first M39

[jwaller5]

Hello, i just picked up my first M39 at a recent gun show. Its a VKT 1942 with I think war time finger grooves. It has two SA box markings on the receiver. I have looked up the basic meanings of the markings, but can you experts tell me anything more? What does the two markings on the stock mean other than its a SAKO stock? I tried adding more photos, but apparently they are two big for this forum.

[SA1911a1]

Niiiiiice.

[steelbuttplate]

Should be a good one. Expect accuracy from cheap/milsurp ammo. Markings listed on 7.62x54r.net. Be sure to look at the tang date when you take it apart.

[zeebill]

Basically SA marks may be multiple at times and it means the rifle Is the property of the Finnish Army or Suomen Armeija. The D stamp means the chamber of the rifle has been modified by the Finnish Army to accept the modern or later Russian ammo. After awhile they just assumed that and no longer used the D stamping. Just guessing the one mark on the stock is likely crossed cannons which will tell you where the rifle was assembled and the other one I would have to see a picture of to tell you. When you take that rifle apart be very aware that there could be loose shims in the stock to keep the action at the right angle in the stock. Do not lose them or lose where they may be positioned or you may have a rifle that may not shoot well or shooting it could result in a broken stock. The M39s to me are the best shooting Mosins out there and with proper care and cleaning will shoot much better than most of us can aim them and that is with just old Milsurp ammo too! Congrats and enjoy and take care of that rifle for it should serve you well for many years to come! Bill

PS To give you an idea this 73 year old blind goose about a year ago shot 350 yards using Albanian surplus and standard sights and nailed 7 out of 10 clay skeet pigeons with my 1945 dated M39. That is better than I ever did in my life and likely will never do that well again but even us old farts off a bench can shoot with am M39.

[capt14k]

Depends what the markings on the stock are. Try using Resize Me app on phone or paint program on computer to reduce size of pics so you can post using the forum software. Or use tapatalk on the phone to post.

The multiple SA marks I am starting to think in addition to being an Army property mark that it had something to do with depot or Arsenal repair or refurbishment.


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[zeebill]

Depends what the markings on the stock are. Try using Resize Me app on phone or paint program on computer to reduce size of pics so you can post using the forum software. Or use tapatalk on the phone to post.

The multiple SA marks I am starting to think in addition to being an Army property mark that it had something to do with depot or Arsenal repair or refurbishment.


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There are so many possible reasons that we find multiple SA marks in different places I almost pale to think about them. Ok this month the procedure is we put them here at this depot as they go through for a quick look at, next month they will be here when we look at them. Think about the multiple times these rifles went through a depot or inspection or actual repair how different rules could have been in effect at different times. We already know a bit about the bore inspections that required stampings about the tops of the buttplates. Maybe different unit armory officers developed their own procedures to reflect their way of thinking. We never see that SA stamp there so lets redo them this time here. Hardly worth worrying about really if you think hard about it. Long as it is mechanically correct and safe we are good to go I guess. Bill

[capt14k]

Depends what the markings on the stock are. Try using Resize Me app on phone or paint program on computer to reduce size of pics so you can post using the forum software. Or use tapatalk on the phone to post.

The multiple SA marks I am starting to think in addition to being an Army property mark that it had something to do with depot or Arsenal repair or refurbishment.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

There are so many possible reasons that we find multiple SA marks in different places I almost pale to think about them. Ok this month the procedure is we put them here at this depot as they go through for a quick look at, next month they will be here when we look at them. Think about the multiple times these rifles went through a depot or inspection or actual repair how different rules could have been in effect at different times. We already know a bit about the bore inspections that required stampings about the tops of the buttplates. Maybe different unit armory officers developed their own procedures to reflect their way of thinking. We never see that SA stamp there so lets redo them this time here. Hardly worth worrying about really if you think hard about it. Long as it is mechanically correct and safe we are good to go I guess. Bill

You could be right. I like to try and figure out the reasoning for things, but I guess there could be multiple reasons or no reason at all. Having one, two, three, or zero SA stamps would not affect me buying a rifle.


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[steelbuttplate]

Could be, that the rifles were stamped when they were acquired, captured, behind the sight. Then, maybe at the end of the Winter war, or end of WW2, they were all laid out and stamped at the woodline? Some 41 stamped another time. Lots of possibilities.

[tailgunner67]

Check the tang date. I have two M39's. One is a 1905 Tula, the other is a WW1 Remington. Knowing the tang date adds to the cool factor of your rifle.

[Junk Yard Dog]

[zeebill]

Check the tang date. I have two M39's. One is a 1905 Tula, the other is a WW1 Remington. Knowing the tang date adds to the cool factor of your rifle.

Many Finnish rifles have scrubbed tang dates so we are left hanging. Those tang dates only tell you when the receiver was made and remember the Finns never made receivers so that tang date never tells you when the rifle was made just the receiver. Barrels have their date but remember they were made in groups often overlapping the year stamped on them. Some times those dates were over stamped and sometimes they weren't if used out of order or the actual year. Kind of get the idea things were very inexact? Never really know do you? That's what makes it fun though. Bill