Anvil 093: 1891 Mosin/Nagant , Dragoon and Rifle

An UNfired 1917 Remington Mosin, compared to what the rest of us are left with.
We show here is what you need to go learn, not a tutorial. Don't possess the skills? Do NOT attempt to perform at this level. Support us: / anvil Music: A choir of Angels

[@John-mz8rj]

BW picture was American sailors from the cruiser USS Olympia in 1919.

[@joetaylor486]

My god the unissued mosin was beeeautiful! Man their standards for a military rifle were high. Lovely conservation work though, as always, Mr Novak.

[@JohnNicholasM]

Funny story; I have a White-Westinghouse Finish 1891 infantry rifle in great condition. Bought it at a gun store where it was a trade in. It would drop the firing pin if you thumped the stock. not safe. I had them check the chamber to make sure it had not been re-chambered for 30--06. It wasn't. I offered $50.00. and took it home, couple of swipes with a file to increase sear engagement and I have a safe and functional rifle. The bore was very dark, lots of lead and crud, but clear rifling. Shoots pretty good.

[@vernonland5987]

You are a fantastic teacher. I refurbed some family heirlooms thanks to you!

[@marknovak8255]

Outstanding

[@neruneri]

The more of these I watch, the more it becomes apparent that the struggle between drastic measures to future proof the artifacts and the resistance towards fucking with the historically significant old thing, is kind of like the struggle between a surgeon and a reluctant patient. You really have to judge it on a case-by-case basis whether you want to go in with the knife and cut the guy up as a long-term measure, or whether it's too late to do any good. And just like with health, a healthy dose of prevention is better than trying to find a cure.

[@marknovak8255]

AMEN. Well put

[@obviousgreyman]

Seeing that unissued Mosin is so awesome man, that thing is immaculate. I love to see the history of some of the old surplus rifles but it’s really cool to see something of what they would’ve been new as well.

[@felixthecat265]

I have found that a lot of Imperial Russian gun threads are British, either BA or one of the 55degree Whit form threads. Tula was largely equipped by Greenwood and Batley who produced large amounts of gunmaking machine tools in the late 19th/ early 20th century. The 7.62x54 bore is basically .303 (.311) made using British rifling cutters.. If you are looking for a source of Brit taps and dies, then Tracy Tools in UK are a good bet..

[@jfk64kennedy95]

lil suggestion from a carpenter, cabinet maker. those lil screw holes are the perfect diameter for hardwood cooking skewers, and if look hard enough can find diff diameters, they great for filling screw holes, with a dab of wood epoxy, predrill the filled holes like you would for a new screw and all done, neat, secure, will last as long as gun,

[@CrimeVid]

Always used to use matchsticks myself, there used to be a lot of brands, with different size sticks, Aspen most of them were.

[@k9six185]

Golf tees

[@earlelkins9086]

Toothpicks

[@johnbrady1211]

When I was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. in the 70's-80's, the city of Fayetteville had a chain department store I've only seen in the South, called "Roses". They always had these old but serviceable milsurp guns in stock for $75.00 - $100.00. Just like the kind that you are always breathing new life into, Mark. If only I picked one up every other payday, I'd have quite a collection.

[@kylemichaels3373]

$75-$80 for a Mosin in the 70's? Sheesh they were $40 in 2000 in shotgun news.

[@stephenwoods4118]

I alwasy love going down the rabbit hole with you Mark, one learns so very much.

[@donmurrin5269]

Wow! The way you close this segment is a scream. Mark ! You crack me up. Thanks again for this enlightening block of instruction.

[@marknovak8255]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Sman7290]

That angelic choir singing Hosannas and that beatific smile. You never looked so good, Mark!

[@loddude5706]

A Master . . . who 'draws the thing as he sees it, for the God of things as they are'. : )

[@thegoldencaulk2742]

There's nothing quite like a 100 year old unissued rifle. I've got an unissued P14 from Winchester and boy howdy did they know how to put together a pretty service rifle! Great work as always!

[@51WCDodge]

Get the best get Winchester! My P14 went through the Weedon Process, the history of that place is intresting in itself, but hey its MINE! and love at first bang. Though it is still a target rifle taken to war , where as the SMLE is a war rifle you take to the range.

[@randymagnum143]

@@51WCDodge i would hardly consider the p14 inferior to anything else from wwi, except for the m1917. Save for the ejector spring, nothing is more robust.

[@51WCDodge]

@@randymagnum143 They make a good sniping rifle, and yes (Smirk) mine ha sthe magic circle T on the butt. But the SMLE is handier and twice the magazine capacity ,also the P14 with bayonet is a pike. Lots of range discussion still goes on about which is best.

