milsurp alert!! - check this out!
- Thread starter Claven2
- Start date
Both are reblued. The serial numbers were struck after bluing and leave a clear halo of raw steel around the characters as well as some bluing loss in the characters themselves.
Here are the barrel markings from my non-refurb original matching Finn capture 1940 Tula 91/30. It's the same on my other non-refurbished Mosins, from pre-war, wartime and postwar.
I suspect the reason that these rifles show no finish on the top of stocks is that they were originally just oil finished, typical ersatz finish in 1943. The refurbishment they received was probably a non-standard refurbishment from a Satellite nation but I don't know for sure.
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I'd be inclined to agree. The halo of white steel around the serial develops with wear and tear and might not be very well developed on a hardly used or unissued rifle. But, reblued or not, those are two beautiful rifles BP2626!
milsurpo
I have an unissued (or hardly used) 1946 M44 that shows clear and easily identifiable halos. Not nearly as distinct as the above 91/30 but it's quite obvious.
I do have a colour vision deficiency though, not opposed to a second opinion.
When y'all get yours in the mail give the barrel shank a wipe down with acetone or alcohol and take some photos.
I can't see the rifles in person, so I'll have to take your word for it.
I got mine, it's definitely had a coat of shellac, but the stock was not sanded prior. The serials all look original in izhevsk font, though there's a spot on the bolt where it looks like the worker filed off part of the serial prefix and re-stamped it, but the fonts match, so it's probably original.
Can't tell much more until I clean it, mine's heavily oiled and I have to go to TaeKwon Do before I can get at it later tonight. Pics to follow. Also, my stock roundel is double-stamped. I guess Ivan was drunk or in a hurry or both.
Not sure about everyone else, but mine is max-crude. Has every 1943 shortcut that was ever used. Cool gun, but lacking all refinement. Should be interesting to see if any serial number patterns emerge? Mine is a 3A like your first gun.
Take many photos!!!
All the 1943s I observed were ЗX block, ЗД, ЗН, ЗЖ and ЗЕ.
The 1944 was a ГВ and was a heavy refurb with every serial number force matched. Honestly looked like it was rebuilt into a M43 pattern later.
Check out this interesting force match, over stamp of a single digit in a different font without bothering to match the prefix. Doesn't look like Russian work to me.
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Give someone a dwi-dolio chagi followed by a bi chagi for me at TKDo.
Here's mine. Sorry for the crummy light, it's getting dark out.
I haven't really cleaned this yet, just a light wipe down. I need to give it a good cleaning and inspection, likely tomorrow. So this is out of the box, wiped down quickly with an old T-shirt. For the guy who asked - no cleaning kit, pouches or sling are included - as though that mattered.
The base rifle is not unaltered. There is a shallow dish sanded or milled into the side of the stock, just aft of the rear band to make room for the tip of the bayonet. I expect this was done when the rifle was made.
Mine has a coat of shellac on it, but based on some exposed areas, it looks like it originally only had an oil finish and the shellac was added some time later, presumably as a preservative or some sort. If it's been re-blued, nothing was buffed or cleaned first and it was a hot dip of the barrelled action. IF. There's no evidence of actual use anywhere on the rifle, no nicks, dings, rough handling marks, dings in the metal beyond the rough manufacturing marks, etc. There's no real "halo", but I'm in the school of thought that halo's develop from people handling the rifle and the high points being finish-worn first.
You can still see where the stock was rasped down to the buttplate contour when the stock was made, they didn't bother to sand it smooth under the pressures of total war and they just oiled it and sent it out the door.
You can also see where most of the bolt ledge is untouched, but where the prefix it, that area was lightly sanded or filed. I figure either they mis-stamped the prefix, or maybe there was some rust or a pit or something that was filed out after the serial number was stamped. The serial number matches the fonts on the rest of the rifle perfectly, so I don't believe it was renumbered. Likely it was cleaned up at manufacture for some reason or other.
The bolt knob is pretty crude, only partially machined round. Definitely a a wartime expedient rifle.
Overall I'm happy with the gun. Bore is super clean - perhaps unfired since proofing. I'm happy to have this one.
I haven't really cleaned this yet, just a light wipe down. I need to give it a good cleaning and inspection, likely tomorrow. So this is out of the box, wiped down quickly with an old T-shirt. For the guy who asked - no cleaning kit, pouches or sling are included - as though that mattered.
The base rifle is not unaltered. There is a shallow dish sanded or milled into the side of the stock, just aft of the rear band to make room for the tip of the bayonet. I expect this was done when the rifle was made.
Mine has a coat of shellac on it, but based on some exposed areas, it looks like it originally only had an oil finish and the shellac was added some time later, presumably as a preservative or some sort. If it's been re-blued, nothing was buffed or cleaned first and it was a hot dip of the barrelled action. IF. There's no evidence of actual use anywhere on the rifle, no nicks, dings, rough handling marks, dings in the metal beyond the rough manufacturing marks, etc. There's no real "halo", but I'm in the school of thought that halo's develop from people handling the rifle and the high points being finish-worn first.
You can still see where the stock was rasped down to the buttplate contour when the stock was made, they didn't bother to sand it smooth under the pressures of total war and they just oiled it and sent it out the door.
You can also see where most of the bolt ledge is untouched, but where the prefix it, that area was lightly sanded or filed. I figure either they mis-stamped the prefix, or maybe there was some rust or a pit or something that was filed out after the serial number was stamped. The serial number matches the fonts on the rest of the rifle perfectly, so I don't believe it was renumbered. Likely it was cleaned up at manufacture for some reason or other.
The bolt knob is pretty crude, only partially machined round. Definitely a a wartime expedient rifle.
Overall I'm happy with the gun. Bore is super clean - perhaps unfired since proofing. I'm happy to have this one.
DJdeadlyDALEK
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Waterloo Region of Ontario
Niiiiiiiiice
ITF or WTF TKD?
As for rifle - definitely additional oxidation on top of original bluing. It is what it is, these rifles are/were only available as relics or as light refurbs with coated stocks and reblued metal. There are no other options of getting them. And if bearded bird is correct we got in Canada 50 out of 300 that became available in Europe.
As for rifle - definitely additional oxidation on top of original bluing. It is what it is, these rifles are/were only available as relics or as light refurbs with coated stocks and reblued metal. There are no other options of getting them. And if bearded bird is correct we got in Canada 50 out of 300 that became available in Europe.
Mightymoose410
Regular
- Location
- Beautiful Vancouver Island
Damn you gone already
I will try to get more pictures of mine up tomorrow. I have been collecting Russian rifles for a long time now. I think you have to agree that this is the most exciting variation to appear in the last thirty years. Sure gems appear occasionally, but these are of special interest. There were so few made, the price will never go down.
Cheers!
B
Cheers!
B
