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Education / Training Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB rifle: Part 1

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB rifle: Part 1

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Mosin Nagant CO2 BB gun
The Gletcher Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle (gun) is extremely realistic.

This report covers:

• Why this rifle?
• History
• Description
• I’m impressed!

Today’s blog begins our look at Gletcher’s Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle. For starters, it isn’t a rifle at all! It’s a gun, the difference being that this one has a smoothbore barrel for steel BBs. Anything that isn’t rifled is properly called a gun. The manufacturer calls it a rifle because that’s what it copies, but this is really a smoothbore BB gun.

While the barrel is obviously very short (I’ll get to that in a moment) what you see isn’t really the barrel. The actual barrel is about 6 inches long and is enclosed by a metal shroud that looks like a Mosin Nagant barrel.

Just because you read the word shroud, don’t think this gun is silenced in any way. This shroud is just a hollow sleeve with no constrictions at the muzzle.

Why this rifle?
One look at this gun, and most people ask what it is? The actual 1891 Mosin Nagant rifle is 48-3/4 inches long, and is one of the 19th century military rifles that had extra-long barrels. That was before smnokeless powder was discovered to burn so fast that the long barrels were not needed. But the trend had taken effect in the blackpowder era and had several more decades to run.

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle my Mosin
My Mosin has a UTG Scout Scope attached in place of the rear sight, but you can see the similarity with today’s BB gun. Only, my rifle is much longer.

What’s the purpose of this sawed-off little rifle/gun? During the Russian revolution, various irregular forces cut off their rifles this way. Criminals also used them — often without sights. They were a kind of pistol-rifle that could be hidden under clothing. The official name for this variation is the Obrez, and it’s among the rarest of all Mosin variants known. It would be classified as a Class III weapon in the United States because of the short barrel and would require a tax stamp to own. But the point is that this is a legitimate variation of the 1891 Mosin and extra rare!

History
The 1891 Mosion Nagant rifle was one of the first military rifles to chamber a cartridge that used the new smokeless powder. And it had a very long production run! From 1891 to 1945 for just the Soviet-made rifles, and I’m not certain of the actual ending date because some Soviet-bloc countries continued making them into the 1960s in various configurations. It was the principal battle rifle of the Soviet Army during World War II and some excellent footage of the rifle’s use can be seen in the movie, Enemy at the Gates. Use of the rifle continued until after Vietnam, and it’s one of the most recognized military rifles of all time, having been produced in numbers exceeding 35 million.

The Mosin Nagant uses a cartridge that we call the 7.62X54R (R=rimmed) today. It holds a .30-caliber bullet that in the Russian measurement system of that time was called 3-line. A Russian “line” was very close to 1/10 of an inch. I’m Americanizing all the spellings of the words to keep this report simple — the actual Russian spelling is liniya (and I may have that spelling wrong, as well).

The rifle contains design aspects from both Russian Army Captain Sergei Ivanovich Mosin and Belgian arms designer Léon Nagant. It’s mostly Mosin’s design but with Nagant’s feed system employed. Nagant wanted a 3.5-line caliber, but Mosin’s 3-line caliber won out. I find it interesting that many armies around the world were coming to very similar conclusions for the calibers of battle rifles at this same time.

The Russians contracted with Remington and Westinghouse to make over one million of these rifles, and some that were never delivered were used to train American troops for World War I, when Springfield and Enfield rifles were in short supply. I own a Russian-made and Soviet-altered model 91/30 that was a common WWII conversion of the earlier model 1891. My rifle has a very early action with flats on the sides that people call the hex action. Over time, the arsenals removed the original markings, which were czarist, and overlaid them with much later marks. I own this rifle because of the rich history that surrounds it — fully exceeding that of our own Springfield rifle of 1903.

If you’re interested in military history and the arms that were used, the Mosin Nagant is one you have to learn about. There are plenty of excellent books on the subject, so I urge you to start searching today. Now, I’ll return to the airgun at hand.

