An introduction to Mosin Nagant literature

The best way to start collecting: buying books!

When you are approaching the idea to collect historic firearms (even if i think this would be applicable to everything) the really first thing to buy will not be a rifle but a good book. A good book will help you and save your money. Knowledge is power and considering the dramatic ammount of details, variations and fakes that are out there, the really first think to do is read and study. Internet is a good source of information as well but having a solid knowledge based on strong references will help you to analyse datas and facts, distinguish them from theories or stories, even if for certain undocumented details, theories can be also well supported by deep analysis.

Unraveling mysteries of Mosin Nagant rifles

When we are talking about Mosin Nagant rifles we have to be aware that there are still several mysteries and even unclear versions that lost archives and gaps in datas are currently not helping to solve. I have to say that in the last couple of decades the possibility offered by Internet, with the easy and fast links between collectors and researchers, improved the knowledge and push also towards a development of a new series of really detailed and updated books that i am going to describe on my pages. At present, there are several good reference books, and i think the next picture will show you a good number of them.

Some of the main reference books about Mosin Nagant rifles

Essential reference books for Mosin Nagant enthusiasts: an overview

If you are interested in Finnish Mosin Nagant, your bible will be represented by the three volumes by Markku Palokangas (Sotilaskäsiaseet Suomessa 1918-1988), that you can see in the center of the picture above. However, since those books are really rare and difficult to find, “Suomen sotilaskivääri Mosin Nagant 1917-2017” written by Timo Hyytinen, is probably the best book to acquire. Talking about the Mosin Nagant with a worldwide approach, Karl Heinz Wrobel’ “Drei Linien” two books are excellent. If you want to go for a deep dive on the M1891 model, R. Chumak’s “3 line Vintovka Mosina” book is a complete study on the evolution and birth of the first Mosin Nagant model. Alexander Yuschenko’s “Model 1891/1930 rifle and its variations” is probably the best book on the topic that has been written and really the top source of information on the M91/30 model, accessories, sniper variants and scopes. Now, many of you probably already know that all these books are not in English. Some parts are traslated on the most recent ones or at least having an English abstract, but the rest are in Finnish, German or Russian. Considering that all the books currently in English, with the most famous one “The Mosin Nagant rifle” by Terence Lapin, are of course an excellent starting point but sometimes are lacking details or missing updated information about the Mosin Nagant universe, compared to the last books published in Russia for example, you have no choice…at least until my book will be printed (we will see)! Anyway using a normal online multilanguage translation application and a little bit of time, you will be able to translate and find the information and details you need.

Multiple sources of information

When we are talking about Mosin literature, we have to take into account not only books. In fact, manuals, biographies, magazines and other different kind of pubblications would be useful as well and are often full of information.

Manuals, sniper’s biographies and magazines are other really important sources of information

Sniper’s biographies are usually very useful for details and pictures of the different kind of scoped Mosins in use. Manuals can show even details and versions that you have never seen before while magazines can sometime offer a level of detail that you will really appreciate.

Books about other rifles or accessories

Finally, you have to consider also any kind of book that is not specifically related to the Mosin Nagant rifle but could contain information about a close related topic. For example, even if the best book on American made Mosin Nagant rifles is probably the rare one written by Charles W. Clawson (that you can see in the previous picture), “Allied Rifle Contracts in America”, by Luke Mercaldo, is providing a good overview on Remington and New England Westinghouse made M1891 rifles. Then, considering again related topics, “Serbian Army Weapons of Victory 1914-1918” vol. 1, is describing the usage of the M1891 rifle by the Serbian Army during WWI, with a really good overview including markings and details. Finally, books on accessories are out there. In this category, Russian (with English abstracts) books on bayonets are really good sources of information.