The three-line internal magazine-fed Mosin–Nagant rifle was adopted by the Imperial Russian Army in 1891. The rifle received the name “three-line” from the caliber of the rifle barrel, which was equal to three lines (an outdated unit of length, equal to one-tenth of an inch or 2.54 millimeters).
By the beginning of the First World War, the Mosin–Nagant was the standard small arms of the Russian army. There were multiple variants: for the dragoon, infantry and the Cossacks, as well as a carbine version. The latter was developed in 1907 and was intended for auxiliary branches of the armed forces and support troops, as well as the police. The rifle gradually replaced the outdated models — primarily the Berdans. The most important advantage of the Mosin–Nagant rifle in comparison with older models and even some foreign rifles was the use of the then cutting-edge 7.62×54mmR cartridge, as well as the presence of a five-shot internal magazine. The outdated Berdan was a single-shot rifle and the magazine capacity of the French Berthier was only three shots until 1916.
According to its specifications, the Mosin–Nagant was on par with its major European contemporaries from France, Germany and the UK. Over the years, the Mosin–Nagant regularly upgraded, however, the basic design remained the same throughout its production history. The rifle remained in service after the Revolution of 1917 and then was modernized in 1930. Even so, during the Great Patriotic War, both Soviet-made and pre-Soviet rifles were used.
The Mosin rifle on display is a rare model produced abroad by the American Remington Arms Company. During the First World War, the Imperial Russian Army began to experience a shortage of weapons. Because of this, German, Austro-Hungarian and Japanese captured rifles were actively used. The Russian government outsourced the production of the Mosin–Nagant rifle to the United States. About 1.5 million rifles were produced but not all of them made it to Russia due to the Revolution of 1917. Those that made it to Russia were actively used in the Civil War and later used by the Red Army and militia during the Great Patriotic War.
Today, the American-made Mosin–Nagant rifle is one of the rarest and most valuable collectibles.
