Is my 1943 Tula Mosin-Nagant 91/30 useless?

[Jaytac88]

Hey everybody, first time Mosin purchaser here and brand new to the site. Picked this 1943 Tula up from the classic firearms website the other day. I was cleaning and lubing the rifle after taking the cosmoline off and noticed something I found a bit odd. I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to Mosins, but to me it just didn't look right. I really need your guys' expertise here, is she messed up? Please tell me I didn't buy a historic paperweight, common sense is telling me I'm done for! Thanks everyone.

Here are the individual pics of the chamber and a couple shots of the markings itself. I'm really sorry if this violates the rules to the website but I couldn't figure out how to post individual pictures like everyone else is doing.

Here is the IMGUR album to my pictures I've taken of the chamber:

I'm brand new here, and really hoping you guys can help me out. I know I'm new but I hope the mods read this message and please allow my thread to be posted, I hope I haven't violated any rules or anything, I'm -really- just looking for help. Thanks everyone, take it easy.

Individual links to the chamber:





Markings on the rifle:

[Junk Yard Dog]

What is the exact problem with the rifle? Welcome to the board, you need to explain what your concerns are with the weapon, lots of odd things turn up in '43 dated rifles. This was a rush order year at both arsenals making the 91/30, many finishing touches were overlooked in the race to get arms to soldiers who had nothing but farm implements to fight with.

[BubbaDX]

It looks normal to me. Is the inlet next to the chamber what you are concerned a bout? If so that is normal. The extractor sits in that groove when the action is closed.

[Jaytac88]

Thank you both, sorry about the freak out. Yes that was the exact thing I was worried about, BubbaDX, I saw how it looked and actually thought it was cracked. My friend took pictures of his chamber and sent them to me to show me as well, still thank you guys a bunch for taking the time to respond.

Hope to learn a lot from you guys and read a bunch on here! Also thank you to the mods for allowing me to post this as quick as they did. You guys are awesome. TY!

-Jay

[redspoon]

to the forum Jay. From what I see that's a good looking 43 Tula. As mentioned above all looks normal. Just keep it away from the sandpaper,minwax stain and poly and it will be fine. If you're gonna shoot surplus ammo (its corrosive) be sure and clean accordingly. I have a stockpile of surplus, but mostly I shoot the 7.62x54 from Academy and other places. Congrats on your score and have fun.

Red

[Dane]

Check your headspace

Can't believe I was the first one to say that LOL.

[entropy]

Nice first (and it won't be your last! ) Mosin. '43 Tulas are a special find; though not as rare as some other years and arsenals, they hold a special distinction because in the middle of the production year, the arsenal was moved from Tula to somewhere east of the Urals, in response to the rapid advance of the Whermacht. Imagine having to pick up and move all that heavy machinery, build or locate a suitable building, relocate all the staff, re-coordinate material deliveries, etc. With option not a failure, (think the NKVD breathing over your shoulder) I sure wouldn't want to be the guy in charge of that move!

Welcome to the forum, Jaytac88!

[djbuck1]

Welcome!

That's a nice 1943 Tula, and you have a matching bayonet. A good foundation for your collection.

[SA1911a1]

ieliles lokeo dsoies, odetlppi!!!

[SA1911a1]

These guys are lying to you. That gun will go bang on you the first time you pull the trigger; there will be a huge explosion and a large fireball. Send it to me with a $50.00 bill and I will dispose of it honorably.

Shame on you all!

[tjtM38]

Am I missing something? This chamber looks clean, normal for a M91/30, and ready to shoot. Nice rifle and a good start to any Mosin/Nagant collection. Buy some 7.62x54r and shoot the Russian rifle! Best bang for the buck you will ever find....

[ground ape]

Hi Entropy, Yes a very big decision. It was not merely a rifle factory that was moved to the Asian side of the Urals but ALL the armaments and munitions plants were taken down, loaded on to trucks and trains, set up on the other side of the Urals where old men, young boys and women of all ages had them up and running in six weeks. There is more to this story.

[qz2026]

Everything is normal in the chamber. The groove that Bubba is talking about was milled out for the extractor to travel in for a tight seal between bolt and chamber. Yes, you should head space it and check the firing pin protrusion, especially if you have had the bolt apart. JYD has videos on all this stuff. Also check out the Information Pages. Lots of good stuff there. And... WELCOME to the madness

[steelbuttplate]

That rifle , in that condition, Will NOT Fire...it would be simple to fix.....SBP

[Longcolt44]

That rifle , in that condition, Will NOT Fire...it would be simple to fix.....SBP

The fix he didn't expand on is.....lock and load. ( I always thought they had that backwards. You have to load it before you can lock it???).

[Junk Yard Dog]

Lock and load goes back to the flintlock musket days. Back then soldiers were trained to prime the pan first, then stuff the main load down the bore, lock and load. They did it that way because with a paper cartridge you first rip the end off with your teeth, then you have to dump some powder in the pan first or there will be nothing left once it's poured down the bore, they didn't carry pan primers back then. Today of course it's SOP to load the pan last so there is no chance of it igniting while you are ramming the load down the bore, that would be a Very Bad Thing. Most shooters today use a pan primer, only reenactors use paper cartridges, and they are shooting blanks.

[bunkysdad]

I have a friend who refuses to have anything to do with shooting any type of muzzle loader because he knew someone who had a ramrod blast through the palm of his hand.

[Darryl]

Send me $40 and 100 rounds and your rifle and I will shoot the Hell out of it and proof test it for you!

The $40 is to return it (postage) to you!

I used to be scared of the "first round". But now I look them over (including removing the wood) and check them. Then I headspace check them (see OKIE's ad above). Then it's off to the range.

Even with old BP firearms!

[Junk Yard Dog]

First round? What's the worst that can happen? Everybody dies of something, at least they will have a cool story to tell at your service.