[@maddinswelt3163]

Get in touch with Ian mccollum in a video. I emailed him once. He really cares and answers. You two gentlemen fit really well for a joint production.

[@marknovak8255]

Got to work with Mr. McCollum on project lightening, and several other projects. The few times we have needed to talk to each other we just pick up the phone.

[@allangibson8494]

Ian McCollum would be really interested in on of the French manufactured Mosin Nagant’s…

[@The_JEB]

I always tell people that my truck does not have Rust on it, it has patina, and it adds value

[@cayminlast]

You crack me up Mark. Good job, and again I learned a few things, thank you.

[@nitr0junki3]

My four favorite words on KZbin. Down the rabbit hole...

[@lindanelson8400]

Thanks Mark for always posting a video I can learn something from. Yesterday I was at my parents home, mother asked me to look at one of my dad's guns she thought needs attention. Boy was she right. An ancient Remington .22 Target Master. Functions fine, good bore, but the stock is almost black with old oils. When warm weather returns I'll be getting it back in shape as I remember it as a kid.

[@lightweight1974]

Mark, The real question is: When does the lack of patina become maintenance?

[@marknovak8255]

Excellent.....

[@j.a.steiger7201]

Excellent. I served with the 31st Infantry Polarbears 1998-2004.

[@jimc12]

Polar bear EXPEDITION was in 1918... The units that carried out that mission during 1918 were the Army American Expeditionary Force 339th Regiment and 339th Infantry Regiment.

[@CannaCJ]

The skills displayed in this series of videos which were within my ability to glean and reproduce helped massively when fettling a 1924 Mauser, specifically fitting an upper hand guard to existing stock and barrel fittings, etc. Thanks for the entertainment and chance to pick up shop tricks.

[@emoryzakin2576]

I turned down a new out of the crate Remington mosin a few years back for $300…I still feel it haunting me

[@Siskiyous6]

Nice job Mark, you have become must watch, and must watch again!

[@aaronwalker1347]

These are some of the best videos. I really like what you always say about rust. I spent some time in the Marines, and have been a farmer before that and after that. I have seen rust all over the world. I have had to deal with rust as a farmer, when I fix equipment that breaks. The only thing I really learned about rust is it recks almost everything, and is never good. The other thing I learned was the is always a lot more work involved when you see it. Great video! Thanks

[@marknovak8255]

And that's a no shit right there. Witness.......

[@act4306]

The gun surgeon strikes again! Thanks for saving yet another piece of history.

[@sailingmaster]

Another wonderful trip down the rabbit hole. Thanks, Mark & Bruno.

[@RWMC2271]

Wow..one of the most sleek guns i have ever seen.. A true masterpiece Nice work btw :)

[@remiel3315]

Wait till you lay hands on a Finn Mosin

[@michaelkaiser1864]

I had a remmy like that back in the 90s. I was a kid and knew nothing. It was just as pristine. I sold it for 200 and thought I made a killing. If only I knew....

[@LittleRabbit1138]

Been watching you for about two months now, lovin' every episode! At the same time, you're making me feel like I need to take much better care of my guns.

[@PiGood]

That cleaning rod threaded block is probably an 1/8"-40 Whitworth thread. The cleaning rod should be a 5/32"-32 Whitworth. Pretty much all the mosins use Whitworth threads with a 55 degree thread angle rather than the 60 degree on standard/metric.

[@marknovak8255]

Good to know thanks

[@allangibson2408]

Probably something to do with the fact that Peter the Great standardised Russia on the English Imperial system (because he disliked the lack of precision in the traditional Russian units). Whitworth was presented much the earliest standard thread form from 1841 (followed by US National series threads in 1864 and then in 1878 Thury and its copy BA which were metric threads). The Metric thread standard only dates from 1898. So as a guide - nothing made before 1900 will have recognised ISO metric threads. As an aside - all metric pipe threads are 55 Degree Whitworth - because they are just the BSP threads with new names.

[@PiGood]

@@allangibson2408 While that may be part of it, the Russians purchaseing most of the machinery and tooling for the early M1891 rifles was from the UK, who at the time primarly used the British Standard of Whitworth, likely was a bigger factor in terms of the design choice.

[@allangibson2408]

@@PiGood The earliest Moison Nagants were made in Belgium and France (seven years before a standard metric thread existed). All are supposed to have interchangeable parts.

[@PiGood]

@@allangibson2408 You are confuseing apotion of a standard with use. Early metric based standardised threads go back to atleast the 1870s.