Description
This lookalike airgun is a gorgeous piece of work! It’s heavy, at 5 lbs., 10 oz., and it feels like even more. The stock is synthetic and covered with contact paper that has a dark walnut grain, but you can’t tell that without a very close examination. It looks like wood, even upon close inspection. And everything that isn’t the stock is metal. It’s very well done! Those of you who like airguns that have a rugged feel are going to love this one!

The overall length is 22.5 inches, and the “barrel” takes up 9.5 inches of that. I’ now referring to the exterior barrel — the actual barrel is hidden deep inside.

There are both a front and a rear sights on the gun, and they’re separated by just 7 inches. The rear sight adjusts for elevation just like the firearm sight. The front sight looks very similar to the firearm sight, but does not move sideways in a dovetail in the same way. Thus, there’s no windage adjustment for the sights.

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle front sight
The front sight looks like a Mosin firearm sight, except it doesn’t adjust for windage.

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle rear sight
The rear sight looks very much like a Mosin firearm rear sight.

The bolt looks and operates like a Mosin firearm bolt, though it is much easier to work. The BB gun cocks on opening, just like the firearm.

The owner’s manual is lacking in some details. One detail that’s lacking is how to apply the safety. To do that, you pull back the mushroom end of the bolt as far as it will go and twist it to the left. The firearm safety is applied in the same way, although it’s EXTREMELY difficult to do on an arsenal-refurbished rifle like mine! Until this report, I’d never applied the safety on any Mosin Nagant firearm. The airgun safety goes on and off quite easily.

The CO2 cartridge, the spring-loaded BB magazine and the gun’s valve are tucked into an insert that slides into the rifle’s magazine. Normally, you never remove a Mosin’s mag — the magazine is either loaded singly from the top or via a stripper clip of 5 rounds — also from the top. The firearm’s floorplate swings out easily for cleaning, but that’s the only time it’s ever dropped, and even then it doesn’t separate from the rifle.

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle mag insert
The magazine insert holds the CO2 cartridge, the BB magazine and the silver tool for tightening the CO2 piercing screw.

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle piercing tool
The piercing screw is tightened by the silver tool.

The hex wrench that’s needed to tighten the CO2 cartridge in its place is also contained in the part that drops free from the magazine. Everything you need to operate the gun is contained in the gun, itself.

The BB magazine is linear and contained inside the magazine insert. It runs on a slant that can be seen through a cutout on the left side of the insert.

Mosin Nagant BB magazine
The BB magazine is seen on the left side of the magazine insert.

The manual is written by a non-English-speaking person. Parts are given strange names that you have to convert before you understand what they mean. For example, they mean to tell you to not dry-fire the gun, but they say, “Don’t cock the shutter a few times for shooting.” I’ve read enough manuals written by foreigners to know what they mean. But will a newer shooter?

I’m impressed!
Guys, you know I handle a lot of airguns. And, I’m a little jaded by all that exposure. When something comes along that makes me take a second look, I know it’s special. The Colt Single Action Army is such an airgun, as is the Webley Mk VI. I nearly bought a Webley revolver because of that exposure. And I did get a Luger after being exposed to the Umarex Legends P08.

Even the way this gun is presented in the box when you open it is special. I want you to see what I saw.

Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB Rifle box
Even the heavy cardboard box the gun comes in makes a wonderful presentation!

Will I buy this gun? I don’t know yet, but I will tell you this — I’m impressed and that doesn’t come easily!

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

88 thoughts on “Mosin Nagant 1891 CO2 BB rifle: Part 1”

  1. Oh look, the russian women’s wrestler leg!

    In the USA, we had the iconic Winchester lever action, the Cowboys friend.
    Hollywood popularized a short end pistol version of it.
    (The Mares leg)

    In Russian history, the Mosin is their iconic historical rifle.
    So I guess it was time for the shortened version of theirs.

    The mosin is a great rifle, and many millions were made, and over a century later are still being used.
    I just am on the fence about the aesthetics of the shortened one.

    I guess it really boils down to:
    Just because you CAN do something,
    Doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it..

    But the power plant looks like it could lend itself to many interesting designs..

