A real PU sniper

[Junk Yard Dog]

I just read your introduction in the new member thread, as a Vietnam Vet you could have been in the sights of this PU at some point, it was not captured until 1971.

[Varmit1]

Not sure what you mean by imported refurb or an older issued one. How does one tell the difference?

[Junk Yard Dog]

The refurbs are just that, refurbished, returned to a new like condition, the metal reblued, the wood with a nice new coat of red shellac, all the dings and scrapes repaired, and a big import mark engraved on the side. Issued is another word for used, it's a rifle that went out into the field, was handled, banged around, and still has the wear it received on it today. At the end of WWII the Soviet Union returned the weapons it used to beat the Germans to the arsenal for repair and refurbishing, this included thousands of PU snipers. They were spiffed up to look as new as was possible and then stuffed into wood crates and stored down a mine shaft. They were never issued to the Red Army again before being sold off as surplus and bought by US importers so they could then sell it to you. Issued rifles were also imported, either from governments liquidating surplus or USGI's lugging them home from Wars, not every government spent the money to refurbish it's old rifles as the USSR did. It's not hard to tell an issued rifle from a refurb, one is a new suit, clean and pressed, the other is that suit after you have worn it while lost in the jungle for a week, worn with all the sharp creases worn off it .

[Paladin]

@Junkyard dog I can certainly appreciate your feeling about the use of the PU sniper in your collection. I am fortunate to have a real PU as well. The history of your rifle makes it more important than a lot of the other mosins in private collections. Keep it safe and keep it as a reminder of the American soldiers who lost their lives in Vietnam. My sniper is not presently complete as I had to put a repro s open to replace the original that was damaged beyond repair. My preference is to shoot all the rifles in my collection thus why I put the repro scope on the rifle. I hope to find an original scope at some point but will live with it for now. At least it lets me stretch the old girls legs at my local 600yd range. She shoots beautifully now that I found the wood shim installed by the previous smith to work on this rifle. I applaud you for bringing yours out and starting this thread.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Thank you Paladin, I think of the Wall every time I pull that sniper out.

[Silk#2]

Wow...enough said that is sweet Boss!!!

[Junk Yard Dog]

It drips evil and malicious intent, sometimes literally if I have been oiling it up, this rifle had only one purpose in life before 1971, kill Americans, and ARVN too I suppose. Now it reminds me of the retired Nazi's the history channel documentaries like to interview for their shows. Old, and showing their years, but their eyes, there the menace still shines out, as if to say, " yea, I missed you then, but I would have got you if I could have"

[SDH1903]

So Soon I forget, Many a Mosin killed Many of out brothers in arms, JYD, impeccable!!!-Steve

[Junk Yard Dog]

North Russia intervention, Korea, Vietnam, probably Iraq and Afghanistan. The Mosin has accounted for some US soldiers over the years, but it's likely that the Mauser accounted for more during two world wars against the Germans, and the Span Am War.