Is this a forced match? 1930 Mosin Nagant M91/30

[MCgrease08]

I recently picked up a 1930 Izhevsk made M91/30 with hex receiver. The rifle is in excellent condition and the stock is one of the nicest I've ever seen.

At first glance it appeared that everything was matching. Today I had a chance to break the rifle down and noticed a few things. First, the bolt is a mix of Tula and Izhevsk parts. As you can see, the bolt body has the Izhevsk triangle stamp,

but the cocking knob has the Tula star.

Then I got to the magazine base plate and I noticed what looks to be two numbers. Is this a forced stamp match? It sort of looks like a strikethrough on the bottom, but I'm not 100% sure. It almost looks more like two cracks.

If so, is there any way to tell if the entire mag well was replaced vs. just the mag spring and base plate?

I'm kind of disappointed I didn't notice this before I bought the gun. I know it's not really rare, but it's in great condition and I was hoping it was 100% original. Clearly it's not.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

beautiful rifle any way you look at it

 

[MCgrease08]

I haven't been able to grab any full length pics yet. These were taken on my phone before I broke it down.

I want to do a full photo shoot with a good camera, but my wife doesn't know I bought this yet. I had a limited window to play with it today while she was out of the house. I wanted to get it cleaned up real nice first before the pic session.

 

[MCgrease08]

Hello? Any Mosin-Nagant folks around tonight?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

There's a good chance it's a forced match from when it was arsenal refurbed. I say that because if I'm not mistaken you said you got this at ITP and they got them in a big crate. I'm not saying it's impossible to find an all matching original rifle in one of those crates but I believe that they are generally arsenal refurbs. I will also say that there's nothing wrong with that! It looks and sounds like a nice rifle, so don't worry, be happy.

 

[MCgrease08]

It was a refurb. There was a mark on the stock indicating it had been worked on (refinished?). I did get it from ITP, and from a quick scan it did seem like most of the rifles were matching or at least mostly matched.

I'm happy with it overall. Everything on it is immaculate for the age. The barrel and receiver are in really nice shape. It was an impulse buy anyway. I'm just kicking myself for not noticing.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Is this your first Mosin? If so, I think you're gonna like it. And hey, if you're gonna get busted by the wife, better to get busted for a "cheap" rifle than a $1000 AR or something!

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Is this your first Mosin? If so, I think you're gonna like it. And hey, if you're gonna get busted by the wife, better to get busted for a "cheap" rifle than a $1000 AR or something!

QFT.

 

[MCgrease08]

Is this your first Mosin? If so, I think you're gonna like it. And hey, if you're gonna get busted by the wife, better to get busted for a "cheap" rifle than a $1000 AR or something!

Sort of. I had one before but I never had a chance to shoot it before it was stolen in a home burglary.

The insurance company replaced it with a Century Arms AK , but I've been on the look out for a true replacement ever since.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Sort of. I had one before but I never had a chance to shoot it before it was stolen in a home burglary.

The insurance company replaced it with a Century Arms AK , but I've been on the look out for a true replacement ever since.

Well you're in for a treat then. It'll bring a smile to your face, I can just about guarantee.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

...It'll bring a smile to your face...

and put a bruise on your shoulder

 

[johntheplinker]

Being a refurb, there is a 99.99% chance of it being force matched. During refurb, the rifles are stripped completely down, parts thrown in buckets or whatever with other like parts; cleaned; reblued or polished; then reassembled with parts off the top of the redone pile, then numbers on bolt, buttplate and mag floorplate restamped or electro penciled to match the number on the barrel.
BTW, very nice looking rifle, and being a 1930 is kinda neat.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

and put a bruise on your shoulder

Pantywaist...

 

[MCgrease08]

Being a refurb, there is a 99.99% chance of it being force matched. During refurb, the rifles are stripped completely down, parts thrown in buckets or whatever with other like parts; cleaned; reblued or polished; then reassembled with parts off the top of the redone pile, then numbers on bolt, buttplate and mag floorplate restamped or electro penciled to match the number on the barrel.
BTW, very nice looking rifle, and being a 1930 is kinda neat.

Numbers on the bolt, butt plate and bayonet all appear to genuinely match the barrel. The only indication of a force match seems to be on the mag plate.

I may just try to find an Izhevsk cocking knob just to match the rest of the bolt and call it a day.

I can't wait to get her out to the range and throw some fireballs.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Numbers on the bolt, butt plate and bayonet all appear to genuinely match the barrel. The only indication of a force match seems to be on the mag plate.

I may just try to find an Izhevsk cocking knob just to match the rest of the bolt and call it a day.

I can't wait to get her out to the range and throw some fireballs.

To get the best fireballs, you'll now want to add a carbine to your collection. And so it begins... muahaha!

 

[MCgrease08]

To get the best fireballs, you'll now want to add a carbine to your collection. And so it begins... muahaha!

Oh an M44 is on the wish list for sure.

 

[MCgrease08]

Any suggestions on central Indiana ranges where I should take this bad boy to break it in?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Any suggestions on central Indiana ranges where I should take this bad boy to break it in?

Atterbury if you want to shoot at 100 yards. If you just want to try her out, then maybe Parabellum out in Avon. You'll get everyone's attention at an indoor range.

 

[MCgrease08]

Well I had a chance to get some better pics tonight.

As you can see by the stamp on the stock it has been refinished.

Unfortunately I scrapped up that nice finish in a couple of spots when I broke it down. The bands were really stuck on there tight.

The fore end took the worst of it.

There was almost no cosmoline in the barrel itself, but I ran a bore brush and a couple of patches soaked in Hoppes 9 through it just for good measure. I couldn't get a good pic, but the rifling is excellent and there was no pitting at all. I'm really hopeful this will be a great shooter.

 

[Rymo]

Im planning on going to atterbury to break mine in on saturday!