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My first question to the forum. I have a 1942 Izhevsk that has a round, high-walled receiver with no markings at all on the bottom of the tang. According to the information I found so far, the receiver's features are consistent with a 1942 Izhevsk manufacture (unmachined right rear, unstepped tang, no extra stripper clip groove...) I know that 1941-42 Izhevsk receivers have inconsistent tang markings, but how rare is it to have absolutely no markings?
The only markings present on the receiver are on the top tang and left front side:
Many that you see will have no marks like that. The tiny little stamps are probably some stamp that was put on during one of the manufacturing assembly procedures. They went through a manufacturing procedure similar to a assembly line I think in the late 30's to speed production. I read about this just the other day after Googling "Izhevsk Arsenal" and checking out some interesting websites. I sid not actually read that the stamps were inspection stamps, but that is a common procedure when manufacturing items that need to be checked off on qualities such as barrel quality, for and finish, proof marks after test firing, and sometimes a mark may be a simple way of identifying the person in charge of checking something at a given point of production. Which basically means that now days they have no real meaning.
While I am thinking about it, there are old black and white film archives on YouTube that show the manufacturing of some of these old Russian rifles, usually with Russian nararating but they are still really interesting to watch and I am amazed at how many of the Mosins, and no doubt others, were put together by children.
I don't think it is rare at all - well compared to the millions that were produced - perhaps. But rare as it relates to value - nope. Coolness factor-yup. My very first was a 1942 and that was a guess because the barrel was either badly stamped or scrubbed probably not stamped well. And, there is no stamp on the tang. I think many processes were set aside during this time just to get the rifles out. Quality relating to rifles function and safety were maintained. But steel finishing and many stampings were not important at that time.
Thanks for the info. I had read of course that the arsenals cut corners (or did not for that matter...) later on in the war to speed up production. I saw on another site that "at least one" 42 Izhevsk was documented without tang markings. That made it sound pretty unusual. However it makes sense that the omission of one step vs. another in production during a period characterized by that wouldn't necessarily add to the value of the rifle.
They're referred to as "wartime expedient" by some. One of the first M91/30s I got was one like it. 1942 Izhevsk with very rough machining on the receiver and barrel. It's in a wartime stock and has lots of character.
I wouldn't call lack of date stamp on the tang as rare; out of the ordinary, yes. I can see something like this happening: "Hey Boris, put down those tang stamps and go to mill #43. Victor cut off another finger and doesn't have enough left to turn to crank." I've seen those videos of Soviet production. Yeesh, its a wonder anybody had any fingers and eyes left.
And here's a couple of pics of one of mine without date stamps anywhere.
Also got one without the date on the tang with a 43 date on the barrel.
