[vodkazombie]

My favorite Mosin is definitely my Remington! It holds wonderful groups.. and after that, I have a very grisly reminder of the Winter War.; A Tikka rebarreled 91/30 with a cross carved in the stock. You can clearly see the indents made in the butt plate of whatever they drove the rifle into the ground with. The first 8 inches of the barrel has an interesting surface rust.. the result of being driven into the tundra, probably, and left there for an undetermined amount of time.
The rifle shoots great! The stock is cracked, but I have fired it with the "gravemarker" stock. I now simply drop it into a zytel sporter stock and then put it back into the gravemarker when I get home. After I clean it, of course. If anyone wants a photo, drop me a line.

It's one of a few very interesting conversation pieces I have.

Cheers.

 

[vodkazombie]

Finn gravemarker

I'd love to share photos of this rifle. This one is a detail of the left side of the stock, showing the engraved cross.
I'd like to say I have a unique piece but we must remind ourselves that the men and women who carried these rifles often paid the ultimate price.

I came by this from a friend who was moving away. He came by it years ago when the rifles were going for 15 dollars. A group of his friends all pitched in and ordered about ten of them (this was when you could still order rifles from the Sears catalog) and unpacked them to clean them from the cosmoline.. and he felt, at the time, that he was stuck with a "beater". I guess I'm glad he drew the shortest straw in that deal!

Cheers. The photo is attached.

 

[vodkazombie]

another photo of my faves

Thanks guys for all the nice things and thoughts you expressed.
I would like to donate this rifle to a Finnish Museum, or maybe just the stock (the rifle shoots so good... maybe they could find a beater action! ) Ideas?

Ok, here are my other favorites. Please disregard that Stevens 416 Trainer that sneaked into the photo. And the floral wallpaper.. the wife applied her feminine touch to my armory! ARRGGH!

Below that is my 1917 Remington 91, and beneath that is my M38 Mosin. These are really great shooters!

Cheers.

 

[vodkazombie]

I agree with Mr. Williams' idea of attempting to locate the family. I think I'll start by searching the web. Too bad I don't know anyone who speaks Finnish!

Maybe a letter to the Finnish Consulate could achieve something.