Mosin-Nagant Dot Net:

The Sniper Rifles

Of The Red Star

Dragoon prototype sniper of the 1920’s using Zeiss optics and a split ring arrangement.

Sniper bolt and standard bolt

PE scope types. PE focus adjustable top and PEM lower non-adjustable focus.

Close up of a PE top mount and scope.

Top mount hex receiver left side rear view perspective.

m/91-30 PE sniper 1934

Hex style base used on PE snipers from 1932-1936.

Hex receiver base rear perspective view.

Finnish captured and issued PE scope

Finnish captured and reissued m/91-30 PE sniper rifle. This gun is dated 1935 and

has some unique tabs installed to prevent unwanted slipping of the windage and elevation knobs.

PEM round receiver left side perspective. This gun is dated 1937

PE round receiver base viewed from above showing the six screws used to fasten it to the receiver.

The base was also often silver soldered as well as screwed to attain a truly immovable base.

Close up of a top mount PE mount

Round receiver rear base perspective view.

PEM top mount scope left side perspective. 1936

Rear view of top mount PE sniper showing the tunnel in the mount that allows for use of the iron sights.

PE mid tube focus adjustment as found on some transitional model PE scopes. These scopes are dated between 1935 and 1937 and seem to bridge the gap between the early rear focus PE and the non adjustable focus PEM.

As above but the opposite non-bolt side view

The dates for PEM style scopes are found on the elevation/windage housing

Side rail PEM full view bolt side

Right side bolt view of the side rail sniper m/91-30 PEM

Top mount. PEM full view bolt side.

Ishevsk maker mark on the side rail style mount used very briefly in 1942

Left side close up of the side rail PEM. Note the stock relief. Many of the these guns did not have this relief and removal of the mount is nearly impossible without removal of the action from the stock.

Close up of the side rail mount. Note the relief on the front to indicate full seating and the knurled tapered locking screw on the rear to tighten the mount to the rail. The mount is adjustable for rough windage by tightening and loosening the screws on the rear portion of the mount. A graduated scale is present on the rear to indicate settings. The forward screw acts as a pivot point.

A closer view of the side rail in perspective. The rough adjustment scale for windage is evident in this picture and the relief in the stock to allow mounting by sliding on from the rear.

Left side perspective of the side rail m/91-30 PEM sniper. This gun is dated 1939

Reticule view of the PE sniper scope set at 100m.

Stock markings from a m/91-30 1939 dated PEM sniper made at Tula.

Scope maker’s logo’s found on PE, PEM, PU and SVT scopes.

The three versions of the PE series scope. Top to bottom. The PE focus adjustable in a top mount configuration. This scope was made from 1932 to 1936. The next is a top mount configured set up again but this scope is the simplified or modified version now called the PEM. It is not focus adjustable. This scope was manufactured from 1936 to 1940. The top mount system was used from 1932 to 1936 on hex receiver guns and from 1936 to 1938 on round receiver guns. The bottom scope and mount is the last production version in a side mounted design. This type of mount was used from 1938 to 1940 and for a very brief time in early 1942.

Mosin Nagant sniper series from the earliest work up to the last version of bolt action sniper issued by the Red Army, the PU. The PU pictured is a 1947 produced weapon. From top to bottom: Dragoon work up of a sniper-PE top mount hex receiver 1934- PEM round receiver 1937-PEM side rail 1939-PU 1947. All but the PU is Tula produced weapons.

PE series left side perspective. From top to bottom: Hex receiver top mount PE 1932 to mid 1936-round receiver PEM top mount mid1936 to early 1938- side rail PEM early 1938 to early 1940 and again briefly in early 1942.

PEM side mount with a lightweight cotton scope/breech cover fitted.

PE scope/breech cover of the first variant with the side pocket for the bore sight tool.

The PE bore sighting instrument. This was carried in the pocket on the side of the scope/breech cover. It was inserted into the bore and used to compare the telescopic sight picture with the view presented in the bore sight for accurate rough reticule adjustment done with a minimum of time expended.

Soviet m/91-30 PE Finnish captured with [SA] marked mount and gun compared to it’s Finnish rival the m/39SOV made with captured Soviet optics fit to the excellent m/39 rifle. This was an outstanbding snipers weapon and was successful enough for the Finns to begin wartime production of a copy of the Soviet mount to increase the number of units in the field. They never met demand with less then 500 ever being made..

Finnish made version of the Soviet PE top mount. Fabricated by VKT for the m/39 SOV sniper rifle

Finnish m/39 SOV sniper rifle with VKT fabricated mount. It is almost identical to the Soviet versions but for the attachment screws which are not knurled. The Finnish captured scope also Have its lens caps on.

Right side view of the SOV scope and mount.

The serial number of the mount is 104 of less than 200 reported made.

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