1896 Cossack with Early Rear Sight Leaf

This 1896 Izhevsk Cossack rifle has the early flat blade sight leaf which is rare to find now. It also has the second pattern handguard which is a cut down version of the first pattern. 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 barrel marks are clear and sharp as is the Proof Commission mark on the receiver.

The first pattern handguard is a very fragile design and the rear portion was easily damaged. This was remedied by cutting back the rear and adding a metal reinforcement on the underside just behind the rear barrel band. The front of the handguard also has a metal cap like the later M91/30 handguards.

The simple flat leaf more closely resembles the post-1930 M91/30 leaf, as does the slide, than it does the later curved M91 leaf. The front sight blade is the same as the M91 and this rifle also retains the early solid barrel bands. The early features of this rifle are seldom seen outside of museums and it would have a prominent place in any Mosin collection.

Return to Mosin Nagant Virtual Museum