My M91/30

[Kiel_23]

I bought this gun some years ago via internet from a guy who used this poor gun as a hunting rifle. It came quite cheap and the first idea was to use it as an shooter, replacing the stock etc. But, I decided to keep it as it is

So, when it came, the front sight and the cleaning rod where missing. On top of the hex receiver there was a rail mounted to carry a red dot.

I just replaced the front sight and I am still looking for a cleaning rod. But this is just a matter of time.

The gun itself was imported by the german comany HEGE in 1976. They added their stamp - ORION
I have two numbers on that gun. Original number was 3xxxx8 and the new one, left side of the hex, has changed to 5xxxx8. The "x"part stayed correct.
Maybe just a mistake by the gunsmith. Nevertheless it is now the number in the documents

What I learned about this gun:

• It is a 1932 TULA.

• It has the K and n in circle

• additional the o in circle and an A

• some TULA stars

• barrelbands are not matching each other

I paid around 250€ (today 10. January 2023 it is around 275$)
Have a look and tell me what aou tink. Is ist just a "Frankengun", good enough for shooting, or is it, with a little bit of taking care, a solid base for completing it again

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[Junk Yard Dog]

Looks like it's original, what country was exporting 91/30 Mosins to West Germany in 1976? Soviet block countries still had these in their arsenals as reserve weapons in the mid 70's. We would not see these here in the states until after the wall came down in '89. Possibly Spain? Spanish Civil War Soviet aid rifles showed up here in the late 1950's when Franco's government sold off the captured Republican rifles. Overall the 91/30 looks pretty good, I assume the rail was attached to the sight, and no holes were drilled?

[Kiel_23]

I have no clue, but will ask some friend of mine.

Sadly the rail was mounted on top of the hex. The screws were glued in. I had to cut them and smoothed them with grinding paper. Picture is added.

Railmount -.jpg

It looks worse than it is in reality

[Kiel_23]

Looks like it's original, what country was exporting 91/30 Mosins to West Germany in 1976? Soviet block countries still had these in their arsenals as reserve weapons in the mid 70's. We would not see these here in the states until after the wall came down in '89. Possibly Spain? Spanish Civil War Soviet aid rifles showed up here in the late 1950's when Franco's government sold off the captured Republican rifles. Overall the 91/30 looks pretty good, I assume the rail was attached to the sight, and no holes were drilled?

I talked to a friend. He told me that several German companies imported guns from the eastern block in that times. Mostly they came from Belarus, Poland and the baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) NEVER from Russia - they kept their arsenals closed then.
Most guns with the "ORION" markings were deactivated for decoration or so called "salut" guns. The salut version had the barrel closed with a rod welded in. Mostly under the rear sight it got some holes then. So you were able to fire blank cartridges with a smaller caliber.
The deactivated guns got their bolt cut with an 45° angle and the chamber was welded. The Barrel got some holes drlled into it to make it useless.

These guns were good enough as wall hanger and free to buy when you were at least 18years of age. There are a lot around, but now, after the last changes in gun laws you need a permit if you want to buy one.

[Junk Yard Dog]

A permit to buy a deactivated rifle? Actually you would need paperwork to buy that here also due to the fact that the government considers the receiver to be the firearm. By the sound of things all you need do to reactivate that rifle is swap in another bolt and barrel. Mosin parts are common, if that dewat showed up here you can bet it would be back on the shooting range in a week or two. You would not need a permit here, just your ID showing over 18 years of age and a form to fill out if it's a dealer your buying it from. One friend or neighbor selling to another it's cash and hand over the rifle. Of course gun laws vary from state to state, but a Mosin 91/30 is legal to own in all 50 states without special licenses.

That is interesting that with all the hatred and paranoia going on between the communist and free worlds during the cold war that east block countries would sell weapons to Germany, and communist weapons no less. Germany was pretty much the flashpoint between east and west for decades during the Cold War and here they are selling rifles to the west. You have to wonder if the Soviets knew their socialist partner states were doing that with the weapons they got from the USSR after WW2. The Soviets themselves kept refurbishing and storing away these same type weapons right up into the 1970's, maybe even later. Then they held on to them right up to the bitter end. Even then most of the Mosins we have here came from Ukraine, or Finland.

[millman]

It is a shame they drilled and tapped it, but It is nice to see you fix it up best it can be, rather than give it the full Bubba.

[ded321]

Interesting history!