Original 1942 Izhevsk 91/30

RyanE · Feb 7, 2014

I think this original 1942 Izhevsk 91/30, to date the only one I've seen, might actually give the worst bnz45 a run for its money in the crude department. At lot of corner cutting, and absolutely terrible quality all around. Chatter everywhere! This rifle is unissued with a mint bore and all its original parts with all original finish (except perhaps the stock). While there are a few minor condition issues, the metal isn't worn. The dip blue is just terrible, very thin with splotchy color and even nonexistent in places. Fit of most of the parts is poor. Stock fitting is sloppy, magazine housing is poorly assembled and rattles, bands don't fit well, etc. 1942 was to the Soviets what 1945 was to the Germans, and it definitely shows.

Inspector's initials on the stock 'ОГ' are the same as seen on almost all original 43 rifles, so I suspect this is late 42 piece. Additionally it appears they were transitioning from one commander/inspector to another as the (soon eliminated) barrel inspection 'АП' doesn't match as they usually do. I suspect these rifles left the factory unfinished, and the shellac was probably not added until much later, probably in the 1960s. I have some period photos of late 42 SVT that seem to support this idea. Where the thin, cheap shellac has chipped off, you can see the unfinished arctic birch underneath.

Best part: no import markings! :thumbsup:

8x57mauser · Feb 7, 2014

I love it! Certainly wouldn't mind that in my collection.

Surplus Fan · Feb 8, 2014

I like it too. Looks like no import mark? Any background on this piece? I'm under the impression those without import marks are somewhat scarce but I don't focus much on these so I may have that wrong.

Pisgah · Feb 8, 2014

Surplus Fan said:
...I'm under the impression those without import marks are somewhat scarce but I don't focus much on these so I may have that wrong.

Not wrong. Non-import marked Mosins are not easy to find. Non-rebuilt matching examples are not common either.

jbmauser · Feb 8, 2014

That is a really neat 91/30 RyanE! The machining is absolutely terrible! I had a 1944 Ishevsk M44 that was pretty crude but nothing like this. My 1942 Ishevsk TT-33 wasn't this bad either.

Good find!

Kammerjaeger · Feb 8, 2014

Beautiful example of the Soviet military situation in late 1942. I would love to own that rifle. Thanks for the photos. Ryan, do you own this rifle?

KJ

RyanE · Feb 8, 2014

Surplus Fan said:
I like it too. Looks like no import mark? Any background on this piece? I'm under the impression those without import marks are somewhat scarce but I don't focus much on these so I may have that wrong.

No import markings, but this one just escaped being marked. Guy I bought it from pulled it out of the crate or so he says, so it isn't a bringback like my '38. As Pisgah noted, non-import, non-Finn matching 91/30 (or any Soviet weapon for that matter) are nearly impossible to locate. You can find imported non-refurbished examples mostly dated 1943 and 1944, though they are not at all common. The 43 and 44 rifles will sometimes have the factory matched (not a later force matched) bayonet included which is nice.

Kammerjaeger said:
Beautiful example of the Soviet military situation in late 1942. I would love to own that rifle. Thanks for the photos. Ryan, do you own this rifle?

KJ

Yep, its mine. I now have a 38, 42, and 43. All are factory original examples.

Bigdibbs88 · Feb 8, 2014

RyanE said:
Yep, its mine. I now have a 38, 42, and 43. All are factory original examples.

I hate you.

Hambone · Feb 10, 2014

Very nice Ryan. Farb has a '43 and I have a '44 with the original matched factory bayonet. It looks just like yours. I believe they came from the same source. Mine was an early import, cherry picked by someone who knew what they were doing and had access to batches of imports. He culled and pulled non-reworked, originals from the crates. There were very few of them. Mine is import marked, early tiny one line stamp on the barrel which are about gone from the way the bayonet was stored on it, point to the rear. I could probably tap a couple times and peen the import marks right off. Yours likely had them, from the same importer, lightly popped on there, which were obliterated by the mounting of the bayonet a couple times

Pic stickied for ref.

What is interesting is the reversal in quality of workmanship. Your '42 is very crude. Farb's '43 is somewhat crude, and my '44 is not crude. Here is Farb's '43:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?8256-1943-Russian-91-30-Mosin-Nagant

My '44:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?8276-M-91-30-Izhevsk-44

Original 1942 Izhevsk 91/30

RyanE

Baby Face

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8x57mauser

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