This is the one that got me into Milsurp Collecting.

[Niner]

I picked this M91 NEW up from a gun show for $75, with a bag of ammo. I had no idea what I had other than it was a Russian rifle made by New England Westinghouse.

http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL384/10 ... 488183.jpg[/pic]

Then I started learning about things like this cartouche in Russian that explains it was made through a British contract.

http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL384/10 ... 488117.jpg[/pic]

http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL384/10 ... 488140.jpg[/pic]

Then I learned about the SA stamp on the receiver.

http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL384/10 ... 488161.jpg[/pic]

This rifle wasn't in excellent shape, as you can see, but it had one hell of a lot of history attached to it. Just think, made in the US under British Contract for Tsar Nicholas II and WWI. Probably issued , maybe to the White Russians and falling to the communists. Then at some juncture being captured by the Finns. Now back to the US again.

[plantfoam]

An M91 is what got it all started for me as well. These things ooze with history, and cosmoline

[spearedum]

The folding bayonet got me started... well actually, it was the sale paper from my ex-connection (Big5 Sporting Goods store)!

After 9-11 I realized I did not have anymore weapons, so Big5 had a sale on 'collecter's rifles'; the sale was $79 for a MN M-44 with a folding bayonet.

What kind of a rifle can you get for $79... if it worked where can I get ammo. But, it had a bayonet, so I could as least 'speared um'!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! (no pun intended)

Thanx Dante'