Red Army Rifles The semi-auto SVT-40 and the bolt-action Mosin Nagant 91/30. Both rifles are chambered in 7.62x54R, a cartridge that is still in use with the Russian military, in spite being over 120+ years old. The SVT-40 was an unsuccessful attempt to replace the Mosin but proved to be too complicated for the mostly illiterate peasant soldiers. The Finns and Germans however found the rifle to be effective and used it against the Soviets whenever a captured example could be had (if there was enough ammo for it anyway).
Surplus snipers… The Soviet’s sniper rifles of WWII; the Mosin Nagant 91/30 and the SVT-40. In spite the SVT being more adavanced, with a higher capacity and quick follow up shots, it lacked the accuracy found in the Mosin. The Mosin can still be encountered on the battlefields of the Middle East, but you rarely see SVT-40’s in modern conflicts.
Soviet Anti-Air Interesting photo, more than likely propaganda, but not sure what it depicts. All of those Mosin Nagant 91/30’s have the PU optic, setup for sniper work but it seems like they’re all observing a low flying aircraft. There is a similar photo in this context from the Vietnam War.
Mosin Nagant M44
A shorter carbine version of the longer Mosin Nagant 91/30. Unlike the earlier carbine model, the M38, the M44 has a side-folding non-removable spike bayonet. This feature would later become integrated with the SKS, albeit as an under-folding bayonet. The M44 gets it’s designation from the year it entered service, 1944, but there were some produced in 1943, which are generally more collectable and cost a bit more.
Custom Mosin Nagant 91/30
Since Mosin Nagant rifles are so cheap and plentiful, they often become the first project rifles of “garage gunsmiths”. As odd looking as this stock /chassis system is, I do have to praise the fact that it doesn’t modify the rifle permanently. You just remove the barreled action from the original stock and drop it into the custom. The cheek weld looks uncomfortable with that high scope mount. I’ve stated it before but I’m a purist for the most part when it comes to surplus stuff.
PPSh-41 One of the most successful sub-machine guns ever produced, it earned several nicknames; ranging from “The Burp Gun” or “Papasha”. The invading Germans during WWII would capture and use the PPSh-41 in urban combat zones since their long and slow K98’s were ill-suited for the job.
Russian GP-7 Older Russian gas mask that you can still find easily on the surplus market or eBay. They sometimes get mislabeled as GP-5 or PMK when online at shops or auctions. The PMK is almost identical to the GP-7V but it has triangular shaped lenses, whereas the GP-7V is circular.
Soviet Anti-Air… Probably a staged photo for propaganda purpose courtesy of “Uncle Joseph”. Soviet soldiers take aim at the sky with PPSh-41’s, a captured Nazi MG34. The soldier farthest to the left looks like he has an MP40 though.
I got your back… A pair of Soviet soldiers taking aim from a demolished position. Note that the soldier in the foreground has a scope SVT-40. It performed poorly as a sniper rifle in comparison to the Mosin Nagant 91/30. Soldier in the background has a shorter Mosin Nagant, looks like an M38 since there is no side-folding bayonet like the M44. Photo is grainy, it could be an M44, it’s just that the bayonet is obscured in color.
Nagant M1895 The Soviet Union’s standard sidearm for many years in spite the arrival of the Tokarev. Note that it has a smooth cylinder. This is a clear indication that this particular Nagant has the aftermarket .32 ACP conversion. It allows you to use cheap, readily available ammo, but it isn’t a simple drop-in conversion; requires a fair amount of fitting to be reliable.
Draw… What looks like a German and Soviet soldier encountering each other in a trench and about to open fire. Very odd that there was a photographer here. I want to say it’s from a movie but I don’t recognize this scene from anything. The German has a PPSh-41 while the Soviet has the PPS. I thought maybe the Soviet had a PPSh-41 also but with a stick magazine but that more pronounced curve under the barrel and ahead of the magazine well is more PPS. Note that another soldier’s boot heel on the right hand side of the photo…very odd.
DShK Russia’s old heavy machine gun dating back to WWII. Replaced by more modern designs like the NSV and Kord. The one pictured has a reproduction Russian tripod. A Czech tripod was sold in the U.S for a short time as well. That set-up I believe tips the scale at around 150 lbs or so. Absolutely beautiful machine gun…I’m somewhat annoyed I’m just $1,500 short of buying mine yet I have my eye on some guns in the Rock Island Auction this Saturday.
Soviets… (A nice little collection of Soviet firearms. You have two Mosin Nagant 91/30’s, a Tokarev TT-33 and the Nagant M1895. Note that while the two Mosin Nagant’s look similar, one is a early hex receiver, the other a round. Also note that the hex receiver rifle has brass upper handguard bands.)
Defeat… (Soviet soldiers standing together as they present the military banners of the defeated Nazis. Note the first soldier and the lack of the banner. That one belongs to the infamous 1st SS Division Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler. The banner was never found or captured; whereabouts are unknown or possibly it was destroyed during the battle for Berlin. There are some theories that it was saved and preserved by the Nazi insurgency group known as Werwolf; German for Werewolf.)
Sniper march… (Female Soviet soldiers on the march with their Mosin Nagan 91/30 rifles. Note that some of them are equipped with the PU scope, whereas others are not.)
