Mosin-Nagant M91/30 PU
Tula Arms Plant / Izhevsk Arsenal · Sniper Rifle · Out Of Production · 1942
Also known as: M91/30 PU Sniper, Mosin PU, Snayperskaya vintovka obr. 1891/30 PU
Overview
The Mosin-Nagant M91/30 PU is the most widely produced Soviet sniper rifle of World War II, fitted with the PU 3.5x fixed-power telescopic sight. Selected from standard M91/30 production rifles for superior accuracy, the PU sniper variant featured a turned-down bolt handle to clear the scope mount and became the backbone of Soviet sniper operations from 1942 onwards. Over 300,000 PU-scoped rifles were produced during the war, arming legendary snipers who inflicted devastating losses on Axis forces on the Eastern Front.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4270 g (150.6 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4500 g (158.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1232 mm (48.50") |
| Barrel Length | 730 mm (28.74") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 20 N (4.5 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 800 m/s (2625 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3780 J (2788 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.62x54mmR · primary — also known as 7.62x54R, 7.62 Russian, 7.62 Mosin-Nagant
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Bolt Safety
- Features: Pu 3-5x Scope, Bent Bolt Handle, Hand Selected Barrel, Iron Sights Retained, Stripper Clip Compatible
Variants
- Mosin-Nagant M91/30 PE — Earlier Sniper Scope
- Mosin-Nagant M91/30 PEM — Improved Pe Scope
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Red Army · adopted 1942 · as M91/30 PU
- Finnish Defence Forces
- People's Liberation Army
- North Korean People's Army
Conflicts
- World War II (Eastern Front) (1942-1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
- Chinese Civil War (1945-1949)
Production
Estimated total produced: 330,000 · Production years: 1942-1958
Approximately 330,000 PU-scoped sniper rifles produced during WWII alone. Additional post-war production continued into the 1950s before replacement by the SVD.
Origin
Country of origin: Russia
Designer: Sergei Mosin / Leon Nagant
Discontinued: 1963
Notes
The PU scope replaced the earlier PE and PEM scopes which were more expensive and complex to manufacture. PU-equipped rifles were selected from standard production by test-firing for accuracy, with only the most accurate examples being fitted with scopes. The side-mounted scope allowed the rifle to still be loaded using standard 5-round stripper clips. Post-war, many PU sniper rifles were refurbished and the scopes removed, making matching original examples highly prized by collectors.
Background
Vasily Zaitsev, credited with 225 confirmed kills during the Battle of Stalingrad, used a Mosin-Nagant M91/30 sniper rifle with a PU scope. His exploits were immortalized in the film 'Enemy at the Gates.' Soviet women snipers like Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the deadliest female sniper in history with 309 confirmed kills, also used variants of the Mosin-Nagant sniper rifle during the defense of Odessa and Sevastopol.