Magazine body
Early pattern with riveted sides.
This type of connection existed in drawings up to 1935, at this time it was officially replaced with welding.
Late pattern with welded sides.
Officially included in drawings in 1935. This connection method was designed by one of Tula factory workers in 1929 and was successfully tested soon afterwards. Serial production started before 1935 when it was officially adopted.
​
If you have a 1929-1934 rifle in original configuration, please let me know about the type of the connection.
One-piece front end
Front end made as a one-piece milled part, connected with to the sides after the pin. It was used with riveted side magazines and early welded side magazines
*Blow-up made by M.N.Fokin
Welded four-piece front end
​
Front side made from 4 pieces, 2 milled and 2 stamped, which were welded together. It was connected with magazine sides before the pin. This construction style was adopted in 1936 (drawings were created in 1935), however, it seems to have been introduced into production few years later.
​
*If you have a 1935-1936 rifle in original configuration, please let me know about type of the front side.
*Blow-up made by M.N.Fokin
Changes in the size of the milled part of the welded front end were adopted in September 1937. Another change that was adopted in the same period was the reduction of the magazine pin/rivet head size from 0.34" to 0.3".
Narrow trigger guard
0.1" thickness. Used up to 1935-1936 since Imperial period.
Thick trigger guard
0.175" thickness. Drawings were created in 1935, adopted in 1936.
1941-1944 roughly produced trigger guard.
Despite the actual drawings (1936 version) the thickness of the trigger guard can vary because of rough machining
Trigger hole
Length of the trigger hole was changed from 0.790" to 0.850" in 1937. Drawings were updated, start date of the new production is unclear.
Follower assembly
Early type (follower carrier and floorplate).
Produced up to 1935, starting in 1933 production was mixed with the new type, which was included in the drawings in 1933 (created in 1932, adopted in 1933).
Late type (follower carrier and floorplate).
This new construction was designed by one of the workers at the Tula factory in 1929 and was successfully tested shortly afterwards. This construction was included in drawings in 1933 (created in 1932, adopted in 1933). Until 1935 it was in production alongside the early type, at which point factories completely switched to the new design.
During all of the production period, (with one exception mentioned below) a milled follower was used on M91/30's and M38/M44 carbines.
Stamped follower and floorplate
In 1942, when production of M91/30's started at the new factory #536 NKV in Tula, stamped followers and floorplates were introduced. This factory lacked machinery, as a result they searched for different ways to simplify production. Stamped parts were more simple to produce, but of lower quality. At the very beginning of their production stamped parts caused delays during shooting.
​
This was the reason why the Main Artillery Directorate ordered a stop to stamped follower/floorplate production in early 1943. However, after additional trials and corrections in the drawings, a decision was made to allow continued production of the stamped floorplate, production of the stamped follower was stopped. All factory #536 NKV 1942-1944 rifles and carbines have stamped floorplates. in 1942 and very early 1943 a stamped follower was used (except for early 1942 production, when prewar drawings were used).