[@benc1927]

I'm new to this, my grandfather passed away and left me 10 Mauser's and 3 Lugers and im attempting to learn how to best take care of them. Watching these videos and reading online is starting to build my confidence but i'm not quite ready to start taking them apart and cleaning/preserving them. Some of them have rust

[@griffm5]

take a drink every time he says Gack

[@cmdredstrakerofshado1159]

I take a big swig of coffee when mark says "trained rat" 😆🤣😆🤣😉

[@ScottKenny1978]

Hope you have been hanging out with the machinists and drinking a lot. Frat boys ain't got nothing on engineers!

[@360vlogger3]

I love your philosophy, and totally agree with you, that these old vintage rifles desperately need some TLC. Better to conserve and maintain a firearm as you would do with any fine instrument and keep it in the fight than to let it gather rus....I mean patina and become a wall hanger.

[@gislieinarsson1572]

Always a joy watching your videos... besides 90% of the guns you are working on don't exist where I live. Thanks for showing us interesting firearms Sir

[@remiserriere]

"Don't possess the skills? Do NOT attempt to perform at this level." Fair warning for the viewers watching YT videos saying "nah I can do that with a wire wheel and a kitchen knife"... Very good content, keep up the work! It's a pleasure watching a pro!

[@marknovak8255]

Thanks. The hard part, is most don't, can't, won't read the card!

[@bengland6969]

Mark it's always a pleasure to see your work, I cannot wait for more and hopefully "The book" of infinite knowledge too it's a highlight of my day.

[@thehuge4099]

Incredibly skillful a joy to watch a craftsman at work.

[@Bayan1905]

I got lucky last year. I found a numbers matching, Remington made 1891 from 1916 that is in excellent and all original condition. The gun shop I found it in apparently thought it was just another surplus Mosin and threw a price tag of $400 on it. I snagged it and it's one of the best shooting milsurp rifles I've ever owned. The bolt is amazingly smooth and out to 100 yards with crappy surplus ammo and the open sights it will group around 2 inches. During the winter I want to work up some handloads for it to see what I can get it to do with good, quality ammo. Mine was issued to the Russians, but it's got a couple other markings I haven't been able to decipher, not Finnish, certainly not US, closest thing we I can figure is either Poland or Bulgarian. The gun also has no import marks at all anywhere on it. It's a heck of a gun.

[@johnspruit7296]

Beautiful conservation work . Thank you for showing us how to preserve our living history pieces . Ontario Canada .

[@853pipelife]

Missed you buddy... dont make us wait for so long.

[@jimrowland6089]

I learn something new with every video you do. Thanks for putting these videos together.

[@michaelkaiser1864]

I had a 1917 for a short while....bought it for 95 bucks in 90 or so. I was a kid. had no idea. It was a mosin that was really nice to me. no internet to learn from. I sold it for 200 thinking it was robbery....i got robbed. She was every bit as immaculate. Pristine bore. Perfect blue.

[@ScottKenny1978]

That unissued Remington!🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@cowboybob08]

An Arshin is the equivalent of a pace, which is approximately 30 inches. The average height soldier has a stride of 30 inches when marching.

[@andersbendsen5931]

30 inches is 76.2 cm. An arshin is 71.1 cm. So you're SEVERAL INCHES OFF. Damn, I couldn't be a better mm-totalitarian if I tried. 😂

[@garytrowbridge2790]

huge fan of Mr Novac

[@Amicaner]

I just smiled when I saw another video made available today! Thanks for an entertaining and informative 30 minutes that, as always, just flew by.

[@REXOB9]

Wonderful episode. Thanks for showing us that awesome rifle, and for conserving the other.

[@calvindeckert2740]

Glorious work my Good Sir! Keep em coming and I'll keep a watching!

[@juggenbugger]

Love spending time in your company, as you might say “outstanding”

[@chs82ndab]

Just a pleasure to sit in your class room.

[@stacybrown3714]

I have learned more from watch this channel than I did from all my highschool teachers together!

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

When you have unreadable stampings in old wood like this, one trick that sometimes works is to hit it with a UV flashlight in a darkened room. This highlights crushed wood fibers that are invisible in typical room lighting; it can reveal otherwise unreadable text and numbers.

[@PatrickJDaley]

Another great video Mark! I am of the same mindset, "Patina", is an awful word in my shop! I do have a 1944 Mosin rifle keeping the '17 Enfield company in my safe, all cozy with several 1909 Mauser actions. I have a Peruvian 1909, in the white, that is at least 95%. Amazing for a 122yr. Old rifle. Found it in a pawn shop!

[@jtjjbannie]

What a great channel! Not sure how I found it, but I'm glad I did.

