Ysabel Kid wrote:
I take it the M28 is simply the Finnish version of the M91/30?YK
YK,
This is a quick version of the Mosin Nagant M91/30, pleas excuse the run-on sentences and grammar errors;
Finland was lost to Russia from Sweden, but were mostly left to their own customs and ran their own Government, including their own language, when the Reds started the revolution in 1917 the Finn's took the opportunity and succeeded from Russia. During the time they were part of Russia they had used Russian rifles and other equipment.
The M1891 or Three Line Rifle of 1891, was the standard rifle of Russia, or more commonly the M91. It took a few years to bring Russian machining up to the task of production numbers needed for rearming the Russian army. So Russian contracted out with the US and France to build M91, that is why you see receivers from other countries.
As time went on the USSR found that the M91's length was cumbersome, so the barrel was shortened and was Know as the Dragoon, then the sights were changed out and it became the M91/30.
The Finn's realized that the M91 was too long also, plus the accuracy of the long thin Russian barrels was not up to their standard, so the M91 barrels replaced with ones made in Germany or Switzerland, which are also known as the M24 or “Lotta” rifles for the Civil Guard.
Next was the M27 which used shortened barrels made by Germany, Belgium, and the Swiss. This was issued to the standard army.
The M28 is almost the same as the M27. but the barrel is .30 grooves and .308 lands, it was built for the Civil Guard. All of the other rifles were made to be standard as the Russian at .310 across the lands.
The next was the 28/30 which is a prize to find!! Basically the M28 with better rear leaf sight.
The last is the great M39, which is the final design and one most accurate military rifles produced.
Steve
