Kholodovskii: The Greatest Mosin Nagant in History (at Least on Paper...)
History of the Mosin
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The Kholodovskii Mosin was the result of a Russian ordnance project begun in 1912 to improve the M91 Mosin Nagant rifle. Lieutenant-General Nikolai Kholodovskii and the Tula Arsenal were to cooperate to develop rifle that was lighter, more accurate, and more shooter-friendly than the M91. This would include features like new aluminum parts, a fluted barrel, free-floating handguard (sort of), a magazine hold-open, improved safety, and more - it was really quite an ambitious project and a rifle that sounded great on paper. The reality would turn out to be rather different, however, as Kholodovskii and the Tula Arsenal staff ended over problems and delays and the rifle showed little benefit in troop trials. Eventually by 1916 the whole project was abandoned, with only a few hundred made.
This video was only possible because of the excellent article researched and written by Matt Martin on the Kholodovskii. It was originally published on MosinNagant.net, which is now defunct, and unfortunately many of the image links are dead as well. The article can be found copied on various other sites, including GunBoards.
Many thanks to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels for access to this very rare piece! Check them out here:
https://www.klm-mra.be/D7t/
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