Kholodovskii: The Greatest Mosin Nagant in History (at Least on Paper...)

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.

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:

Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
6281 N. Oracle 36270
Tucson, AZ 85740

[Wintermute]

It still amazes me that Ian can get into these places to show us these hidden gems.
Years of hard work and being a nice guy have clearly payed off!

[Ezekiel_Allium]

Kholodovskii is such a fascinating look at a type of guy that still exists today. You know the guy, the guy who has some legitimately decent ideas but overlooks those minor, inconsequential problems like "how would you efficiently manufacture that?" and "how much would that cost?"
He just happened to be in the place at the right time that his ideas almost political corrupted their way into production, giving us this wonderful window into this armchair expert redditor of the past

[Andrewsky]

The three best features in my opinion:

1) Long bolt handle
2) Improved safety
3) Improved trigger

[hughmac]

Appreciate the fact that all the screwhead slots are synchronized on the inlaid aluminum hardware.

[death-to-dogma]

I love that the Imperial Russian Army and Bubba came to the same conclusion. If you just change everything about the Mosin, it's a great rifle.

[marisacursedisame]

I recently saw three Type 38 Arisaka that were shortened "obrez-style" in the Baltic States at the Royal Belgian Army Museum, seeing as you are taking a look at their collection I hope you can have a look at these, all three were extremely different and seemed fascinating to me

[SlavicCelery]

Whomever does the closed captioning on these videos (which might be Ian), thank you so much. You do an excellent job in communicating the nuance of Ian. I don't struggle with my hearing, but having grown up with people in the Deaf community, I run subtitles all the time. Yours are particularly good!

[coreyfaehrmann]

Its kind of funny how much this rifle seems like a petty "oh they dont like our rifle then we will over do it this time" sort of thing. Just a conglomeration of just super not very important things yet expensive things thrown on the rifle so that it seems elegant.

[MEMG]

Interesting to see early use of aluminum, before its physical properties were understood. There’s a reason why you don’t make springs from aluminum. I suspect it was more eye candy than anything else.

[davidh]

That's a pretty clever in-place trigger redesign from single to two stage!
Today it'd cost 50 million and two years.

[janwacawik]

Frankly, I never suspected Ian could get his hands on one of these. I thought all known existing examples were in Russia, and in current climate I considered it unlikely for Ian to ever be allowed to prowl through a state-owned museum there. A welcome surprise, to be sure.

[onelonecelt]

The sight, trigger, and bolt handle were pretty decent improvements, I wish they had made their way into production.

[brendanliamgill]

I must say that that is one of the most beautiful mosins ive seen sure it wasn't the greatest in military service but it looks alot better than some people did with mosins in the 90's

[tsmgguy]

It seems to me that the real product improvement to the M91 was done by the Finns, in the form of the M39. Great trigger, incredibly accurate.

[andrewflores]

Definitely some clever ideas interesting to see the attempt at improveing the safety.

[MCerberis]

I have to say Thank You for this video! Best regards and wishes from Lithuania.

[MatoVuc]

That barrel fluting must have been a favourite feature for the soldier. Esoecially when it cane time to cleaning the rifle...

[randyhavard]

That is the best looking mosin nagant rifle I've ever seen

[jamesgriffin]

Thanks Ian, another interesting video.
Here's a thing, I had an interview with Holland and Holland in London aged 16. It's a really fascinating place with an amazing private armoury for rich clients to store super high end weapons. And the workshop is like stepping back in time to the 18th century.. not so much forgotten weapons more forgotten skills.
May be an interesting day out for you if you're ever in that kneck of the woods.
J

[poppasquat]

Passed on one of these in 2010 for $300 because I thought it was bubba'd and the seller thought it had a machine gun barrel because of the fluting...