[@garygriffiths6998]

A quick fix for "screwed out" screw holes is to use a flat toothpick glued in, or a wooden matchstick, depending on the size of the hole. I keep a small container of both on my work bench.

[@john-paulsilke893]

For doors I do the same. But in m case I jam the holes with several and a good blast of wood glue. Quick tip if your doors swing open on their own. Smack the hinge pin with a light to medium tap with your hammer to give one of them a small imperceptible bend and reinstall it. If the door still “falls” then pop another hinge and repeat until it doesn’t close or open on its own. Zero dollar repair. It isn’t the right way, but it works.

[@itsapittie]

My father was a high school teacher and historian and during the summers he would take me on 2-3 day trips around Oklahoma and bordering states to research historical events. In 1973 or 1974 we went to southwestern Oklahoma to research the Babbs Switch fire of 1924. That's an interesting story in itself; it's the reason there's a federal law that the doors on all public buildings have to open outward. In the course of asking among the long-term residents of local towns, we encountered a 96 year old man who happened to mention that at the end of WWI he had been "sent to fight the Roosians". My father immediately grabbed a different note pad and started writing. It was the first I'd heard of it and I don't remember much of what he said except that "They took our American rifles and gave us Roosian ones." and "I hope I'll never be that cold again." I've been fascinated by the expedition and its firearms ever since.

[@constancemiller3753]

You need to tell those stories. Get the notepads. Please. History dies in darkness.

[@itsapittie]

@@constancemiller3753 Would that I could! The notepads disappeared long ago. All I have left is my memories.

[@milsurprifleguy7091]

There is always something to be learned . I don’t think the younger people want to sit and talk to “ old timers” , they are missing out on things that could expand their horizons

[@Tunkkis]

Fantastic work at always, Mr. Novak! You just love to see it.

[@MrZachxd]

It's like Christmas when you post a new video.

[@GBDGhotbear]

YEAH!!!!!.love it. Keep them coming . Awesome stuff..

[@THE_YIGLER]

never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd ever see an unissued mosin

[@marknovak8255]

Neither did I, for that matter

[@silencedogood5766]

I got 3 or 4 M-44s unissued but long rifles all well used but my 1916 version is in awesome shape so I have many years of shooting left with her !

[@leftyeh6495]

They were all over. Used to be able to dig around and find them in boxes full of cosmolene. Wasn't too uncommon to find one that was absolutely perfect without a scratch on it, while the next one may be garbage.

[@Ivanovitch2885]

I wish I had your videos 20 years ago when I got my first Mosin.

[@acester86]

Wow that unfired Mosin sure is purty

[@acidtreat101]

Most beautiful Mosin I have ever seen WOW

[@mrking7342]

You got my upvote in the first few seconds. Perfect opening.

[@darthrex354]

That Remington is a thing of beauty.

[@rob3568]

Excellent video. Great work and super fun to watch. Going to use that soap and wool trick!

[@astridvallati4762]

Mosin Screws are all BSW Inch standard...Imperial Russia was based on the Inch system, and Greenwood &Batley of Leeds, supplied the initial Berdan II machinery, then the Upgrade to the Mosin 91. All Mosins ( Russian, Chinese, etc) were ALL Inch based into the 1960s...despite the Bolsheviks changing to Metric in 1920. KISS!! DocAV

[@marknovak8255]

Good to know....THANKS

[@halnywiatr]

@ 4:26 The "Ligne" is a fascinating unit of measure. Watch movements and cases are still dimensioned in lignes.

[@johnbeauvais3159]

Buttons too

[@sendit1158]

Love your work, ive learned alot from you

[@Hybris51129]

I always love seeing your videos especially anything Mosin related given that is my current (And nearly finished) "project" rifle. So far all I got left to do is figure out how to tighten the front sight blade so it doesn't attempt to fly out with every shot.

[@adamsgunroom9331]

Thank you for doing what you do love your stuff

[@tyrvidar]

Great stuff, love your work

[@johnlippincott1001]

Indeed Mark, Always a pleasure.

[@tylertripp3610]

Amazing content as always!

[@jb13611]

2:36 I bet that window was totally a swastika at some point.

[@misery13666]

Absolutely is. A guy with a "window" tattoo was most likely in prison, and a member of AB. I get why some may do it for protection, but When I used to do hiring, two people didn't get a job due to the tattoo. because there is no way to weed out the believers from the ones who did it for safety. and honestly I didnt care.

[@MrCheezeNip]

26:20 that escuchin ain't gonna hold after such a vigorous tappin!

[@shkiper4224]

I was looking if some one cached that :p

[@MichaelJones-tk4xt]

Your videos make my day!!!!

