Can anyone identify this rifle?

[RinTN]

I have an old rifle that I got when my father died.  He had been given it many years before and didn't really know anything about it.  So, I'm hoping that someone here can tell me a bit about what I've got.

 

Best as I can tell, the writing says New England Westinghouse Company 1915, followed by some odd symbol - not quite pi, but like pi with the lower right leg cut short.

 

 

[MacGyver]

Westinghouse M1891 Infantry Rifle.  Better known as the M91 Mosin Nagant.

 

Folks with way more knowledge in the area will be along shortly.

[Garufa]

It is indeed an American made M1891 Mosin.  Westinghouse and Remington both produced these rifles during WWI under contract to Russia. Caliber 7.62x54r.

 

http://www.mosinnagant.net/ussr/US-Mosin-Nagants.asp

 

I think the Phi symbol is a cryliic "P", maybe. The eagle above it is the Russian Imperial Eagle.

 

Looks like your's is in very nice condition and is probably worth a considerable amount.  Based on the three Eagle proof marks, commonly used by America in WWI, this rifle may actually have been issued to American troops.

 

Tons of info here.....http://7.62x54r.net/

Edited January 4, 2013 by Garufa

[gjohnsoniv]

Garufa is correct, that is a Russian "P."

[RinTN]

Thanks for the great resource.  I really appreciate it!

 

It is indeed an American made M1891 Mosin.  Westinghouse and Remington both produced these rifles during WWI under contract to Russia. Caliber 7.62x54r.

 

http://www.mosinnagant.net/ussr/US-Mosin-Nagants.asp

 

I think the Phi symbol is a cryliic "P", maybe. The eagle above it is the Russian Imperial Eagle.

 

Looks like your's is in very nice condition and is probably worth a considerable amount.  Based on the three Eagle proof marks, commonly used by America in WWI, this rifle may actually have been issued to American troops.

 

Tons of info here.....http://7.62x54r.net/

[RinTN]

BTW, any idea what the smaller bird stamps with the x2 under them are?

[peejman]

Cool.  Read about them, never actually seen one.

[Garufa]

BTW, any idea what the smaller bird stamps with the x2 under them are?

 

Those are United States inspection marks of the era that leads me to believe this rifle actually made it into US service.  Is there a flaming bomb anywhere on the rifle or any other marks?

 

Don't know what x's/number's mean under the eagle.  Maybe a specific inspector's mark?

[Guest The Dude]

Hard to say what those marks are. Id guess they were proof marks of some sort. I never knew the US used the Mosin. I always thought they were made here under contract for Russia, due to their uprisings at the time. I believe they were all stamped with 1915 regardless of the year it was made. Nice score! Should clean up well.

Edited January 4, 2013 by The Dude

[Moped]

It's a little known fact that the U.S. sent an expeditionary force to Russia late in WWI and afterwards to help the White Army fight the Reds (Communists).  They armed them with the M91s so the could be supplied by the Czarist Government and later on by the White Army. Westinghouse and Remington manufactured Mosin Nagants for the Czarist Armies.  However when the Reds took over Russia, they refused to pay for the rifles and large inventory remained here in the states at Bannerman's Armory until the 1950's, when most were sold off. It could be one of these rifles.http://www.mosinnagant.net/global%20mosin%20nagants/bannerman.asp

 

Here is a good article on the Bannerman Mosin Nagants. http://www.mosinnagant.net/global%20mosin%20nagants/bannerman.asp  After re-reading the article, it seems that some of these were issued to National Guard units, mining companies and the U.S. Post Office.  They were even sold through CMP for a while.

Edited January 5, 2013 by Moped

[Garufa]

The rifle is not a Bannerman.  Bannerman was a chop-shop in the business of sporterizing and converting.

[RinTN]

Thanks again for the information guys. I had no idea there could be so much history related to this old rifle living in my closet.

[Moped]

Any rifle used by a major power over and extended period of time, starting over a 100 years ago, is going to have a history.  What has made these rifles so popular is the fact that they have come into the country over the last 15 years in great numbers. The Russians used this rifle through two world wars and exported it to all their satellite nations for manufacture. They are actually has iconic and prolific as the AK47.  They were and are sold at a great price and ammunition is cheap for them.  And there are many different makes.  Some are more expensive than others due to their rarity.  Many people on this board own more than 3 or 4 of them.

 

If it were me, I would research what you have to find out the real history on it. Then have it checked out by a gunsmith to see if it can still be fired.  If it can be, buy some of that cheap ammunition and shot it.  Hang on to it and pass it down to you children.  Make it a family heirloom, since it belonged to your father.