Mosin Nagant M.91/30 PEM Top Mount Sniper

[Absolut]

Mosin Nagant M.91/30 PE Top Mount Sniper

Yes, I know this forum is dedicated on the K98k rifle .. still, the M.91/30 was one of its mayor competitor (on the field) and since I collect sniper rifles generally and not only German I thought it would be interesting for some in here to see my newest acquisition. While it is not perfect since the mount and scope sitting on it were not the original ones it came from factory, it still is as close I've managed to get to all original. This rifle was never capture marked, reblued, reproofed, been through arsenal refurb nor anything else. And fortunately I have had a spare top mount, not only in the same letter prefix as the sniper conversion/assembly number, but only a few digits off (525 on base and 575 on mount).

Well, attached are some pictures. I hope you enjoy them. Note the sniper conversion/assembly number on the right side of the scope base and bottom of the receiver. Interestingly this rifle has this number also stamped in the finger groove on the left side - I've never seen this before, but it must have had some connection. Also note the C N sniper proof above the star on the barrel.

 

[Absolut]

Rest of the pictures. Note the walnut stock - while it was planned that all snipers should have them, due to a lack of those not many were made at all. In my opinion these PE sniper rifles are extremely much harder to find than any other WWII sniper rifle. Captured rifles were not brought home as trophies, and most were too scared to hide away a Russian sniper rifle, in case they were caught. Hence I'm quite proud of this one and I hope you appreciate showing it.

 

[mike radford]

Rest of the pictures. Note the walnut stock - while it was planned that all snipers should have them, due to a lack of those not many were made at all. In my opinion these PEM sniper rifles are extremely much harder to find than any other WWII sniper rifle. Captured rifles were not brought home as trophies, and most were too scared to hide away a Russian sniper rifle, in case they were caught. Hence I'm quite proud of this one and I hope you appreciate showing it.

You have a treasure with original PE mount and scope. On the wood,I am not seeing Walnut, looks like beech. Our logging roads here have been used for over 100 years. I have traveled them and used them for 60 years. I have about a hundred Black Walnuts on my property. That does not look like Walnut, Am. or Euro, Walnut that looked like that? I am not convinced on the wood type but hope I am wrong.

I have also never seen a rifle with numbers in the finger grooves? Never say never. You have a treasure regardless. You get the good stuff so hopfully we can learn form your rifle. Thanks for posting and we look forward to more validation of your rifle and I prefer to be wrong in a case like this.

 

[waffenmeister]

A really nice rifle in beautiful condition.

 

[nirvana]

Nice PE. I don’t think it’s walnut either.

 

[mdarnell19]

Great rifle, although not a PEM. It is a PE top mount. PEM was the modified PE scope. Stock is not walnut.

This is the most complete and original PE Top mount I have ever seen. Basically impossible to find. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[vaughn99]

Hello,

The first small СП size font I have ever seen on a sniper of the 118 I have recorded.

later
vaughn

 

[lilallie]

That is a very nice example.
Thanks for postin it.
Not a common rifle.
Yep, very nice.

 

[Absolut]

That is what you get when you have your girlfriend sitting next to you and asking questions while you are typing in this forum - of course it is a PE top mount and not a PEM. Sorry, I've tried but couldn't edit the thread title. Can a moderator be of help?

Thank you for the kind comments. I'm also looking forward to see this rifle on an excellent website for reference.

 

[mdarnell19]

Also, I can't see the base letter prefix to well but it looks like it is a Л while the base is П. These are two different letter blocks. L and P. So your mount and base are not from the same month/letter block. Not that it matters much, mismatch is mismatch. But don't be disappointed, I have never seen or even heard of a Top mount or side mount that was 100% matching.

 

[Absolut]

Will look closer, thanks for the hint. I do have a few top mounts sitting around, maybe one of those then is the same serial prefix, who knows. I mainly didn't want the rifle to be "naked" (without top mount), while at the same time several top mounts are sitting around spare and waiting for a rifle.

 

[Raupleminze]

Wow! Very cool example. Talk about hen's teeth. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Absolut]

I was lucky to find another original non arsenal overhauled PE Top Mount sniper rifle. This one isn't as nice as the one I already had, but still couldn't say no, despite it being a Finnish capture. Bolt is force matched, otherwise original. Barrel is 1936 dated whereas receiver is of 1935 production.

