The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Was at the local gun store today and I guy came in looking to sell a couple of guns. I buy there a lot so the owner asked me over to look at them since he knows I am into the nagants. A 1915 New England Westinghouse and Remington 1916. They were really dirty, not any matching parts (all Russian it seems) but they were complete. They both have import marks so I am guessing they are some of the early ones delivered before the revolution. I think the stocks are original but none of the Westinghouse cartouches I have seen, both are stamped with a number, maybe they once put serial numbers on the stock? Both also have the crest defaced, wonder if this was common?

Well the LGS owner threw me a bone and told the guy he was not interested and told me to go ahead and make him an offer. I said $400 for the pair and am cleaning them up right now. Don’t know the story behind them, this was an older guy who inherited them from his brother who was a collector.

I am breaking them down and cleaning them a little rust and lots of old dried cosmoline under things. The Remington is in remarkable shape great wood and most of the original bluing. The Westinghouse only had bluing under the parts covered by the stock, haven’t gotten it finished up so we have to see how it looks after cleaning. (Relax I’m just using orange degreaser and tooth brush.) Here are a couple pictures or the barrel proofs, I will post more when I get them cleaned and under good light.

It was common for the Finns to deface the Russian crests. Do you see an [SA] on the barrel by the other information? Your picture links do not work.

I have a Finn Captured 91/30 I would recognize it if it had the SA. I see the pictures, that’s weird let me try a different link to them.

The Balkan used M91's tend to be scrubbed, good deal if Balkan, very good deal if Finn.

interesting! do you have anymore pics of the entire rifles.

The Remington has a later billboard import mark.


The NEW looks well used.


I use photobucket for pics, very easy, free, sized to what you select. no scrolling to view them.

Looks like typical Balkan style scrubbing, quick and dirty.

will try to get a overall pic this is more of the remington

Is it possible the Remington is reblued? And all the wood I can see looks refinished.

These both look like balkan imports, the wood appears refinished. The billboard import stamp on the Remington is consistant with the last batch to be imported, a few years after most of these were brought in. The earlier ones had small import marks on the barrel near the front sight.

It could be reblued and refinished I'm not even sure if the wood is walnut. I'm not familure with the rearsanal process if it is from the bulkins, like i said the only remington part is the barreled and action, everything else is seems russian. Went threw havle a roll of paper towels cleaning the gunk off of it.

The Balkans didn't do much in the way of rearsenaling. Most of the M91's they have were captured by Bulgaria from the Serbs and Russians during the Great War. In fact, carefully examine the finger groove and buttstock areas of the stock for tiny Bulgarian pinecone stamps. Other M91's in that part of the world were Russian aid to Serbia during WW1, rifles captured by Austria, or Germany during the war that ended up sent down there to aid Germany's friends during both wars. Not a lot of money in the region so refurbishment tended to be parts swapping until something worked, scrubbing off the hated enemy's markings with a hand file, or a punch, and slapping on a thick coat of whatever varnish was at hand.

I believe it had to of been reblued at some time as the defaced crest is not bare. And if that was a serial number on the stock it dosent match. I see no pinecone marks. It may just be a parts gun but i am just happy its all there the last remington i bought was in a 91/30 stock and i was looking all over for an origional with no luck.

The westinghouse stock is much darker and i believe it is walnut, its mutch to dirty to tell any small markings on it but i can tell the serial number does not match either.

i have a couple balkan m91 that looked to thatve been reblued after the scubbing and for the butt and floorplates renumbered the stocks on both appear to have been sanded partly removing the stamped Rack? numbers on the stock

You got a good deal on the pair. For those that might not know, all Westinghouse M91's are dated 1915, although made during a span of several years.

Sgt lamb wrote:i have a couple balkan m91 that looked to thatve been reblued after the scubbing and for the butt and floorplates renumbered the stocks on both appear to have been sanded partly removing the stamped Rack? numbers on the stock

This allso has a renumbered but plate, but again both numbers dont match.......

My first impression is that they are Balkan. All of them didn't have the pinecone stampings in the finger groove. Sometimes on the butt stock-anything there at all? By any chance is there a "W" or "A" on the butt stock-on top near the butt plate? That might indicate something else...

Nice find. Did you ask the guy if he had any more at home?

Nice rifles.

Dolk