The Elusive Avengers (Neulovimye mstiteli)

Theatrical release poster

Country	USSR
Directed by	Edmond Keosayan
Release Date	1966
Language	Russian
Studio	Mosfilm

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Dan'ka	Viktor Kosykh
Ksanka	Valentina Kurdyukova
Valerka	Mikhail Metyolkin
Yashka the Gypsy	Vasiliy Vasilyev
Sidor Lutiy	Vladimir Treshchalov
Ataman Burnash	Yefim Kopelyan
Buba Kastorskiy	Boris Sichkin
Ilyukha	Saveliy Kramarov

The Elusive Avengers (Neulovimye mstiteli) is a Soviet 1966 action movie directed by Edmond Keosayan. The story takes place during the Russian civil war. Teenager siblings Dan'ka and Ksanka lost their father, killed by the chieftain of bandits Sidor Lutiy (directly "Sidor the Fierce"). Together with their friends Valerka and Yashka the Gypsy they form a group that they call "The Elusive Avengers". The movie obtained high popularity among Soviet teenagers. Two sequels were filmed later, The New Adventures of the Elusive Avengers (1968) and Crown of the Russian Empire, or the Elusive Avengers Again (1971).

The following weapons were used in the film The Elusive Avengers (Neulovimye mstiteli):

Handguns

Nagant 1895

Nagant M1895 revolvers are used by all four "Elusive Avengers": Dan'ka (Viktor Kosykh), Ksanka (Valentina Kurdyukova), Valerka (Mikhail Metyolkin) and Yashka the Gypsy (Vasiliy Vasilyev). Various minor characters are also seen with Nagant revolvers.

Nagant M1895 Revolver - 7.62x38N. This is post-1930 version.

A bandit (Ivan Zhevago) holds a Nagant.

During the shootout in the tavern the bartender Korney (Leonid Parkhomenko) draws a Nagant but Ksanka disarms him and holds at gunpoint.

A bandit (Viktor Uralskiy) holds his revolver during the shootout in the tavern.

Yashka in ambush with his Nagant.

Valerka in ambush with his Nagant.

Yashka fires at pursuing bandits.

Dan'ka with his Nagant in the showdown scene.

Valerka fires his Nagant in the showdown scene.

Mauser C96 M1930

Mauser C96 pistols are personal sidearms of Burnash (Yefim Kopelyan) and his second-in-command Sidor Lutiy (Vladimir Treshchalov), the archvillain of the movie. Several of Sidor's henchman also carry Mauser pistols. This is M1930 model, identified by the stepped barrel.

Mauser C96 M1930 - 7.63x25mm Mauser

Sidor Lutiy executes Dan'ka and Ksanka's father in the opening scene.

One of Sidor's henchmen (Oleg Savosin) carries a Mauser tucked at his belt.

Another one of Sidor's henchmen, a former Orthodox priest (Vladimir Belokurov), aims his Mauser when the bandits arranged a shooting contest in the tavern.

Burnash's Mauser in wooden holster is seen on the wall.

Yashka the Gypsy (Vasiliy Vasilyev) aims Mauser and Nagant M1895 at Sidor Lutiy.

One of Burnahs's men holds a Mauser.

Sidor fires his Mauser in the showdown scene.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbine

Most of the bandits are seen with anachronistic Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbines. In the final scene all four "Elusive Avengers", enlisted in Red Army, are seen with M1938 carbines.

Mosin Nagant M38 Carbine - 7.62x54mm R

The bandits carry M38 carbines.

Two bandits with M38 carbines.

Two more bandits with M38 carbines.

An M38 carbine is seen on the wall in the tavern.

The bandits reload their rifles during a shooting contest in the tavern.

Buba Kastorskiy (Boris Sichkin) holds a rifle taken from an incapacitated bandit.

Ksanka (Valentina Kurdyukova) with M38 carbine.

Valerka (Mikhail Metyolkin) with M38 carbine.

Yashka (Vasiliy Vasilyev) with M38 carbine.

Mosin Nagant M1891/30 Rifle

Ignat (Gennadiy Yukhtin), unlike other bandits, carry Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifle with bayonet.

Full-length, Soviet Mosin Nagant M91/30 - 7.62x54mm R

Ignat holds his rifle.

In another scene the bayonet on Ignat's rifle is attached backwards. This is a exclusively cinematic practice; in reality such practice was banned by service manuals.