The Mosin-Nagant Rifle by Terence W. Lapin: Excellent Resource Book on the Russian Rifle

Like many gun enthusiasts, I enjoy shooting, collecting and studying military surplus rifles.  I find the Mosin-Nagant rifles to be a great value for the shooter and budget hunter, and very enjoyable as a collector’s piece.  Each rifle tells a unique story and the stories of some of these rifles travel back to the 19th century.

The Mosin-Nagant Rifle by Terence W. Lapin is the definitive guide to the history of the Mosin-Nagant rifle.  When I first started collecting these rifles, I relied on several Internet sites to help me understand from where, and when, my rifles came. After reading The Mosin-Nagant Rifle, I discovered that a lot of the information I had accepted as true was either no the whole story or was outright false.

To research this book, Lapin has traveled to many eastern European countries and gone through old imperial and communist-era records to discover as much accurate information about the Mosin-Nagant as possible.  Now in its fourth edition, Lapin’s research has uncovered production numbers, arsenal manufacturer information, and a lot of significant details regarding the evolution of this gun from the Tsars to post-WWII.

Most Mosin-Nagant collectors know about the rifle’s general history in Russia and Finland.  Many collectors know how these rifles relate to Poland and the United States.  Lapin has sections on other countries and their involvement with the Mosin-Nagant rifle such as Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, China, Germany, North Korea, Spain, Turkey, and others.

I found The Mosin-Nagant Rifle invaluable in deciphering the markings on my guns.  Lapin has an entire appendix just on arsenal marks.

Lapin includes chapters on parts, bayonets, accessories and the 7.62×54R cartridge.  Experimental models and rare examples are detailed in the book.

There is a lot of information about the Mosin-Nagant rifles that have been lost to time.  Lapin does an excellent job in finding what information is still out there and piecing together an excellent history.  Lapin is very clear regarding fact and supposition in his book.  If he is surmising that somthing may be true based on the research, he indicates that information as his opinion and why he thinks that way.

If you own a Mosin-Nagant rifle and are interested in knowing more about its history, The Mosin-Nagant Rifle is the authority on these guns.  I highly recommend it.