Rifleman Q&A: Unserialized Remington Mosin-Nagants?

Q. My Model 1891 Mosin-Nagant rifle was made by Remington in 1917 for Imperial Russia with stampings of an ordnance bomb in the wood above the magazine, and a “P” below the trigger. The unusual feature is the absence of a serial number. Do you know of other non-numbered Remington Mosin-Nagants?

A. I have seen numerous examples of the U.S.-surcharged Remington Mosin-Nagant rifles (and have one in my collection), but have not encountered one without a serial number. From the photographs, it does not appear that the number has been ground off. I would find this very puzzling if the rifle had originally been made under U.S. Government contract. As strange as it sounds, I can only assume that the Russian inspectors assigned to the Remington plant were not concerned with the missing serial number. Such a situation would not have occurred if the rifle had been inspected by U.S. Army Ordnance Department personnel as a missing serial number would have been certain cause for rejection.

—Bruce N. Canfield

This “Questions & Answers” was featured in the June 2005 issue of American Rifleman. At time of publication, "Questions & Answers" was compiled by Staff, Ballistics Editor William C. Davis, Jr., and Contributing Editors: David Andrews, Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, O. Reid Coffield, Charles Q. Cutshaw, Charles M. Fagg, Angus Laidlaw, Evan P. Marshall, Charles E. Petty, Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., Jon R. Sundra, Jim Supica, A.W.F. Taylerson, John M. Taylor and John W. Treakle.

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