt-action rifle. Muzzle velocity is the second lowest among all snipers, at 2650 studs per second.
Capacity is limited, with the Mosin Nagant only having a five-round clip and unable to chamber an extra round. This means reloads are often frequent, although this is balanced out by the Mosin possessing one of the fastest reload times out of its class members as well as having 50 rounds in reserve - the second highest in its class.
The Mosin Nagant also has great mobility for its class, being able to move much faster than that of any sniper rifle and comparable to that of DMRs. Aiming down sights (ADS) time is better than its peers, rather quick without an optical attachment equipped. With a higher-powered scope, it is slowed down but still relatively quick.
Usage & Tactics
The Mosin Nagant's key strength is in its speed—both firerate, reload times, mobility and ADS times. In high-pressure situations where situational awareness is king and speed is essential, this is where the Mosin really shines. Theoretically, the Mosin boasts the fourth best killing potential, being able to kill five enemies much faster than its rivals with its speed (exceptions being the Dragunov SVDS, Steyr Scout, and WA2000, which are faster). Precision is paramount in using the weapon correctly, as more inexperienced users may struggle with the Mosin Nagant given its higher skill cap. Given its advantages in speed, the Mosin Nagant can easily be played with more aggressive tactics instead of as a more traditional sniper.
The Mosin Nagant, with its speed and agility alongside its, albeit low, sniper level damage allows the user lots of freedom when it comes to loadout customization and strategy selection, being able to successfully be used at many ranges in many different playstyles. With the PU-1 scope or similar optics, a user can act as a fast scout, moving quickly from advantageous positions overlooking a chokepoint or objective as to remain undetected. Using high powered optics, one can also successfully engage in long range sniping; the Mosin's extremely fast ADS and mobility means players who can reliably out-snipe many players using more powerful but much slower sniper rifles. With its iron sights or low-magnification optics, a user can act with more aggression and engage at medium range, or even operate as if they were using a DMR or battle rifle, fulfilling its original role as a standard infantry rifle like its real life counterpart.
Regarding optics, it is heavily subject to user preference, although some suit particular roles. A user wanting a scope for long-range combat may wish to seek out the default PU-1 Scope, or possibly one of the multiple 10x optics available. For slightly less magnification but gained peripheral vision, the likes of the M145, ACOG Scope and C79 are all viable options. For more medium-range combat, the likes of the Coyote or Kobra Sight can suit those who wish to engage in such ranges, but the Mosin's lack of tolerance when missing a headshot can have the user killed quickly.
Barrel attachments are generally not recommended with the Mosin Nagant, although suppressors do work to some extent, given the Mosin's impressive mobility. Light suppressors, most notably the ARS Suppressor will preserve a large portion of the muzzle velocity and its poor sound masking will not be too much of an issue when trying to play a stealth sniper role. Albeit the reduction of its minimum damage means hitting limbs will equate to a 3SK at long distances, which further amplifies the need for a headshot at such ranges. A heavy suppressor will preserve the 2SK ability to the torso and limbs at longer distances, but its harsh muzzle velocity reduction will reduce its potential at longer distances. Medium suppressors should generally not be used as they both reduce the muzzle velocity by a significant margin and the gun’s damage profile to the limbs from a 2SK to a 3SK at range.
Underbarrel attachments are also not recommended apart from the Laser or the Skeleton Grip. Grips, besides the Skeleton Grip, decrease the ADS speed of the weapon, greatly hindering its performance. A laser provides better hipfire accuracy with no downside, thus being a good choice. Auxiliary attachments like the Ballistics Tracker is recommended for those who are struggling with hitting consistent headshots. Canted Sights could be used to certain extent, but given that the Mosin's unforgiving nature when missing a headshot or the user's capable if hipfiring means that the user should spare the slot for a laser.
With the 8mm conversion, the Mosin could 1 shot torso to 150 studs, but after the nerf, it can only 1 shot to 100 studs which makes the 8mm way worse because it can't one shot headshot all ranges. It makes the 8mm harder to use. But since it is already a hit and run style weapon, the 8mm conversion is still viable.
Conclusion
Overall, the Mosin Nagant - with a faster fire rate than other conventional sniper rifles and more stopping power than most DMRs - provides a good bridge between the two classes. Compared to other sniper rifles, it possesses a faster ADS time, reload time and faster mobility, allowing it to be played more aggressively. But the weapon comes with a major downside that most snipers don’t have, the inability to 1SK to the torso, which can be remedied with the 8mm ammunition type, but comes with a downside of losing its 1SK to the head at all ranges. Thus, the Mosin is an fast rifle for its class, but the lower base damage of this gun means that it requires more skill from the player to be able to reliably hit headshots.