Found a Mosin Nagant Dragoon, should I get it??

[weaselchew]

I stumbled across what was marked as a 91/30 the other day. The guy was asking $50 for it. It had a hex receiver and the stock, bore, etc. all seemed to be in good shape, but I figured the 91/30's are pretty common, and I can pick one up at a later date. After looking up online, I realize it's a 1927 model from Izhevsk. The mark looked just like this:

which would make it a Dragoon. According to 7.62x54r.net, the original Dragoons are fairly uncommon, but the ones that were upgraded to 91/30 spec (ex-dragoons) are a bit more common.

The only thing is I can't remember enough about it to tell if it was upgraded or not.

Either way, it's not a bad price for the condition it's in, and I've been planning on purchasing a 91/30. Does this sound like it might be a good one to pick up?

 

[M110]

For $50 bucks I would buy it common, or not.

 

[Cosmoline]

Good price for one upgraded to 91/30, FANTASTIC price for the real deal. I'd grab it either way.

 

[bartsimpson123844]

Dude, for $50 you better snatch that thing up!

 

[270Win]

$50 is a great deal! Go for it!

 

[Onmilo]

Several Finnish used M91 Dragoon rifles came into the US back in the early nineties.
I sold five of them back when I was running my own shop.
Three of the rifles had the Finnish two piece splined beechwood stocks and one of those had a Sako barrel.
The other two rifles were all Russian and all matching.
Like so many other firearms I let them slip on by.
$50.00 would have been an excellent buy back then and it is a steal today.
The rifles cost me more than that as a dealer 15 years ago and those rifles all wore Century Arms import marks.

 

[benEzra]

Yes. That's a steal. I've seen plain Russian M44's WHOLESALE for $69.00 recently. $50 for any good Mosin is a good deal these days, and if it's a Dragoon, then wow.

 

[weaselchew]

Well, I picked it up tonight. I've yet to clean it, but here are some photos I took quick. (excuse the goofy color carpet in my basement) It appears to be upgraded to 91/30 spec, both of the sights are the newer style. All numbers I can find match. I even got some accessories, a sling, some ammo, and the bayonet!

I'm still trying to figure out what some of the marks on the gun are for... The only mark in the pictures I don't know is the cyrillic "P" in a square left of the POA and accuracy proofs. There are a few other marks I don't know, but I'll have to take some pictures of them.

 

[weaselchew]

I got 3 packs of "steel cased" ammo, and one pack of "brass cased" ammo. When I was looking at them, they both look almost identical and both cases are magnetic. I took a few pictures of the 2 types... Is this all steel cased?

 

[dispatch55126]

Russian rounds are almost all steel. Wolf copper washes some of them, the 7.62x54r is one. I'm not sure the reason unless it is to do less damage to the throat by having the soft copper buffer.

 

[Cosmoline]

Possibly Hungarian. Check here:

http://www.mosinnagant.net/i3tro4.asp

 

[weaselchew]

I believe you are right about the Hungarian ammo. Both types have "21" as the arsenal (Hungary). The silver/yellow looks like it's made in 1975. The other pack looks to be made in 1998.

 

[grimjaw]

weaselchew, that looks like an updated Dragoon, and is not uncommon for the period. I have one from 1929 that was converted to a sniper replica, although it has different markings than yours.

jm

 

[bartsimpson123844]

I have that EXACT same ammo. Mine is from arsenal 21 and was made in 1973. The bullet is 182 grains(steel core) and is from Hungary. Mine also have a silver tip on them and a yellow ring.

 

[weaselchew]

Yup, the ammo without the silver tip and yellow ring is also from arsenal 21, but much newer. It's still not brass like they said though... Thought I'd be able to start saving cases for reloading... oh well.

I like how the dragoon has "Ижевскии Оружейный завод" (Izhevsk Arms Factory) and the bow & arrow stamped on the barrel instead of just the triangle with the arrow.

I'll have to take some photos of the stamps/markings I don't know.

 

[.45Guy]

The painted tip is Hungarian steel core heavy ball. The other looks Polish. Both used the 21 arsenal stamp, but the Pollock will have the date inverted. Also, both cases are copper washed steel.