an Arshin is a now extinct Russian unit of measure equal to 28 inches.

if you happen to have a Russian M44 or M39/91 Mosin Nagant rifle it is what your sites are marked in

it actually makes a lot of sense when you realize that a average height man 5'7" a step is right about 28 inches

if you happen to be shorter or taller not a huge deal

5'2" is 26 inches and 6' 1" is 30 inches average step length

128.6 arshins is 100 yards

if you step off 128 but are 5'2" it is 92 yards 6 yards isn't a huge change in distance

if you are 6'1" 128 is 106 yards

between 5'5" and 5'11" your only 1 inch off in average step length. just 4 yards short or 3 yards long

so your short guy 5 foot and your tall guy 6'3" step off 300 arshins and your only about 10 yards off in either direction 20 yards at that distance isn't a big deal

300 arshin is the lowest setting on a Mosin rifle unless the FInns rebuilt it

300 yards or meters seems like a bit of a lofty goal for a iron sighted rifle lowest sight setting but much more realistic when you realize it is 233 yards

200 meters is 218 yards

the Finns cut a shelf for 200 Meters lowering the sight a bit more in their Mosin's and moved the markings to the left side of the sight so they could be seen without looking over the top of the rifle.

400 arshins being 311 yards or 284 meters

500 arshins 388 yards or 354 meters

600 arshins 466 yards 426 meters

My arshin hurts just thinking about it.

The one I owned was a pretty good shooter that hit where I looked. I had absolute confidence in that one until some scumbag decided he wanted what was in my truck.

The longest shot i ever made on a deer was with a 91/30. It was 430 yards and using a 203 gr bullet i guessed and slid that sight up to 700 ashins. If it wasnt in the snow i probably wouldn't have tried it. I hit alittle high but the deer dropped where it stood.