Rifle
Object number2024.20.1
Manufacturer
New England Westinghouse Company
(1915 - 1926)
Datec. 1916
MediumWood; Steel; Metal; Aluminum(?)
Credit LineGift of G. Reynolds Clark
DescriptionMilitary rifle. Bolt action, internal magazine fed, fires 7.62 x 54mm cartridges. Wooden buttstock, body, and forestock. Steel butt plate, bolt handle, trigger mechanism, and tamping rod. Brushed metal sight on top and magazine floor plate below. Oval metal plate screwed on to both sides of the flat of the stock and forestock. DimensionsHeight x Width x Length: 8.75 x 1.75 x 51.5 in. (22.2 x 4.4 x 130.8 cm)InscriptionsSight has numbers on the proper left side "12 / 10 / 8 / 6 / 4" and on the proper right side "D / 8 1/2 / 7 / 5 1/2 / 4 / 3 / 2".
Trigger guard has aluminum(?) tag with imprinted text "A25207".
MarksButt plate has imprinted number "6".
Underside of magazine floor plate has number "60995".
Top of forestock has text "[symbol] / NEW ENGLAND / WESTINGHOUSE / COMPANY / 1915 [symbol] / NO / 855138 / D".
Top of bolt action has imprinted number "855138".
End of barrel has imprinted text on the proper right side "CAI. ST A.../ M91 7.6 2R U.S.A."
Historical NotesMosin-Nagant M-91 military rifle made by New England Westinghouse Company (former division of Westinghouse Electric) for Russia during World War I. At the outbreak of the war Russia was short on military weapons. In 1915 the Tsar's government ordered over a million of the riles from both Remington-UMC and Westinghouse New England. It is estimated that close to two million were produced. After the Russian monarchy was overthrown, the Russian government defaulted on its contracts with Westinghouse and Remington. They claimed the rifles were "poor quality" and refused to pay. To rescue the American companies, the US government agreed to buy the unused rifles. Some of these rifles were distributed to National Guard units, state militia, and the U.S. Army for training purposes. After WWI the U.S. government gave some of the rifles to the new Czechoslovakia.
Related institution
Westinghouse Electric Company
(founded 1945)
Previous owner
Westinghouse Electric Company
(founded 1945)
Related institution
United States National Guard
Related institution
United States Army
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