Russkie 1895s

[OI phones in...]

So... are Russian 1895s (7.62x54R) out there or are they hen's teeth?

[Hobie]

I have yet to see one in the flesh.

[shawn_c992001]

They aren't really common. But, they are out there.

[kaschi]

There were more 95's chambered for the 7.62x54R than for any other cartridge. Most of them must still be in Mother Russia but hopefully will be coming soon.

[OI phones in...]

Be kind of fun to have a Mosin & a Winchester both in 54R...

[lever-4-life]

I saw one at the sacramento gun show about 4 years ago in rough shape for $1,500. I went back to give it one more look and it was gone.

[Gun Smith]

There is one on Gunbroker right now. It's not original and is typical of Russian contract guns that come up from time to time. Most are very rough, or modified, and usually missing the clip rails and some wood. But they are out there. My guess is that these M.95's were brought back by GI's after WW 2, as I don't think that these 95's were ever released by the Russian government.

[Bang]

I thought they were all melted down during WW2 to make tanks.

The 1895 was too complicated for the average illiterate Russian.

I heard they complained of too much exposed metal in cold weather ( make that very very cold ) be be safe.

[Ysabel Kid]

I have yet to see one in the flesh.

Me neither...

[cubrock]

I've seen them often enough, but I wouldn't call them common. Many of them were sent to the Spanish Civil War and most of the ones you see today have markings showing they served in that conflict. That is probably how the majority of them got to the US - via Spain.

The Russians have THOUSAND UPON THOUSANDS of them sitting in warehouses as we speak. They were all rearsenaled (getting that wonderful Russian hot-dip blue treatment) after WWII, like most other "obsolete" Russian weapons of the time. Several years ago, the Russians wanted $800 per rifle with a minimum order of $1 million. They would have to sit in a bonded warehouse in a neutral country for 5 years before coming to the US (thank you, Bill Clinton). The combination of those two things made them unviable imports from a commercial standpoint, and I assume the situation isn't any better today.

[jlchucker]

During the First World War, just prior to the Russian Revolution, the Czar's forces had millions of men, many of who would wait in line until somebody died before they could pick up a rifle for themselves on the battlefield. This army took a real stomping from the Kaiser's forces, and the huge casualties were part of the cause of the Russian Revolution. Who knows how many of these rifles were issued to the Czar's troops, and were lost in the mud and blood of the Eastern Front? Right after Russia had their revolution, they had their own internal one-between the fledgling Communists and those who wanted to restore the Czar to power. Again, bitter and bloody--with both sides having hastily organized armies. The Communists won. Around the same time WWI ended. The Allied powers redrew the map of Europe, and one outcome was the creation of a new Poland. In 1921, Poland felt Russia needed some payback after 200 years of slavery, so the new Poland declared war on the new Russia. It lasted about a year, and lo and behold, the new Poland gave the new Russia a stomping before an uneasy peace set in.

With all of this chaos, there was plenty of opportunity for lots of Czarist weaponry to vanish--the casualties of war. Then came WWII, and we all see unending films of Russia's involvement in that (they took some 20 million casualties, and mostly used Mosin Nagants). I doubt if through all of this there's very many stockpiles of military Winchester 95's in any decent condition at all remaining in Russia. Through all of that history, I would expect that every organized, semiorganized, and/or desperate individual in Russia was laying their hands on anything that would shoot.

[cubrock]

I doubt if through all of this there's very many stockpiles of military Winchester 95's in any decent condition at all remaining in Russia. Through all of that history, I would expect that every organized, semiorganized, and/or desperate individual in Russia was laying their hands on anything that would shoot.

A surplus military arms dealer I know toured the warehouses to which I referred and was offered the guns at the terms I posted about. This was back in 2002 or 2003, if I recall correctly. The US is THE market for military surplus arms. Since it hasn't been viable for US importers to profitably buy these guns from the Russians, they still sit in those warehouses.

If you want rare, try finding a Russian contract bayonet for the 95 Winchester.

