What is this?

[Groundpounder]

I've been meaning to ask around since I got this a couple weeks ago. There is a big "5" stamped in the wood next to the receiver on the 1944 M38. Any idea what it might mean?

[Darryl]

At first I though you were figuring it was a "Big 5" mark.......not a "Big" 5 mark! (you know, Big 5 sporting goods store.....never mind!)

Unknown mark. I have seen numbers placed there before, but there are not a lot of them.


Dolk

[desdem12]

I see several other numbers on the reciever on the left too. Nice pic. No one will ever know.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Most of the odd stamps found on the Mosins are unknown and there is no information coming out of Russia about them. This is one of them.

[zeebill]

At first I though you were figuring it was a "Big 5" mark.......not a "Big" 5 mark! (you know, Big 5 sporting goods store.....never mind!)

Unknown mark. I have seen numbers placed there before, but there are not a lot of them.


Dolk

My first thought too! I about freaked out and thought Oh God don't tell retailers are stamping the things now too! Bill

[tincansailor]

Mine has a "2" in the same spot Division mark??

[bunkysdad]

There is no telling. 5th row of trees in the forest produced the wood? 5th guy to make M38 stocks? The first 4 are in the gulag for screwing up. Stocks mfg during the 5th month? Final inspector #5?:?:

[Groundpounder]

My favorite answer so far is Inspector пять (PYAT or 5 in Russian)

[desertgunner]

Look at it from the bright side: You may have the one and only Mosin Wood marked this way!
....and this is not said in my normal sarcastic ways!

You may have a genuine something that no one here has seen before. And all of us probably will never know what it means...there are too many with marks we don't understand.

And I certainly would not have liked to work in these armories just to know what I am not supposed to know....

[Junk Yard Dog]

The 5 stamp is my personal property mark, please return my rifle

[zeebill]

I thought you were number 4? Bill

[Junk Yard Dog]

I only used number 4 until April of 1988, after that I wore out the 4 stamp and had a 5 stamp made from hardened steel.

[tincansailor]

If JYD used 4 and 5 and I have 2 who is 1 ??

[Junk Yard Dog]

I used 1 back in the 70's but had to stop as too often the number was confused for a ding in the stock

[Groundpounder]

The 5 stamp is my personal property mark, please return my rifle

[Groundpounder]

If someone was going around with a hammer popping stamps in to that narrow strip of wood I'll bet half of them are "repairs"...CRACK, (oops in Russian)

[zeebill]

The 5 stamp is my personal property mark, please return my rifle

When they start sending you the number 5's I want all of the Finn crossed cannon stamps that have the Z in them as they are all mine! Bill

[Junk Yard Dog]

No, they are mine, Z for Zezuzaskowits

[zeebill]

Is that a Polis subcontractor or what? Bill

[Junk Yard Dog]

Polish/Russian/Hungarian/Hungarian/Bulgarian/and whatever else is needed to get that many Z's