In 1936 Sergei Simonov began working on improvements to the basic 91/30 design. There were several minor changes that were tried, but none of them seem to have made it to production. Here's one of the "trials rifles".
Discussion Section
All numbers match and appear to be original (same font).
There are no import marks, but there is a "USSR" stamp on the rear sight. This is consistent with other Spanish Civil War rifles, but I don't really know if there is any SCW connection! It's very likely, but the "USSR" stamp is double struck - poorly. I'm open to other opinions.
One of the main differences on these trials rifles is the front sight and bayonet attachment.
The bayonet lug is a metal sleeve pinned to the front of the stock.
There is another metal sleeve that acts as a retaining band that slides over the bayonet lug and barrel. There is a gap in this sleeve which allows it to pass around the bayonet lug as seen in the photo. The other barrel bands are unique to these trials rifles. They are spring steel with a gap underneath that just fits over the bayonet lug grooves.
There are at least three different front sights used on these trials rifles. The one I have is pretty cool looking, but it's much larger than any of the barrel bands/sleeves. Unless you remove the front sight, you are stuck with the bands rattling around on the barrel while you clean it!
When I first removed the handguard, I noticed a spiral design on the barrel. It might be evidence of an oil-cloth wrapped barrel.
Ref: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12086
Whatever the markings were from, I decided to take a photo of them before I cleaned the barrel!!
Many trials rifles are seen with painted black stocks. There is black paint under the handguard and in the finger grooves on the stock of my rifle.
Somewhere along the way, my stock was sanded down and given a shellac. The color is not quite as red as what is seen on refurb rifles, but it appears very consistent with Soviet shellac. There are no "refurb" marks on the stock and I can only speculate as to why it is like this. Perhaps it was part of the trials...? Luckily, whoever sanded it did not completely wipe out the trials code on the buttstock!
There are quite a few different proof marks under the barrel, but most all of them are lightly struck or incomplete. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary in that...
Discussion Section
1936 Tula/Simonov/SCW
1936 Tula/Simonov/SCW
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