  2. Having had the pleasure recently of shooting a friends Mosin-Nagant I’m trying to imagine what shooting the shortened one must be like. The rifle in its fully stocked form gave me a pretty sharp shock to the shoulder so the recoil felt on a lightened version which can’t be braced against the shoulder must be something else! For someone like me who has gotten to the point where I can feel the recoil of my FWB 602 the Mosin-Nagant and the Mauser I shot that day were both quite an experience.

    • Shooting one of those shortened rifles is not as bad as you might think. You don’t shoulder it, so your hands will move backwards along with the rifle. It is quite comparable to shooting a large-caliber revolver, and no worse than doing so.

  3. You can be impressed, I just see a plastic replica of a travesty of a bubba job on a fine rifle.

    I do, however, want to see a video of one of the real guns going off at night. If people think the m44 puts out a fireball, this should really put on a show.

    • Tim,

      If you think the rifle would have a muzzle flash, imagine what this chopped down thing would have. A good portion of the powder would be ignited outside of the barrel.

    • Tim,

      Necessity dictated that they go redneck on these things. Pistols were in short supply, but these long rifles were everywhere. The muzzle blast on this thing was probably lethal.

    • Tom/B.B.,

      I’ve read up on the Russian Revolution a small bit to prep for an historic/landmark film I sometimes teach a unit on, Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin (1925). First, I recall reading that the sawed off rifles were primarily for CQC use when much of the revolution became urban warfare. Shoot one of these from the hip, and even just lining up the shot by the top of the barrel you’d likely hit one part or another of the enemy. At close range getting hit even in the arm by a 7.62X54R would knock you into next week.

      Second, there are a LOT of 1891 Mosin Nagants appearing in the film Battleship Potemkin. It was the rifle the Czarist “police” used to massacre hundreds, perhaps thousands, of civilians (mostly women, children, and elderly men) on the Potemkin/Odessa Steps that lead down to the sea.

      That scene is probably the single most iconic scene from ANY movie, ever, to film students.

      Michael

        • G & G,

          The 39 Steps is a classic espionage thriller directed by a very young Alfred Hitchcock. It is an excellent film — you had a good teacher! But it is not Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin, which was about 10 years earlier, a silent-era Russian film.

          Michael

  4. B.B.,

    I am glad you did an article on this airgun. Not from the standpoint of ever wanting to own it,..but rather from the standpoint of how it came to acquire it’s absolutely horrid looks. IMO. It reminds me of one of those prehistoric fish that are pulled out of the ocean from time to time.

    But, after reading it’s above history, I can see the attraction it would have to historical firearms buffs and why/how it came to acquire it’s unique shape.

    One thing that did strike me was your mention of “contact paper” over a synthetic stock. I would think that there would be a durability issue with such an application of materials. It is amazing the realistic look of contact materials on furniture, but I never would have suspected it used in this type of application.

    Question,…Is this the first application of contact paper applied to a bb or pellet gun that you are aware of (or) is there others out there on the market?

    Thanks, Chris

    • Chris,

      I have seen it used on other “replicas” in the past to varying degrees of success. It can be just fine if done right or be a disaster. There are some very good engineered flooring that is “contact paper” on plywood or sawdust.

    • Chris,

      Well, contact paper was all I could think of to call it. It’s probably very tough.

      This is the first gun I have seen that is treated this way. I bet there are examples in the airsoft world, though, which is where the makers of this gun come from.

      B.B.

      • Chris and Tom, looking at the pictures I would think the “wood finish” is actually “In Mold Decoration”. This is a thin film of plastic which is introduced in the injection mold cavities prior to the injection cycle. It is usually made from the same basic material you are about to over-inject, so that the finished product has a perfect surface with whatever decoration you think of, and it is free of peeling, unlike painting or any other finish applied after the injection. I have not used it in such a large part, but I know it is perfectly viable. So, if I am correct, the proper name for the finish on the stock is IMD.

