M69 Romanian Training Rifle……(F 890)

M69 Romanian Training Rifle

Sturdy well balanced magazine fed bolt action .22 rifle.  These trainers were well built in a way that couldn’t be repeated today; in regards to labour and materials. If so, the prices would be through the ceiling.  They were produced when the Russians moved in to quell unrest in Romania and everybody was encouraged to join “The Patriotic Guards” to defend the country.  The idea was to produce a rifle that everybody could use, young, old, men, women and children; so quality finish was not at the top of the list of important outcomes. They were provided to give good basic tuition to anybody, even if they had never fired a rifle in their lives before. However, as these are solid machined receivers and barrels, the end result, by todays standards, is a quality piece of engineering.  In good condition they can be superbly accurate.

Made between 1969 and 1989 at one of the two “Cugir” Romanian weapons plants.  The breech end of the barrel is marked behind the rear sight as follows; “UMC 2 / 1974 / V-1179″  A matching number is marked on the RHS of the receiver.  The rifle measures 41″ in overall length.  The round stepped barrel is 23.1/4″ long and the trigger pull is 14”.  Stocked in a finger grooved, pistol gripped beech one-piece stock.  There is a cut-out for the short armed, curved bolt arm on the RHS of the stock, and much akin to the K98, a further recess in the stock for the bolt knob.  Bolt release catch to LHS of action.

The bolt has a short stroke but requires a firm grip to close it down.  It is not faulty, that is how it was designed.  They just didn’t fuss over it. The positive movements required encourage the same kind of application in use which in a way encourages a more positive end result.  There is a simple one position safety at the rear of the bolt.  Five round straight stack magazine inserted trough base of steel trigger guard, with a serrated release catch in front.  Simple rear sights with flip-up blades and open “V” sight picture, graduated at 25, 50 and 100 yards.  The front post is adjustable for elevation, through the pinned steel sight guard – if you have the right tool!  The top rib of the action has been machined to reduce glare and at first sight appears to be dove-tailed for fitment of a scope, but this is not the intention and it doesn’t perform that task easily.

This is an interesting little rifle with distinct history to it.  It does tell the story of another country being crushed under the boot of the communist regime and a peoples desperate attempt to resist the un-resistible.  It’s a rifle that could easily be overlooked at a show or in the back room of a dusty gun shop, but the pay-back is taking it out and showing others what can be done with a basic simple tool.  Good un-interrupted bore, no pitting or misting.

Stock N’ 890

£ 465.

 

 

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