My Soviet collection updated 23/02/2016 on page 4

I have seen a fin capture soviet 91 a few times over the years and I am pretty sure the Spanish got some too. I would have bought them too but that dammed infinite desires, finite resources thing kept rearing it's ugly head.
 
Thanks for the comments all, as the collection gets updated I will post more photos. Likely I might get a other SKS was thinking a Izhevsk manufactured one (just because my Tula isn't the best example and you can never have too many SKS') and might also get another SVT-40 but with a actual SVT-40 stock (instead of the AVT-40) and a 6 port muzzle break (instead of the 4 port). Otherwise it is just keeping my eyes open for what comes available.
 
Well I decided to do a update since it has been a bit over a year since my last update. I ended up selling both the M44 and the Ex-Dragoon M91/30, the M44 to help fund the M91 Dragoon (I knew I could replace the M44 relatively easily, finding a M91 Dragoon however is much more difficult), and the Ex-Dragoon M91/30 because I don't think it was a distinct enough model for what I am looking for in a collection.

Here is a photo of the collection currently, overall I am very close to what I set out to achieve with it. My main goal is to get the one of the main variants of Soviet small arms, and at this point all I am missing is a M44, a M1895 Nagant Revolver and a SVT-38. All of those except the SVT-38 could be reasonably obtained fairly easily, however for the time being I have other sides of my collection I have been focusing on so it might be a while before I finish my Soviet collection.



From the top down
M91 Infantry Rifle manufactured in 1926 by Tula on a 1898 Tula receiver. A M91 Dragoon manufactured in 1927 by Tula, captured by the Finns around the continuation war, stock was sanded, handguard switched for a M91/30 one, front sight was changed to a higher one to bring POI dead on at 100m, but also making it so it can't accept a M91 bayonet without some extreme difficulty. M91/30 made in 1939 by Izhevsk. M38 Carbine made in 1943 by Izhevsk. SVT-40 made in 1941 by Tula. TT-33 made in 1945 by Izhevsk, all matching with matching magazines. And finally a 1950 manufactured SKS, in a laminate stock.
 
Very good gathering of old Soviet vets. Imagine the scramble that TT33 was made under in 1945. The Red army was busy, busy chasing the Germans back across their own country. Olga and Ivan were under a lot of stress.
 
My M38 Carbine is the roughest by far. By 1945, things had calmed down a little as they were clearly going to win, 1943, they weren't so sure. Currently I have been learning how to machine, and I now understand exactly how you get that rough machined finish, just throw it in the lathe and go as fast as you can. The TT-33 actually isn't really rough at all, it might have even been made after WWII as the finish is quite nice.
 
I don't consider those Soviet arms as they never produced them.

Yes they did.

"In 1907 Russia adopted a carbine for use by rear echelon and calvary troops..... Relatively few M1907s were built compared to the M91 and Dragoon models and even less have survived, making these a prize in any Mosin collection. Primary production was at Izhevsk with some Dragoon and Cossack rifles being altered at Sestroryetsk."

Quoted from 7.62x54r.net
 
Yes they did.

"In 1907 Russia adopted a carbine for use by rear echelon and calvary troops..... Relatively few M1907s were built compared to the M91 and Dragoon models and even less have survived, making these a prize in any Mosin collection. Primary production was at Izhevsk with some Dragoon and Cossack rifles being altered at Sestroryetsk."

Quoted from 7.62x54r.net

Yes Russia produced them, in particular Imperial Russia. The USSR/Soviet Union (aka Soviet Russia) never produced M1907 Carbines as production was believed to stop in about 1915 (which was still Imperial rule). The Soviets didn't even exist until about 1917/1919 area. The Soviets also never even built firearms at Sestroryetsk, as during the Russian Civil War the whole factory was conscripted and production never started up again after that.
 
Can't get a 12.X licence, would love to have those however. I see no point in having a dewat as well, there just expensive paperweights at that point.

Well, then apart of SVT38, M1895 revolver and M44 which is easy to find I would say you're close to the point when you can call it complete. Though SVT-38 would be either hard to find or very expensive (or both at the same time). Soviet M91 and Dragoon are highlights of your collection, I sold mine while ago, when I had interest only in Imperial M91s and now regret this very much.
 
Well, then apart of SVT38, M1895 revolver and M44 which is easy to find I would say you're close to the point when you can call it complete. Though SVT-38 would be either hard to find or very expensive (or both at the same time). Soviet M91 and Dragoon are highlights of your collection, I sold mine while ago, when I had interest only in Imperial M91s and now regret this very much.

I am well aware that the M91s are the highlights, it took a long time to find those (and both are the only ones I have seen for sale in Canada for 5 years). I debate getting rid of them sometimes to try and get other milsurps, but each time I consider it I realize that once there gone, I won't be getting another for a long time. Plus the fact that the value is a fraction of the effort it takes to find them, also ends up with me keeping them each time.

It will likely take a while for me to complete it, realistically a SVT-38 won't be happening unless we luck out and a couple crates come in from somewhere for a reasonable price (no way am I paying 3-6k for a less efficient SVT-40). The rest of it I could complete relatively easily, but at the moment I have other areas that have been interesting me more (like WWI Long Rifles, or Swiss Rifles).
 
Well heres a update. I got myself another M44. This one is a 1946 produced Izhevsk example, all matching except the floor plate and the stock. The stock is a Czechoslovakian produced one, and the rifle has no Soviet Refurb markings on it (possibly refurbished by the Czechoslovakians or maybe not refurbished at all). It is a older import, the person I got it from said they had it for 20 years, and never fired it (they are the second owner). Taking the stock off showed quite a fair bit of cosmoline on the underside, which would also help indicate it hasn't been fired, at least not much. Now for some pictures.







 
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