The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

OK, time for another one of these rust gun posts after I received this a few weeks ago. A friend of mine bought this at an estate auction, told me he had found one of those " old army rifles" I like, and got it for me cheap. Didn't know what kind, doesn't know how to take or send pictures..... Makes me wait a month anticipating what it might be. He thought it was hilariously funny when I saw the rifle, yes it is an " old army rifle" that needs a little TLC. This isn't the worst rusty gun I own, that honor still belongs to a dug up double barrel shotgun barrel and action, but it's still pretty bad, and has a broken bolt body. Swiss Vetterli 1869/71.

Poor old girl.

Blame Bannerman's sales tactics. They sold these cheap after 1900 with 20, or 40 rounds of ammo without making it clear that there was no big supply of .41 Swiss imported with the rifles. No US manufacturer would produce it until Remington did in the 20's. People used up the ammo that came with the rifle then found out they couldn't get more. The rifles ended up on a wall someplace, in a closet, or tossed in the barn. I have six nice 69/71's with mint bores from lack of use, probably rifles sold after all the ammo was gone and were sold as decorators from the start. No one shot them so no black powder to rust them. I have a couple of the cut down ones Bannerman made, also pretty good bores, these would have been shot with the Remington made ammo. Farmer Bob tossed this rifle into a damp hole someplace, probably cursing Bannerman all the while for selling him a rifle and then running out of ammo.