          • I am not sure what you are seeing, but, usually IMD is put in one side of the cavity, so you don’t see parting lines. But this is a pretty large stock, so I cannot be sure how they built the mold.
            Another possibility (and given your description, seems to be the best fit) is that of dipping the finished plastic stock on a water solution to apply a film that will adhere to all surfaces touched by it. It is the usual process done to apply camo on synthetic rifle stocks. This would imprint all parting lines on the finished surfaced. After dipping, a hard coat is applied to harden the surface. It is a similar material, only applied after the molding process, and therefore doesn’t have the same abrasion resistance properties of IMD.

            • Would the finish be similar to the hydrographics applied to polymer gun stocks or pistol grips? My understanding is the graphic is applied to part in the manner that Fred_BR describes above.

              I haven’t tried a set but a friend has this type of custom grip on his 1911 and loves it.

              Jim

        • Fred_BR
          That’s exactly how they do a fiberglass boats is to spray in or apply the base coat color into the mold before the fiberglass is laid and sprayed into the mold so that the heat of curing causes the base color to adhere to the fiberglass and when the mold is broke free you have a fiberglass shell the color you wanted with the color being part of the fiberglass and therefore a very hard and durable surface in a very uniform color with out the need to paint or polish for a glossy finish.

          BD

          • You are correct. It is the same process, the difference being that polymer (plastic) need heat and pressure to inject, while fiberglass can be applied on cold. The resin will generate the heat when curing. But given Tom’s description I actually think it was dip colored.

            • Fred_BR
              You are correct that the heat to bond is supplied by the curing fiberglass in making a colored boat part.
              I would find it interesting to see how they actually dip color it to have a wood grain finish since I would think the colored dipping material is a solid color or is it dipped several times after allowed to dry in slightly different shades of a wood grained liquid to achieve the desired effects.

              BD

              • Buldwag,
                In the process I mention here, you have a film with the decoration you want to see on the surface. It can be a smooth color, a camo pattern or an imitation of wood grain. You produce a thin layer of colored film which will be applied onto the surface.
                Then, using water or solvents as a medium, you soak it into a container, and gently dip the part you want to decorate on top of it, taking very good care not to damage the thin film. The water will react to this film and adhere it to the surface of your part.
                After having completely dipped the part in the container, you may take it off, and it will have the film adhered as you would have “painted” it.
                At this point, if you have to apply a hard coat, to give your part resistance to abrasion. When you’re done, you part will have the decoration, as if it was a “contact paper”, but with no glue.
                You don’t have to dip it several times, because you are not dipping it into a “paint” that would give you a single color. You actually apply a thin layer of decorated film with the pattern you want onto the surface of your part.

                • Fred
                  Kind of sounds like how the dip gun stocks and other thinks like truck bug deflectors or side window rain deflectors or even the extended fender flares.

                  They have the different kind of camp patterns and they dip the part like a easter egg and when you pull it out it has that pattern.

                  I’m not sure exactly how they do the process I’m talking about but I don’t think they have to give it any additional sealing or protection coat.

                  I saw it on tv once on a show that was called How things are made. I think that was the name of the show.

                  • “How It’s Made” is the title, I believe…

                    … though there is a second show with a similar concept.

                    I’m not sure how they can manage a wood-grain pattern… but colloidal films have been used to create the wing surface for model aircraft (not the plastic kits — I’m talking the types built out of balsa wood frames with small gas motors in them). You create a layer of the colloidal material on a tank of water (bathtub), Carefully insert the frame from the side, flatten it out under the surface, and slowly lift it from the tank. The colloid forms a skin on the top surface, which shrink-tightens as it dries. Replicates the fabric covered wings of older real planes.

                    • Hmm haven’t heard of that.

                      But one that show they dipped a flat round trailer hitch cover in the tank and when it came out it had a camafloge green,brown and black Chevy emblem on it.

                      I think they even dipped a crossbow stock in it.

                      I guess I will search it and see what the process is.

                    • Search

                      Camo do it yourself dip kits.

                      Some cool videos should come up also.

                      Pretty cool stuff. And I bet there must be a way if you dig deeper into the search of how to do different designs and patterns.

