Should I Buy This Mosin-Nagant?

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B. Lahey

New member
So I was at the gunshop just now, wandering around gawking, and in a giant crate of badly beaten-up 91-30 M-Ns with gnarly bores I found a 1940 Izhevsk with brass fittings, a bore that looks like it was hand-crafted by Jesus sometime last week, and no import marks.

The stock is a little banged up, but the rifle is otherwise pristine.

I've been looking for a 91-30 M-N since I picked up an M44 last year and decided I like these rifles. They want $100 for it, but I could probably get it for around $80-$85.

Should I get it? How rare is it to find one of these with a bore that nice and no import marks? I haven't been looking at them that long so I don't really know if this one is a keeper.
 
W

Wildalaska

Moderator
Jump on that RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No import marks alone is worth the price of admission

WildgogogoAlaska ™
 
C

carguychris

New member
A 1940 Izzy isn't very rare in itself unless it has a laminated stock. OTOH the lack of import marks IS unusual. For $85 you can't go wrong. :D

Two other things:

1) The fittings should not be brass. You're more likely looking at bright-finished steel fittings that are coated in shellac and cosmoline. If it's one of the common arsenal refinished rifles, the refinishers seemed to have seldom removed the sling slot reinforcements before applying shellac and cosmo.

2) I'm pretty sure Jesus had nothing to do with the rifling because the U.S.S.R. was run by godless commies at the time. ;)
 
L

Logs

New member
Are you in Southern, IN? If you don't want it let me know. I have bought two nice ones from 111 Gun Shop.
 
B

B. Lahey

New member
Got it. Thanks Wild!

When I said fittings, I meant the little doodads at the front and back of the handguard. They sure look like brass to me, and from what I have been able to dig up, that means it's a pre-war pattern. Not particularly rare, but slightly different from most of the others I have seen floating around, so it's kind of neat.

And I would not be so quick to rule out Jesus, you haven't seen this bore, it's something else.:)

I had to pay the full $100, they wouldn't come down when they saw me come back in at a brisk pace and head straight for that rifle. They knew they had me. Smart fellers.
 
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Wildalaska

Moderator
Good job, $100?....like why cheap out, the junk garage bandit distributors sell them for $60 per plus freight and those are for import refurbs with dark bores...ya did good

WildpicspleaseAlaska ™
 
B

B. Lahey

New member
I have no functional camera, but I'm going to have a skilled friend of mine take some photos of my various Hakan-gripped pistols for Hakan's website anyway, I'll bring this one along also and get some photos.
 
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jsmaye

New member
Around here (Amarillo, Texas) run-of-the-mill MN's retail for $150. 91/30's with laminated stocks are $200. So it would seem that any unusual MN selling for $100 is a steal. For you, that is. ;)
 
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okmic1

New member
Around here (Amarillo, Texas) run-of-the-mill MN's retail for $150. 91/30's with laminated stocks are $200. So it would seem that any unusual MN selling for $100 is a steal. For you, that is.

There's a store near OKC that sells them for $89 once in awhile. I think the normal price is $109.
 
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Ignition Override

New member
Jsmaye:

Do those stores keep about half of their MN rifles (especially 44s) in the back room, to use deception and help you conclude that only about three are available? Those 91/30 prices are ludicrous.

Gander Mt. uses this slick trick up in Evansville, IN. Was there a week ago. Before driving up to visit somebody, called several small town gun stores in small cities and towns along my route and got a better deal (plus laminated) in a small shop in Clarkesville, TN, one mile south of Ft. Campbell's Gate One.
Did not return to the G. M. in Jackson, TN and will never buy a rifle at such a store.

How common is this tactic?
 
J

jsmaye

New member
First of all, it's Amarillo we're talking about. While not exactly on the frontier, everything is in limited supply here. Second, those are retail prices - Big 5 has basically a weekly sales "rotation" where they alternately sell 91/30's for $90, 91/44's for $80, M95's for $80, M1's for $600 or $700 (I don't pay attention those weeks), and the whole process starts again, unless it gets interrupted by a tennis shoe sale.
 
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