1939 Finn Captured Tula PEM sniper

[Miller Tyme]

This was one of my grail rifles for a long time so when the opportunity presented itself I just had to have it. It's a Finn Captured 1939 Tula PEM Sniper with a non matching scope mount. All parts are Tula and all numbers match except the bolt, which is scrubbed. The scope is a 1938 PEM scope, and the mount is of Tula manufacture. Being as the Finnish Army only showed 213 captured snipers in it's inventory in June of 1940, and most of them being PE Top Mounts, I feel I am very fortunate to have acquired this elusive Finn Captured PEM side mount sniper.

 

[jbell]

Bro, that is bad ass!

 

[mgrs]

You have the nicest stuff...

Seems like matching bolts are always a problem with captured or captured bringback guns of any kind.

 

[Miller Tyme]

You have the nicest stuff...

Seems like matching bolts are always a problem with captured or captured bringback guns of any kind.

Agree sir, but I figure they where taught to disable there weapon before surrendering, and removing the bolt and disposing of it would do the trick

 

[crackerbrown]

Wow! Well done Sir, that is an excellent find!

 

[MK20]

it is common on finn guns because they would rebuild/re headspace the guns to a better standard than the russkies did

 

[sandwarrior]

This was one of my grail rifles for a long time so when the opportunity presented itself I just had to have it. It's a Finn Captured 1939 Tula PEM Sniper with a non matching scope mount. All parts are Tula and all numbers match except the bolt, which is scrubbed. The scope is a 1938 PEM scope, and the mount is of Tula manufacture. Being as the Finnish Army only showed 213 captured snipers in it's inventory in June of 1940, and most of them being PE Top Mounts, I feel I am very fortunate to have acquired this elusive Finn Captured PEM side mount sniper.

I believe that is a PE scope, not a PEM. Absolutely outstanding!

Added: Apologies, That is a PEM.

 

[AFancyPenguin]

That is really cool. Sorry I dont know much about these older/collectibles but is this something you'd shoot?

 

[sandwarrior]

That is really cool. Sorry I dont know much about these older/collectibles but is this something you'd shoot?

???

Yes, that's why he posted it.

 

[AFancyPenguin]

???

Yes, that's why he posted it.

He didn't say anything about shooting it, which is why I asked. I know enough that some people collect but won't shoot certain guns.

 

[Miller Tyme]

That is really cool. Sorry I dont know much about these older/collectibles but is this something you'd shoot?

???

Yes, that's why he posted it.

Actually this one is more a safe queen, my shooter is my 42 Izhevsk PEM sniper which has a beautiful bore.
1942 is the only year Izhevsk produced the PEM, as a stop gap measure between Tulas halting production of the SVT40 sniper (late 1941) and the start of production of the PU sniper rifle in late 42.

Quite a few of my sniper rifles I have multipules of, Russian PU snipers is an example, I have 9 of them but only shoot a couple of them that haven proven to be good shooters.

 

[AFancyPenguin]

Actually this one is more a safe queen, my shooter is my 42 Izhevsk PEM sniper which has a beautiful bore.
1942 is the only year Izhevsk produced the PEM, as a stop gap measure between Tulas halting production of the SVT40 sniper (late 1941) and the start of production of the PU sniper rifle in late 42.

Quite a few of my sniper rifles I have multipules of, Russian PU snipers is an example, I have 9 of them but only shoot a couple of them that haven proven to be good shooters.

I've never been really motivated to look into or get something like these, but certain examples (like yours) really make me want to change my mind. Those are really cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Random Guy]

Thanks for sharing pics of this rifle. I have seen a couple of Finnish capture M91/30s with the generic PE scopes, but your early example marked "SA" with the 1938 PEM scope is the only I have every seen. That is a rare rifle, and I wouldn't shoot it either given it would likely be almost impossible to replace. One can be pretty sure that particular rifle was likely captured by the Finns against overwhelming Russian troops who invaded Finland during the winter of 1939-1940. Most folks don't appreciate the massive Russian losses in that devastating conflict:

"During the Winter War, 25,000 Finns were killed and 55,000 were wounded. The Russians suffered 167k (estimate) dead out of 1,500,000 men that participated in the Winter War. The Finns also destroyed 1,000 aircraft, 2,300 tanks and captured great quantities of war material from the Russians.....At the end of the Winter War, a Russian General stated; "We gained 22,000 square miles of territory. Just enough land to bury our dead."

Source: Rifles of the White Death, by Doug Bowser

Just an fyi re the possible history of that Finn-captured (aka 'SA' stamped) early Russian sniper rifle...

 

[AFancyPenguin]

Gotta respect the fight they put up.

 

[sandwarrior]

Actually this one is more a safe queen, my shooter is my 42 Izhevsk PEM sniper which has a beautiful bore.
1942 is the only year Izhevsk produced the PEM, as a stop gap measure between Tulas halting production of the SVT40 sniper (late 1941) and the start of production of the PU sniper rifle in late 42.

Quite a few of my sniper rifles I have multipules of, Russian PU snipers is an example, I have 9 of them but only shoot a couple of them that haven proven to be good shooters.

Not saying you shot/shoot it a lot, but if you 'shot' it, that counts.

I always love pushing 'collector' buttons when people shoot their historic firearms (like they were supposed to be) and unwrap them from waxed paper and sealed foil bags, just so they can see and shoot them...

 

[Davo308]

Hella cool.

 

[Miller Tyme]

I believe that is a PE scope, not a PEM. Absolutely outstanding!

Added: Apologies, That is a PEM.

I have a Finn Captured 36 Tula PE I post up latter this week.

 

[AManWearingAHat]

That is an incredible piece. I am also a collector of Finnish Mosins and my grail gun is the M39 SOV, I think there's two in the country....

 

[Miller Tyme]

That is an incredible piece. I am also a collector of Finnish Mosins and my grail gun is the M39 SOV, I think there's two in the country....

I gave up trying to find an SOV so I went out and made a replica that I have shot with great success. But it is hard to find any M39 that doesnt shoot well.

 

[AManWearingAHat]

@Miller Tyme, I just put 2 and 2 together looking at your name. We know each other from Gunboards and the former 7.62x54r.net forums. I used a different name there

 

[nagantguy]

Those Finn made / Finn captured refit rifles are a stand out in the field, almost elegant if the Nagant rifle could ever be referred to as such.
very nice example, these old war horses really get my blood flowing.