1933 Tula M1891/30 Finn

[Junk Yard Dog]

This one has a nice transitional front sight blade, it's just a taller version of the one found on the M1891's, otherwise the rest of the rifle is as any M91/30. It doesn't end there of course, the reason the rifle is still in it's mostly original configuration is due to the SA stamp on the receiver, and the German property stamp on the stock. Captured by the Germans and sold to the Finn's in 1944, not much of anything has been changed on the rifle. We will never know who put the blade sight on the rifle, the Soviets, or the Finns, it's got an Izhevsk stamp on it, and the rifle is Tula so the blade didn't start out life with this rifle. It's not Finn matched, the bolt is all Tula of the correct period, and it's serial number matches the barrel, so does the buttplate but not the magazine, the barrel bands and magazine housing are Imperial era Izhevsk. It has a 1/4" counterbore and a slightly worn bore behind it, no pitting to speak of. Trigger feels typical issued 91/30, and that means pretty good for an infantry rifle, 4-5 pounds, the issued rifles tend to have less issues with the triggers as they were adjusted in the field, or worn in from use.
There is a story behind this rifle, back in 2007 Aim was having a "scratch and dent" sale about 30 rifles, mostly Finn Mosins M39's, M91's and so on, it was a first caller gets it sort of thing, and I had my eye on a 1941 SAKO M39 for $150 with a few stock cracks. I had the number on speed dial but despite calling the moment the lines opened by the time I got through there was only one rifle left, a Finn 91/30 with a small crack in the stock by the rear sight for $65, I took it despite the high price tag

[desdem12]

rub it in Dog

[Junk Yard Dog]

It's one of four or five Finn marked Soviet M91/30's I have, plus the Finn built one. I will try to get them up in the coming months.

[bunkysdad]

Jim, I know you remember the 91/30 I won on Gunbroker without even noticing the SA mark. I love these guns. The look. Feel. The history. I love it all.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I remember it, my first 1934 Izhevsk M91/30 bought back in the early 90's had an SA mark that I didn't understand for at least five years, hell, I didn't know what the M24 was when I bought it, or the Finn M38. The days before the Internet, buyers buying rare treasures with no clue they were doing it, and sellers selling the crown jewels and thinking they were paste.