Up first is a Spanish M1893 Mauser, which is cool and all, except that Spain didn't participate in the '14-'18 festivities on either side.
Next up is a Dutch M1871/88 Beaumont-Vitali labeled as a Belgian M77(?).
Then we have a Swiss Gew. 78 Vetterli, another heretofore unknown ally in the fight against the Kaiser.
Below that is a rifle labeled as a British Enfield, although it is actually an American-made "Enfield", probably by Remington.
The bottom piece is labeled as a "US Remington 1917 Rifle". While it certainly was built by Remington in the United States in 1917, it is a Russian M1891 Mosin-Nagant, intended for the Czar's armies fighting the Boche. Several technical problems interfered with delivery, however, such as Russia not paying, then chickening out of the war, then falling to fighting amongst themselves in November of that year. Pretty much the only Remington-built Mosins to ever see Mother Russia arrived there postwar in the hands of US doughboys who used them to shoot at Bolsheviks (which is a fine and good thing to do with a rifle.)
Also, apparently it enhances the exhibit if every rifle's rear sight, whether ladder or tangent, is set vertically, never mind whether or not it is actually intended to be used in that position.
Cool yataghan bayo, though!
ReplyDeleteRaising the rear sight makes the bullets go farther.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure about the Remingtons? I swear I have a Finnish M39 with an "R" in a circle on the tang. I was told that meant it was a Remington.
ReplyDeleteThe Polar Bear Expedition abandoned pretty much all of their equipment when they left, so finding a Remington that has been to Russia then ended up in Finland and finally to the USA is not out of the question.
ReplyDeleteDunno how to make a link...
http://www.mosinnagant.net/USSR/US-Mosin-Nagants.asp
JohnRW,
ReplyDeleteThe Remington Mosins say "Remington" on them (I, too, have a Finnish Remington.)
A few did get delivered, but more likely it is one of the bunch that were left behind when the US contingent left Archangel or Vladivostok.
McThag types faster than me. :D
ReplyDeleteSo, they pretty much batted .000 on that display huh?
ReplyDeleteThe things labeled "French bayonet" are actually both French, and bayonets, so there's that.
ReplyDeleteI suppose having the bolt unlocked and raised on the Enfield follows the same line of reasoning as raising the sights???
ReplyDeleteGood Post. I just wish it would have some impact on the management of the museum because it should be a house of informed history, not a misdirection down a dead-end road...
All The Best,
Frank W. James
So those Remington Mosin-Nagants are good for shooting Bolsheviks? Might want to ship some of them to Pennsylvania:
ReplyDeletehttp://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/high-school-band-celebrates-russian-revolution.html
I work with some museums, creating exhibits is interesting to say the least.
ReplyDeleteAs for why nobody cares when you confront them? Unless you dug up the actual curator in charge (hard to do) you were talking to someone who didn't care. Speaking from experience; you would have been probably the umpteenth person that day to bend my ear about something. You might know that your information is correct; I am probably annoyed because my feet hurt and I really need to be watching the suspicious behaviour in the other corner of the room, besides the person expounding on aliens who I just got rid of was equally sure of their correctness.
The person on the floor is there to smile nicely, point out interesting things, answer obvious questions, explain the rules Again, and deal with idiots. If lucky, they are paid. They may be experts with multiple degrees or highschool dropouts, they almost certainly have no ability to change something. That's buried in a comittee somewhere.
Writing a letter or email has the same result, just with a secretary instead.
Volunteer? Become a docent and then work to change the organization from the inside?
ReplyDeleteStart an #OccupyTheMuseum movement!
i'm not at all OCD but this make even my skin itch.
ReplyDeleteRaising the rear sight allows the cleaning lady to dust under it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should see if the museum takes volunteers?
I wants that Mosin. We wants it, yes we do... (gollum)
ReplyDeleteI'll give'em $50 for it. After all it's only a Mosin, right?
{refrains from squeeing}
IIRC, Remington Mosins were issued to US troops sent to Russia, Were they designated as M1917?
ReplyDelete"Some collectors refer to the American Mosin-Nagants as the “Model 1916”, although that term was not used by either the Russians or the Americans. In its records the U.S. Army almost always referred to the guns simply as “Russian rifles”."
ReplyDeleteAn M-39 made by Remington. Too cool.
ReplyDeletePardon me while I turn Elphaba green with envy.
I think becoming a docent is the only way to actually correct the errors in the displays.
You might find me as a docent at the local museum someday.
Have the Vetterli and the Beaumont-Vitali, which I think of as pre-WTEAW. I'd add examples of the others to my collection if found at good prices, but, to me, the large-bore smokepoles are more fun.
ReplyDelete