Markings on M91/59

[greywolf67nt]

I was given a boltless M91/59 on the weekend and am trying to figure out where it was produced.
I realize it is a chopped down 91/30 but the stamp is just a blank star. I have checked online and all I found was one example and it said it was from the ministry of defense.
Here is a crappy pic. I will try colouring it in with something tonight to make it show up better.

The date is 1942

 

[JP]

A bit of a mistery on these, some say done in Russia others Bulgaria. No definitive proof on either theory.

 

[bp2626]

From collector's observations in the USA: Some of the rifles have Bulgarian proof / acceptance marks.

Also, the 91/38s are 100% Bulgarian as I've seen the Bulgarian markings on them myself. They also came with Bulgarian slings with Bulgarian proofs. The unique rear sight cut on the 91/38 is the same on the 91/59. Since the 91/38 is confirmed to be of Bulgarian origin and some of the 91/59s have been observed with Bulgarian markings, combined with the fact the 91/59 has the same rear sight cut out as the 91/38, I think we can safely say the 91/59 is of Bulgarian origin. By 1959 Russia had millions of SKS and AK47s and had absolutely no need to make new Mosin carbines. They had already ceased production on the 38 pattern rifles by late 1944 and had standardized on the 44 pattern as well.

tl;dr Your rifle was made in Russia and was later converted to a carbine in Bulgaria in 1959. The Star marking is from the Tula arsenal.

 

[JP]

Many people will argue that the M91/38 are Czech conversion and not Bulgarian at all. The one I have seen had Czech markings.

 

[bp2626]

Many people will argue that the M91/38 are Czech conversion and not Bulgarian at all. The one I have seen had Czech markings.

Those markings are actually Bulgarian, some of them are similar. The Czech theory has been completely debunked by the collectors over at Gunboards. The Czechs never fielded any Mosins beyond some sniper rifles. They issued Mausers post-war, followed by vz. 52, vz .52/57, vz. 58, et al.

You can read this thread: http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?402211-Could-the-91-38-mystery-be-over

The markings they talk about "The Circle KK # (probably Качество Контролер, Quality Controller, or some variation thereof followed by his assigned number)"

Are present on Bulgarian M95s and the Bulgarian Mosin carbine slings, which I imported from Bulgaria myself. They are also visible on the Bulgarian refurbished SVT-40 magazines which came to Canada wrapped in Bulgarian newspaper and with Bulgarian SVT-40 slings. What we used to think were Soviet "M38 slings" and Soviet "SVT-40 slings" are actually just Bulgarian. Since the 91/38s, 91/59s and Bulgarian refurbished SVT-40s came with these things and we didn't know any better we presumed them to be Soviet. After some research and some conversations we now know that: There are no Soviet Mosin carbine slings, at all, never were. (Might be Imperial slings for 1907, etc). Soviet SVT-40 slings are basically unobtanium. Even Vic eventually concluded that these items were Bulgarian, contrary to what is published on mosinnagant.net.