Mosin Nagant 91/30 Sniper - newly acquired

[jml]

Thanks again, all. This is tremendously helpful.

I have attached a couple more pics. The bolt has various markings on it, including on the lugs. These guns sure do have lots of markings. I found what looks like another Izhevsk mark under the rear sight leaf.

Not sure which is the "C" on the barrel?

One thing I'm wondering - if the gun is a refurb, why would the bore look brand spankin' new (and no counterbore)? Would they replace the barrel in one of these refurb jobs?

Thanks!

[Ridolpho]

[QUOTE=jml;415211]

One thing I'm wondering - if the gun is a refurb, why would the bore look brand spankin' new (and no counterbore)? Would they replace the barrel in one of these refurb jobs?

Thanks!

jml: Post-war refurbs with very good or excellent barrels are not unusual. Presumably large batches of rifles were processed with ancillary parts stripped off and replaced with new or renumbered used parts (bolt, buttplate, magazine and floorplate, etc, etc). One would imagine that on a rifle with an excellent bore other smaller parts were still probably in equally good condition but who knows? Could have been some rust from poor storage with the rifle never having been issued. My '43 Tula PU refurb has no original parts other than barrel and receiver and the bore is absolutely perfect. There is another type of refurb, known as "light refurbs" that may have some parts replaced and some shellac slathered on but retain many original pieces. In Canada, recently, a batch of "43 Izhevsks 91/30's with folding bayonets were imported and sold (I believe there were around 50?). This group is unusual in that it includes a few probable all original matching rifles plus many that would be considered light refurbs with a bit of shellac, maybe some sanding, and one or more non-original parts. I bought one and it is all original except for a replacement floorplate. It seems this batch went through a more selective refurb process involving inspection and replacement only of defective parts.

Ridolpho

[jml]

Thanks, Ridolpho. Is there any way to tell the year of the refurb?

[Ridolpho]

jml: The square with "X" inside is the mark of Arsenal #2, Kiev, Ukrainian Soviet republic, according to Alexander Yuschenkos recent book. This and other facilities repaired rifles during the war but large refurbishment programs occurred long post war. The same reference indicates your scope is manufactured by Factory #297, Yoshkar-Ola. The date is the first two digits in the serial- 1944. it was also refurbed. I would recommend this book if you plan to collect wartime 91/30's (title = M91/30 Rifles and M38/44 carbines in 1941-45). There may be some of them showing up in places like e-bay or alibris.

Ridolpho