Chatellerault Mosin - Made in France

[martin08]

Russia's early M91 output was not sufficient to meet demand, and production was supplemented through a contract with France. The Chatellerault arsenal produced approximately one-half million Mosin Nagant M91's through the years of 1892 to 1895. Due to its age, relatively low production numbers, and attrition through several war periods, the Chatellerault is one of the more difficult of arsenals to locate and add to a Mosin collection. I spent a few bucks to land this 1894 barreled Finned refurb, but when I had the cash on hand, it was the first good chance I had in a year of looking. So I nabbed it.

My example is far from complete. The only remaining Chatellerault parts are the barrel, bolt head, and the mag housing. Shank is marked with an "M" and [SA], with typical markings on the underside. Receiver has an X'd out stamp on the right side flat.

The receiver is a 1903 Izhevsk, the stock is a two piece Finn, bolt body is Finn matched, and the remaining small parts are from various arsenals of Tula, Izhevsk, Sestroryetsk (trigger, not pictured), New England Westinghouse, and Remington.

The rear sight base has been replaced, as the arshini graduations for a Chatellerault are stamped on the right side, and this base has the standard markings on the left, with the Finn markings on the right.*

* Correction. As I entirely overlooked the number sequence on the left side of the rear sight base ( 6 5 4 3 2 ), the original Russian sequence should have read ( 12 10 8 6 4). The left side numbers are in Austro-Hungarian Schritt, or the equivalent of .75 meters. The right side base has been scrubbed and restamped by the Finns, and the original arshini stamps can still be seen in the right light. So the sight base is still Chatellerault. Thanks to JPS of Gunboards for making the observation.

And jumble of parts aside, it's still one finely crafted M91.

Thanks for looking, folks.

 

[Boris]

Martin, great find! Do you mind to tell if you get all these gems through online auctions or through your private sources? I just don't see a lot of these, not that I'm looking hard, but it's a really nice rifle.

 

[USMA-82]

Even a "FrankenMosin" is beautiful... in an ugly step-sister sort of way.

Congrats on the find!

 

[50 BMG]

God martin leave some for the rest of us...only kidding my friend. When I found mine it was in a barrel with all sorts of other rifles, Turkish Mausers, GEW88 etc. I took the rifle out thinking it was a 91 and when I saw the receiver you could not pry that rifle out of my hands. The bore is decent but I didn't care. Mine is import marked by CAI on the end of the barrel.

I thought you collected SKS's ....guess the Mosin bug has bitten you..Again congrats.

 

[martin08]

God martin leave some for the rest of us...only kidding my friend. When I found mine it was in a barrel with all sorts of other rifles, Turkish Mausers, GEW88 etc. I took the rifle out thinking it was a 91 and when I saw the receiver you could not pry that rifle out of my hands. The bore is decent but I didn't care. Mine is import marked by CAI on the end of the barrel.

I thought you collected SKS's ....guess the Mosin bug has bitten you..Again congrats.

After amassing nearly every SKS variant of consequence, and then seeing your gorgeous Sestroryetsk that you landed last year, it was time to turn the collection down a different path. So, it's only partly your fault, Fred.

 

[el duderino]

Beautiful condition, probably the best rifle the french ever made