Mystery mark on unrefurbed 1942 Tula 91/30.

[Anzac15]

This is an unrefurbed 1942 Tula that Im giving to my brother for Christmas. Very nice condition, wartime wood, and not import marked! However, there is a marking on it that I have never seen on one of these. Right above the first 6 on the serial number is a pretty large 6 (or 9, could be either) It has almost been rubbed off, I have tried taking a hundred pics of it, but it wont show. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Would like to hear some thoughts!

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Is it perhaps a Cyrillic "b" - lower case letter B?

Б (upper case) б (lower case)

This looks like a 6, but the open top stroke tends to move outwards, away from the closed loop, rather than being turned inwards, like the top of a 6.

Of course, with a PICTURE it would be somewhat easier to narrow down the guesswork!

[Anzac15]

Hmm. Not sure why the pics didnt take. Lets try again. Patrick, it is definitely a 6. I drew a little diagram because I just could not get a clear shot of it.

[mike radford]

I like that rifle. Do you know how it got in country? A few 91-30s were captured in VN.

So, not doubting you but double checking, how are you so sure it has never been refurbed? There are so few of these that were never refurbished. You are seeing no refurbishment marks? What type sling slots do you have? Tula cartouche still strong and is it dated? Cool rifle and I would like to see more pictures. Production at Tula was low in 42 since they had had to move the plant. The Germans made it to Tula.

Another reason I am asking that it seems nobody is sure that the Soviets were using Shellac as original stock finish. I see the debate often. Some insist original finish was an Oil based finish. I am seeing what looks like shinny shellac. What are you seeing? More pictures greatly appreciated. Cool rifle by the way.

[Anzac15]

There is in fact a faint refurb mark on the buttstock. The square with the line through it. However, this is not one of the totally refurbed examples you see in the crates at the shows. Majority of finish is gone on the metal. It is a wartime stock, no cartouche that I can see. Again, not import marked. Not counter bored either.
There are what appears to remnants of what look like may be shellac on this stock. Otherwise it's bare wood. I'll get some more pics of it on here soon.

[mil-surp60]

Almost looks just like the finn capture stock i have up for sale , but the finn capture looks to have oil finish on it then shellac, so could they have used both in finland? Just a guess here.

[Anzac15]

I've learned to say 'never say never' with these old veterans. Just when I think I know it all about a particular firearm, along comes some info that totally throws a monkey wrench in the woke works. ESPECIALLY with Finnish rifles. I've seen all sorts of things with those gals.
All part of the fun!

[Aragorn243]

For what it's worth. I was at one of the US Army educational museums in Carlisle Pennsylvania two years ago on a day when they had a WWII weekend special. I spoke with a Russian re-enactor who was an actual Russian who had some experience with the Rifles in the old Soviet Union. He told me that the shellac was applied for storage and an oil finish would have been original.

[Anzac15]

Would have liked to have sat in on that, Aragorn!

[Aragorn243]

He wasn't old enough to have used one in the military, he was just familier with them. He had the uniform, half a dozen rifles a few other weapons, might have had one of those MG's that are on the heavy steel carriages, I don't exactly remember. I just figured he might be the guy to ask. His 91/30's were all refurbs he picked up once he got here.