The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

When I started seriously collecting many moons ago I instantly gravitated to Mosins because they were plentiful, came in more flavors than Baskin Robbins, and where, for the most part, cheap. I eventually took a liking to PU snipers, and really like the Hungarian PU’s for there, imho, superior fit & finish.
Well along they way I stumbled into a matching PU sniper with the Hungarian coat of arms, The Kossuth Crest stamped on the receiver and have since been searching hi & low for more to add to the collection.

The Kossuth Crest stamp has a couple of theories which include there use in the 1956 Hungarian Uprising ( doubtful) to a stamp put on Russian weapons loaned to the Hungarians post WW2, sort of a Russian version of Lease/Lend, to possibly some sort of Hungarian refurbishment stamp. What ever it was applied for it is very uncommon, and on 4 PU snipers I am aware of here in the U.S. they are all 1943 Izhevsk PU’s of the same prefix, “BT”. According to long time member Alb87 he had documented ½ a dozen so stamped firearms over in Europe with one being a deactivated Tula PU sniper and another a PPSH41
The stamp has also been observed on both Russian & Hungarian Tokarev pistols in the U.S., but I have yet to secure one of these.


This one is a 43 Izhevsk M44 that I acquired from an infamous Mosin collector about 8 years ago. This was the 2nd one to join my collection and is the only one I am aware of in the U.S. that isn’t a PU. It is a forced matching rifle with a forced match bolt and buttplate (02) and resides in a Hungarian stock.

The next one was my 1st one to join the collection and is an all-original Russian matching 1943 Izhevsk PU sniper with a replacement scope. This rifle also isn’t import marked, unlike the M44.

The 3rd one in my collection was a recent acquisition and by far is the most interesting. It is also a 43 Izhevsk PU sniper in a Hungarian PU sniper stock with a Russian hand guard. The butt plate, bolt are Hungarian sniper parts (BC prefix) and the mount is Hungarian with w Russian PU scope.

I'll probably never own a PU, too expensive now. What kind of group will those shoot ?

steelbuttplate wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 6:03 am I'll probably never own a PU, too expensive now. What kind of group will those shoot ?

Never shot either of those but I have shot some of my others and 2" groups @ 300yds is no sweat with surplus Yugo M30 ammo.

Very nice and a lot of nice clear pictures is always a good post. Those are all outstanding

While not a Mosin, here's a Hungarian Lampagyar/Kispuska 22 that also bears the Kossuth Crest. I'm no expert, but I was told the crest is rare, even on Hungarian made rifles.