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This early M91 was made in 1893 at Chatellerault in France under contract for Russia.  It is in remarkably original condition retaining all the early features.  These include the flat rear sight leaf, finger rest behind the trigger guard, and sling swivels on the magazine and front barrel band rather than slots in the stock.  The sling is the early pattern web type which is sewn to the swivel at the magazine.  It has no handguard which is correct for the period but has had the crossbolt added to the stock at some point.  This rifle is owned by Karl-Heinz Wrobel, author of Drei Linien, Die Gewehre Mosin-Nagant, who was kind enough to take the pictures and allow them to be used on 7.62x54r.net.

The finger rest behind the trigger was only in production for a short time and most of the few remaining stocks from that era have had them removed and the slot filled.   The early rear sight is graduated to 2700 arshinii on the back side rather than 3200 arshinii as the later curved rear sight.

At Chatellerault the rear sight graduations were placed on the right side of the base with the left side left blank.  This is opposite of the practice at the Russian arsenals.

The bayonet is as rare as the rifle as it has the 90 degree slot and was also made at Chatellerault.  The scabbard is even more rare as it is one of only 200 made for the Russian M91 bayonet on a trial basis.  These were also produced at Chatellerault.   The cleaning rod is unique as the head is not knurled and has no hole.