                      It kind of reminds me of the as they call it wraps that are plastic that they put on biusness vehicles. What ever kind of graphics you want can be done and its very durable.

                      Although the wraps are a different process I’m guessing.

                • Fred_BR
                  That’s sounds very cool and an interesting method to coat a part in whatever looks or patterns you choose and seems to be fairly easy with the correct film and solvents.

                  I can see where it would need a hard coating to protect the thin film from wear and handling over time and from the elements. .

                  BD

                    • Gunfun
                      Got it saved to favorites and watched the video and its some cool stuff if I ever get my little Datsun on the road I may look at this for a body covering as I was just going to paint the whole truck with bedliner spray on coating so it would never rust again and never have to worry about scratches or nick and dings in the paint.

                      I wonder if it can be applied to a rough surface like the bedliner so it would be a camo indestructible body armor so to speak. I will have to look into that when I ever get to the project of putting that 400 small block into the little truck.

                      BD

                  • Buldawg
                    Yea the skinweaps are cool but the way that dip transfers patterns is way cool.

                    And there use to be a new car dealership by us that offered a clear skin wrap that they but on the front nose of the car and about a third of the way up the hood. It protected the front of the car from rock chips and bugs and such.

                    And they said it could be taken off and replaced if it got messed up some kind of way.

                    My brother has a heating and air conditioning biusness and he has his vans wrapped from head to toe with his company’s name and a design. Pretty cool stuff.

                    • Gunfun
                      I have seen vehicles around here with those body wraps on them to, but what really interest me is the dip process as you can do stocks and scopes and it looks just about anything you could imagine could be dipped.

                      I just wonder how you keep the dip off the lens of a scope or from the internals of a gun. I guess you would have to dip each piece separately on a gun and then how thick is the film so that will it interfere with moving parts clearances or how would it hold up to heat or cold and wear and tear.

                      It would cool to dip an air gun to completely camo it but how does the coating hold up is what I wonder about.

                      BD

                  • Buldawg
                    I wondered about the lens of a scope also. And I read some articles last night about the pattern dips.

                    They say the dips are pretty durable.

                    I think its cool as can be. Its amazing to watch it come out of the water and see the pattern.

                    I want to try it out on something that’s for sure.

                    • Gunfuin
                      When you get a chance to try some out I am interested in how it works.

                      Right now I just have getting my 40 and 48 tuned and sighted for using in the upcoming FT matches now that its getting into the warmer months.

                      BD

  5. Always glad to see another military replica “rifle” out there, though I continue to be mystified that so few can shoot pellets. I guess not really mystified … I know there’s more design and manufacturing needed for pellet feeding (= more $$$ / manufacturing cost), but we want accuracy, man!

    • Robert,

      There is at least one full-sized rifle with this action on the market. The Chinese dealer who had it in his booth at the SHOT Show was also showing a lot of knockoff airguns, so I couldn’t trust that he was the real distributer. But if a full-sized rifle emerges I am sure Pyramyd AIR will carry it.

      B.B.

  6. A few years back, there was an airsoft replica that was real wood and metal, but it was several times more expensive than a real 91/30.
    Then lesser expensive ones followed.

    I will say this, having owned several Russian pattern weapons, (91/30, Ak, SVD, SVD) I actually was not aware of this modification. I know there had to be some done, but I had never SEEN one.

    When other guns are not available you have to make do with what you have available.
    But it doesn’t change the fact, it is an ugly “pistol”

    Hence the name I called it, the women’s wrestler leg..

  7. B.B.
    I’m glad for one to have these replicas available. I really like WW1 era arms, and are out of reach financially, like the C96 Mauser and .455 Webleys. Its nice to have a good looking replica that you can afford and shoot.
    The Mosins I have cock on open like this gun.
    I have a good friend that developed handloads for his 91/30 that produce very respectable accuracy, on par with his Springfields.
    My brother and I were at the Tulsa gunshow and a few were fumbling through crates of 91/30s. My brother started negotiating buying an entire crate mulling over the logistics of cash in hand-paperwork- getting them in my car for the ride home. It started a hailarious gun feeding frenzy as everyone on the fence started pulling rifles from the open crate and lining up! They are the best bargain in the firearm world.