 

[ser]

Russian equipment is not my favourite, but these rifles are holy grail of sniper rifles. They look stunning!

 

[mike radford]

Will look closer, thanks for the hint. I do have a few top mounts sitting around, maybe one of those then is the same serial prefix, who knows. I mainly didn't want the rifle to be "naked" (without top mount), while at the same time several top mounts are sitting around spare and waiting for a rifle.

These rifles, like Matt points out, are hens teeth. You have a treasure. Go to the Russian museums and find one, I have looked very hard, I feel very blessed to have a few mounts and rifles. You have everything, we know that, but being a bit more humble would be more classy IMO. You have it all, we know that, just a little more humility would be nice IMO.

Your contributions are always appreciated. Show us your Japanese collection.

 

[alund]

You win again Georg.... very nice sniper.

 

[Absolut]

mike, for being in Europe the PE(M) scopes with or without mounts are nothing uncommon over here. They seem to had been a popular bringback-item. I remember buying my first one complete with top mount at € 300. They turn up several times a year for sale and usually bring maximum half the money they'd sell for in the US, hence over here you would not have a huge or large collection if you have a few of those. I used to buy them whenever they turned up for sale at a reasonable price, in case I ever need them. Rifles at the same time are very rare, none really carried back home, but when they turn up, they somehow seem to usually be without scope mount. To get back, my intention was not to brag with what I wrote, I simply wanted to say that I'd rather have a mismatching mount on a rifle than no mount where at the same time a (spare) mount is at hand as well. Maybe I'd had used other words if I was a native speaker and had noticed what you noticed about it, sorry on this.

My goal was to post this (and the other) rifle for reference since most of the Soviet snipers to be found on the internet are rather small and/or old pictures of general view and do not show closeup details, or are replicas or made up and/or restored rifles including arsenal refurbished rifles. Even those in books are tough since books tend to be black/white or also only show general views and no closeup details. When I was actively researching these guns it was very tough - especially for not having references to compare these with. I've succeeded on both guns with the help of knowledgeable people who I tried to thank by giving them pictures of these guns which they then can use as reference. The same applies to this forum, I've learnt so much on the K98k rifle that I had not been aware of before, and I still need to use the knowledge power of many in here to find out on particular details that I don't know. I try to give some of this back by posting pictures of rifles like this to give this forum a pictorial reference.

Re Jap snipers, I can't come up with much. All I own are one T97 and one T99 sniper rifle with a 4x scope (of which both have removed/lined out Chrysanthenum) plus two spare 2.5x scopes. Both rifles came from the US since they were not used in Europe during WWII and therefore tough to impossible to find. So opposite of PE(M) scopes, if we are to get back to the original topic. I still dream to once own a T99 with externally adjustable scope as well.

 

[mike radford]

Sorry I got a bit huffy. Injured my hip and had to soak up a few muscle relaxants, which make me mean.

Regardless, we can not get PE or PEM scopes or mounts for a reasonable price. Last scope and mount cost me $2350 with a dug base. I was thrilled to get it. That kind of price is typical, if you are lucky. My seige mount, scope and cover were about the same. I have an extra seige mount. Two Japanese scopes are nothing to blow off, again, $1500 for a basic 2.5 or 4X, way up for a Kokura 99 or adjustable Nagoya. We can find ex-snipers and a few of the 200ish imported with mounting holes intact and sometimes with base and screws.

We have profoundly different markets, as I can see more clearly.

Thanks for your considerable contribution to the hobby and ignore my arthritiis and stuff to help it slow down. No offense intended.

 

[Absolut]

Maybe you should add a "this post might contain traces of muscle relaxants" to your signature Kidding aside, if you happen to come over, would be happy to with you.

 

[mike radford]

Maybe you should add a "this post might contain traces of muscle relaxants" to your signature Kidding aside, if you happen to come over, would be happy to with you.

Thank you. I have been there twice, once for Octoberfest in Munich. I walked in the Haufbrau ?sp? and they were playing John Denver in English, Take me Home Country Road. Thought that was odd. I can lift my leg with my hand now so hope those pills stay in the bottle, especially since they are now near unobtainable here. With my used and abused body, no telling what I will need.

Hopefully I can bring a pile of pics too.