New PU Sniper from AIM Surplus

Mosin Nagant PU Sniper Slideshow by cjdangles | Photobucket

This is my first Mosin of any kind (just got bit by the milsurp bug within the last 6 months... Started with a Garand, then an Enfield, now this).

What do you think?

I couldn't get decent pictures of the bore but it is NICE and shiny! Super happy with that. There isn't a bunch of cosmo on it either. It won't take much at all to clean up.

The scope is force-matched but everything else appears to have matching numbers. As I understand it, the crossed out number on the side of the receiver/barrel is the SN of the originally assigned scope, right?

It's import marked but I don't mind.

You are correct on the crossed out number. Not a big deal, it's still a "real" sniper. Yours looks very nice. You should check the tang of the receiver and see if the receiver and barrel match. It would be interesting to know. I believe Tula started production in 42 and Izhevsk started in 43 so it would be an early one if the two parts matched. Still very good barrel date. I personally don't a Mosin with such nice stock cartouches, except my Remington M91. I started the same way as you are, now I have all the Allies service arms of WWI and WWII. Or the major battle rifles and sidearms anyways. There is always something to hunt down.

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Originally Posted by dangles

There isn't a bunch of cosmo on it either. It won't take much at all to clean up.

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Until you shoot it and the stock gets nice and warm!!! ....:lol:

nice! the Yoshkar Ola scope is less common than the more frequently seen Progress factory scopes.

Thanks, guys. I'm pretty happy with it! I still have a LOT to learn about these. Unfortunately I've barely had enough time to clean it up let alone go out and shoot it or research all the markings and the history of it all (my wife was off for the last 5 days so my schedule hasn't really been "my" schedule :lol:)

I have read that there are A LOT of reproductions floating around - even coming from Russia. So this scope is not a repro then? AIM said it wasn't but I want to hear it from somebody who isn't selling me the rifle! How can you tell? Are the stamped serial numbers original? Or were those also "force matched"? The AIM ad for this batch said they were "arsenal refurbished" post-WW2 so I'm guessing at least some of the parts were replaced. I have yet to figure out which ones. What should I look for? Which parts were most commonly swapped out during a refurb?

Thanks again for any help! :wave:

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Originally Posted by dangles

I have read that there are A LOT of reproductions floating around - even coming from Russia. So this scope is not a repro then? AIM said it wasn't but I want to hear it from somebody who isn't selling me the rifle! How can you tell? Are the stamped serial numbers original? Or were those also "force matched"? The AIM ad for this batch said they were "arsenal refurbished" post-WW2 so I'm guessing at least some of the parts were replaced. I have yet to figure out which ones. What should I look for? Which parts were most commonly swapped out during a refurb?

Thanks again for any help! :wave:

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the scope is war time and not a current repro. one way to tell, IMO, at least is by the manufacturers' logo. the current production ones only ever seem to have Progress factory's stamp, not the polygon Yoshkar Ola. plus they use cryllic letter prefixes that were never used by the Soviets in WWII. those characters look like "NY". also, the screws in the scope turrets are rounded. current production ones use flat head screws. it's rather easy to tell new ones from originals, they just don't look right.

the "43" that starts the serial number on the scope is the year it was made.

nothing on there appears to be force matched. that's typically done by grinding off or lining out the original serial number (like the scope number on your rifles' barrel shank). refurbishment meant cleaning and repairing any damage, it's possible that no major parts were replaced on your rifle. although, oddly, i believe the bolt (or at least the bolt head) on my 91/30 PU was replaced post war. the bolt face has not a single mark on it. doesn't look like it ever fired a round but i can't be sure.

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Originally Posted by Mikesm44

You should check the tang of the receiver and see if the receiver and barrel match. It would be interesting to know. I believe Tula started production in 42 and Izhevsk started in 43 so it would be an early one if the two parts matched. Still very good barrel date.

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They are both dated 1943r and are both Izhevsk :)

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e76780d4-1.jpg

---------- Post added at 03:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:24 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by kar98k

nothing on there appears to be force matched. that's typically done by grinding off or lining out the original serial number.

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On closer examination it does appear at least the butt plate was ground down and restamped. I can see what looks to be the remnant of old numbers above the new ones:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b34c7d74-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by dangles

They are both dated 1943r and are both Izhevsk :)

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e76780d4-1.jpg

---------- Post added at 03:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:24 PM ----------



On closer examination it does appear at least the butt plate was ground down and restamped. I can see what looks to be the remnant of old numbers above the new ones:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...b34c7d74-1.jpg

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Dang, that is a nice one. That's one I wouldn't let go of. I have a 42 Tula PU in similar condition but it actually has an SVT scope on it, and a 43 Izhevsk but it is an ex-sniper.