Filled the Russian Hole in my Collection

majspud

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I do have the '36 Izzy Nagant, but needed a rifle. I decided to quit Stallin' and get a 91/30 to have an example from each of the major powers in WW2. I was at the right place, at the right time, at the right price on Gun Boards. I've been holding out for a 'Balkan Import' - in original condition and not a refurbished piece - and a discreet import mark.

All I need now is a Carcano; 91/24 or M41.

Honest plain Jane bolt MM Izzy 1930 Hex 91/30. Bore cleaned up well with a squirt of oil and a bore snake. Sling and cleaning rod coming from Numrich, probably tomorrow. I'll get a bayonet at some point. Patina is perfect. Quick pics on the office floor. Stock could use a rub of oil, but it will have to wait as I'm in the middle of demolishing/emptying my office/den as a wood floor will be installed next week.

It was missing the butt plate screw, so I stuck a Mauser one in there for now.

t
 

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This could be a rather interesting piece. Does it have cross pins through the rear sight base?

Already, it was built very near the transition from M91 Dragoon to the M91/30.

PM me your address, and a bayonet will magically appear at your doorstep.
 
I did break it down save the bolt. It hadn't been apart in a real, real long time. Filled with tons of little pieces of black grit. Dried cosmo on woodline. Rubbed down the metal with CLP and gave the stock a wipe with BLO.

Rear sight is pinned.

t
 

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And more. So a pinned rear sight means this 1930 started life as a dragoon and was refurbished, but not rearsenaled.

t
 

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The pinned rear sight base means that it was sent back to the arsenal, post war. At that time, the original rear sight base (curved Dragoon sight) was removed and replaced with the new M91/30 design sight.

Had it not been pinned, it could have been one of the earliest known original M91/30. But alas, this one did start life as a Dragoon, to be upgraded post-war. Not a bad thing. Most Dragoons were upgraded.
 
Sling and cleaning rod arrived. Cleaning rod does not 'bite' when screwed. I'll have to check into that.

t
 

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Not one chuckle at the Stallin' joke? Oh, well, I'll laugh at myself.

t

[rofl]

Did find a box of Tula in this disaster of an office. Too late today, but at least I can try it. Cycled and ejected flawlessly.
 

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Not one chuckle at the Stallin' joke? Oh, well, I'll laugh at myself.

t

[rofl]
if it's any consolation lol, was out with some buddies the other day grabbing drinks and got bored, as everyone else was on their phones, I grabbed my phone and went to NES and reloaded the page in my browser and read this post. laughed at the stallin part and they 2 of them said, "what?", i just responded "nothing". was on my phone so didn't reply, but did laugh, even out loud (LOL). but knew they wouldn't understand, especially inebriated, so our nice just continued on!
 
Well, damn, is all I can say. The front sight was half off its base, so I knocked it back to center. I just noticed the witness mark on the front sight is actually backwards facing the rear sight, but I'm not going to touch it. Sight is a much stronger blue that the rest of the gun, so I'm not sure it's original to the gun.

84F, sunny, light breeze. 50 yards, box of new Tula steel case. Second shot was the 12:00 high as I couldn't believe the first shot was a bulls-eye. So were the third, fourth, and fifth. Well, fire for effect. At some point there was that 6:00 low infamous Tula flyer.

Comrade Stalin still has it. Something to be said for an original, non-refurbished, 91/30.
 

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Nice... looks pretty darn good for what it is and that tiny notch and spaghetti front post.
 
Mucho Gracias to Matt for supplying a bayonet with original finish to match. I guess I need a frog; saw a reproduction somewhere.

Spare butt plate screw arrived today. I stripped and soaked the bolt in acetone and removed all/if any cosmo. Just a little soot, really, although the acetone was a little light brown with the dissolved gunk. Oiled and reassembled, and still clunky; but that's a Mosin-Nagant!

t
 

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Anyone know of an original M91/30 frog?

t

Frogs aren't items which are generally associated with M91/30 accoutrements. To my knowledge, no frogs were shipped with the accessory packages in the crates.

There are some leather scabbards which are sold as M91/30, but the general Mosin Nagant collecting community is either not in agreement as to their authenticity, or is simply disinterested in the scabbards.

In the past couple of years, some genuine WWI-era Austrian steel scabbards for the M91 lock-ring bayonet did hit the market from long-stashed Romanian warehouses. They were accompanied by Romanian leather frogs. Those accoutrements did gain a little traction among collectors as genuine WWI artifacts. But again, they were for the M91, and not the M91/30.
 
Pics of all the little details I could find.

t
 

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More:

t
 

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and more:

t
 

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the last:

t
 

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So it's history from various forums...

1. Born a Dragoon in 1930, using a recycled pre-1928 Izzy receiver.
2. Imperial Eagle over stamped with Hammer and Sickle
3. "P" stamped on barrel shank; as only other 1928-1930 Izzy Dragoons were - why? - unknown
4. Rearsenaled Post WW2; received 91/30 rear sight, new trigger guard, post war stock with stamped sling inserts, and new butt plate
5. Saw extensive service post WW2
6. Original bolt lost at some point
7. Likely imported from Romania

Well traveled.

t
 
Very nice, and a good shooter too! Amazing how well these can do considering age, wear and tear, etc. If only one could know it's complete history...

+1 for Dragoon sights.

Don't change your picture location- it's a classic and I'm counting holes in the window. My click counter is close to turning over from 999. [laugh]
 
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