1943 Mosin Nagant M91/30 Rifle, with Bayonet, Ammo Pouches, Sling, and Tool-Cleaning Kit, Izhevsk Armory

Well, I finally broke down and bought a "new" rifle for the collection!  Thanks to a great sale at Big 5 Sporting Goods, and a $100 windfall that came my way,  I gave myself an early birthday present (quite a bit early!).  It is a 1943 Mosin Nagant M91/30 Rifle with all of the accessories and bayonet!

Right off the bat, I'll just let you know that this posting is only going to be an "introduction" to the new rifle in the family.  I will be making more detailed postings about the rifle, it's markings, history, and the gear, in the next series of blog posts..... so stay tuned!

This rifle is an armory refurbished weapon that was held in storage until it was recently released onto the surplus market.  I am guessing from the markings on the rifle, and the known time line for "refurb rifles", that this particular one was slathered in cosmoline and packed away in the late 1950's.  From what I understand, nearly all of the refurbishing work on these old rifles was done at various Ukrainian armories when they were part of the old Soviet Union.  

My rifle is dated 1943 and has the original armory stamp from the Izhevsk Armory in Russia.  As you will see, this is one of the rough finished rifles that were mass produced to stave off the invading German Army during WW2.  1943 was a very tough year for the Russians, (and a very bad year for the German Army on the Russian Front),  and it is evident in the finish of this rifle!  The serial numbers all match on the rifle parts, so I am lucky on that front.  May of the refurbished rifles have mismatched or renumbered components.  The stock is most likely NOT the original stock that was on the rifle.  It sports the early metal caps on sling holes, and has several areas were wood was replaced at the armory.  The barrel bore is BEAUTIFUL, crisp and clean!  The bolt action is smooth and clean as is the trigger pull.  I got VERY lucky with that!  Some of these old Mosin Nagants can be a bit sticky and rough.

I did have one problem that took a bit of thought and research to solve, and that was a bayonet that would not slide onto the barrel.  After a bit of thinking through a solution and confirming it with some anecdotal research on the internet, I managed to make the needed adjustments and now the bayonet slides on and off perfectly!  I will be making a posting on this easy bayonet adjustment method.  (There are all kinds of videos and narratives on the internet that show how "Bubba" makes adjustments...... like grinding, filing, cutting, etc. These are NOT the kind of "adjustments" that should ever be done to a historic item!)  Stay tuned for that upcoming blog posting.  I am sure there will be quite a few folks who will be interested,

Over the next few weeks, I''ll be posting detailed photo albums and research updates on this fine old work horse of a rifle.  Stay tuned and keep checking back!

Until then................  прощай товарищ, ............ "Goodbye Comrade!"

"Dos vedanya Tovarisch"!