First off, can anyone tell me if this is a one piece Finn stock? How can I determine that? There are no cartouches, and nothing in the finger grooves. I believe it is a one piece Russian, but I would like to know how to tell the difference between the two.
Reading some of the other threads, am I right in understanding that I should not use7.62x54r in this? If so, is there any commercial ammo available for it?
It is a 1938 Sako SK.Y. with a 1914 tang date, imported by Marathon.The bolt and buttplate match the barrel, but the magazine floorplate does not.




E68 Under The Buttplate.

Finn Jamb Free Magazine

Flat Rear Sight. Aluminum Bushing.

Screw Adjustable Front Sight, One Piece Sako Nose Cap, Aluminum Bushing.

Correct Finn Cleaning Rod With Groove Around Tip.

Fore End Reinforcing.

Mousetrap Spring On Trigger.

Stock Reinforcing Bushing At Rear Action Screw.

Civil Guard Number.

Would This Be A Finn Or Russian Repair?

Sako Stamp On Bolt.

It does not look like any M28/30 stock that I have seen (I have one myself). The handguard is a M28/30 one. My stock has the finger splices and a bolt through the stock near the bayonet lug. It wouldn't surprise me that the Finns might have made a replacement out of a captured Soviet stock (it would have taken some work to make it fit).
Like mine, yours does not have the D stamp on the barrel and therefore it was not updated to the newer chamber. Your rifle needs .308 bullets and it would be best to use reloaded ammo with that size bullet. I know guys who have fired surplus 7.62x54 through their non-"D" M28/30s but I would think the pressures would be a bit high. All I know is that all the Finn experts discourage it.
In any case, you have a very nice, hard to find, rifle.

Great find. I load with .308 bullets for my Finn M 28/76. I use a Lee .308 Win collet die and neck size the case to .308, then use the bullet seating die from the 7.62x54r die set.To size 7.62x54r necks to .308 in a .308 Win die you have to slip a washer over the shell holder(.080 I think) thick enough to keep the die from sizing past the neck chamfer. This method works very well. A Lee Loader die(old hammer type) will yield two sizings on the neck that will hold .308 bullets but no more. I would not shoot .310-.3105 bullets out of a 28/30 barrel.

Thanks for answering the ammo usability question, I will have to wait to shoot this one until I start reloading... yet another project/hobby that keeps being put on the back burner!
Ksstargazer, not being argumentative but,it looks like a 28/30 stock to me. I've been comparing it to stocks on 762x54r net (and a couple other sites) until my eyes go crossed! Apparently I am missing something ,or just don't know what to look for in particular.
Mine does not have the stock splices, but it does have the bolt through the stock that you mentioned:

The stock looks "beefier" than my 91/30 stocks, and this area also started out thicker in order to cut to fit:


Anyhow, I appreciate the responses.

Yep, you are right. I missed the bolt through the stock on your original photos.
Another variation of the M28/30 stock.
Generally, the Finn stocks are "beefier" than the Soviet stocks. Once you get some loads up for this rifle, I bet you will be pleased with its performance. The M28/30s have a history of being very accurate.

Now, thats a rifle!
I am fortunate to own one, just one 28/30.
From what I have read elsewhere, the early 28/30 stocks were made from M91 stocks or M28 stocks. Many M28 stocks started out as M91 stocks, & were then fitted to the new 28/30 rifles.
Is your 28/30 stock birch or walnut?
Is the forend spliced to the buttstock?
Thanks for the oustanding pictures.

Oldironsights, I'm glad you liked the pictures!
Unfortunately, I couldn't tell you if it was a birch or walnut club you were thumping me with. I could only tell you it hurt! Wood ID is something I definitely need to learn.
No sir, there is no splice to the stock. Nor can I see ANY markings of any kind on the stock as far as cartouches or other stampings. The stock has several areas that look to be charred by fire, though it does not rub off onto the skin. This is one stock that is staying as is, so if there are any hidden marks I'll probably never know.
I was hoping this might be a Finnish one piece stock, but I do not know how to tell it apart from a Russian one piece stock without any kind of cartouche or stampings. I am leaning towards it being Russian because of the off center cross bolt, but maybe Finnish because of the heftier stock. ???

I can't quite tell by the pics whether the recoil bolt centers in the finger grooves or not. The Finn stocks normally are centered, the Russian stocks have the bolt slightly lower than center.

It looks Birch to me but doesn't have that Finn Arctic Birch figure.

Brother Ted has some nice pics to ponder here. http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinM2830.htm

Regardless, it looks like a keeper!

Ken, the cross bolt does sit lower in the finger groove, that is one reason I was thinking Russian.Thanks for the link too, that is one of the places I was comparing mine to other stocks.
I'll probably never really know, without some kind of stock cartouche.

That's a beauty for sure. I don't recall seeing any Finn stock repairs like the one on the left receiver wall. Looks Indian but we know that's not the case. It's definitely a 28/30 stock now whether or not it's got a splice, but one piece would be unique. All of mine have two or three piece stocks. I've got three here and Candyman is currently repairing three for me. Ask him if any of them are spliced in the fore end and he'll tell you.

Oldironsights- I found that I only have one floorplate that has the serrations but no Sako stamp. I would think that it would have to be a Sako even though there's no stamp.

Regards,
Eric

I just remembered that I have a loose 28/30 stock so I checked it just a minute ago. Well I'll be if it isn't a one piece stock! It's got the recoil lug offset and has the SYT in the left finger groove showing it was an ex-Soviet M-91 stock. Cool.

Regards,
Eric

Eric, that's cool that you found one of yours to be one piece also. Other than the SYT, have you seen any other stock markings on it? Mine has absolutely no markings that I have been able to find, other than E68 under the buttplate. Does yours have the bolt through the stock near the bayonet lug? Does your stock have the same cut out on top, about an inch and half forward of the tang screw?
Do any of the Finn stocks have off center recoil lugs?
One more question, I noticed a small hole just in front of the trigger guard:

This same hole is also on my M39 Sako, and my Finn capture 1939 Izhevsk M91/30 in a spliced Finn stock. I have not found it on any of my Russian stocked Mosins, but I didn't get them all out either. So my question is, does that hole indicate a Finn stock?
Pardon all the questions Eric, but if your known one piece Russian M91 stock has those same characteristics, then mine is probably also a one piece Russian M91 stock.

I'll have to check later.

Regards,
Eric

The hole as far as I know is only found on Finnish affiliated stocks, in other words they also altered Russian stocks in this manner. The hole is to facilitate removal of the cleaning rod nut.For what it is worth I think your stock is all Finnish, too "beefy" to be a Russian stock.

Thanks Singleshot. I appreciate your opinion, and thanks again for the reloading info you gave me above.