Mosin Nagant, Afghan Capture

Via AndrewA74

 

More pictures @ Imgur

I purchased her from a surplus dealer about a year and a half ago. He had three rifles with him that came from the same lot (there were only two left when I found them); a beat up Enfield that had a half inch of bolt slop when closed, as well as missing the magazine and stock handguard, and this Mosin. The other rifles was a "more intricately decorated mosin" which sadly was gone before I got there. I bought this rifle for a song. The dealer gave me this story, which I do believe:

A soldier out of Ft. Bragg brought this rifle back. It was captured from non-friendly forces during an engagement. The rifle was test fired and the casing stuck in the chamber. It had to be beat out with a rod. The rifle was scheduled to be destroyed along with other arms via being crushed by a tank (this is the only part of the story I find suspect. Would they have used a tank to crush weapons?). The rifle was picked out by a soldier to be saved. He attempted to sneak it home, and he got caught. So the rifle was confiscated and scheduled to be destroyed again. Another soldier picked her out and smuggled her home successfully, with the other rifles that the dealer had. When the dealer got it, it was "covered" in rust, so he derusted it, and flat black spray painted it.

As far as the rifle goes, it's a (non refurb hehe) late 1921 Izhevsk Dragoon. The numbers on the barrel shank and stock match. The bolt does not match. The floorplate is unnumbered. The tang date is 1915, which is consistent with the rifles produced at Izhevsk in 1921. There is very very little spring tension left in the striker spring, I'm very surprised it fired. The action is caked in motor oil which I have been loathe to clean, because I think it's part of the rifle's story. Also, the bore looks like a smoothbore musket. The stock damage is consistent with heavy use, and the accouterments seem to be consistent with Afghan use. The barrel bands are crudely fashioned (except for the one original one that is still on there). I am not sure what they are fashioned from but I believe it is either Aluminum / Pewter for one and Brass for the other one. I have not fired it because of the poor condition of it, but I have no doubt as to whether it would integrally be fine. I'm just worried about the stock.

Not sure where the OP found it, but I did post it on Russian Gun forum (Guns.Ru) to see what they would think. Interestingly, I believe it may have been used against the Basmachi movement in Afghanistan. In the Early 1920's, the Basmachi waged a Jihad against the Soviets. It led to a few Afghan cities being occupied. It was likely left over from that. Either that, or it was given as aid to the Afghan government during this time. Of course there are many other scenarios which this rifle could have ended up where it did, but I believe these two are the most likely.

I love this rifle. Imagine how many people it has fired at. It is one of the few rifles in my collection that fired at American forces, and that is special to me.