M39 Finnish Sniper

[6pack]

At least that's what the seller said. He claims it was captured by the Finns and sent to Belgium for re-arsenaling. I'm not sure what that actually means. The stock looks brand new. That's a negative for me. I have to ask if he did that or not. The muzzle end of the barrel has a small CAI import mark. Details with the pics.

Importer markings. Two lines, top line: M39 Finland 7.62 X 54r. Second line: CAI ST ALB VT.

Top of the receiver markings. Just below the rear sight back to the scope: SA in a rectangle, B, D, 43042, 1942. Then on the hex portion there is a little crest, looks like a Phoenix with a crown and a Roman numeral 2 and a K or 'II K' below it. There looks like there is a little more writing below it, but it's just to faint to tell.

Receiver left side.

Number on receiver side below sight.

Just behind the sight area. The stock is hiding half of the symbol, but it looks like '39' on the left of the symbol and '00' on the right of the symbol. The symbol is something inside a diamond shape. To the right of that group is what looks like 'AV1'

Receiver marking just before the scope.

Floor plate. It doesn't match; number is 1317. In front of the front screw is what looks like an Izhevsk arrow? The marks around the arrow appear to be tool marks of some kind.

Weird bolt marking.

Butt plate. Very clean edges on that wood.

Scope markings. Above the 1942 date is the Soviet Hammer and Sickle with a star over it in a 'dish' shape.

So, what do I have here? Do we think its a real sniper, and more importantly to me, do we think it was WWII era?
Thanks,
Paul

 

[Combloc]

The scope has a post war Soviet rework stamp. The rifle is not a factory sniper.

 

[6pack]

Is that the box with the X in it?

 

[mvee]

I seem to remember something about Finn mosins being matches up with scopes by an importer several years ago. I think these wee done in the 1990s

 

[Combloc]

Is that the box with the X in it?

Yes. Sometimes they are dated. This example was reworked in 1968:



It was used on other equipment too. Here is an action cover from a 1952 SKS that seems to have been reworked in 1967:

 

[monsternav]

The "B" barrels were from Belgium, but the rifles weren't sent there for re-arsenaling. That was all done by the Finn's as far as I know. That is a later post-war stock (square finger joints?). Mine looks like the barrel, although dated 1942, was put on unused, along with the new stock, post-WWII.

The Phoenix looking thing is the Russian Double Eagle (as in Czarist Russia).

I have that rifles brother, 43897. Mine is a Tula, 1911, I think.

And I agree. A put together. My M39 is more accurate than my WWII Soviet sniper, by the way.

M39's are way awesome rifles.

http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/finnish_mosin_nagantm39.asp

 

[Combloc]

Generally, M39's are extremely accurate!

 

[Sirex]

As M39s are recycled parts rebuilds, the bolt on your bolt cocking knob looks like a Westinghouse mark. I saw a sniper M39 on GB a while ago, but had my doubts. M39s are my favorite Mosin model. Great shooters. Looks great. AV1 I think is the Arsenal it was built in.

 

[Melnic]

I had wondered what the 86432 number on the side of the rear sight means.
When I was looking at several Fin M39s at the Chantilly show, all of the rearsinaled ones had the same # on the side of the sight. 86432.
I read it was the range in 100s of meters for the sight.
My finn shoots noticably better than my two 91/30s with the cheap surplus ammo.

 

[6pack]

I had wondered what the 86432 number on the side of the rear sight means.
When I was looking at several Fin M39s at the Chantilly show, all of the rearsinaled ones had the same # on the side of the sight. 86432.
I read it was the range in 100s of meters for the sight.
My finn shoots noticably better than my two 91/30s with the cheap surplus ammo.

Ah-ha! So the '8' position on the sight is for 800 meters, and the '6' position is for 600 meters and so on? That explains why they are spaced differently.

 

[h2u]

Fantasy rifle. There were a, "couple" of SOV rifles imported into the US quite a long time ago. I also believe they came in sans mount and scope.

Here's what I see from the pictures -

- a nice, uncommon B barrel M39 with a non-Finn sling
- a fake PU base
- a poor attempt at inletting the stock for the fake base
- a crappy attempt at a bent bolt - with only seeing a tiny bit of it
- a New England Westinghouse stamp on the cocking knob
- what looks to be a legit PU scope that has seen a refurb

What we have here is a badly done butchering of a nice M39. F'ers
It's certainly not WW2 era as these B barrels were assembled post war. Any wear on them will most assuredly be from training as M39's were used by new recruits for training pretty much through the 70's.

If you (or anyone else) ever has any questions on a Mosin you want to purchase-ESPECIALLY a Finn....PM me first. I'll steer ya straight

 

[6pack]

Oh well, live and learn. What's the best thing to do with her? If she's not WWII, I'm not that interested in her.

 

[Combloc]

I'm interested in the sling should you decide to sell it.

 

[Sirex]

I don't think it's a bad shooter, just hope you did not overpay for it. I'd be interested to see how well it shoots scoped.

 

[yellowsled]

What is the date/marks on the underside of the tang on the reciever?

 

[6pack]

I'm interested in the sling should you decide to sell it.

I will let you know.

What is the date/marks on the underside of the tang on the reciever?

Hmmm, I think I need a picture for that.

 

[Melnic]

Oh well, live and learn. What's the best thing to do with her? If she's not WWII, I'm not that interested in her.

I"m not a Finn expert but depending on the receiver tang date, the receiver could have been dated to WWI as well as the Finn's Winter War w/ Russia.
My Finn Receiver was dated 1900. But the barrel was 1941 which is after the Winter war. It shoots great though. When I picked my Finn, I was looking for a shooter but also dated pre 1940 and did not find one so got the 41 with the best bore.

 

[yellowsled]

I will let you know.



Hmmm, I think I need a picture for that.

take the barrel out of the wood. Look on the underside of the reciever under the rear tang. there is prolly a 2 digit year, and mark on there.

 

[Melnic]

My Finn thread, 2nd Picture has date of my Receiver on the rear of the tang
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=126757

 

[6pack]

Okay, that makes sense now. A little YouTube and voila!

So, what's that mean? 1896?! Above the 96 is a cross/crucifix. The thing on the right is just what it looks like: a 90 degree angle with a dot on the inside.