All M91 Cossacks were built at the Izhevsk Arsenal, and are identified by the KA3. stamp on the barrel. Original Cossacks followed the same production upgrades as the M91 Dragoon rifle, as referenced here: http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM91D.htm
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Note: As the word 'Cossack' appears in this text, it may be referring to a rifle or a people. Context should make the distinction evident.
Landing an elusive Mosin Nagant is sometimes a lengthy labor. So, when a fine upstanding young man first posted his MAJOR local shop find just over a year ago, I offered my assistance. Of course, I also offered to relieve him of his prize right away, but he decided to hang on. But after a few PM's over several month intervals, we did reach an agreement last week, and the 1905 Izhevsk Arsenal Cossack Model of 1891 has now reached home soil. Patience, persistence and respectful discourse does sometimes pay off when seeking the rarest items.
To my fortune, the young man spelled Cossack as 'Kossack' in his thread title, and it therefore wouldn't have drawn as much attention in internet search efforts. Most of the usual ardent Mosin Nagant collectors could have easily overlooked such a rare appearance. (http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewto ... it=kossack)
With knowledge that the M91 Cossack would soon be arriving, it seemed appropriate to develop some idea of its relative rarity. There was no database to reference, so I found a task to tackle.
To the best of my search capabilities, and through the compilation of data from three major Mosin Nagant forums, this makes the 17th recorded M91 Cossack to surface in original purposed form (barreled receivers intact, but with possible parts replacement and/or capture/property stamps). Ten KA3 marked barrels can also be found in updated M91/30 specs, twelve as M91/38's, and five in unknown or otherwise altered configuration, for a current total of forty-three known specimens.
link to the data: Cossack Database
The Cossack M91 differs from the Dragoon M91 with only two subtle differences:
1. KA3 stamp on the barrel
2. It was not issued nor sighted with a bayonet, and was designed purely for horse mounted cavalry troops - Cossacks.
Cossack production numbers are recorded to be approximately 1.35 million (mosinnagant.net production numbers), so the surprisingly small percentage of remaining specimens would be somewhat of a mystery. Of course, as the model was no longer produced after 1922, attrition would be a large factor for the scarcity.
But the issuance of the guns to individuals of the Cossack voiskos (much like a tribe, but more accurately defined as horde or army), vs. standard Russian Army issue may also have played a role in the diminished number of remaining guns today. The M91's may not have been turned in to armories, depot or repair facilities with as much frequency as the standard military counterpart. And as the Cossack people sided mostly with the White Russians during the Russian Revolution of 1917, many of them were wiped out of existence, and even further dwindled following their siding with the Nazis in WWII. Surely, many of the guns went underground, were worn out, damaged, or destroyed.
link to Cossack history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Cossacks
My gun is a Finnish rebuild of a 1905 production. Double [SA] stamped. It retains its original receiver. The rear sight leaf is upgraded to the Konovalov style, but is not KA3 marked. Bolt is Finn matched and floorplate is marked with Cyrillic prefix (not pictured). The stock is a one piece pre-war Russian arctic birch and the buttplate is scrubbed of numbers on top, but has an interesting 1 and P stamp on the rear face. Handguard is M91/30 construction, and barrel bands are solid.
Oh, and it has that fabulous and elusive KA3. stamp on the barrel.
But enough talk. Time for pics, and thanks for looking.
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