Mystery stock cartouche

[Genetically Swiss]

Hey guys,

I am mystified regarding the stamp right in front of the butt plate of my Mosin-Nagant. It appears to be the Finnish ruotsalainen O, although the same letter is used by a bunch of Scandinavian countries. I can find no reference to it at mosinnagant.net or 7.62x54r.net. My Mosin-Nagant is an unissued (or nearly so) Finnish P-26 M-91 made on an 1896 Sestroryetsk receiver. Any help is much appreciated.






GS

[Darryl]

Lets see the rest of the rifle. It is certainly an issued rifle that has been refurbished either at the end of WWII or more likely post war. This is probably a
Finish rifle. Both P26, P27 ... marks were Finish marks. So we know the rifle is Finnish either captured or purchased, or given (originally). So seeing a Scandinavian mark on the stock is not uncommon.

Dolk

[Genetically Swiss]

More photos.

[Genetically Swiss]

A few more.











Thanks for the help Dolk. Oh, and it’s not counterbored and the rifling is about an 7-8 out of 10, for whatever that’s worth.

GS

[tomaustin]

it looks like the Los Angeles ANGELS logo, but I am pretty sure they were not in business at that time................

[Genetically Swiss]

Can anyone tell me whether or not all P-series M-91’s made in the 1920’s left the factory with barrels in the white? If they were, then it would make sense that P-series M-91’s found today with blued barrels (assuming it was done by the Finns) were quite probably unused re-lined P-26/27 barrels blued and re-built into complete rifles before, during, or perhaps after WWII. I would dearly love a credible source of information regarding the Finnish P-series M-91’s.


GS

[Darryl]

Can anyone tell me whether or not all P-series M-91’s made in the 1920’s left the factory with barrels in the white? If they were, then it would make sense that P-series M-91’s found today with blued barrels (assuming it was done by the Finns) were quite probably unused re-lined P-26/27 barrels blued and re-built into complete rifles before, during, or perhaps after WWII. I would dearly love a credible source of information regarding the Finnish P-series M-91’s.


GS

Well, we know the Finns really only made one rifle after WWII and that was some M39's. Bolt action was going away shortly after WWII. Anbd, the Finn's did refurbish a lot of firearms after WWII before they stored them. But not all of them. This is probably what was done to this rifle after WWII. The Finn's used everything they had during WWII. They wouldn't of had the luxury of storing a rifle un-issued.

I have a lot of rifles that look just like this that are issued rifles and were refurbished after the War. The bluing and stocks on these rifles is perfect, but these firearms were not un-issued. Here are just a few.

M27



M39



M39



Couple Finn M91 captured?



The bluing and stocks on these rifles is perfect, but these firearms were not un-issued.

[Darryl]

Also, all I can remember is they were rebarreled from old shot out barrels in 1926, 1927 and maybe 1928. Then they were left in the white (which very few are still today. They also used some of the barrels left over in the early 40's. But none of them were made post war.

Your rifle looks to have had a "new" M91 Finn stock put on it. The bolt is old, you can see that by the wear. The other parts all look re-blued to me.

Not many rifle (if any) made it through WWII without being used. The P series were rebuilt old M91's to start with. re-lined the rifling. I think you own evaluation of the rifling at a 7 or 8 out of ten sounds about were that rifle should be at.

Dolk

[steelbuttplate]

The "A" looks like the Austrian A listed on "other countries " stock marks. It could have been altered a little.

[Genetically Swiss]

Thank you all, especially you dolk. I really appreciate the assistance.


GS

[zeebill]

You have a very nice P series M91 Mosin rifle. These barrels were sleeved for reuse after they were shot out using the Salerno method which was Pioneered by the Italians. The unknown stamping is a stylized stamping of the Finnish assembly depot on the barrel badge plate that is. The A or sometimes an M or W tells us the rear part of that Finnish pieced together stock came from the Austrians in one way or another. These rifles were at first refused and thought to be unsafe to fire and later the powers to be deemed them safe and issued them to soldiers. If you look real close on either end of the barrel you can see the sleeve of metal forming the new bore that they were fitted with. I have 3 or 4 of these and have fired them all except one where the animals at Century stamped the import marks on the muzzle end of the barrel so hard they bulged the liner inward making it unsafe to fire. Some of these have the barrel badge plate or sometimes the whole barrel in white with no blue present at all.


Finnish engenuity taken to the last degree making a shot out rifle good to use again using Italian process. They used what they had and made it as good as they could. Nice find and might be a good shooter too! Congrats! Bill

[Genetically Swiss]

Just as a heads up for you guys, the Finnish P-26 in the photographs in this thread was just put up for sale on Gun Broker. My name there is the same as the one I use here, Genetically Swiss.


GS

[Lavitias]

The "A" looks like the Austrian A listed on "other countries " stock marks. It could have been altered a little.

After looking on this sites list of marks found here..... app.php/page/59

That does indeed look like the Austrian A on the stock only a much better example of it compared to the forums picture if that is indeed what it is lol.