New to the forums and a new Mosin

[Lotema]

Posted my introduction above and was suggested to post some pictures of the various stamps on my new 91/30 Mosin I got from my S.O. last week. Below are some pics of the Mosin and the various stamps. Any info on the stamps that y'all can give would be greatly appreciated. The shellac on the stock is bubbling and peeled off in places but the wood underneath is in decent shape. There's a couple of fixes to it here and there but I like the character it gives it.

1943 Izhvesk barrel & receiver (not shown).


Back side of the barrel..


Receiver Tang. Pretty sure it matches the barrel..




Underside of the receiver


Lower stock




Appears to be some patchwork in the wood on the nose..

[desdem12]

Nice Classic wartime Izhevsk in a wartime stock. That is a regular spot for repairs. Adds character. Welcome to the forum.

[Sgt. Rob]

Welcome aboard! That is a nice wartime Izhevsk refurbed rifle. The circle within a circle is an accuracy acceptance mark. Interesting that you have two!

Semper Fi, Rob

[bunkysdad]

I like it. It is a dead ringer of my first Mosin some years ago. I salute you for your attitude toward the small imperfections. Your comment about giving it character tells me that you respect these so much more than many guys who don't realize the destruction one can cause by thinking they have to "fix everything" by refinishing but in the end just ruin it. Nice rifle, and welcome to the forum.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Welcome to the board, 1943 Izhevsk M91/30 with cool stock repair and wartime expedient metal finish. During the tense moments between June 1941 and the end of 1943 the USSR was against the wall. It became necessary to massively speed up rifle production and nicety's like final metal finish went out the window as Soviet troops were being sent against the enemy with no weapons. The rifle was refurbished during the post WW2 period in the USSR and stored away in caves under Ukraine. Very nice example of a wartime rifle, but as you probably know, nobody knows want most of the small stamps mean past the obvious that they would be inspection stamps of some sort.

[zhuk]

Welcome to the board, 1943 Izhevsk M91/30 with cool stock repair and wartime expedient metal finish. During the tense moments between June 1941 and the end of 1943 the USSR was against the wall. It became necessary to massively speed up rifle production and nicety's like final metal finish went out the window as Soviet troops were being sent against the enemy with no weapons. The rifle was refurbished during the post WW2 period in the USSR and stored away in caves under Ukraine. Very nice example of a wartime rifle, but as you probably know, nobody knows want most of the small stamps mean past the obvious that they would be inspection stamps of some sort.

Yeah, nice wartime example And I like it for exactly the reason stated above - you have a piece of history encapsulating the moment when the USSR was up against it, pretty much alone against the Nazis for the most part. No time for niceties indeed!

A piece of history you can hold, this never ceases to evoke a kind of awe for me.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Unlike with some of the Japanese "last ditch" rifles from WW2 these rifles sacrificed some final finish, but not anything related to safety or accuracy. In other words these rifles are not last ditch, the production quality returned to normal late in 1943 and stayed that way.

[zhuk]

Unlike with some of the Japanese "last ditch" rifles from WW2 these rifles sacrificed some final finish, but not anything related to safety or accuracy. In other words these rifles are not last ditch, the production quality returned to normal late in 1943 and stayed that way.

Sounds about right. I am picking up a late '43 refurb shortly (or whenever the paperwork comes through) and I don't believe it has the 'expediently finished' receiver. Be interesting to see for sure, photos in ads are never very distinct.

[Rongo]

Welcome to the forum. You have a nice first of the collection, war-expedient 91/30, refurbished post WWII sometime during the Cold-War.
Looks good overall & yes... the stock does have some flaking shellac, but that can be touched up by using a little bit of denatured alcohol & cotton swabs. Use just a bit at a time, spread the shellac into the bare area & smooth it out. This requires a lot of patience so take your time & do small areas. Do NOT rush it! When done it should look pretty damn sharp. And remember; It's worth more with the shellac than if you (Heaven forbid) stripped it down & refinish it. No one wants to buy a backyard woodworkers project, they want a piece of Military History.

Again, Welcome & here's to your first of many Mosin's!

[Junk Yard Dog]

Unlike with some of the Japanese "last ditch" rifles from WW2 these rifles sacrificed some final finish, but not anything related to safety or accuracy. In other words these rifles are not last ditch, the production quality returned to normal late in 1943 and stayed that way.

Sounds about right. I am picking up a late '43 refurb shortly (or whenever the paperwork comes through) and I don't believe it has the 'expediently finished' receiver. Be interesting to see for sure, photos in ads are never very distinct.

About half of my 1943's are rough, the other half various degrees of normal, some look like rifles made post war.