  8. The mention of contact paper was very off-putting. I couldn’t figure out how it could be applied to compound curves without wrinkling.

    It sounded like something that could be easily nicked. If the finish could be laminated on in the mould, it would make sense.

    Les

  9. There was a fellow at our local range a week or so ago with the carbine version of the Mosin-Nagant. Even the carbine length barrel gave a muzzle flash and blast best described as “entertaining.” It’d be hard to imagine what a 10 inch barrel would give up. Probably require the user to wear one of those aluminum fire-fighting suits they use to put out crashed airplanes and such.
    Coming home from the range, your sweetie meets you at the door and says, “Honey, where are your eyebrows?”

  10. A great and under-appreciated rifle, but I don’t get this chopped down variation. If you want concealment, use a pistol. Why use a gun with unnecessary power, overwhelming recoil, and a stiff bolt action that prevents quick follow-up shots? This gun is a combination of what not to do, unless you want a mini-flamethrower.

    Mike, it is hard for me to get a read on the M14 in the Designated Marksman role. The first version by the Marines with the green synthetic stock and the pistol grip was dropped because of complaints about accuracy, reliability and difficulty of servicing in the field. But then the gun reappeared with the aluminum Sage stock. Then the Marines issued a brand-new version called the M39. The latest official word that I know of is that these M14s are temporary until .308 caliber AR rifles are issued. And yet the M14s persist.

    Matt61

    • These were made out of necessity. They had millions of them lying around and no pistols to speak of. So for urban fighting these things were created. Odds are the muzzle blast was pretty devastating at short distances and may have been seen as a plus.

      • I also failed to consider the original context when asking “why” about this Mosin variant. What you say makes sense, as there would be many more rifles, or long guns, than handguns ordered by the military and left lying around after the Russian revolution and bloody civil war.

        ~ken

  11. Off subject, other than it is “winter”,…..I got the privilege of getting spend 9 hrs. outside today with AM temps. of -24 act. temp to a high of 20 with wind. It was at work, loading large switchgear units on semi’s with a crane. Let’s just say that it gave me a whole new appreciation of those who work in such conditions daily, or have ever done it,.. even once.

    I did pretty good and survived the day. Now home, with the benefit of external and “internal” warmth, I will be just fine. Makes me jealous of those that live in the south. Plus, “ya’all” get to shoot air guns outside more month’s of the year! 😉

    Hey,..I did manage to work air guns into the comment! 🙂

  12. I always liked the Mosin Nagant, always wanted one.

    I like the gun being reviewed. Well all except for stock. Don’t mind the short barrel. And if there was a regular stock version made with a short barrel I would probably buy it even if it was a bb gun.

    I would like to see a full size replica Co2 pellet version. I would really like to see a full size version pcp version that shoots pellets.

    I would buy the pcp pellet version real quick if it exsist’s.

    • And the more I think about it.

      It would be cool if they made some replica guns under lever springers and hide the under lever In the bottom of the stock. And have it shoot pellets.

      Like look at the Diana 430 Stutzen. That could be a good candidate to start from for a replica gun.

      I know Diana would probably never do that. I was just using that as a example.

      • G&G
        Look at that PCP upper Crosman makes for the AR15.

        If they used a pcp power plant or a medium power springer and shoot pellets you should still be able to make it out to 50 yards with good results.

        Heck maybe if they based a replica rifle on a magnum springer power plant you could have some kind of recoil even.

        Hmm maybe there is a place for that magnum springer kick.

  13. Many years ago I saw a 1903 rifle that had been cut down like the obrez. The owner claimed that it had come from China and that Chinese guerrillas had used it against the Japanese during WW2. I have also read about improvised weapons from the Philippines and from Kenya (mau-mau). Ed

  14. B.B.,

    Thanks for giving us so much history on this gun(rifle). I have been fascinated by it since the first time I saw it. There is a video on the net of a guy shooting it. He does not attempt to aim it but shoots it like a large pistol at about chest height. I would think after a little practice this would work. He does fine.

