Wire Sling Swivels
Now we will begin to discuss features that are possible to find on Spanish Civil War Mosin Nagants, but alone do not prove a link to the conflict. A fairly common feature of the rifles imported from Spain is the inclusion of wire sling swivels. These were used in place of the more traditional method of using leather “dog collars” to attach to the sling. More than likely these were added to the rifles because the Spanish used a different type of sling, and wished to standardize the sling on their weapons.
One important factor to note is that the Spanish were not the only nation to use wire sling swivels on their Mosin Nagants. Other nations include Finland, Austria-Hungary (during World War I), and various Balkan nations. However, it is possible to distinguish between these various types of wire swivels. It has been noted that the sling swivels on Spanish Mosin Nagants tend to be much more squared than other country’s swivels. Wire swivels from rifles originating out of the Balkans will tend to have a more overall curved look. Finnish swivels will often be attached directly to the stock via a different set of escutcheons. They have a very distinctive look to them when compared to other nation's sling swivels. In the case of Austrian sling swivels the most obvious difference is that the rear swivel screws into the stock, and does not sure the sling escutcheons.
There are a few important things to note about these wire swivels on Spanish Mosin Nagants. Many people unfamiliar with the history of these rifles have removed the swivels, for a number of reasons. First, some individuals see the swivels as nothing more than an addition by a previous owner here in the United States. Since the swivels interfere with the more traditional style of sling attachment on the Mosin Nagant many people just remove them and destroy a valuable part of the rifle’s history as a result!
Another reason these swivels are removed is because the rifle cannot be fully disassembled without removing the forward swivel. This swivel blocks the rear barrel band from going fully forward, and thus the barreled action cannot be removed from the stock. Some collectors have tried to rectify this issue by attempting to remove the swivels in a way so that they can be re attached later. However this is not recommended, as the swivels may be deformed when reattached or, much worse, may break completely. Therefore the best course of action is to simply leave the swivels as they are found, in order to preserve a part of the rifle’s interesting history!
Click here to access photos of examples of unconfirmed wire swivels.
There are a few important things to note about these wire swivels on Spanish Mosin Nagants. Many people unfamiliar with the history of these rifles have removed the swivels, for a number of reasons. First, some individuals see the swivels as nothing more than an addition by a previous owner here in the United States. Since the swivels interfere with the more traditional style of sling attachment on the Mosin Nagant many people just remove them and destroy a valuable part of the rifle’s history as a result!
Another reason these swivels are removed is because the rifle cannot be fully disassembled without removing the forward swivel. This swivel blocks the rear barrel band from going fully forward, and thus the barreled action cannot be removed from the stock. Some collectors have tried to rectify this issue by attempting to remove the swivels in a way so that they can be re attached later. However this is not recommended, as the swivels may be deformed when reattached or, much worse, may break completely. Therefore the best course of action is to simply leave the swivels as they are found, in order to preserve a part of the rifle’s interesting history!
Click here to access photos of examples of unconfirmed wire swivels.
Photo Section:
This wire swivel was found on a 1924 dated Izhevsk dragoon in an "MP8" marked Spanish made stock stock. [Photo from author's collection]
The front swivel off a 1937 Tula M91/30. Note that while it is more common for the split in the wire to be hidden inside the sling slot, the variation above is also found on Spanish rifles [Photo provided by 'Lotema' of the Gunboards.com forum]
The rear swivel of the previously mentioned rifle. [Photo provided by 'Lotema' of the Gunboards.com forum]
The front sling swivel off of a 1936 dated Tula M1891/30. [Photo provided from the author's collection]
The rear sling swivel off of a 1936 dated Tula M1891/30. [Photo provided from the author's collection]
The swivels pictured above were found on a New England Westinghouse rifle marked with the "Made in USSR" stamp. [Photos provided from author's collection]
This rear sling swivel was found on a 1936 Tula M91/30 which was also marked "Made in USSR". [Photo provided from author's collection]
The front sling swivel off a 1936 Tula M91/30. This rifle is also marked "Made in USSR". [Photo provided from the author's collection]
Here is an interesting variation on the typical Spanish wire swivels. Several rifles have been reported with wire swivels that bend inward, as seen in this example off a 1936 Izhevsk M91/30. [Photo provided by 'bitrclngr' of the Gunboards.com forum]
The front sling swivel off of a Remington M1891 rifle. [Photo provided by ‘PherBag’ of the Gunboards forum]
The swivels pictured above were found on a 1924 Izhevsk Dragoon rifle marked with the "Made in USSR" stamp. [Photos provided by 'bb91' of the Russian Mosin Nagant forums]
The rear sling swivel off of a Remington M1891 rifle. [Photo provided by ‘PherBag’ of the Gunboards forum]
Here is another example of a wire sling swivel on a 1935 dated Tula M1891/30. [Photo provided by ‘Greasemonkey’ of surplusrifleforum.com]
This wire swivel in on a 1936 Izhevsk M91/30 which features the NCL cartouche. [Photo provided by 'Sgt Frank Rock' of the Gunboards.com forums]
An example of what can occur when attempting to remove the wire swivels often seen on Spanish Civil War Mosin Nagants. [Photo provided by ‘Denny’ of the Gunboards forums]
