M91 B barrel 1942 VKT on Chatellerault 1894
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:33 am
The title about says it. The bore is like new and after some rust backed out of the receiver (1894 Chatellerault) it has the old flat blue that many of the french made rifles have on them. The barrel has a nice Finnish shiny blue to it and looks like it has not been shot much at all with a mirror finish. Now the stock is another story as it has repaired shrapnel marks maybe that show Finnish methods of fixing on it. The stock has a large brass shim under the rear tang and a wooden bridge under the muzzle holding the barrel well up out of the barrel channel. I have seen this many times before on Finnish Mosins but this one is particularly well done. The tang under the bottom rear has 1894 written out with a deep and dark C in a circle on it. It also has two 494 marked assembly numbers on the flats of the receiver and barrel. I also noted the barrel has a kind of different crown job on the muzzle too. This will take some more comparing to other B barrels I have to see what has grabbed my eye as different? The barrel is both D marked and SA marked additionally to the B barrel marking too.
I thought at first the bolt was not marked but after some scrubbing to get the dried cosmoline off the serial is very faintly marked in the bolt knob. It would not be very hard to miss as I have never seen one this faintly marked. Nothing else matches the serial of the bolt and barrel and are from different armory's and I may have to replace the hand guard clamps as they are now frozen solid but soaking. I have hopes as they are at least moving a bit now. The marked difference between the condition of the action and the stock caught my eye when I grabbed this rifle for clean up and shooting later. This is again from Kevin's collection and will be for sale in the fall at a gun show I would guess. Till then I get to clean, inspect, and eventually shoot this fine gun. Nasty job but someone has to do it I guess.
Found another M39 and that will be my next project along with 4 of the ugliest VZ24's this earth has ever seen. They left an oil slick in my trunk from the trip home!!! It was only 70 degrees and I kind of pale to think if it had been warmer. Well I have my next projects to come for awhile so let's see how I do here. I slack off guns for the summer and do music and such for while so progress will be slow on these. Hit three music concerts already and I am ready to be entertained! Then there is the knee I am hoping to get replaced too. Oh and by the way this old fart is 71 today! Who would have thought is would live this long? Not me for sure!! Have a Good day and hoist one for me if you care! I know I will! Bill
I thought at first the bolt was not marked but after some scrubbing to get the dried cosmoline off the serial is very faintly marked in the bolt knob. It would not be very hard to miss as I have never seen one this faintly marked. Nothing else matches the serial of the bolt and barrel and are from different armory's and I may have to replace the hand guard clamps as they are now frozen solid but soaking. I have hopes as they are at least moving a bit now. The marked difference between the condition of the action and the stock caught my eye when I grabbed this rifle for clean up and shooting later. This is again from Kevin's collection and will be for sale in the fall at a gun show I would guess. Till then I get to clean, inspect, and eventually shoot this fine gun. Nasty job but someone has to do it I guess.
Found another M39 and that will be my next project along with 4 of the ugliest VZ24's this earth has ever seen. They left an oil slick in my trunk from the trip home!!! It was only 70 degrees and I kind of pale to think if it had been warmer. Well I have my next projects to come for awhile so let's see how I do here. I slack off guns for the summer and do music and such for while so progress will be slow on these. Hit three music concerts already and I am ready to be entertained! Then there is the knee I am hoping to get replaced too. Oh and by the way this old fart is 71 today! Who would have thought is would live this long? Not me for sure!! Have a Good day and hoist one for me if you care! I know I will! Bill
what he said 
Bill