[@singleshot2218]

Beautiful work as always Mark! Take care and stay safe! God bless! 🙏✝️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@andrewwillmott28]

Beautiful rifles, thanks for sharing.

[@Gmacrone]

Thank you for putting out another entertaining and informative video. Now I have two rifles you've done video's on that make me wiser. (SVT 40)

[@kriztov265]

Were gonna come back in with the steel wool and take off the dirt not the finish. Look at the colour of that ... Dammit Bruno can i get another coffee....... Thanks for the video Mark :)

[@marknovak8255]

You sir are welcome

[@BigTinkerer1]

Nice work as always.

[@chrisdooley8155]

Fantastic video. I love seeing the diligent work you put into conserving these guns, and it’s amazing how good they look at the finish, considering how bad some of them look at the start of the process. I did have a question...How oil-soaked does a stock have to get before it begins to impact the integrity/safety of the stock? I have a Yugo M24 Mauser derivative that is fairly dark around the wrist, likely due to oil running down out of the action during storage. Do you have a video that goes into greater detail about the risks/warning signs of this issue?

[@joemorganeatmyshortschannel]

thanks mark for showing us that

[@skigdividerx4991]

Best youtube right here.

[@supermoon1430]

I thought he has shit posting about the sling for a second

[@marknovak8255]

No, he wasn't. Henry knows his era...

[@Jonesy11B]

Excellent video brotha

[@fdmackey3666]

Sometime around 1998 I first read about Remington Mosin/Nagant rifles though I don't recall exactly where I ran across the reference (a back issue of American Rifleman maybe but I'm not at all sure about that). What I AM sure of is that at some point some really low life types apparently started selling fakes at gun shows on the east coast. A gent I met in Maryland made the gun show rounds in the area looking for, and sometimes purchasing, "unique" and/or "rare" 19th and early 20th century rifles and handguns. In 2014 he purchased what looked, to the untrained eye, and as it turned out his was one of those eyes...And mine too though in my defense I had NO idea what made an original an original and a fake a fake. He paid some serous scratch for that rifle and took it to a PA gunsmith for conservation purposes only. The gunsmith spent about thirty minutes looking the "Remington" over and declared it a well made though, to the trained eye, 100% fake. Somewhere along the line considerable time, effort, and money had been spent with modern machine tools, scrap metal, and punches to turn a WWII Soviet era Mosin (worth about $275.00 at the time at many pawn and gun stores) into a very, very nice looking "Remington" model right down to the shelter half sling.

[@lexzoolia1]

Craftsmanship of the highest order , 10/10 as always

[@jims9249]

Can't ask for better approval than that.

[@charlescrowell3346]

That's my rifle, 1917 remington.

[@nelsonnoname001]

YES!!!! THE TIME IS HERE!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

[@fredrickgustafsson4795]

for this evening cigar and gun time with Mark i am smoking a Guillermo Leon - Ambassador (they had a sale at a shop here)

[@plasmacity35]

Love it another great Anvil

[@Slipprymongoose]

That remington rifle looks amazing

[@michaelpierson7256]

I also have a Remington 1891 mosin in great shape for $75, the sights are in arshins (28") as all mosins are untill the 91/30 witch is in meters so use a calculator to set the sights. Happy shooting😊

[@dimestoreharry3344]

..............................................................MARK !!!! .................................................. That stock had the Swastika on it . Someone added lines to make it look like a square with a cross in it .

[@carlholm7867]

I thought just the same!

[@nickmcwilliams685]

I was wondering about that. I used to do that to swastikas in bar bathrooms.

[@marknovak8255]

OK, I buy that. Will pass that revelation along to the owner. Thanks

[@jakeroark6718]

Oh man I am in love with that gun.

[@WHATAGIRLWANTS2009]

Mark, great work and video! Would you consider showing how you polish your hammers. Thanks

[@RhodeIslandWildlife]

...and your chisels are ground a a much steeper angle then anything I'd use as a finish carpenter. Maybe you should have a dedicated tool segment.

[@earlelkins9086]

I use a table belt sander to insure the hammer head is flat, then polish with a buffer wheel, turning 1800 or so rpm. Start with about a 300 grit paste, then step up with finer grits till you get where you want the finish to be. Mirrored finishes are possible...take your time, don't get the steel to hot while polishing. Clean your wheel after each grit.

[@WHATAGIRLWANTS2009]

@@earlelkins9086 What grit do you sand to on the belt sander? do you take the sharp edge off the hammer? Thank you

[@shawnoandrew]

I love my Remington Armory and my New England Westinghouse mosins. Both Finnish captures.

[@endutubecensorship]

I'm happy for you that you have those unique rifles, I'm still searching for an M39 Finnish 😍