swamp_thing Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Was browsing around a few weeks ago and made the mistake of looking at the milsurp rack. As sometimes happens, I stumbled upon one that was calling out to me. It is not too often around here that I find anything that catches my attention, but this old finn did. It is a m91, 1915 receiver, with a 1942D tikka barrel. Finn two piece stock, AZF marked as well as SA marked. The AZF is Austrian capture mark. Dirty but with good bore, dark but strong rifling and non stepped barrel. Bluing is very good and all in all it is a nice old rifle. Will be cleaning it up soon, then will see how it shoots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGRWJB Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 The dark bore may not be dark at all. The finns used some strange black grease on these bores. It is VERY hard to remove and sometimes is mistaken as rust. More likey than not the bore is new under that rock hard black grease. Very nice find and a very nice gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimro Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Very nice rifle. I hope to find a few more old finns marked as "Russian Nagant's".... Jimro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGRWJB Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 Swampthing Did you get that bore clean or was it rutty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted November 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 Have been working on the bore some just today, first time I have got to get to it since I acquired it and did a preliminary cleaning. If I did not know better, I would say the inside of this rifle had been blued. It is not rust and there seems to be no pitting. May be just what you said. At any rate, after much cleaning it is almost to the point of shining in the grooves and the lands are shining. The lands are very sharp edged, no signs of wear. Not rounded edges at all, just nice and square. I do believe that with more work it will shine both lands and grooves. I look forward to giving the old gal a test firing in the near future. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TONEY Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Sounds llike you did good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGRWJB Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Sounds like that black grease the Finns used that almost turned to rock when it dried. If you keep scrubbing it will come out, but it is very hard to get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 RGRWJB, I have to say that I believe you have nailed the culpret here on this one. This stuff is like trying to remove concrete from the bore, and when I get a patch caked with it after scrubbing the bore, the patch is almost brittle from the stuff. Never seen rust do that. I still work at it from time to time, and it is progressively improving, but is real slow going. I thank you for the advice on this, as I might well have given up before now otherwise, figuring it was just always going to be dark. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Well, after another round of cleaning today I think I have about reached the maximum degree of shine that I can get with this rifle. It no longer looks dark really, more of a shiny light grey. The next step will be to shoot some rounds through it and then see if it will clean up anymore. I am considering degreasing the stock and cleaning it up as well. Will probably wait until after I see how well it shoots though. Thanks to RGRWJB on this one for the fine advice. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauserbull Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 I just bought a 1940 and it has no maker on the reciever. It does have a B and a very small coat of arms and a III k on the reciever. I am wondering if any one knows what those markings mean. BTW 80$ OTD. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 Just looked in the Mosin-Nagant rifle book by Lapin and found this info. The B on the barrel (Finland) when found with no makers marking almost certainly means the barrel is made with Belgarian produced steel. As for the IIIK the only reference it has is for IIK which it says is a russia/USSR proof mark. Maybe others can tell you more, but this is what I found in the book. Are there any other markings on the rifle? swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauserbull Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 I'll look tonight SW thanks for the info so far. ps the B stamp is on the receiver not the barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 mauserbull, if you can, measure the barrel length from the receiver to the muzzle and post any other markings. Also, what are the markings on the rear sight? Were there markings lined out and restamped? Any SA markings anywhere? These things will definately help to figure out for sure what it is. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGRWJB Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 The "B" is a Belgian Liege mfg. barrel that the Finns contracted to make for rebuilding their worn out m/91s. Its a great find and should be a good shooter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 RGRWJB, I agree about the belgian barrel or steel but I was not aware of it ever being stamped on the receiver instead of the barrel. Learn more with each day. Thanks for the input. Hopefully, mauserbull will be able to find more markings and post them as well as any other distinguishing factors. swamp_thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGRWJB Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 oopps The B in a circle is a Bulgarian mark on the receiver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauserbull Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Markings I have found so far. B no circle on front right top reciever. very small tree with IIk under it on the reciever. SA with box around it on barrel. T in a triangle in a circle on barrell. The Ashunds on the left side of the sight are lined out. The meters are not marked M and start at 2. The bolt safety piece has a triangle. The bolt body is not Finn matched. The sling metal keepers are on the stock. ps barrel is 30.5" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Sorry double posted, see below Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp_thing Posted December 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Markings I have found so far. B no circle on front right top reciever. very small tree with IIk under it on the reciever. SA with box around it on barrel. T in a triangle in a circle on barrell. The Ashunds on the left side of the sight are lined out. The meters are not marked M and start at 2. The bolt safety piece has a triangle. The bolt body is not Finn matched. The sling metal keepers are on the stock. ps barrel is 30.5" 8180[/snapback] I have no answer for the B on the receiver. Could the small tree be an eagle? The IIk is the russia/ussr (probaya Komissiya) [Proof Commission] acceptance mark. SA in a box (soumen Armeija) = Finnish army, a property mark. T in a triangle inside a circle is the Finland Tikkakoski Oy, post 1936 logo. The numbers on the right side of the rear sight are in fact meters, stamped by the Finns. I would say the triangle on the bolt safety is a Finnish Tikka marking. I am guessing you mean there are metal sling swivels on the stock like those seen on the stock I posted. A few questions, is it a two piece stock with finger joints? Is it a hex receiver? Lastly, if it is a hex receiver, once you get it out of the stock, look on the bottom of the tang for the manufacture date code. It may well be an antique receiver. swamp_thing Here is a link that might be of some assistance as well http://www.mosinnagant.net/USSR/mosin_nagant_markings.asp http://p090.ezboard.com/fcollectorguns35625frm2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGRWJB Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Both are great sites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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