Russian 7.62x54R Rifle

[lildobe]

My friend Jim picked this up at an auction a few weeks ago and we know very little about it. I find it an intriguing weapon, and I'm dieing to take it to the range, but I'd like to learn a bit more about it first...

Anything anyone might know about it would be appreciated!

Full Size Pics here:
http://www.lildobe.net/gallery2/v/Fi...Soviet_M91_30/

[brian]

mosin nagant model 1891(most likely after 1930) making it an m1891/30.
russia's main battle rifle of the first and second world wars.
with what's known as the 'hex' receiver, making it an earlier version of teh second world war type.
is there a year on teh receiver ring?can not be beat for the price of them and the ammo they use. one of the, if not the best bang for the buck going....short of .22's.
teh round is just short of .30-06's, but combined with the gun's lite weight it kicks like a mule.

teh ranges on the rear sight is calibered in achems(sp?), russian word for paces.
it's a fine weapon that every ww2 collection should have, but very crude when even compared to late war german stuff.

i've seen it written that russian troops going into battle, one would be issued a gun with no to little ammo, and another would be issed ammo with no gun and it was up to the trooper to pick up or other wise 'find' what ever he or she needed to complete the package....


teh 7.62x54r is readily availible from several different countries of origin, but it's all corrisive and needs cleaned accordingly.

[lildobe]

mosin nagant model 1891(most likely after 1930) making it an m1891/30.

Thanks for all the info!

Rep coming your way!

BTW, How much is one of these actually worth? I'm wondering if we got a good deal or not

[Ithaca1937]

I have 2 Mosin Nagant 91/30 rifles, I haven't shot them yet even though I've had them a year. I have shot my brothers and it is a fun gun.

The price starts around $70 and climbs depending on make, model, year, receiver, matching numbers and condition.
Example http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/S...Long_Guns.html

Here is a site with almost every thing known about Mosin Nagants.
http://www.7.62x54r.net/

Also Gunboards.com has a nice forums about them.
http://forums.gunboards.com/

[brian]

i'm not up to speed on the hex receivers. they seem a littel more desirable...I.E. worth more. but the average going rate is around 80-100 bucks for the rest of them.

[Ithaca1937]

It looks like from the picture showing the barrel shank that it is a post 1928 Izhevsk, similar to row 2 column B on this page
http://www.7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinMarks01.htm.

I can't see the year in the picture but it is most likely made between 1930 to 1935 as show by the Hex receiver on this page
http://www.7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM9130S.htm

[PA Rifleman]

...

teh ranges on the rear sight is calibered in achems(sp?), russian word for paces.
....

If it's a 91/30, the rear sight should be calibrated in meters. If an original M1891, it will be Arshins or "Arsines"*.

When it was time for the Mosin rifles to switch to metric & get the latest upgrades around 1930, one of the conversions was removing the old Arshin-based sight and replacing it with a metric sight.

On way to tell the difference between M1891s and 91/30s is the rear sight markings, and the front sight appearance.

M1891





91/30




* 717.44mm or 2ft 4.25". Based on a Russian infantryman's step or the Czar's pace, depending on who's material you're reading.

[lildobe]

It is an m91/30...

I broke it down and started to clean all the cosmoline out of all the nooks and crannies. I need to get a bottle of Lestoil cleaner for the wood, then soak the barrel in Hoppes to get all the metal build up out of it.

Here it is in it's stripped-down glory:

http://www.lildobe.net/gallery2/v/Fi...mbled.jpg.html

[Kaos]

It is an m91/30...

I broke it down and started to clean all the cosmoline out of all the nooks and crannies. I need to get a bottle of Lestoil cleaner for the wood, then soak the barrel in Hoppes to get all the metal build up out of it.

Here it is in it's stripped-down glory:

http://www.lildobe.net/gallery2/v/Gu...mbled.jpg.html

Google up "electric bore cleaner" for surplus rifles you can't beat how kick ass it cleans out the gunk in the rifling.

Before I did it in my sks it had run like 40 patchs through it until they were clean....did the electric cleaner and got all kinds of crud out.

Costs maybe 5-10 bucks to make.

[PA Rifleman]

It is an m91/30...

Looks like you have a pre-1930 that was rearsenalled during the early 30s to metric sights and other modernizations. The receiver has a octagonal profile, making it an older production. No operational difference, but more challenging in terms of scope installation.

Collectors seem to prefer the octagonal receiver.