Russian Mosin Nagant 91-30

[RWMC]

I just bought a Russian Mosin Nagant 91-30 that is dated 1931. It has a hex receiver, but the sights are the kind that one would find on a M91 Mosin Nagant; a curved rear sight ladder, and a blade front sight. Someone replaced the original stock with a carbine stock. The muzzle has been counter bored, and there are no import marks at all on the rifle. There is also a Finnish army acceptance mark (the letters "SA" in a square) on the left side of the barrel. So since this has a production date of 1931 both on the receiver ( under the tang) and on the barrel, plus with the Russian hammer and sickle, is this a 91-30, M91, or a dragoon rifle? Amy help would be appreciated.

 

[Nugilum]

Mosin Nagant Primer*
Give it a read. You'll learn a lot.

*http://www.7.62x54r.net/MosinID/Mosinprimer.htm

 

[TurtlePhish]

Sounds like a Dragoon.

Weird that it's in a carbine stock.

Pics?

What do the barrel markings look like? Is there Cyrillic text?

 

[RWMC]

I will try to get some pics posted tomorrow. No cyrillic text on the barrel, just the hammer and sickle crest, 1931r, the serial number, and the Isveshk? arsenal mark of the triangle with the arrow pointing up, inside the triangle. There is a #41 on the barrel shank on the right side. The original sight markings on the left side of the rear sight base have been lined-through, with new yardage markings stamped on the right side of the rear sight base (2, 3, 4, 5 1/2, 7, 8 1/2 and the capital letter "D"). The "yardage" markings on the rear sight ladder go from 13 - 32. I was going to attempt to ask for help on the site 7.62x54r.net, but I guess the forum is no more. Thanks for the help and info. I appreciate the come backs.

 

[wrench]

1931 with the old curved rear sight would be a very late Dragoon rifle. The '41' on the barrel is a Finnish continuation war capture mark, and the 'SA' is Finnish army property, as you know.
Neat old rifle, too bad someone has it in the wrong stock. I'm sure you could find an old style 91/30 stock to drop it in, that would probably be an improvement for it.
I'd love to see some pics...

 

[RWMC]

Thanks again, I will get some pics up tomorrow. The stock is from a M44 carbine, for it has a bayonet groove on the right side of the stock. Also on the stock, right behind the tang screw, is a large capital letter "S" stamped into the stock. It reminds me of the style of "S" seen on Sako mosin nagants, but without the gear wheel around it.

 

[snakeman]

PICS!

 

[mgkdrgn]

1931 puts it past the "Dragoon" era (that would be pre 1930). The rear sights are the OLD sights, marked in Arshens (from what you describe anyway).

That, and the odd stock leads me to believe that this is one of the dreaded "FrankenMosins" that have been made out of bits and pieces ... not that there is anything wrong with that. Goes BANG, sends lead downrange and hits what it aims at.

 

[3twelves]

BRB using imagination since no pics.

 

[caribou]

From 1930 to about 1934 there were many rear/front sight combination tryed before they settled onto the globe'd front post and all the rear sights were brought to the metric standard.

Finding a Finned M-91/30 ( The Dragoon variation was the basis for the 91/30) with odd sights is awsome, but factually, it was most likely a 91/30 that was made early on and not re-refurbished, but taken to Finnland onthe shoulder of a russian invader in 1939. Refurbbing and updateing rifles was not a quick doing of sorts, it took years.


After WWII, ALL 91/30's were brought into spec., and those sights would have been change'd, 'cept for the finns getting ahold of it and keeping as such.

The stock is an obvious replacement, but the basic rifle is VERY interesting.