Posted 5 years ago
kwqd
(1181 items)
The Finnish Model M91-24, or M24, is a bolt action military rifle based on the Russian M1891 receiver. The M24 was produced in very small numbers for the Suojeluskuntain Yliesikunta (Civil Guard) using imported barrels from Switzerland and Germany and captured or purchased M1891 receivers. A total of 26-27,000 rifles were produced between 1924 and 1926. The funding for the M24 rifles was raised by the Civil Guard Auxiliary known as the Lotta Svard and, as a result, they were known as “Lotta Rifles”. The Finns had captured and purchased a large number of M1891 standard Russian military rifles, but were not satisfied with the condition, accuracy or usability of the rifles in their possession but still decided to use the M1891 as their standard military rifle. To remedy the shortcomings of these rifles, the barrels were replaced with a heavier barrel, the trigger and sights were improved and the stock was modified or replaced. One feature of most M24s that makes them easily recognizable is a stepped barrel. Bohler-Stahl is stamped on the barrel under the stock. The first three thousand M24s made had a heavy barrel in the style of the Russian M91 Mosins.
The M24 was among the first, of several, improvements made to the Russian rifle by the Finns. The Finns were involved in two protracted wars with the Russians, a brief war with the Germans and many of these rifles were lost to attrition and others were reworked into later revisions of the Russian rifle, the M27, M28, M28-30 and M39. As a result very few of these rifles have survived and are now quite uncommon.
This rifle remains in good condition and all serial numbers match. It is the only one I have come across for several years. The meaning of some of the stamps:
D: barrel throat enlarged to accept the D166 cartridge
S in six sided box: Suojeluskuntain Yliesikunta (Civil Guard)
SA in a box: rifle turned over to Finnish army
http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/M24-Rifle.asp
Thanks officialfuel, Thomas, yougottahavestuff and Jenni!
Thank you fortapache!
Thank you Vynil33rpm!
Beautiful stock on that rifle.
Thanks for your comment fortapache. The Finns made some really nice stocks.
Thanks blunderbuss2!
Thanks much leighannrn and mtg75!
Thanks very much for clicking the button for my Finn rifle vintagegirl66, welzebub and crswerner!
Hello, I realize I'm commenting on a older post bud just for help for the next guy I'm adding my correction. Nice little love the rifle and commentary posted about it. Unfortunately the "S in six sided box: Bohler-Stahl stepped barrel installed." Is inaccurate. The Bohler-Stahl marking is below the wood line on the barrel. Call T "S" in the six-sided box with the fur Sprigs represents the Suojeluskunta or finish civil guard. This iconic symbol is universal throughout the organization. Also possibly helpful is that the author says that the step Barrel makes Lotta rifles easily identifiable. Although true, best fails to mention that the first 3000 Sig Barrel rifles we're not the heavy step barrel and we're actually of the original model 91 configuration. The " straight Barrel" pigs being one of the rarest Model 24 rifles to locate.
Thanks for your comments Snakeman68. You are, of course, correct! My bad for relying on my memory instead of checking my sources. I will correct the description. I have one of the earlier heavy barreled M24s in my collection. I think I posted the stepped barrel because I had just bought it at the time of the post? Not sure.
I have 15-20 Finnish Mosins, including a straight stock Sako M39 and an M39 made on a first year production receiver of the Sestroryetsk armory. A shame that the rifle was converted to a Finn Mosin. What I have is just off the top of my head as my Finns are buried among my stacks of milsurp rifles and I don't remember what I have. When I was collecting them, I focused on antique receivers and fairly rare versions. I think I have most of the rare ones, but my memory is fuzzy as my Finn Mosin collecting phase ended four or five years ago. Couldn't pass up this stepped barrel M24 when I found it!
Thanks for loving my Finn M24 ho2cultcha and ttomtucker!
Thanks dav2no1!
Thanks, Jenni!
Very very nice!!
Thank you SEAN68!