The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Well, this will be my first real post. Just to be honest, I ran onto my Mos in Nagant by accident, not knowing more than the name and caliber, and that it was a Russian make. I was walking around a gun show in Shawnee, OK, and picked up an old war rifle just browsing. It was dated 1917 and I had to ask what it was, as I don't know Russian from Swahili. However, I did know some history. I knew that Imperial Russia ended in 1917, after a slew of revolts, ending with the Bolsheviks overthrowing them and taking control for a short time before the communists would take over. So I laid down a hundred dollar bill and walked away with a historical intrigue. Took it home, gave it a good disassembled cleaning, put it back in order and went to the range with ammo I bought at the show ( I know some people would not shoot a rifle creeping up on a century, but I just had to do it). The rifle shot like a pro at 100 yards. The only issue, every time I fired it, the bolt locked closed and took some work to free. The cases were not swelled and pulled easily after the bolt finally raised to slide it open. I learned a little bit about it with a bit of snooping, but all I think I know, is that it's a Tula, and a Peter the Great. Close inspection and comparison with similar markings, show that the top imperial crest is scrubbed and the one on the hex has been punched away. It's a shame, but they're gone, and it seems many were done that way. But I'm just telling what I think I know. Ya'll are the authority here, and I'm the beginner. I would like to get the proper cleaning rod and bayonet to complete the rifle, as it was without any extra parts, and my serials don't match, butt, bolt, or reciever. -Al

That is orange chalk, by the way. Not rust!

Welcome Al. That's quite a rifle to start with!

I'm no resident expert, but this sounds like a Russian aid rifle sent to one of their Balkan allies. Or it was captured and ended up there. The "forensics" on these old rifles are often "iffy."

I encourage you to continue your education by going to YouTube and watching all of Junk Yard Dog's excellent firearm videos. He uses the nick RockIsland1913 there.

The missing cleaning rod is one of the indicators of a "Balkan rifle." If you want a replacement, go to Liberty Tree's ad at the top of this page. They have them and provide excellent service.

Great first Mosin! Nice price on it, too. Bayonets are out there, but might run what you paid for the rifle. I paid $100 for one to put on the 1915 Sestroryetsk M91 I paid $140 for some years back. I can read Russian and Immediately recognized what the shop didn't. They had it labelled as an M44. There is also lots of good info on this site, check the 'Stickies'.

Welcome to the forum, and I dare ya to just keep to one Mosin.

Heh, heh. Well, I've owned this one about 5 years, and didn't want to shoot it a lot, so its only been to the range twice, but its a hit with others who get interested. I would love to have one of a later year to try one of those 1000 yard shots. ;) When I bought this one, there was actually an 1898 (if I remember right) but I passed it up, because it was uuuuuuugly. Rusted out and beat to death. Maybe I should have laid down $100 but it looked like somebody's anchor. Shameful.

Your bolt sticking sounds like it's probably got some cosmoline cooked in the chamber where the locking lugs on the bolt shut. Soak it with solvent and take a 90 degree tool with a patch on the end and start digging, both sides, if your patch comes out with brown on it, that's the problem, keep on til you finally get a clean patch. ......SBP

Deadeye0ldFoag wrote:Heh, heh. Well, I've owned this one about 5 years, and didn't want to shoot it a lot, so its only been to the range twice, but its a hit with others who get interested. I would love to have one of a later year to try one of those 1000 yard shots. ;) When I bought this one, there was actually an 1898 (if I remember right) but I passed it up, because it was uuuuuuugly. Rusted out and beat to death. Maybe I should have laid down $100 but it looked like somebody's anchor. Shameful.

Nice way to start a MN collection. It's a score!
Depending on the bore and more importantly the crown, those old rifles can still be accurate at 1000 yards. I'd encourage you to get a bayonet. It will change the barrel harmonics and your point of impact may be quite different than shooting without it - especially at an increased distance. Some of those old type I bayonets are well used and don't fit real well and/or lock down as they should, so some minor adjustments to the locking ring may be necessary. The later 91/30 and M44 models should also have the bayonet fixed when shooting - for maximum accuracy without sight adjustments.

Thank you all for the great advice and info. Here's some pics of the ole veteran in the sun. I apologize for the quality of my phone camera, but it's the only digital I own. The 35mm got shut out on a technicality or they'd have been art.
I always wonder what the old bugger would say if it could tell its story. Did it storm the Romanov palace, or how many revolts and wars did it survive? It only tells what we can see.