Went to the gun show in Lunenburg, and my 1st SA nagant followed me home. PICS ADDED

[Rate_of_Twist]

Made my 1st gun show purchase today. I had a weekend off of work ( for the 1st time in forever ) so I decided to go to the Lunenburg show. I spotted this rifle the second I walked in ( thanks to all the mosin threads I was at least a little knowledgable ) I have wanted a SA for a while, but I dislike the whole gunbroker thing, I like to see and touch before making the leap.

So here she is, and my interpretation of what I bought ( please correct me or add whatever info I miss or have screwed up )

Finnish M91
VKT 1940 barrel with SA and D marks
reciever is hex with X'ed out serial and restamped to match barrel and bolt
Serial 05835, so early VKT production in 1940(?)
Stock it two piece Finn
Sling is leather, but I dont know if original
very small CAI VT import mark at muzzle

Any idea on what the markings are on top of the reciever? (W and D?) Is there a way to tell original reciever MFG?

Total out the door price ended up being $180, how did I do? ( Ill try and get some better pics )



edit: after a little better inspection the sling is marked P A over 8 inside a flaming bomb

 

[martin08]

You did extremely well at $180. A Finnish barreled M91 is a nice gun, and yours has the Austrian arsenal mark of OEWG, or Ostereichische Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft. This means that the receiver was captured by the Austrians in WWI and reassigned, then bought by the Finns in the 1920's, and assembled in its present configuration in 1940.

To see the date on the receiver, you will need to look at the underside of the rear tang. Be careful when removing the barrel bands, as they are "captured screws" and will loosen with a clockwise turn, instead of counterclockwise. Many barrel band screw is broken when attempted to be loosened with a left twist.

Your receiver will likely have an arsenal identification stamp on the tang, and be dated 1917 or earlier.

Hot dang. Nice acquisition.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

Martin, your awesome! I hope to have 1/120th of your knowledge someday ( and maybe a collection 1/10 of the size ) Thank you and rep inbound!

 

[samandglove1]

I love the Finns. You got that rifle for a really nice price also. Nice work.

 

[PATRON]

Very nice, good luck with it.

 

[50 BMG]

You stole that one. As Martin said it has been there and back. The markings on the bolt are spectacular. It appears to have nice bluing too. The sling doesn't look correct but its hard to tell just from the one picture. Who cares the rifle at Marlboro would have been priced $300. In fact one was. Congratulations bud you got a nice addition to your collection!!!!

It seems the Mosin bug has bitten a few folks here......

 

[USMA-82]

You stole that one.

... the ultimate compliment for a milsurp collector.

Very nice pick-up. Hope it shoots great for you.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

Heres a few more pics during the "inspection" process.

Tula receiver, correct?

not sure what all the "extra" markings on the tang are.

Took the sling off as I doubt its SA ( anyone have an extra? )

The blueing is pretty amazing IMHO and the stock doesnt seem molested either. The more I take it apart, the happier I get that it came home with me!

 

[martin08]

Looks like a Tula Hammer on the tang to me. Can you read the date?

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

Looks like a Tula Hammer on the tang to me. Can you read the date?

I did not see a date, would it be in that same location?

EDIT: took the rifle back apart and couldnd find a date anywhere

 

[martin08]

Yes, the date would have been stamped in the general vicinity of the Tula Hammer on the bottom of the receiver tang. During war-time production (1914-1917), the receivers didn't always get dated. The same phenomenon also occurred in the early 1920's, when the young Socialist Republic was just getting back on their feet after the Revolution.

Yours would be from the WWI era, though. The Austrian mark is a very good indicator, and a very desirable feature.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

Yes, the date would have been stamped in the general vicinity of the Tula Hammer on the bottom of the receiver tang. During war-time production (1914-1917), the receivers didn't always get dated. The same phenomenon also occurred in the early 1920's, when the young Socialist Republic was just getting back on their feet after the Revolution.

Yours would be from the WWI era, though. The Austrian mark is a very good indicator, and a very desirable feature.

I just LOVE guns that have "been places" and love the irony of the guns that were used in battle against one another sitting comfortably in my safe. I love wondering who made it, who stood behind it and who was it pointed at part of the history in these firearms, and the little puzzles they provide us now in figuring that out. Everytime I buy a C&R gun I not only get the history of that gun, but Ive learned about whole wars ( or parts of wars ) that I didnt even know happend ( I had no idea about the winter war/continuation war until reading a thread here in the MILSURP section of NES )
Martin, thanks again for helping!

 

[USMA-82]

You definitely got the fever.... welcome to the Dark Side.

Don't forget to pick up a copy of "Rifles of the White Death" by Doug Bowser. Excellent little book with information on the variations, markings, history, etc.

*

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

You definitely got the fever.... welcome to the Dark Side.

Don't forget to pick up a copy of "Rifles of the White Death" by Doug Bowser. Excellent little book with information on the variations, markings, history, etc.

*

Yes I do, but not the wallet!

Thanks for the book recomendation, Im on a reading binge.

 

[50 BMG]

Another great book is the 5th edition revised "The Mosin-Nagant Rifle written by Terence W. Lapin. If you buy it via Amazon its cheaper than most book stores. Happy collecting....oh if your wallet needs cash I will gladly give you $275 for that rifle....hey ya cant blame me for trying

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

Another great book is the 5th edition revised "The Mosin-Nagant Rifle written by Terence W. Lapin. If you buy it via Amazon its cheaper than most book stores. Happy collecting....oh if your wallet needs cash I will gladly give you $275 for that rifle....hey ya cant blame me for trying

I have sold many firearms in the short few years I've had my LTC, But I have yet to sell a c&r firearm and hope to never have too!!!