Mosin Nagant differences?
- Thread starter Torghn
- Start date
- Status
GigaBuist
Member
The M91 is long enough to use in pole vault competitions.
The M44 is shorter and has a fold out bayonet affixed to it.
The M91 may have a rear sight marked off in either arhins or meters.
The M44 will be in meters.
The M44 is shorter and has a fold out bayonet affixed to it.
The M91 may have a rear sight marked off in either arhins or meters.
The M44 will be in meters.
RNB65
Member
You can use the combination of muzzle blast and folding bayonet on the M44 to roast hotdogs! 
Another good site for information about MN rifles is www.russian-mosin-nagant.com
Cosmoline
Member
This is the original and biggest of the Mosin websites:
http://www.mosinnagant.net/
Tuco & co. have produced some of the most complete articles on the subtypes that exist in English. T. Lapin's book on the subject is also a good source of info, though the earlier editions were written back during the dark days when Mosins were extremely rare and expensive items smuggled back from battlefields or across the iron curtain. You should get the most recent edition. The ultimate resource is said to be "The Three Line Rifle" by Karl Heintz but it's only been put out in a limited release and is written in high technical German. There are also some Finnish language resources and the rarely seen "Rifles of the White Death."
But in answer to your specific question, the M-91 was the original Mosin designed for the Czar way back in the 1890's. It was Imperial Russia's first smokeless powder rifle. The first ones were actually made in France. It served as Russia's main war rifle through WWI and during the Revolution. The 91-30 is slightly shorter and was the mainstay rifle of the USSR during the Winter War and WWII. It evolved from the Dragoon version of the M-91. The M-44 is not really a carbine version of the 91-30, but a replacement for it. As the M-44 was phased in, the 91-30 was phased out. It was designed in response to shifting Ostfront realities and the need for a shorter rifle as the USSR went on the offensive. The M-44 was phased out and replaced in turn by the SKS-45 and the AK-47, but it's still found as a parade rifle in places such as Afghanistan.
You can find M-91's in well used condition from WWI without too much trouble. The Austrians captured a huge number as the Russian empire collapsed, as did the Finns and Germans. Some spread out into the four corners, and you can find them with an amazing array of markings from their travels. Most of the ones on the market today are captures from WWI or late model Finnish M-91's that were made by Tikka during the 1940's. The Finnish version of the M-91 was in fact the SA's main rifle until the M-39 replaced it. Even then they still had a need for it.
http://www.mosinnagant.net/
Tuco & co. have produced some of the most complete articles on the subtypes that exist in English. T. Lapin's book on the subject is also a good source of info, though the earlier editions were written back during the dark days when Mosins were extremely rare and expensive items smuggled back from battlefields or across the iron curtain. You should get the most recent edition. The ultimate resource is said to be "The Three Line Rifle" by Karl Heintz but it's only been put out in a limited release and is written in high technical German. There are also some Finnish language resources and the rarely seen "Rifles of the White Death."
But in answer to your specific question, the M-91 was the original Mosin designed for the Czar way back in the 1890's. It was Imperial Russia's first smokeless powder rifle. The first ones were actually made in France. It served as Russia's main war rifle through WWI and during the Revolution. The 91-30 is slightly shorter and was the mainstay rifle of the USSR during the Winter War and WWII. It evolved from the Dragoon version of the M-91. The M-44 is not really a carbine version of the 91-30, but a replacement for it. As the M-44 was phased in, the 91-30 was phased out. It was designed in response to shifting Ostfront realities and the need for a shorter rifle as the USSR went on the offensive. The M-44 was phased out and replaced in turn by the SKS-45 and the AK-47, but it's still found as a parade rifle in places such as Afghanistan.
You can find M-91's in well used condition from WWI without too much trouble. The Austrians captured a huge number as the Russian empire collapsed, as did the Finns and Germans. Some spread out into the four corners, and you can find them with an amazing array of markings from their travels. Most of the ones on the market today are captures from WWI or late model Finnish M-91's that were made by Tikka during the 1940's. The Finnish version of the M-91 was in fact the SA's main rifle until the M-39 replaced it. Even then they still had a need for it.
DMK
Member
Keep in mind that there is an M91, then there is a 91/30. The M91 is the older version. Has a simple front sight blade and a hexagon shaped receiver. The 91/30 was the modernized version. It has a protected front sight with a post. Most have round receivers (although some used refurbed or left over M91 receivers).
The next variation was the M1938 carbine. This is pretty much a 91/30 shortened with a 20" barrel. The rear sight was shortened to an adjustment of around 1000 meters (half of the 91/30's). It's a rear area gun (similar in actual issue to the way the US M1 carbine was used). No bayonett was issued with the M38 carbine as it was not a "front line" weapon. Later, the Mosin carbines were manufactured with a folding bayonet added to the side and this was the M44. This was a front line weapon, replacing the long 91/30 in issue to troops (much like the M4 is replacing the M16A2 in today's US Army.
Finally, the last Russian Mosin-Nagant was the M91/59. This 20" carbine was made from refurbished 91/30 rifles. It 1959, they (Nobody really knows if the Russians made these, or if they were made by a satellite nation like Bulgaria) cut down the barrels, cut down the wood and made a carbine that looks very similar to the 1938. The easiest way to tell this carbine is it has a long rear sight of the 91/30, but the range markings from 1000 to 2000m are milled off.
The next variation was the M1938 carbine. This is pretty much a 91/30 shortened with a 20" barrel. The rear sight was shortened to an adjustment of around 1000 meters (half of the 91/30's). It's a rear area gun (similar in actual issue to the way the US M1 carbine was used). No bayonett was issued with the M38 carbine as it was not a "front line" weapon. Later, the Mosin carbines were manufactured with a folding bayonet added to the side and this was the M44. This was a front line weapon, replacing the long 91/30 in issue to troops (much like the M4 is replacing the M16A2 in today's US Army.
Finally, the last Russian Mosin-Nagant was the M91/59. This 20" carbine was made from refurbished 91/30 rifles. It 1959, they (Nobody really knows if the Russians made these, or if they were made by a satellite nation like Bulgaria) cut down the barrels, cut down the wood and made a carbine that looks very similar to the 1938. The easiest way to tell this carbine is it has a long rear sight of the 91/30, but the range markings from 1000 to 2000m are milled off.
jpwilly
Member
The M44 kicks much harder and produces a 5 gal bucket size fireball when your shooting. The M91/30 is much more pleasent to shoot.
Harry Paget Flashman
Member
What? 
The pleasure is in the kick and fireball.
The pleasure is in the kick and fireball.
geim druth
Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2006
- Messages
- 270
Nice sites. I found out some things I didn't know before.
How many Mosin-Nagants did Remington and Westinghouse make? Did they really make some in .30-06?
How many Mosin-Nagants did Remington and Westinghouse make? Did they really make some in .30-06?
- Status