[Kansas Ed]

Shortly after the wall came down, and industry started getting its wings in the former SU, I read an article about the film industry which was starting up in Russia. They were doing some Cowboy films, and had photos in the article from the set of one of the movies. All of the "cowboys" in that movie were carrying military 1895's.

I've seen a couple of Russian '95's show up on GB, some chopped and a couple pristine, but the military full wood on them didn't strike me as well as the full wood Enfields, so they are just an interesting sideline in the '95 line for me. Nothing I'm interested in plopping down money for. Although IF, they had made a standard rifle in that caliber, I WOULD have one

Ed

[firefuzz]

I doubt if through all of this there's very many stockpiles of military Winchester 95's in any decent condition at all remaining in Russia. Through all of that history, I would expect that every organized, semiorganized, and/or desperate individual in Russia was laying their hands on anything that would shoot.

A surplus military arms dealer I know toured the warehouses to which I referred and was offered the guns at the terms I posted about. This was back in 2002 or 2003, if I recall correctly. The US is THE market for military surplus arms. Since it hasn't been viable for US importers to profitably buy these guns from the Russians, they still sit in those warehouses.

If you want rare, try finding a Russian contract bayonet for the 95 Winchester.

I've actually seen a Russian '95 WITH the bayonet in pristine condition. In 1986 I was working in a gun/pawn shop on my days off. A good customer wanted to sell the gun thru the shop. His father, a retired bird colonel from WWII had brought the gun home after the war. The story was that he traded a Russian officer a German drilling he had "liberated" for it. By looking at the gun I'm not sure it had ever been fired, other than the factory, and had certainly never been issued. My boss was a Winchester collector but knew he couldn't offer what the gun was worth. It sold thru a brokerage/auction type outfit based in NY for a little over $17,000. But at least I got to touch it.

Rob

[cubrock]

Rob,

That would have been a neat gun to touch, but that is all I could have done, too!

[2ndovc]

Here's my Russian Contract '95. I have the bayonet but it didn't make the photo( even more rare is the scabbard)

I had two of these rifles that I bought for $700 each about 15 years ago. I kept the best of the two which also has a Spainish Loyalist cartouche on the stock.

The last one I saw was really beat and was tagged at $1100 about a year ago. Would have bought it if it was in better shape.

With the condition of mine, markings and bayonet I don't think I'd take less than $2k for it. Not that I'd part with it. Wish I'd kept the other one

I'll have to get some beter photos of my Russian stuff.
jb

[Mike D.]

Back in the 1960s, hundreds of those Russian contract 1895s were sold through, I believe, the old Numrich Arms back when they were located in NY. They were dirt cheap, at less than 100 bucks each. Most are beat to death, so why the sudden interest in them?:o

[cubrock]

Back in the 1960s, hundreds of those Russian contract 1895s were sold through, I believe, the old Numrich Arms back when they were located in NY. They were dirt cheap, at less than 100 bucks each. Most are beat to death, so why the sudden interest in them?:o

That is probably when the Spanish Civil War Guns came in. Interarms brought in Russian Mosin Nagants from that conflict at about the same time.

[Hobie]

Back in the 1960s, hundreds of those Russian contract 1895s were sold through, I believe, the old Numrich Arms back when they were located in NY. They were dirt cheap, at less than 100 bucks each. Most are beat to death, so why the sudden interest in them?:o

Mike,

Do you remember the sporterized Russian M95 in "Gunners Bible" by Bill Riviere?

This rifle excited me as a kid, I can see how people would get excited now and hope for availability of these Russian guns someday.

Some might have a family history with the weapon that excites them...

[OI phones in...]

Interest? Three words...

Cheap Bulk Ammo...

[2ndovc]

Interest? Three words...

Cheap Bulk Ammo...

I won't shoot any of that stuff through mine. Even when they say it's non-corrosive!
Some of it is really bad.
I have some for my $100 91/30 but not the good stuff.


My 95 and SVT only get handloads
or Winchester factory stuff when I find it.

jb

[Mike D.]

You bet I remember that one, Hobie! That particular Gunner's Bible might still be around here, somewhere.