milsurp alert!! - check this out!

bp2626 said:
While I can't speak for the batch TradeEx imported, I was able to hand select from a crate of rifles in Europe and all of them had been reblued and had the stocks refinished (but NOT sanded). Hardly factory fresh but 25% of them were original matching while the others were force matched.
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The tradex ad says not refinished, but who knows?
 
ice2152 said:
Didn't see it was a detachable side folder... but still a $150 rifle with $600 bayo.
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1) I haven't see a $150 91/30 in almost 10 years. They are all $225+ for cheap refurbs.
2) Supposedly, these are factory rifles - not refurbs.
3) The rifles are modified to the bayonets with stock reliefs like an M44 stock. While the bayonet sleeve can be disassembled from the rifle by knocking out some tight fitting pins, they are are not considered removable. These rifles left the factory in this configuration, tradex didn't add rare bayos to standard rifles.
4) M44 bayonets sleeves are also removable if you remove 2 pins. The design is different than these rifles, but same idea - both rifles' sleeves are pinned on.
 
Nyles said:
You do realize the M44 bayonet is permanently attached? These are part of a trials run of 20,000 made at the end of 1943, and use a different bayonet. There were these, what became the M44 and an intermediate length model, and the carbine length was chosen.
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Incorrect. These are part of a batch of 5000 trials rifles (not carbines) made in December 1943. Ratnik's book covers them, there were only 5000 - all made on new rifles pulled off the izhevsk production line. Some were issued, some appear to have not been issued. Tradex says all rifles in their batch were VG or better and that they appear to not be refurbs, but who knows? Some might be refurbed - we are only going off the one they posted a pic of, which was definitely a factory non-refurb gun.

These were not the first experiment. According to Ratnik's book, the M44 trials guns were made first based on augmenting the M38 carbine, then the M44L to see if one length could supplant both rifle and carbine, then these guns in Dec 43 to see if it made sense to convert all 91/30's. It didn't, so no additional folding bayo rifles were made.
 
The numbers match (Receiver, Bolt, Butt Plate & Magazine). The overall condition is very good.

Does not appear to have been refurbished. Blueing wear at muzzle and bayonet. Usual slather of lacquer.

Very interesting rifle.

MN001.JPG


MN002.JPG


MN003.JPG


MN004.JPG


Cheers,

B
 
Looking at your last picture, is it possible there is no finish on the top of the stock?

But still great news!
 
Is it the only place that it lacks?

Well I suspect they might all be like that as even the stock photo from tradeex seems like yours
mosin1.jpg
 
Claven2 said:
Many rare and expensive milsurps are just garbage. That's why very few of the rare ones were made. The best variants were adopted, produced in the millions, and aren;t nearly as valuable as a result.

And the "plain jane" 91/30 you have is a mixmaster refurb that's been renumbered to match, while these ones are factory fresh originals. Even without folding bayo, these would be $800+ rifles to collectors for that reason.
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I get it: the stampings match up. I've never been one to collect on those terms, but if it floats your boat, have at it.

My plane Jane 1942 M91/30 will shoot 1.5moa with my hand loads, and that's what I like about it.
 
Horilka said:
Looks like light refurb, new coating for stock and reblued metal. Post pictures here, I'll request support of heavy artillery - Ratnik.
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Of the rifles I sent photos of to Ratnik, he confirmed what I saw, recoated stock and reblued metal. Looks like they're all the same.
 
Tyler said:
I get it: the stampings match up. I've never been one to collect on those terms, but if it floats your boat, have at it.

My plane Jane 1942 M91/30 will shoot 1.5moa with my hand loads, and that's what I like about it.
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might have something to do with being surviving examples of the only 5000 of a potential 37 million produced
 
bp2626 said:
Of the rifles I sent photos of to Ratnik, he confirmed what I saw, recoated stock and reblued metal. Looks like they're all the same.
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Another member here viewed the in Europe and thought about 75% of them were at least partially reworked while the balance were basically untouched. Will be interesting to see what ppl list up in the next couple days.
 
Claven2 said:
Another member here viewed the in Europe and thought about 75% of them were at least partially reworked while the balance were basically untouched. Will be interesting to see what ppl list up in the next couple days.
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Yeah, I had the opportunity to go through a crate but that's not representative of the entire lot. What I saw was about 25-35% were original matching, 5% (estimate) were early 1944 and all of them were reblued and refinished. Wish I could have gone through more but I was overly excited. Wish I had known Anthony was bringing some in, sigh.
 
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