Question for Mosin Nagant owners

[darkminstrel]

I just bought an M91/30 from Century International Imports. What concerns me is that it has two SNs. Two on the receiver and one on both the bolt and bayonet. One of the SNs looks cut in by hand on the receiver, bolt, and bayonet.

Is this a mismatched bolt?

There is one on the side, that is the importer's SN and current legal serial. The one on the top of the receiver, side of the bolt, and face of the mag well are the ones provided when the rifle was built originally. If they aren't clean stamps and look more like little dots or as if they were poorly scratched in by a petulant three year old then you've got a force-matched rifle that was assembled from replacement parts. Not saying that you've got a bad rifle, just that when it was taken out of service and rearsenaled certain parts needed replacement or were missing.

 

[shoggoth80]

I have never seen a matching bayonet ever. If the number looks handcut, it is generally referred to as electro penciled, or EP'd. is that on the bayonet?

There will be two numbers on the receiver... the original Russian serial, and the importer serial number. Does your bolt match the original number?

 

[mesinge2]

The hand one does match, but it definetly is not machine stamped

 

[shoggoth80]

So you are saying that your bolt carries the electro-penciled number?

 

[mesinge2]

So you are saying that your bolt carries the electro-penciled number?

Exactly, on the flat surface of the bolt where the bolt handle joins the bolt.

 

[shoggoth80]

Ok, then the bolt would be a force match.... generally considered a non-matching set. I do not know if these were headspaced during arsenal refurbishment or not. I have never had a problem shooting a gun with an EP'd bolt, but that is ME, your mileage may vary. You could either get the headspace checked, fire it with a long string, or get gutsy with a good pair of shooting glasses. It is your face, and your call. That being said, I have never owned a Mosin that had headspace problems.

 

[mesinge2]

How dangerous would it be to fire it without checking?

 

[shoggoth80]

I cannot answer that, as I have never experienced poor headspace problems. Even my mismatched rifles shot fine (when I owned them, most have been sold now). I never had them checked though, part of that was due to ignorance early on...when I got my first Mosin, I didn't know what corrosive ammo was, or what headspace was....I just shot the snot out of it, and had a good time doing it. A friend of mine at the time had a Mosin, and he let me shoot it... thus starting an interest in military surplus/guns that has not gone away.

 

[mesinge2]

I think I am going to wear some shooting eyes and take my chances, thanks for the help shoggoth80 and darkminstrel.

And sorry for the thread hijack, EZLivin.

 

[trainsktg]

I just bought an M91/30 from Century International Imports. What concerns me is that it has two SNs. Two on the receiver and one on both the bolt and bayonet. One of the SNs looks cut in by hand on the receiver, bolt, and bayonet.

Is this a mismatched bolt?

As said above, its a rearsenalled bolt. It isn't the original bolt, but it has been matched to the rifle when it was refurbished. Nothing to be too concerned about, its fairly common with the latest imports. Checking headspace is sill probably a good idea. A matching bolt and bayo are pluses to a collector.

 

[shoggoth80]

Mesinge2... not too big a deal on the thread hijack.... it is understandable when someone new to a given hobby spots some information about it and jumps in to ask questions. Seems to happen on every forum. Ep'd rifles can make great shooters... I had a 1937 Tula laminated stock that shot just fine, and the bolt was a definite force match (EP). Don't think anything matched on that rifle, and it wasn't a concern. Had a Romanian M44 the same way... except no EPs... all the numbers were stamped, and not a single one matched... it shot very close to POA.

 

[mesinge2]

For no good reason I am really tempted to shoot it with the bayonet attached.

Also, I now need a Makarov and an AK to go with it.

 

[e28rusty]

For no good reason I am really tempted to shoot it with the bayonet attached.

Also, I now need a Makarov and an AK to go with it.

I believe mosins were sighted with the bayo attached, because russian infantry was expected to always have them on. You might find the gun more accurate with it. And you'll be the hardest core mofo at the range

 

[EZLivin]

And sorry for the thread hijack, EZLivin.

No problem at all. I like it when other comments and questions come up. Great way to learn.

 

[shoggoth80]

The bayonet thing seems particularly true with the M44 carbines. I personally have never shot any of my M91/30s with the bayo on. But, it is true that Soviet doctrine was always have the bayo fixed.

 

[trainsktg]

I usually shoot my 91/30 with the bayonet on, although I haven't done any real tests to see if it shoots better with than without. I just enjoy the looks from the AR bench shooters on the 200-450y range when I hit the iron targets with the same regularity while shooting prone unsupported laying on an old carpet .

Keith