I decided to celebrate an end of my seagoing career by treating myself with champagne and a Mosin rifle. Local buy and sell site advertised one with very right price, but no picture. So, I decided to buy it anyway, just to see what it is and called the seller. A guy didn't know anything about Mosins, just told me it is old.
And it turned out to be an SA and D marked 1938 Tula with "Firefighting Police" stamp. I assume that at some time of it's service it was in use somewhere around Mitava, Latvian SSR (also Mitau or presently Elgava, Republic of Latvia). Then it was captured by Germans who later supplied these to Finland where they were refurbed after/during the war. I am assuming that "Mi" means Mitava, not Minsk since "Riga" stamped examples are known and, if follow the logic "Mi" puts it to Latvian SSR, not Belorussian SSR...IMHO. Quick google search showed that a few examples are known in States and I have seen one on CGN, but it was a Soviet refurb, I believe.
I also have an M91 with Austrian capture stamp and SA as well. I assume that this one was captured during WWI on Austria-Hungarian battlefields and later suppled by Austria to Finland. Another interesting piece of history!
And it turned out to be an SA and D marked 1938 Tula with "Firefighting Police" stamp. I assume that at some time of it's service it was in use somewhere around Mitava, Latvian SSR (also Mitau or presently Elgava, Republic of Latvia). Then it was captured by Germans who later supplied these to Finland where they were refurbed after/during the war. I am assuming that "Mi" means Mitava, not Minsk since "Riga" stamped examples are known and, if follow the logic "Mi" puts it to Latvian SSR, not Belorussian SSR...IMHO. Quick google search showed that a few examples are known in States and I have seen one on CGN, but it was a Soviet refurb, I believe.
I also have an M91 with Austrian capture stamp and SA as well. I assume that this one was captured during WWI on Austria-Hungarian battlefields and later suppled by Austria to Finland. Another interesting piece of history!
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