One seriously worn out 91/30

I have a serious problem. When I am at a gun show, I am drawn to the most beat up, worn out rusty milsurps I can find. I like a nice example occasionally, don't get me wrong. But for me, beat up usually equates to something with a story behind it. And today's find is no exception..a been-to-hell-and-back 1937 Izhevsk 91/30.
There it was, in all its rusty glory. According to the seller (yes, buy the rifle, not the story) its an Afghanistan bring back. I don't know that for sure. What I do know is that it was certainly brought back from somewhere. From what I can see, it never got back to the ol' former USSR. No rear sight base pin, no import mark, no finish whatsoever. Nice Izhevsk cartouche on the butt. Did I say it was rough?
It did not have a bolt. So I am now searching for an equally rough example.
One more thing, and I have never seen this that I can remember...the muzzle is threaded on the inside.
Korea? Don't think so. Vietnam? Not pitted enough. But it is full of very fine sand in the mag and elsewhere.
Anyway, rough as it is, it seems to be a pretty 'original' example of a '37 Izhevsk. Like to hear some thoughts on the muzzle. Enjoy the pics!

I’m also a sucker for a beat up old warhorse.
Love the sand in the mag, that’s pretty neat. You should save all you can.

As for the threads, I’ve seen lots of blank firing attachments that would require threads like that. The Swedish Ljungman would be a good example. As far as I know, the standard Mosin attachment did not attach that way...but the history of this piece is most assuredly anything but standard haha.

Ah..another lover of wayward mutts. :thup:

Nice score. I would have picked up that Mosin as well, as rifles like that call to me at the shows too. And assuming they're checked out, I certainly don't mind taking them to the range.

Can't help on the muzzle threading, but look forward to hearing what you unearth.

So far I can find nothing about the inside 'threading'. I've never seen anything like it. I ran a rod through it today, and I don't know what kind of foul matter that was that came out. Good news is that the bore is pretty darn good.
Three long dead small beetles at the bottom of the mag. Fine sand and other assorted nastiness abounds. Debating whether to give it a light cleaning.
Got some better pics here.

For what it's been through it deserves a decent cleaning and then an oiling to at least make it feel better. These old rifles have feelings too you know, so make it feel better.

Decided to oil it down a bit. Had to, really. Absolutely filthy. Has an odd goldish tint/film over the exposed metal. No pitting at all, must have been in a very arid area. Bore is actually very good, after getting all that crud out.

I know back in the late 50's and 60's a lot of these types of surplus rifles were used to make floor lamps by threading the barrel for a lighting fixture and running the electrical cord through the barrel and either the back of the bolt or through a hole in the bottom of the buttstock. Back in 1960's you could not give the Mosin Nagants away when Mausers, Enfields, and Springfields were cheaply available.

Haha, of course! That would explain the lack of a bolt too. Just run the wire straight out of the chamber.
The thread for those lamp kits is likely still the same.
If it were my rifle, I'd give that a shot just to quell my curiosity. Worth spending a few bucks on.

Bore has turned out better than expected. Im really surprised...dark, but great rifling. No pitting whatsoever. Once I can locate an equally rusty but functional bolt, it will be shot!

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I'm still mystified by that inside-the-muzzle 'threading'.

Probably a SCW rifle that was turned into a floor lamp for some guys man cave. SCW rifles where imported in the 50's and could be had for as cheap as $5.00

Clean it up, oil it, find bolt shoot it, be happy

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Originally Posted by mmppres

Clean it up, oil it, find bolt shoot it, be happy

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That is the plan!

I buy an sell so many of those types of great firearms

I agree with the others on the floor lamp for threading. I've run into a few rifle floor lamps lately. You can get one of the lamp pipes that are standard 1/8-IP threaded for less than a buck at the Home Depot, might be worth picking one up or taking apart one of your wife's lamps to test the theory.

Was there a buttplate? are there screw holes in it or in the wood under the plate. They would have had to secure it somehow

Found an interesting little mark on it. A serif '2' inside a rounded triangle. Looked for examples/pics of other '37 Izhevsks with this mark online..can't find a one. Anyone ever see this one before?

Bolt came today...looks like it has been with it all its life.

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Originally Posted by Anzac15

Bolt came today...looks like it has been with it all its life.

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did you ever get a chance to shoot it since it has a bolt now?

Yep...it works, at least that can be said.

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Originally Posted by Anzac15

Yep...it works, at least that can be said.

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What about it being a lamp in its previous life, did you ever try to thread a light fixture on the top to see if that was why the inside of the barrel was threaded? It doesn't surprise me that it still works though lol, mosins are built like tanks. Was it still fairly accurate since the inside muzzle is threaded? I just love the look of that rifle.

Now you just need a beat up front sight!

If when you get a front sight/s and zero it to your loads would'nt it be funny to enter a comp with it and winning that said comp, every body once they learnt of its history they would then probably run out and buy a beat up one with the custom counter bore lamp threaded muzzle now that would be so funny. Well done Anzac

I did try to fit a light fixture, it did not screw in..don't know if was wrong size or what. Accuracy? Hm. Not awful, but not spectacular either.