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(Mfg. by the Izhevsk Arms Factory)
(Click PIC to Enlarge)
Calibre.......................7.62x54R
Barrel Length............. 20 in. (508mm)
Rifling........................ 4 groove, right hand twist, 1:9.5"
Overall Length........... 40 in. (1016mm)
Weight...................... 7.62 lbs (3.46Kg)
Magazine capacity...... 5 rounds.
Qty mfg..................... Approximately 2 million+ (In production from 1938 - 1945)
Qty mfg..................... Approximately 2.45 million (conflicting number is according to mosinnagant.net)
Source: The Mosin-Nagant Rifle by Terrence Lapin, ISBN: 1882391217
1943 M38 Mosin Nagant Carbine
(32 picture virtual tour)
Barrel Length............. 20 in. (508mm)
Rifling........................ 4 groove, right hand twist, 1:9.5"
Overall Length........... 40 in. (1016mm)
Weight...................... 7.62 lbs (3.46Kg)
Magazine capacity...... 5 rounds.
Qty mfg..................... Approximately 2 million+ (In production from 1938 - 1945)
Qty mfg..................... Approximately 2.45 million (conflicting number is according to mosinnagant.net)
Source: The Mosin-Nagant Rifle by Terrence Lapin, ISBN: 1882391217
1943 M38 Mosin Nagant Carbine
(32 picture virtual tour)
Observations: (by "Claven2")
Note: Pics of rifle provided courtesy of Milsurps.com moderator Claven2.
By the mid 1930's the M1907 Mosin Nagant carbine (344,000 produced) was still the only modern 7.62 short rifle then in service with the military. The older rifle had not been manufactured in upwards of 20 years and those still in service were showing their age. Production of the M1907 is thought to have ended in 1917. Many of these weapons were becoming unserviceable from use, and experience with the relatively new M91/30 infantry rifle was highlighting the need for a smaller, compact carbine to be issued to the troops of the Cavalry, Artillery, Signal Corps, Vehicle operators, etc. The carbine model 1938 (karabin obrazets 1938 goda in phonetic Russian) grew out of a desire by the Russian military's desire to update the older M1907 in order to fill the need for short, light rifles, particularly as the size of the armed forces expanded in the 1930's.
The new weapon, much like the old, was never intended for issue as a main front line battle rifle and as such, it had no provision for mounting a bayonet. Rather, it was intended for issue as a defensive rifle for secondary troops, support troops, artillery, and as a rifle for the cavalry which preferred the sabre to the bayonet. Of course, in practice the realities of modern warfare would prove the carbine ideally suited to close-quarters combat in places like Stalingrad where a longer rifle often proved unweildy in amongst the wreckage of buildings. This realization of the carbine's usefulness in certain conditions would lead to the adoption of the M44 carbine with integral folding bayonet later in 1943.
The M38 carbine is characterized by a round receiver (in rare cases older "hex" receivers were used), short 20 inch barrel, short rear sight graduated only to 1000 meters and a lack of provision for mounting a bayonet. Early carbines were built on low-wall receivers and showed a high level of manufacturing quality. Beginning in late 1941, however, Operation Barbarossa (the German Invasion of the Soviet Union) was in full swing and the Russian arms factories were feeling the pressure. Around this time many shortcuts began to be phased in to increase output and economize the labor required to produce the carbine. Chief among these were the use of a high-wall receiver that was left rough machined, deletion of the rear sling escutcheon, simplification of the rear sight ramp, use of a rough forged trigger and the use of stamped band springs. Once development of the M44 carbine began in mid 1943, all stocks were constructed in the M44 pattern, and so all M38's built after that time were issued with M44 stocks inletted for the bayonet. It was easier for the factories to make all carbine stocks identical.
Collector's Comments and Feedback:
1. The depicted rifle was manufactured at the Izhevsk arsenal in 1943, likely in the latter half of that year. Both the receiver tang date and barrel date are contemporary to each other, so it's unlikely the carbine was built on a used receiver as sometimes happened (which accounts for the occasional hex receivered M38). This carbine has been rebuilt at some point, but does not show any of the typical post-war rebuild markings. It is likely that the carbines was rebuilt either during the Second World War, or shortly thereafter and was most certainly reissued after refurbishment.
The magazine floorplate has been replaced and renumbered to match. The bolt body serial number shows no prefix, and is therefore likely a replacement from the time of refurbishment. Additionally, the buttplate has been restamped matching over an older serial number. The stock is heavily coated with shellac, likely more than one coat. Any markings left in the wood are obscured by the shellac. The rear barrel band and spring have been replaced with earlier Tula made parts, including a milled spring in contrast to the original stamped Izhevsk spring still retaining the front band.
The stock shows many small pock marks, some have been covered over when the rifle was recoated in shellac. These are as a result of a soldier using the buttstock to push the firing pin against when stripping the bolt in the field. Additionally, the weapon is not import marked.
The rifle shows some, but not all the shortcuts eventually employed in M38 manufacture. This carbine has the simplified rough forged trigger, the rough finished high wall receiver with deleted tang steps and unmachined right rear bolt guide. It also has the deleted rear escutcheon and was originally fitted with stamped band springs. The stock is of the M44 pattern, indicating it was made in the second half of 1943. It's not possible to say if the stock is original to the rifle, but it is certainly period and could be. The carbine still has the early pattern rear sight ramp, early double-serrated sight slide buttons, fine polished trigger guard and first pattern buttplate with machined (as opposed to stamped) screw inletting.
Collectors are advised that the majority of M38's on the market today are counterbored. They were not manufactured this way, but for some reason most were given the recessed recrown at refurbishment - probably a standing order at the arsenals due to a high percentage of carbines that served throughout the war and needed this treatment. I personally do not feel a counterbore on an M38 should affect value, but it's a personal decision. Import marks, however, can and often do affect value. A premium is often paid for examples that do not exhibit these non-original markings. As always, matching serial numbers should be sought wherever possible. In terms of rarity, premiums should be paid for the carbines dated 1938, 1939 and 1945 as they are the years of lowest production. Any carbine dated 1938 would be a prototype and very rare - official production only started in 1939. Additionally, an M38 manufactured at Tula should command a prremium and is actually rather rare. .... (Feedback by "Claven2")
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