Tula 1933 Serial Number 1

[mebailj]

Guys, I am on the road and need help with this one. A dealer who specializes in MNs has aTula 1933, refurbed stock . The barrel has the Tula star and below it is a capital MO 1. Bolt has 1 as does floor plate and butt. Bore is mint shiny. He has many other MNs. He wants $400.00 for the rifle. Should I try to get it? What does the MO stand for any way?

[Celt]

I would pass of its a 91/30 for that much.sounds like a really nice rifle though. I wouldn't go over 150. But that is just my opinion. Maybe some else knows something i'm missing though.

[Longcolt44]

MO is an unidentified marking. The serial number 1 is cool but as for either marking making a $100 rifle worth $400 is far stretch. $300 too far.

[tjtM38]

I have seen a '31 Tula on another forum that was marked "OM 1" as opposed to MO. It was an interesting rifle. MO is supposed to mean "Ministerstvo Oborony", or Ministry of Defense. I don't know much about them, but they should command some sort of premium. 400 bucks sounds high to me; I'm not sure I would give that much, even for one Mo marked. As for the serial number 1, I haven't read anything that indicates any rhyme or reasoning to the way the Russians assigned serial numbers, especially on those guns that are aresenal refurb.

[BuckeyeSgt]

That was before the prefixes so it probably was number one off the line that year. Unless it was scrubbed to look like it was number 1. MO mark is maybe a $20 add in my book.

[desdem12]

I think you could maybe go under $200 somewhere but $400 is way high. $200 is pretty high but alot more reasonable.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Soviet serial numbers are intentionally jumbled to confuse the enemy as to arsenal output, a rifle with a 1 on it could have been the last one made that year. MO marking is unknown, very likely something dark and sinister, they sell in the $125-$150 range, sometimes less. The serial number is a curiosity only, and not a $200 curiosity.

[WeldonHunter]

AIM has MO marked M91/30s for sale right now for $129.95. Don't know if they're Tula or 1933s but there ya go. Far cry from $400 though. http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx? ... osin9130MO

[BuckeyeSgt]

I sold a Mosin once that had a serial number under 1000. I had to put something up to please the wife. So I put it up way too high, figuring it would never sell. The guy that bought it, did so only because he collected Mosins with serial numbers under 1000. There are people that will probably pay too much for their niche in their collections. But $400 is over the top.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I have several two and three digit serial numbers, they were not bought because of that.

[Jolly Green Chopper]

$400 WOW that is half what a real sniper would cost. Save up the rest and go for it.JGC

[Junk Yard Dog]

Three to four M91/30 refurbs, or a real nice M39.

[Homer2]

Too beaucoup GI!

Was this the rifle being discussed elsewhere? The MO mark is similar to the PM mark, but different than the MO double and triple dated rifles. For such an unknown mark, I wouldn't pay much of a premium. In addition, that is probably not the first off the line in that year. Who knows what it means, but I'm pretty sure it's not serial number 1 for that year.

Ok, different discussion, but very similar.
http://7.62x54r.net/Forums/index.php?topic=12587.0

[bunkysdad]

I wouldn't give 400 for 2 of them- #1 & #2

[mebailj]

Well, I may have made a mistake. It is the OM1 1931 Tula that has been mentioned on several sites. Time will tell if it is important or not. I bought a Soviet SKS from Centerfire Systems back in the early 90s. Called and ask the guy if he would pick one out. He said sure, got a few in the back room. Gave $ 125.00 shipping and all for it. Set it in gun room and forgot about it. A friend of mine saw it a few years ago and pointed out to me that it is a un-refurbished like new rifle. Didn't know what I had. Maybe something will pop up on this rifle. Meanwhile, it's going back with me to Virginia to join its 13 other Soviet 91/30 comrades, including the sniper.

[desdem12]

[Darryl]

It's a M91/30 and the serial number is OM1.

It is probably not the first out for that year. They frequently changed the prefix numbers and started at 1 often. There could be many prefixs with 1 that year.



MO is not "Ministerstvo Oborony", or Ministry of Defense. That is a wild guess someone tried years ago to get going and it was proven wrong. They command a very small premium (if any at all).

Rifle is in the $100 to $200 range.

Dolk

[SA1911a1]

I agree that the rifle is over-priced by a bunch. The serial #1 is neat, but not that neat. $400.00 will buy a heck of a nice Mosin. If you have that burning a hole in your pocket, go see Pat Burns for an M-39.

[mebailj]

I already did. I have six of Mr. Burns' best M39s.

[desdem12]

MRS. Burns now anyways.