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From a distance these Mosins appear to regular M91/30's, but look a little closer. While they both have the Finnish [SA] stamp, there is alot more to their stories. Both were witnesses to a solders possible untold last horrors. Battle damage to wood is expected, but when battle damage effects steel, that can really raise a few questions. Everyone knows the Finnish military reused captured weapons, but these two show proof that in desperate times, they went to desperate measures to arm their troops.
The first one shown is a '38 Tula. It's in a Finnish two piece stock with a Finn replacement handguard. The butt stock has what is believed to possibly be Finnish stampings. Everyone who has seen the metal finish comes to one conclusion, severe blood etching. It appears only on exposed metal, the barrel bands, some is present at the muzzle and front sight, but the receiver and rear sight base took the brunt of the etching. Which leads to the reason this particular rifle has been counterbored about three inches. The rear sight was replaced as was the bolt. The bolt looks to have numerous stamps as well as a crossed out serial, the serial was stamped on the ground off bolt flat and not the knob. This rifle also at some point got a Finnish trigger upgrade.
The next M91/30 is a '39 Izhevsk. It is in a regular Russian stock, still bearing the Tula stock stamp. This one looks somewhat mundane until you peel the Finnish replacement handguard off. Under there you will find shrapnel damage in multiple places, the front band has a very small mark also. The bolt was ground and the serial restamped on the knob in typical Finnish fashion. Also the markings on this rifles bolt is even more than the previous, especially on the cocking knob. Along with the Tula stock marking is the "E R", on the opposite side, may be the initials of the carrier, either Russian or Finnish. This rifle has the normal style Russian trigger.
Only these rifles knows what truly caused the damage, and being blood etching and shrapnel damage, really makes you wonder and somewhat shows the horrors the person carrying it suffered. Did they serve next to each other or on the same field of battle against Finland?
(Safety Disclaimer)Even though the Mosin action is strong, these rifles have both suffered damage, both have been checked by a trained gunsmith. Both have been fired many times with no seen issues and rechecked by the same smith after firing. I'm saying this for safety sakes, if a rifle you buy is damaged or has a type of questionable damage, it should be inspected by at least a professional prior to being fired.
And the final photos showing the '39 with barrel damage. The top photo, the front band damage is difficult to get, also there is a small amount of barrel damage just ahead of the handguard. The butt stock carving and front band damage photos had to be retaken, due to camera memory failure during shooting.
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Two Finnish capture veterans with damage
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Greasemonkey
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Two Finnish capture veterans with damage
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