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M1891 Moisin-Nagant
7.62x54R
This rifle began life as a Remington M1891 Rifle. This particular one was
of the batch remaining in the US after the Bolshevik revolution in Russia around 1917.
Remington was left with a large quantity of these rifles and the US government bought
280,000 of them to keep Remington solvent. Later many were sold to citizens via the
Department of Civilian Marksmanship to NRA members. The price in 1921 was $10 for a new
rifle, and cartridges were $8 for 1000 rounds. The still didn't sell well, with that $10
buying a much more respected Krag rifle, so in 1923 the price was lowered to $3.34
including shipping, and cartridges went for $4/1000. Not until Townsend Whelen wrote
that "it has in it the makings of a most excellent weapon" in 1924 did the rifle
begin to sell well. Magazines began to feature articles on sporterizing the rifle, and the
NRA roles began to swell in the late 20's with people seeking membership just to buy the
$3.34 rifle. |
 Here you
can see the rear peep sight and elongated bolt handle.
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This particular rifle is slightly over the 1/2 million mark, serial # wise. It is a
typical budget sporter of the Depression Era. The original stock seen above is finished
well enough to be servicable, with a bolt sticking through it just ahead the magazine,
with a hex-nut on the opposite side. The rubber buttpad is long worn away, with nails that
held it in place sticking out. The barrel has been chopped to a length somewhat inbetween
a M44 and a M91/30 Nagant. The front sight rather crudely but effectively attached, and
rather high to align with the rear peep sight.
The rear peep sight is a 1929 vintage Pacific
Gun Sight Co. model R1. It cost $4 in 1929. The sight mounted by means of a collar. No
metalwork was required (unlike it's contemporary Lyman peepsight). ALl it took was a
screwdriver to mount, and that was included in the price! The stock appears to be a
commercial sporter, inasmuch as its profile can't be formed from military wood.
The golden age of Moisin Nagant
sporters, which began in the 20's, came to a close in the early 30's, when the Ordinance
Departments stock of rifles was exhausted in 1931. The ammo had been sold off
already by 1928. Mid-30's American Rifleman classified sections were filled with adds of
owners selling off thier customized Nagant sporters. The end of the Depression, and the
end of the need for dirt cheap hunting rifles, was the final nail in the coffin. Moisin
Nagant sporters were now relegated to closets, used as a loaner, spare or rainy day rifle.
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I
bought this one at Barnes Guns in Lancaster, Ohio for the Princely sum of $140. The
uniqueness of these types of firearms appealed to me. The stock I didn't care for
all that much, but I had a spare Russian M44 stock that fit quite nicely, and just plain
looks better. The bolt handle on this is obviously elongated over the standard, but shows
no sign of welding. Could Remington have made it this way? All parts are original, with
the Remington proof on them, and all serial # match.
Here is the raised front sight and a rear view
of the peepsite.
 
See the 1999 Edition of Gun Digest for an indepth article on the American Moisin
Nagant Sporter.
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20 Jan 2006 19:59
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