    I think I told you I have the Nagant Revolver. It is an excellent replica that shoots very well. I really like it. Gletcher seems to turning out fine products. I’m impressed as you are.

    G&G

  15. Excellent intro to the fascinating world of Russian Czarist/Soviet small arms. It appears that the entire lineup of Gletcher replica guns shoots BBs. As long as the manufacturer is comfortable with that technology, I’m not about to jump onto the ‘But, But, But, I want it to shoot pellets, be longer, be shorter, heavier, lighter, full auto, paint it Zombie Green…..’. Well, you get my point. Gletcher makes BB shooters. There are plenty of pellet rifles and pistols already. I would prefer the maker concentrate on bringing a greater variety of replicas to market, rather than trying to reinvent the existing product lineup into pellet shooters.

    A related thought. BB, you mentioned the Chinese knockoff maker/importer at Shot Show. Might that not be the subject of a future blog? Not to trumpet the guy’s stuff, but to make your readers aware of the ‘grey market’ that is out there, how it works and how it affects our purchase dollars.

    • PO
      Yea I agree they are some cool guns and with some interesting history behind them. But just my opinion its a awful ugly gun because of how she stock is cut off. But it served a purpose when they chopped up the firearms.

      And I think you may be missing the points made above.

      The discussion about the camo dips and gun skins was because people had different thoughts of how the gun stock was covered. I don’t think people had the thought to make a zombie gun out of it.

      And as far as the longer barrel and stock. I made a comment that the barrel legnth was ok but the stock just don’t match the gun in my opinion. And that it would be nice if they made some replica guns with different power plants and use the rifle stock to hide the pcp tube or cocking lever.

      I know some people like the bb guns and shoot them for realism and at shorter distances. But also some people like shooting farther out.

      I would love to see a full size Mosin Nagant that is pcp powered and shooting a .25 cal. or bigger pellet.

      So I don’t think its meant to change this gun around BB’s reviewing its that additional guns would be nice to have with possibly other power plants.

      As they say different strokes for different folks.

  16. I wouldn’t get too attached to this rifle. Had two Gletcher products , first one was an Uzi that worked for two magazines , and am packing up the Stechkin I got two weeks ago that doesn’t hold co2. Maybe others have had better experience , but I wouldn’t go for another

      • The Stetchkin worked for one 12 gm co2 ,then the next two leaked right out no matter how tight they were inserted, looks like defective seals from the get go. The UZI misfed , and never worked after the second mag. Just my experience ,will be interesting to see your experience

      • Update on Stechkin. Was getting ready to send back ,but figured I would give it one more chance. Used a new Crossman co2 ,some initial seeping then was able to fire around 44 shots , replaced did it again. Replaced third time ,each with oil on tip, some slow leaking , but has held co2 overnight, and shoots powerfully. A quirk is that the wrench is different than all others in size .No Umarex or ASG wrench will work. Will see what happens over the next day or so. May even try your transmission fluid seal .It is a fast shooting ,accurate pistol, and a big sucker to boot. Have seen people fitting original Stechkin holster stocks to them ,but they are over $100 on ebay . Gletcher should offer theirs with burst fire and the stock option. Umarex should do this with the 712 as well

  17. If it came in the full size Nagant I might think about it but I said no to half a gun. I can’t shoulder it I can’t shoot it so to me it’s considered buying a broken gun. I have a Walther SG9000 like that. Without a laser or something that gun is practically useless. I wish I could get rid of it.

  18. I do not fully agree with the history Tom gave. The mosin was actually one of the first smokeless guns. At the time the 7.62x54R cartridge came out, it was made and issued as a smokeless cartridge manufactured originally in 1891 the same year the first mosin was made. Granted although the majority still was using black powder at the time, it was never intended to be used in the mosin. The long barrel was due to habit and the original thought of longer barrel, better accuracy.

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