Help with unknown proof marks.

[desdem12]

Alot of those are unknown marks like unit marks and refurb marks, nobody really knows most of the marks on these. Nice rifle
Welcome Fosgate

[Junk Yard Dog]

A lot of the marks you will find on these rifles are as yet unknown, the Soviets don't share much about their small arms production even 70 years later. Don't let the lack of refurb marks bother you, it's a refurb, one look at the red shellac tells that tale, very often this happens, they tended to be sloppy about the markings and sometimes left them off. I have seen this on several rifles. It's a nice looker, wartime Izhevsk? Most of tiny stamps will be inspection markings, the Soviets didn't unit mark their rifles, the Finns did that for a bit but soon stopped, they didn't want to give the enemy information about what troops he was facing just by picking a rifle up off the ground and reading the ID disc. Some of the tiny stamps will go back to the rifles original manufacture during the war, others will have been added during repair, or inspections before the refurb, same as with any milsurp from any country, .

[Junk Yard Dog]

Tula 1942, nice That marking on the side with the USSR bit in it is the import mark required on all firearms imported into the USA after 1968, it's added by the importer. The Big star is Tula arsenal post 1929.

[Ironnewt]

At least the import marks look well done. Some of them are so ugly

[Junk Yard Dog]

$99, soon will come the day when people suddenly realize that a rifle that is a refurbished .30 centerfire magazine fed bolt rifle that is capable of hitting targets at 200-600 yards is worth a hell of a lot more than $99 the shelves will empty of them. Try finding a commercial sporter that is of this quality for that money, even used it's not going to happen

[Darryl]

Most of these marks are inspector marks or proof marks and you will not find anything out about most of them

197 on the bolt is of coarse the serial number of the rifle without the prefix (refurbed)

I find the diamond with a 3 inside it (on the bolt) very interesting. It is common to see on Polish Mosin rifles and is a Polish acceptance mark) however, I don't think this can be the case here. And that is what is interesting.

all the stock stamps are very common marks and are thought to be inspector marks.

Mixed parts.....Tula barrel shank, Ishevsk magazine typical of a refurbished (by the Soviet arsenal) That is acceptable because it was done by the Soviets. It is common in US rifles like the M1 Garand. Mixed up parts from refurbishment.

Dolk

[BuckeyeSgt]

War time Tula with a low serial number for that prefix is kinda cool. Oh if it could speak.....

[Ironnewt]

War time Tula with a low serial number for that prefix is kinda cool. Oh if it could speak.....

Yeah wouldn't that be interesting. "Two days after I got issued Ivan went off to war. I did this and that and went here and there and I didn't even get a T-shirt!"