Finnish M28-30 Rifle - RI4383 - Mosin Nagant, Model 1928 Rifle 7.62x54R Bolt Action, 5 Round, Various Conditions - C&R Eligible

In the 1920's, Finland began to re-evaluate the M1891 Mosin Nagant as the country's primary infantry arm. Originally purchased from Russia, these rifles were beginning to show their age. Rather than replace the rifle entirely, a program of refurbishment and updating the rifle began in 1924 with the Civil Guard's M24, essentially an M91 with a heavier foreign-made barrel and updated sights. But, following the trends at the time for shorter handier rifles, both the Army and the Civil Guard then began experimenting with designs to improve the M91 rifle.

The Army fielded the updated M27, with a shorter barrel than the M91, improved front sight with protective ears and a rugged new nose cap, and reinforced rear sight with a replaceable sighting plate. The Civil Guard introduced its own updated design a year later in 1928, designated the M28. It shared many of the M27's design features, but with some notable differences. While the M27 had an elaborate and expensive nose cap designed to lock the handguard in place, the M28 employed a milled front band reminiscent of the Mauser Gewehr 98 front band. The M28 made use of a rear sight design without the reinforcing tabs of the M27 and a different method of attaching a replaceable sighting plate. Barrels were provided primarily by SIG and Tikkakoski, with less than 100 Sako-produced barrels being used at the end of production

The Finns continued to make progressive modifications to the rifle's design, and the M28-30 was introduced in 1930. The M28-30 had an improved rear sight, a front sight adjustable for windage, a coiled trigger spring to minimize pre-travel, and magazines redesigned to prevent jamming due to the rimmed cartridges interlocking. The new front sight retained the protective ears used on the M28, but did not require a special tool for adjustment as it used standard screws. In addition to the 40,000 rifles produced under the M28-30 designation, a substantial number of M28 rifles were reworked into the M28-30 configuration. Of note is the fact that even to the day the Finnish M28 and M28-30 rifles are considered to be some of the most accurate military rifles ever produced. No collection is complete without one.