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Some new toys

805 views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  KMFDM 
#1 ·
Since I have gotten back to the USA I have started again where I left off on my Mosin collection. I got lucky all the barrels gage out as almost new the '43 is a little frosty.

Top: Is a former PE/PT Tula sniper that will be re-done.
#2: Is a '43 Tula
Bottom: Is a 31 Tula
 
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#4 ·
1942 which is interesting, because they supposedly aren't supposed to exist from Tula for that year from what I have heard.....

mpoppel41:

Yes, Mosins are extremely addictive this puts me up to 7 91/30s, 1 '38 carbine also 1 Finn M28/30 & 3 Finn M39s

I am looking to get 3 more Mosins that are former Tula snipers (1 more PE/PT and 2 PU's) that meet my lack of barrel wear requirements, bolt fit and no laminated stocks. Plus 1 Finn M39 with a new barrel.
 
#5 ·
KMFDM said:
1942 which is interesting, because they supposedly aren't supposed to exist from Tula for that year from what I have heard.....
Are you sure it's not a PEM (typeically a side rail) type? The PE (usually top mounted) would be very interesting, to say the least. One would expect it to be a side mount PEM or PU. In any case, '42 Tula snipers are not common, at all.
 
#6 ·
I checked it, I cannot find any evidence of screws or pins being drilled into the back parts of the receiver for a PU or PEM/VP sidemount inside or out. Interesting none the less. I had heard rumors of them re-doing the PE/PT or PEM/VP until a suitable set up for the failed SVT-PU combination until a better mount for the PU scope could be devised for the Mosin.
 
#7 ·
I have seen several of these popping up. That is; 1942 Tula rifles that have the sniper proof marks, but no evidence of ever having a scope mounted. There are some theories about why these rifles are the way they are, but nobody really knows for certain. One theory is that they were made in lots for sniper use and all marked as such. However, some may not have passed the accuracy qualifications, so they never got a scope mounted. Only a theory, though. If you ever find a '42 Tula that is a bona-fide "ex sniper", it is a rare thing. If it's a PU, that's probably the Holy Grail of Mosin snipers.

Edit: Is there any evidence of a top mount having been mounted on the forward receiver? There would be six screw holes (three on each side) that have been filled in and smoothed out before being refinished. They are sometimes hard to spot, especially since they were not drilled all the way through the receiver, so there's no evidence on the inside, as with the side rail type mounts. This would be extremely unlikely, anyway, for a 1942 rifle. Not impossible, though. I'll see if I can find a pic, if Chad doesn't beat me to it. :grin:
 
#8 ·
Here's a couple of pictures of ex-PE top mount snipers, from my collection. The first one is a '36 Tula and is the most visible, since most of the finish is gone and there were bubbles in the welds. They may not all be this evident, however. (The number on the receiver here was either put there by the arsenal, after being refurbed, or by the importer):





Next is a '34 PE, another hex receiver, that shows some scuffing on the receiver where they smoothed out the welds. It is also common to find the scope number on the right side of the receiver on these rifles. Again, much earlier than your rifle and I believe the use of side mounts for the PEM was in full swing by 1938, but there are documented examples of early war rifles that have top mounts.



I also have a '35 PE rifle, but I don't have any good pictures of the area in question. I think you get the idea, though. Round receivers started in 1936 while they were still using the top mounted scopes. I don't have a round top mount rifle, but they are out there.
 
#9 ·
I took it out the the stock and found no evidence of holes in the back side of the receiver but I find did file marks and what might be welded up spots on the receiver ring- it is very difficult to tell.

I have heard they may have made blocks of sniper rifles; but my main question is did they pull and them test them for accuracy before serial numers and sniper proofs were applied? That may also may make sense for doing a block of numbers-but I do not know for sure? Because I doubt that they would give sniper rifles the accuarcy proof before they checked its accuracy. If they did not do batches, did they just pull the most accurate out of the batch regardless of serial numbers and put them in a reserve so if a request for sniper rifles came down they could have weapons ready for an immediate conversion-if not they could send them forward as needed?

Also I would guess it is possible that the proofs were applied to some weapons for the intent of making snipers were done-but the exigencies of war; unavailability of necessary optics or guns were needed at the front more than sniper rifles were and had them turned out into general use rifles?
 
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