Simo Hayha article

[romyfan]

Just got an email from Guns N Ammo magazine featuring this article. It is dated Oct. 10, but I just got it. Some of you may have read it but here it is in case you haven't.
http://testdrive.gunsandammomag.com/...he+White+Death

[blasterboy82]

You beat me to posting!

Very good article. I found it interesting that he originally had a Swede M96 and then used the 28-30 with open sights. I figured all snipers used scopes after WW 1.

Howard

[slimedog]

OK who's the sources for that article?

[Ken in Iowa]

Originally Posted by slimedog

OK who's the sources for that article?

It doesn't say specifically, but it refers to The Sniper Simo Häyhä, by Tapio A. M. Saarelainen. for more info.

It looks like the M28 vs 28/30 debate for Simo's preferred rifle will open again.

[zeebill]

If he used that book he must have been sleeping when he read it because nothing even close to that appears in that book. Usual crock of crap magazine article by someone who researches less and only cares that he gets paid. This kind of article makes me sick to read. Bill

[qwman68]

homeboy was a bad dude.. with a mosin..rock on!!

[CH]

Two pics borrowed from another forum. The first one shows Simo's old Civil Guard rifle and his new prize rifle (m/28-30 sn. 60974) given by Colonel Svensson. The rifle on the left clearly has m/28-30 rear sight and m/28 front sight which means the rifle is either early m/28-30 or m/28 which was upgraded to m/28-30 specs before adjustable front sight came into production.

The second pic shows Simo way later with his prize rifle.

[AWO425]

Antti, thanks for that picture!

If I remember correctly, the updateprogramm for the m/28 started, when the new style front sight was standard. If so, Simos sniper rifle from Kollaa was a early m/28-30.

I asked Mr. Saarelainen about the serial of Simos prize rifle, but he did not know.
He wante to check that, but for now he did not get back to me.
But 60974 makes sense as the serial of the prize rifle, later 1939 production.
That leaves open one question: What was the serial/CG number of his hunting rifle in Kollaa????????

Chris

[AWO425]

OK, Major Saarelainen got back to me, he never found anything definite about the number of Simos rifle used for the sniping at Kollaa. There may be somthing in the achives anywhere, but who has the time to digg through all the files?????
At least we know now, that it must be one of the early ones from teh first batch of 1933.

Mr. Häyhä also told him, that the prize rifle was not as accurate as his service rifle, it shot OK, but not top notch. The secret of the tight bores of the early m/28-30s????

Chris

[Leon]

Originally Posted by AWO425

OK, Major Saarelainen got back to me, he never found anything definite about the number of Simos rifle used for the sniping at Kollaa. There may be somthing in the achives anywhere, but who has the time to digg through all the files?????
At least we know now, that it must be one of the early ones from teh first batch of 1933.

Mr. Häyhä also told him, that the prize rifle was not as accurate as his service rifle, it shot OK, but not top notch. The secret of the tight bores of the early m/28-30s????

Chris

As the proud owner of one of the first 600 or so M28/30's, I have another theory why Simo might have believed his prize rifle was not as accurate. My rifle has a modified original one piece stock. The butt and grip are more slender than, e.g. my M27 with two piece stock and "fat" butt and grip. Simo was a small, spare man, and probably had a more comfortable hand grip on his original rifle. This would have affected trigger control, and as a natural marksman Simo probably would not have been conscious of this subtle difference.

[Vic]

Originally Posted by AWO425

Antti, thanks for that picture!

If I remember correctly, the updateprogramm for the m/28 started, when the new style front sight was standard. If so, Simos sniper rifle from Kollaa was a early m/28-30.

I asked Mr. Saarelainen about the serial of Simos prize rifle, but he did not know.
He wante to check that, but for now he did not get back to me.
But 60974 makes sense as the serial of the prize rifle, later 1939 production.
That leaves open one question: What was the serial/CG number of his hunting rifle in Kollaa????????

Chris

The first upgrades were the replacement of the rear sight Konovalov with the new sight Mansner. The option to upgrade what and how much was to the soldier. You could have front and rear or just rear. The first ones done was only the rear sight which makes sense here. This is a question that can be debated around for ever and this info give credence to the statement he made to us in 2002 that he had a m/28. Maybe it was a 28 upgraded to a 28/30 rear sight or a very early 28/30. It does not really matter in the long run. The specifics in technicality for a 97 year old man was not an important thing. The fact that he was a gentelman and a hero to meet with me/our group twice was much more important.

[AWO425]

Maybe someday someone will stumble across a file about Simo and find the number of his rifle lost at Kollaa.
He was an exeptional man for sure :-)

[Leon]

I brought this up once before. April 1 is Simo Hayha memorial day.

My shooting buddy and I are taking my Finns - M27, M28/30, M39 - to our club range next Wednesday to shoot a salute in honor of Simo.

I invite anyone who can to join us!