Spanish Civil War M91/30s

Although the Mosin Nagant design has been used all over the world for decades, many collectors might not realize the role it played in the Spanish Civil War. In this "dress rehearsal" for the Great Patriotic War (WWII) the Soviets backed the Republican (Socialist) government and the Nazis backed Franco's Nationalist forces. Mosin Nagant rifles were among the arms furnished by the Soviet Union during the conflict which took place from 1936 to 1939. While some of the rifles purchased with gold from the Spanish treasury were M91s, model M91/30s from this conflict seem to be more common in the US.

There are several features that may indicate an M91/30s service in the Spanish Civil War (SCW). Individual rifles will not necessarily have all these features, but a combination of some of them will often reveal it's unique history. Many of the M91/30s were straight off the production lines of Tula and Izhevsk so 1936 and 1937 dates are prevalent although earlier dates can also be found. These rifles were exported to the US in the early 1960s before the current laws for import marks were on the books. A simple "Made in USSR" or "Made in URRS" is often stamped on the receiver. This was placed there by the Spanish exporter and has nothing to do with the SCW as such, but is a good indication that the rifle was imported from Spain and thus was used during the SCW. The meaning of "URRS" has been debated, but a consensus has not been reached. One theory is that it is simply a "typo". The current styles of import markings familiar to the collector will not be present, including the serial number on the receiver.

The Spanish "MP8" stock cartouche, similar to the US "flaming bomb", is another indicator. Unlike the "Made in USSR" mark, this is a Spanish military mark that is also found on other types of weapons. The stocks themselves often appear to have been sanded and don't have the heavy shellac finish used by the Soviets. A sanded stock turns off many collectors, but in this case, along with the other features, is a sign that the rifle was in the SCW.

A significant number of SCW M91/30s have the standard post and globe front sight replaced with an M91 style blade. It's thought that this was done in Spain as an expediency although it would certainly compromise the soldier's ability to aim accurately. This site should not be confused with the Finnish M91/30 blade front sight which has a spacer to raise it to the correct height.

Another Spanish repair/replacement is the handguard. It is immediately recognizable by the lack of metal caps on the ends.

There are also Spanish replacement cleaning rods with a slot at the end of a straight shaft rather than the typical knob. Another style is pictured below (photo courtesy of Chris G).

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These brief descriptions and pictures should help establish a rifle's history in the SCW and fill a space in a comprehensive Mosin Nagant collection.

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