Help me evaluate this oddball 91/30

[Bainter1212]

Alright y'all,

I have a good buddy who was forced by circumstances to move to a state that has even worse gun laws than California (hint: you have to take a boat or a plane). Anyhow, he wanted me to store a couple of his guns for him so I agreed.

One of them is an oddball MN 91/30. He inherited it from his father who in turn inherited it from HIS father.

The stock is original finish, not varnished. It is a 1937 Tula and looks pretty standard except for a few things....

1) The very obvious blade front sight. I have 4 91/30s and they all have the post and globe.

2) There are no import marks.

3) These odd metal rings through the keepers to attach a sling to (pics below).

4) NO slop at all to the trigger.....it springs right back to where it started from. There is no return spring, just the sear/sear spring putting pressure on the trigger.

5) A very faint and unreadable circular crest on the buttstock....looks like a circle within a circle. (see pic below).


Additional info....

I thought this might have been a Finn capture but there is no SA anywhere on this rifle. The sling loops, modified sear spring and blade front sight seem like Finnish mods to me, but they very well could have been done by a gunsmith here in the states. Most of the parts are Izzy marked. There are no other markings on the stock besides the extremely faint crest.

I have included pictures below. Please tell me what you can about this gun....I want to let my friend know if he has an odd variation or just a mashup.

[Bainter1212]

[Armistice]

It's a prewar stock due to the screw in eschutons. That's about all I can say

I thought only the Finns used the wire sling mounts. Seems Finns, Swiss, and Germans used those wires in their stocks

The blade front sight I don't think is period correct for a 1937 as blades aren't used after 1930

This is just from browsing this site: http://www.7.62x54r.net/

[Marcus von W.]

Spanish Civil War rifle, imported back in the early 1950's.

[Bainter1212]

Yeah that site is the first place I searched at.....couldn't get a firm answer. This thing seems to have features from several different variations. The barrel is dirty but the lands are sharp. Next time I go to the range I will see how she shoots.

[OniKoroshi]

Looks like a SCW offering.

[Bainter1212]

Spanish Civil War rifle, imported back in the early 1950's.

Interesting. Any sources for that info?

[Bainter1212]

Well I browsed this site:

http://scwmosin.weebly.com/

And it looks like it very well may be a SCW Mosin. That is awesome! My friend will be glad to know that this thing has an odd history to it.

Thanks again guys.

[Armistice]

Very interesting

You see any USSR/ URRS stamp anywhere?

[Emdawg]

Looks like a SCW Mosin Nagant.

Common themes with them from what I have seen:

Un-refurbished

Wire sling swivels

Replacement handguard and cleaning rod that are often roughly made

USSR or URRS stamp.

Lack of globe sight (not always the case)

Dark bores

[Bainter1212]

No USSR or URRS stamp, however from what I have just been reading that is not a deal breaker. Those stamps were put there by the Spanish exporters and mine may just have gone through one of the lazier ones.
This one has these possible SCW features....
Blade front sight
Wire sling hangers
Small screw at rear of rear sight base and no pins - indicates not being refurbed by the Soviets after WWII.
Original stock cartouche still in place.
Unfortunately, no MP8 cartouche is visible on the stock.
This rifle does fit into the date range for an SCW piece.

[Marcus von W.]

Interesting. Any sources for that info?

Yes. I AM THE SOURCE. When people want to know about rare and collectable Mosins (snipers especially, also Finn, SCW, dragoons and early 91/30's, etc.), they come to me. The different web sites discussing things like this are owned by friends of mine who are fellow collectors, are sites I am a member of and post regularly on, and include information and research I and other collectors have shared.

There are a number of folks like myself who have been collecting and researching Mosins for many years, own large and significant collections, and share information with each other on a regular basis. I've owned and examined a lot of SCW Mosins - after over 45 years of collecting, there are things you have seen, recognize, and just have a feel for. The condition, finish, sling hangers, lack of import mark, no later parts, upgrades, or post-war refurb characteristics, and front sight all say SCW.

[paratroop]

Yes. I AM THE SOURCE. When people want to know about rare and collectable Mosins (snipers especially, also Finn, SCW, dragoons and early 91/30's, etc.), they come to me. The different web sites discussing things like this are owned by friends of mine who are fellow collectors, are sites I am a member of and post regularly on, and include information and research I and other collectors have shared.

There are a number of folks like myself who have been collecting and researching Mosins for many years, own large and significant collections, and share information with each other on a regular basis. I've owned and examined a lot of SCW Mosins - after over 45 years of collecting, there are things you have seen, recognize, and just have a feel for. The condition, finish, sling hangers, lack of import mark, no later parts, upgrades, or post-war refurb characteristics, and front sight all say SCW.

"I am the source"

Love it! That is so awesome. You sir are one of my heroes.

[Sampachi]

Spanish Civil War rifle, imported back in the early 1950's.

I'll back up Marcus on that.
A friend of mine has a similar Mosin with the same style sling attachment. I thought that was something the Finns did but he corrected me and said that style was definitely Spanish.

[Bainter1212]

Ok Marcus, I will now refer to you as "the source" LOL. Thanks for IDing the rifle for me.