Original Item: Only One Available. These are so very rare, and one of a very few examples that we have had in decades. A real pre-1899 Antique Russian Mosin-Nagant M1891 Full Length Rifle, more officially referred to as the "Three Line Infantry Rifle, Model of 1891." This example was never converted to the 91/30 standard, and is still in the original full length. It does have the stock cross bolt for use with the heavier "Spitzer" bullets used, and has the sling slots in place of swivels, but otherwise it is still in the original issued configuration.

The rifle has lots of issue markings, and is marked with serial number 18465 over the chamber and on the butt plate, while the other markings are non-matching. Unlike almost all of the previous Mosin-Nagant rifles we have had, we do not see any Finnish markings at all! Many of the antique Mosins on the market came out of Finland, where they had been in use since the late 19th century, and were then used during the "Winter War" or "Continuation War" with the Soviet Union, which occurred during the WWII Period. We also noted that the Imperial Russian proofs on the barrel and receiver have been ground away, something that would have only really happened if it was in use by Soviet Forces. We also noted that there are no import markings stamped on the underside of the barrel, so it most likely was imported prior to 1968. It might have even come home with a USGI after WWII! This is definitely a rifle with an interesting history!

The Russian "Mosin-Nagant" bolt-action rifle is arguably the most-produced rifle in history, with around 37 million being produced in various versions in several different countries. This number easily surpasses the Lee-Enfield, Mauser GEW98 and Mauser K98K in number produced. The reasons for this are multiple, including both the size of Russia and later USSR, as well as the long service life of this design, which is still in use today in some locations.

The history of what is known as the "Mosin-Nagant" rifle begins in the late 19th century in Russia, following the Russo-Ottoman war. During the course of the war, it became apparent that Russian troops needed a modern bolt-action rifle to compete with the rest of the world, so they started evaluations in 1889 on what would become the general issue rifle for infantry troops. Three designs were submitted, and at the time in Russia bullet diameter was measured in "line"s, where one line was 1/10 of an inch. This is what gave rise to the official name of the rifle, the "3-line rifle, Model 1891", as it was in .30cal, or 7.62mm. The name "Mosin-Nagant" is in reality somewhat of a misnomer, as the design chosen was designed by Mosin, not Nagant. However due to legal issues with Nagant over certain design aspects of the rifle, his name was attached to the design as well, leading to the name used in most of the world, the "Mosin-Nagant Model 1891". Three other models would subsequently be put into service prior to WWI: the M1891 Dragoon, the M1891 Cossack, and the M1907 Carbine.

The official designation of this model is 3-линии пехотная винтовка образца 1891–го года which translates to "Three Line Infantry Rifle, Model of 1891". It has the cross bolt to reinforce the stock against recoil, and the flip up rear sight correctly goes up to 3200 арши́ны (arshíny) an archaic measurement used by Russia through the first world war. Roughly equal to 71.12 cm, the ranges (4 to 12) on the left side of the sight base are actually still intact! There have also not been any markings in meters added to the right side of the sight base, making this one of the very few times we have had a Mosin-Nagant without a modified sight. The sight is complete and fully functional, with the locking buttons on both sides still present.

As mentioned previously, the "Imperial Russian Double Headed Eagle over Cyrillic letters Л К" markings on the barrel and receiver were removed long ago, however the original manufacture markings and date on the top of the barrel are still present and mostly legible:

СЕСТРОРѢЦКІЙ
(Arrow)
ОРУЖЕЙНБІЙ ЗАВОДЪ
1895г.
№
18465

These markings indicate original manufacture in 1895 at the "Sestroretsk Weapons Plant", a rare maker that we have only have a few Mosin-Nagant rifles from before. The "г" after the date is short for год "god", or year in English. The bottom rear of the receiver is correctly marked 9 (Arrow) 5, so it is the original receiver for this barrel. This also means that this is definitely a Pre-1899 antique firearm. The industrial city of Sestroretsk is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, the Sestra River and the Sestroretskiy Lake 34 kilometers northwest of St. Petersburg, Russia. Sestroretsk was founded by Peter the Great in 1714 due to the construction of this arms factory, today known as the "Sestroretsk Toolmaking Factory".

The bolt looks to have markings partly removed, and the serial number remarked, however we can see a very faint "Arrow in Triangle" marking on the firing pin holder, the Post-1928 Soviet marking for Izhvesk arsenal. That means this rifle was definitely in Soviet service, and not one of many left over in Finland after the revolution. The lower barrel band, magazine housing, and butt plate are all marked with the "Hammer" marking of Tula arsenal, a Czarist marking which was discontinued following the Russian revolution and subsequent civil war. Parts were very often swapped around during arsenal service, and this is a rifle that saw use for probably over 50 years!

Condition of the rifle is very good, especially considering the age and amount of service it must have seen. The stock is in very good condition, with the usual denting and scratches expected from a rifle that saw long service. There is however no major damage, and it really has a great color. There have been small studs added next to the barrel bands to help keep them in place, a modification often seen as it was hard to keep the barrel bands tight after a while as the stock was worn down.

The metalwork is in good shape, showing a lovely aged patina, and no signs of a major refurbish in the past. The bolt is still bright steel, with just a few areas of past oxidation, now cleaned away. It still retains the original cleaning rod, which is in good shape, still threading properly into the stock. The rifle cycles well, with a crisp dry fire, though we have no way to test the magazine for feeding. The bore is in very good condition, still showing strong land and grooves, though it definitely shows a good amount of use. There is overall past oxidation and fouling, so the finish is definitely a bit dark in the grooves. 

A wonderful piece of Russian and Firearms history, much as it was when originally made in the late 19th century! One of the very few we have had that was not used by the Finnish! Ready to research and display!

Specifications (Rifle):-

Year of Manufacture: 1895
Caliber:7.62×54mmR Russian
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 31 1/2 Inches
Overall Length: 51 1/2 Inches
Action type: Bolt Action
Feed System: 5 Round Internal