Poland
In the 1920s Poland converted about 77,000 Mosin Nagant dragoon rifles to caliber 7.92 Mauser (8x57mm). Many alterations were made ; barrels were rebored and rechambered to 8 mm, and cut down to 23" length. Other modifications were done to bolts and receivers to enable the 8x57 rounds to load from Mauser stripper clips and feed properly. Rear sights were modified to fit the trajectory of the 8x57 round. Stocks and handguards were shortened, and Mauser-type front bands and bayonet lugs were added. Mauser style blade bayonets, made by Perkun, were issued for use. Some rifles had the Mosin sling escutcheons replaced by wire swivels. The resulting rifles were designated Karabinek wz. 91/98/23, wz. 91/98/25, or wz. 91/98/26 — each with minor differences.
Wz. 91/98/25, et al, were used to equip some Horse Artillery and Cavalry units in the regular army until Polish-made Mauser rifles became available. Beginning in the early 1930s, they were issued to Border Guard and National Guard units.
The rifles are stamped on the knoxform with a small Polish eagle and measured caliber, i.e. "7.91" , 7.93". The eagle and rifle serial number is also stamped on the left side of the receiver and on all bolt parts, and on the magazine floorplate, buttplate and stock. It has a unique and distinct appearance among Mosin Nagant variations, and is easily identified by the Mauser front band and bayonet lug, Polish markings, and 42" OAL.
After World War II the Polish produced large quantities of the M-44 (Kb. wz M48) carbine at the Radom arsenal. Many of these did not go into direct military service but rather were put in storage, in the event they were ever needed. These Mosin Nagants can be identified by an 11 inside a circle stamped on the rifle's receiver. This mark is their "country code" that identifies which Eastern European country it was produced in. In addition to being stored they were produced in ideal conditions on Soviet equipment, making them some of the best examples of the Mosin-Nagant in the world.
