The first M91/30 "Mosin-Nagant" rifle in my collection was a 1942r Izhevsk. I really liked it a lot, and it was one of the first pieces that got me into firearms collecting. However, 1942 Izhevsk M91/30s are considered by many to be the least rare and least desirable of all "Mosin-Nagant" rifles. For a while, I have been passively looking for a way to upgrade it...
My grandmother was born in 1930 in Zhytomir, Ukraine and her entire family was incredibly impacted by World War II. I thought that finding a 1930 dated "Mosin-Nagant" would a great way to upgrade my 1942 Izhevsk M91/30 to something a little less common while also honoring my family history.
For a while, I had been surfing gun auction sites. I had found a few examples that suited my needs... but the bidding always went way above a dollar amount that I was comfortable paying ($350+! ). Yes I would be willing to pay a little more as this would be a sentimental rifle... but in the end, it would still be a type of rifle that I could go online and pay for $150. I am not willing to pay $200 more for a particular date stamped on the barrel shank...
About two weeks ago, a gentleman on another forum approached me with a rifle for sale at a fraction of the ridiculous prices I mentioned earlier. It is a 1930r Tula... It's in a wartime stock and appears to be all matching with the exception of the buttplate which is Izhevsk marked and has a forced serial number match. From the poor photos, I am optimistic that this rifle will be very nice.
A this rifle was made in 1930, it COULD be an older style "Dragoon" that was updated to M91/30 configuration. I've read that the only way to tell for sure is to see how the rear sight is mounted to the barrel... if the fit isn't perfect, it could be an older style "Dragoon" updated with the newer style M91/30 sight... we shall see!
I don't normally name my rifles... but when I found thought I'd name this one "Лидия" (Lydia) in honor of my grandmother. or should it be "Лідія" as she is from the Ukraine...? I'll have to ask her how she spells her name in Cyrillic...
As I write this, my new rifle on a UPS truck that is "Out For Delivery" and the rifle should be in my hands by the end of the day. I'm very excited!
Here are the photos that the seller provided:
I'll be sure to post better photos once I receive the rifle and get a chance to clean her up!
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