[Lotema]

Welcome to the forum. You have a nice first of the collection, war-expedient 91/30, refurbished post WWII sometime during the Cold-War.
Looks good overall & yes... the stock does have some flaking shellac, but that can be touched up by using a little bit of denatured alcohol & cotton swabs. Use just a bit at a time, spread the shellac into the bare area & smooth it out. This requires a lot of patience so take your time & do small areas. Do NOT rush it! When done it should look pretty damn sharp. And remember; It's worth more with the shellac than if you (Heaven forbid) stripped it down & refinish it. No one wants to buy a backyard woodworkers project, they want a piece of Military History.

Again, Welcome & here's to your first of many Mosin's!

Yeah, there's no way I'd consider stripping this one and refinishing it. That's just heresy! I know that the shellac is very sensitive to heat, so as the rifle is fired, it's going to bubble and flake where the receiver and barrel heats up. That's pretty consistent with what I see on the wood. The butt really doesn't show any issues with the shellac, it all starts at the finger grooves and forward. I'll give a try to your suggestion of the alcohol and start in some inconspicuous spots first. If that goes well, I'll try in the more visible areas.

Is it wrong that I want to go out and visit all the LGS in the area and start looking for another Mosin? I'd love to get a pre Russo-Japanese war one. One of my great-great-grandfathers was in that war and I can see him having had a Mosin as when he went into battle. Family history says that he was shot/grazed in the head during the war and that the blood froze to his fur hat because of the cold, otherwise he likely would have died from the wound. The story also says that at some point during his military career, he was hand picked by the Czarina to be her personal bodyguard. I'd love to find a nice Mosin from that time with the Imperial crest on it. Gonna have to keep my eye's open..

Steve

[Rongo]

Having a war-expedient rifle is just part of having a Mosin Collection. The rougher the better I say. Next on the list will be a Hex, an M91, M44, M38, M39....

[Rongo]

Is it wrong that I want to go out and visit all the LGS in the area and start looking for another Mosin? I'd love to get a pre Russo-Japanese war one. One of my great-great-grandfathers was in that war and I can see him having had a Mosin as when he went into battle. Family history says that he was shot/grazed in the head during the war and that the blood froze to his fur hat because of the cold, otherwise he likely would have died from the wound. The story also says that at some point during his military career, he was hand picked by the Czarina to be her personal bodyguard. I'd love to find a nice Mosin from that time with the Imperial crest on it. Gonna have to keep my eye's open..

Steve

I see the disease is setting in nicely. I say good for you & good luck in finding a nice example to honor your Great-Great Grandfather. If I see one I will pass it along.

[gurn]

Welcome aboard Steve and congrats an a nice looking Mosin. No, it would be wrong if you didn't want to go out searching for more Mosins. I read in your intro your wives gave this one to you Sure you don't live in Salt Lake City?

[Junk Yard Dog]

M91's made before 1904 do turn up, they tend to be Finn, SCW, or Balkan used rifles.

[Lotema]

Welcome aboard Steve and congrats an a nice looking Mosin. No, it would be wrong if you didn't want to go out searching for more Mosins. I read in your intro your wives gave this one to you Sure you don't live in Salt Lake City?

no, definitely not in Salt Lake. My wifes has a best friend, Amy, and they're basically inseparable. They've more or less raised each others kids over the past 15 years. I don't think they've not seen each other for more than a few days at a time during that period. Amy jokes that she's my "other" wife since she's always around. I'm ok with that, she's a riot and while it pains me to say it, a much better shot with any gun or rifle. I hope she never sees this post or I'll never hear the end of it. For her birthday, we contributed to her Ruger 10\22. So she made sure to return the favor on my Mosin. Maybe next year I should ask her for an SKS to help round out my Russian collection!

[Lotema]

M91's made before 1904 do turn up, they tend to be Finn, SCW, or Balkan used rifles.

it might take me a bit to find just the right one but I'm patient. I have a feeling I'll be finding plenty more unique ones to keep me company in the mean time

[Junk Yard Dog]

We see several turning up on just this board every week, they are out there

[breckenridge]

Nice first rifle for your collection, and welcome

You're sure to find reading about them addicting if you haven't already, reading here on the board or elsewhere about them can fill about any idle time when you'd be reading a book or the paper. I had been researching them for a long time and finally got my first last year, when I got it I had no idea it would be "the first". You're soon to always be on the lookout for the next one, but it sounds like you are already

[zhuk]

M91's made before 1904 do turn up, they tend to be Finn, SCW, or Balkan used rifles.

I went to check out one once (only M91 I have ever seen, drove 2 1/2hrs over the mountains to get there lol) but the stock had been scrubbed, the barrel well rusted below the woodline so its shootability was doubtful, and it was missing the magazine follower. All for $450

The dealer also did not know what it was chambered in, which was a little disconcerting lol