N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
Don't know why the odd ones seem to find me, but I won't argue.
Judging by the serial number, this New England Westinghouse M91 was likely built in 1916, while the contract with Russia was still valid. But it doesn't appear to have been shipped out of the U.S. No other marks from another country, and no import marks.
It's constructed entirely of N.E.W. parts. The barrel serial number is lined out. The bolt is not numbered, and not scrubbed, it just never received a number. The floorplate is blank, which is usual. And the buttplate number on the gorgeous dark walnut stock matches the barrel.
This gun shows some moderate wear and tear on the bolt and in the receiver channel. The bore is good to excellent, but shows that it has been fired. And surprisingly, by the wear pattern on the muzzle end, it appears to have donned a bayonet many times. But overall, it is in great shape for a century old piece.
Oh, the oddest thing. It doesn't have the usual English Contract identification on the left buttstock. Instead, it has a very crisp and rarely encountered Meriden Arsenal cartouche on the right side, dated 1916.
Pics, enjoy, and thanks for looking folks.
Judging by the serial number, this New England Westinghouse M91 was likely built in 1916, while the contract with Russia was still valid. But it doesn't appear to have been shipped out of the U.S. No other marks from another country, and no import marks.
It's constructed entirely of N.E.W. parts. The barrel serial number is lined out. The bolt is not numbered, and not scrubbed, it just never received a number. The floorplate is blank, which is usual. And the buttplate number on the gorgeous dark walnut stock matches the barrel.
This gun shows some moderate wear and tear on the bolt and in the receiver channel. The bore is good to excellent, but shows that it has been fired. And surprisingly, by the wear pattern on the muzzle end, it appears to have donned a bayonet many times. But overall, it is in great shape for a century old piece.
Oh, the oddest thing. It doesn't have the usual English Contract identification on the left buttstock. Instead, it has a very crisp and rarely encountered Meriden Arsenal cartouche on the right side, dated 1916.
Pics, enjoy, and thanks for looking folks.
Last edited by martin08 on Wed Jan 14, 2015 5:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
No words of wisdom come to mind at this time....
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
Oh my!!! Veeeery nice rifle, sir.
Love that stock cartouche!
Love that stock cartouche!
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
All around gorgeous! Amazing stock.
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
Wow. Where do you find this stuff???
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” George Orwell, English novelist, essayist, and critic, 1903-1950
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
That's a beauty.
Why did the Meridan factory use a different cartouche?
Why did the Meridan factory use a different cartouche?
Kollaa kestää
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
Very nice. Any guesses on the lined-out serial?
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
Great rifle Matt, I like that a lot.
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
Didn't you read the first line of the post? It found me!millman wrote:Wow. Where do you find this stuff???
A fellow who restores guns for museums gave me a jingle. Not a usual specimen for him.
Dunno? It is quite scarce. The only other one I have seen is pictured on http://62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinMarks01.htm Row 29 :Column C.Lee-online wrote:That's a beauty.
Why did the Meridan factory use a different cartouche?
But Charles Clawson, author of American-Made Mosin Nagant Rifles, states that the first Meriden production began as trial rifles, beginning around serial number 508,000.
This serial is slightly before that mark - which might explain the lined out number? Maybe it was a 'pre-trial' trial rifle.
No words of wisdom come to mind at this time....
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
Wow I love it ! I'm looking for a MN from the Great War era that is in my price range. That's the sticking point.
Great score, congrats !
Great score, congrats !
If at first you don't succeed, reload and try again.
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
Bayonet use would indicate it was used in training by somebody. State guard, plant guard, even Hollywood movie use. Maybe a company executive who took it home and used it to stab things in the garden.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meridan Stock Cartouche
martin08 wrote:Didn't you read the first line of the post? It found me! :lmillman wrote:Wow. Where do you find this stuff???
A fellow who restores guns for museums gave me a jingle. Not a usual specimen for him.
Touche. Another damn fine specimen.
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” George Orwell, English novelist, essayist, and critic, 1903-1950
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
Nice, you have some very nice friends.
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
That is real nice Matt. I thought you were gonna say it was a yard sale find.
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
Trying to decipher Clawson's chronology....
.... best I can conclude from his description of the phasing out of the Stevens Hill plant in Chicopee Falls (April - June, 1917), and through the start up transition of the final assembly plant in Meriden, the original (Stevens Hill) Large Curved Logo design was used on roughly 6,000 trials rifles at Meriden (about 6 days of production). When regular contract production was assumed, the straight line logo was utilized to the end of New England Westinghouse manufacturing.
These trial rifles received the Meriden stock cartouche. Clawson's serial range for the trial rifles are estimated at 508,000 through 514,000. But he also states that tooling and employees were shifted from Stevens Hill to Meriden, and perhaps my barrel with the curved Stevens logo and the 501,000 serial was also brought over from Stevens, or trial rifle production started a little earlier than Clawson estimated.
.... best I can conclude from his description of the phasing out of the Stevens Hill plant in Chicopee Falls (April - June, 1917), and through the start up transition of the final assembly plant in Meriden, the original (Stevens Hill) Large Curved Logo design was used on roughly 6,000 trials rifles at Meriden (about 6 days of production). When regular contract production was assumed, the straight line logo was utilized to the end of New England Westinghouse manufacturing.
These trial rifles received the Meriden stock cartouche. Clawson's serial range for the trial rifles are estimated at 508,000 through 514,000. But he also states that tooling and employees were shifted from Stevens Hill to Meriden, and perhaps my barrel with the curved Stevens logo and the 501,000 serial was also brought over from Stevens, or trial rifle production started a little earlier than Clawson estimated.
No words of wisdom come to mind at this time....
Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
Beautiful NEW rifle and excellent photos as usual. Thanks for sharing!
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
That's a damn fine rifle you got there.
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
Sweet
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Re: N.E.W. M91, 1916 Meriden Stock Cartouche
That cartouche is phenomenal. Great find!