My first Mosin: 1943 Izhevsk 91/30

[nicholjm]

Here are pics of my first Mosin Nagant, a 1943 Izhevsk 91/30. I've been wanting one of these ever since I first laid eyes on one back in high school, and got to shoot it at a local gun range. I was immediately hooked by the sheer power, and the low price meant it was only a matter of time until I owed one.







I ordered this off classicfirearms.com, and was quite please with their service. I am amazed how no two of these rifles are exactly the same. Each one has a unique history or interesting quirk about them. This one came with a rather darkly shellaced, mid-war stock (no escutcheons on the sling holes). Most of the ones I've seen online seem to have better stocks, and I really like the look of the brass sling hole fittings, so I was a little disappointed, but that just means I'll have to get another one! I do like the brass ended handguard, which sets it apart from all the others a little. I'm no expert, but the rifling looks pretty good to me, if a little rounded. I really wonder if and how this rifle lived it's early life. Was it used in WWII, and what tales can it tell? I've yet to shoot it, as I'm working on refilling the ole' wallet so I can buy a 440 round spam can, so I have no idea how accurate it is. It came with very little cosmoline on it, which was nice. I've definitely got the Mosin fever now, as I'd like to eventually add a laminate stock 91/30, and an M44 or M38 to my collection.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Good first choice

[Dan4good]

Enjoy that mosin welcome

[slcampbell]

Welcome, nice. looking rifle. Don't ever part with your first one.

[VelocityKnives]

Hey,

Welcome and nice rifle, also i think to save yourself from the brutality of mosinitus you should send that rifle to me for disposal,, hey im just trying to help you save money and sanity,,,,,, haha


Regards,
AL

[Lotema]

1943 is a great rifle for your first one, I think many on this board had that as their first as well. Yours is a great looking one as well. Congratulations on your first one and welcome to the forums!

[djbuck1]

You picked a good one!

[bunkysdad]

Congratulations. There is just something special about a wartime Mosin. My first was the same as yours, and like you, I had to follow with a carbine.

[nicholjm]

You picked a good one!

Ha, there was no picking involved, it was sight-unseen. I didn't even go with the "hand-picked" option thru classicfirearms.com, I just paid them and hoped for the best. I am really looking forward to the next big Houston gunshow, because I'm going to be scouring the racks looking for all the Mosins I can find. Now that I have some basic knowledge, I'll be able to tell what is really rare or not. Oh yeah, and thanks to my wife, she took the good pics of the rifle on the fence in our backyard.

[desdem12]

Sure looks like a nice 1st. Like the color of it.

[qz2026]

Welcome to the forum. Nice first one - yes, I said first one not last one

[wolfstein]

Congrats on your first one. Hope there will be many offspring. Welcome to the board. You are at the right place.

[fintowin]

Looks good. You will like shooting it.

[polymerase2]

That was my first one. It led me down the path to (Mo) sin.

[nicholjm]

Well, I just ordered my first spam can (440 rds). I'll tell yall about how well it shoots once it arrives and I get to the range. It's getting mighty hot here in Houston so I might not shoot more than 30-40 rounds. Hopefully I won't have any sticky bolt or other issues.

Question: In my 2nd picture up above, are those two circles on the stock the cartouches? They are extremely faint, does anyone know what they mean?

[cjsimoh]

That is a beauty of a first mosin! Make sure you check the headspace and firing pin before you take her to the range...

[Dan4good]

yes those are stamps in the stock

[redeuce]

Congrats. Almost everyone here started with a 42 or 43. My first was a 42 Izhevsk with laminated stock. Beautiful older R Guns import. Back then, I played with it for a year before I started buying more. Don't ever sell or trade the first one. It's sacred.

[KT_Cobra]

Like everyone is saying, "Don't ever sell or trade your first one." But I have to add something to that - I live by the idea of "Don't ever sell or trade ANY of them." hehe
Seriously, though. Great looking rifle. I like the color too.
You wondered if it was used in WWII... from what I understand, when purchasing a Mosin Nagant, there's just about a 100% chance that it was. Unless it's a model made after '45.

[nicholjm]

Yes, I often wonder that as well. Did this rifle off a number of Nazis? What would the original owner think of his trusty battle rifle, one day ending up in the hands of a white-bread suburbanite Texan like myself, who has never even served in any armed force, being sold for less than the cost of nice pair of boots? This rifle is 70 years old, I'll make sure it lasts another 70 (or as long as I'm around).