[gunhorde]

Here's another odd one - no maker, no date M91/30. I picked this one up at the Owatonna Fleet Farm for $89.99 a year or two ago. There are a number of small proofs on the receiver and stock, including several of the small "crossed rifles" in a circle stamps. As the milling and chatter marks in the photos show it's NOT scrubbed, it was never marked in the first place. IIRC it's all stamped matching. Weird....

 

[Denny]

Gunhorde, Is it a round receiver? I wonder if you could narrow the maker down by finding similiar SN fonts? Denny

 

[rocker98]

And no letter prefix as well. Looks to be 42-43 typical receiver and barrel.

Nice! How's the bore? Any other stamps under the action? Under the butt plate, in the barrel channel?

Gary

 

[DudleyDR]

That is a very interesting one! Congrats! DDR

 

[7.62x54r]

Is that rear sight base on a sleeve rather than a dovetail? I can't tell from the picture. Compare it to this one, although other features of your rifle do not "fit". http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRareAlbM9130.htm

 

[Radom]

I've seen a few that had the mill/lathe marks across the top of the barrel shank, but under the wood they were a lot smoother. Indicating, possibly, that those machine marks may well NOT have been on the gun originally. The ones I've seen did still have enough of the markers marks & dates to make them out, but I suspected the serial numbers weren't original. Gunhorde, are the machining marks on your barrel shank uniform all the way around the shank?

 

[combat32]

Replacement receiver used during refurb perhaps? Looks typical of a 42 or 43 Izhevsk as far as the machining, Interesting to say the least.

 

[brockj]

I think it might be Albanian, compare the handgaurd to the pics on 7.62x54r.net.....it does looked raised...

 

[gunhorde]

The handguard matches the Albanian one, but the rear sight base is dovetailed, not sleeved. The machining marks are consistent all the way around the shank. I re-checked it at lunchtime and took some pics that I'll post later tonight. The SSE's are late/post war pressed-in, but the barrel band springs are milled, not stamped. Nothing unusual marked in the barrel channel, just wear marks. The trigger guard and buttplate are stamped lineout force matched. The bolt looks ground and re-stamped matching. Round receiver.

 

[7.62x54r]

With a standard rear sight base I'd say there's nothing about it indicating it's Albanian.

 

[gunhorde]

With a standard rear sight base I'd say there's nothing about it indicating it's Albanian.

I agree, I was just pointing out that the wood on the rear of the handguard is raised exactly the same way as the one pictured on your Albanian M91/30 page. Other than that it appears just like a standard M91/30, minus arsenal and date markings.

 

[gunhorde]

More photos

Here's a few more photos showing the milling marks all the way around the barrel shank, the dovetailed rear sight base and the rear of the handguard.

 

[Spetznatz]

It is a very interesting rifle. I have a dumb question in the first pic of the barrel in your original post is that active rust in two of the proof marks?

 

[gunhorde]

NOT rust !!

It is a very interesting rifle. I have a dumb question in the first pic of the barrel in your original post is that active rust in two of the proof marks?

It's not rust, it's remnants of that reddish/orange marking paint found in the S/N and rear sight slides of some rifles. The topmost proof is the most heavily marked/painted, some of it has worn off. It was a LOT more clearly marked when I first got the rifle. You can see some in the serial # stamp, and a few flecks along the barrel/receiver seam. I was hesitant to clean it much since I didn't want to take the paint off. From what I've read this was done at the arsenal or by the exporter, NOT the importer. I've got a nice 1938 Tula M91/30 with the same reddish orange paint, but much more clearly marked than this one.