In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Mosin Nagant Report
Der Gebirgsjager
Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
I ordered, and received today, one of the Mosin Nagant Rifles I told you about in my post of 11-20-01. My choice was the Mod. 91/30, as I already have a couple of the M-44s in excellent plus shape. I thought I'd give the Brotherhood of the Gun an objective report. The overall appearance of the rifle is "refinished-like new". The bluing is 100%. The stock has been refinished as some of the original inspection marks are only half there; but other than very small marks, more on the order of impressions than dings, the stock is new in appearance. The rifle was made by Izhevsk in 1929, has their mark on the receiver, which is octagonal, as well as the date which has a pleasingly cyrillic appearance, and a nice hammer and sickle inside a wreathe (small-about the size of a green pea). The importer has stamped the import information and a new serial no. in very tiny letters on the left side of the receiver. Honestly, I had to break out my magnifying glass to read it. I don't know if the C.I.A. method of stamping it on the side of the barrel near the muzzle is better or not--guess we have to live with it. Anyway, even wearing my reading glasses it was hard to spot; I just noticed that it was shiney and looked closer. A little cold blue will almost completely disguise it. The rifle had a little thick oil on the exterior of the metal, but was otherwise devoid of grease. All numbers match. The bore has strong rifling but dark grooves. It looks like a good shooter. Wish mine looked like new, but the flyer mentioned this condition, and this is not one of the new condition bores--but is not bad. All of the accessories are new as advertised. The bayonet serial no. matches that of the rifle, and everything but the rifle was wrapped in paper similar to butcher paper. The bayonet was so wrapped, and taped along the forestock with strapping tape (the real strong stuff that looks like Scotch tape with the fibers in it), and when I unwrapped it it took some of the varnish off the sock leaving two lighter bands of color around the stock; I can probably blend it with a little varnish stain, but I was not happy about it. Also, something happened to the ring-guard around the front sight as it is elipitcal rather than round. Squashed a little, which is easily fixed. My overall impression: As advertised, and worth the money, if old military rifles are your thing. Some of the M.N.s from Finland were as nice (or better). Probably the best thing about this one is the all-matching numbers and new conditon of the accessories. I see where TAPCO has the price of the sling up to $24.95 and I've seen the bayonets go for $65. These things are bound to go down in price as our good buddies the Rooskies ship more of their obsolete stuff to the land of the big PX. Well, there you have it. Can't wait for my Izhmash AK-47 to show up from SOG. They say that they're tied up in Customs. Will advise.