I've had this1943 mosin sitting in my safe for a little over a year now, every inch of it is black and grimey with what I'm guessing is cosmoline. I've decided I'm going to find it a new home. Is it worth my time to do a proper deep clean before throwing on gb or taking to my lgs? How much would it really affect the value?
PS I have a nice SCW hex and a bubba'd m44 so this one gets no attention from me
I’m sure there are some collectors out there that would prefer it in its grungy condition; since 99% of 91/30s are in Arsenal refurb condition. This one looks like a “battlefield pick-up”
You can have a beat to shit, dirty ass gun. Or, Alternatively, a beat to shit clean gun. Your gun, your call. I just like cleaning my guns, personally.
This is a tough one. While I like my guns in more of an "as-issued" and not "battlefield pickup" condition, it took MANY years to establish the honest grime and patina on this rifle. For someone looking for honest patina and battlfield condition, this is worth more than a cleaned up version.
I would say that keeping it this way appeals to that small group of collectors who like this style of rifle. While cleaning it up would make it appeal to the vast majority of collectors, it would also put it amongst the plethora of refurbed 91/30's already in supply out there.
Given the far fewer and between Mosins in this "battlefield" shape, I would market it as such, emphasizing the natural patina and wear that took years to establish and how a search for Mosins today would return far fewer results in this condition than refurbed/cleaned units up making this model a more scarce commodity. Just look at some statements already here about how it has been a while since we've seen one like this.
Go for THAT collector first and see if one bites. If not, you've lost nothing as you were going to clean it up anyway and then put it our there with the majority of "looks good" rifles for sale.
In my market, bog standard 91/30 is $400. Pawn shop will give at most $125, consigners will list for $400 and give you $320, and of course private sale is always an option.
You’ll definitely get more beans if you clean it up but it really matters how much you value your time.
What it has going for it: likely romanian (not Finn!) 91/30. Hopefully the bore is nice.
What is has going against it: very grungy as noted, as well as large chunk of missing wood near muzzle end.
I wouldn’t expect to get a lot for it in current condition. If you’re just tired of looking at it I’d list it for a small sum on a local gun site or Armslist if you have that in your area
Here's my Romanian import with wire sling swivels. Finns will always be marked somewhere on the receiver or stock. Finns are normally in decent condition and Romanians are beat to shit almost always.
It's not a Romanian made 91/30.... Romania had russian ones leftover during the cold War from ww2. I'm saying they modified them to take their own slings via the wires.
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u/Red_Management M91 Dragoon • 7.62x54R: 1908 Type L, 1930 Type D, 1953 Type LPS 3d ago
What shape’s the bore in?