Antique Russian Berdan II

[u/Pelcat]

Got this very nice Russian Berdan II at auction last weekend. I'd been looking for a nice complete example for years, most of the ones in Canada have had the chambers drilled and plugged for some reason. This one still had the original blueing around the chamber area so I knew it was unmolested.

This parts-complete example was made at Izhevsk in 1883, it still shows a lot of the original blueing with handling marks but the bore looks brand new and it has the correct post russo-turkish war front and rear volley sights. Other than the bolt, which is also Izhevsk made, it is all matching. I found it pretty cool that the stock channel has the matching serial handwritten in graphite.

[u/rofl3030]

Are most plugged? I remember seeing them at trade ex and regret not getting one.

[u/Pelcat → u/rofl3030]

Yep, probably most if not all of those recent imports have scrubbed receivers, plugged and re-watted chambers and have had the barrels swapped around.