Unknown mark on barrel shank of Tula m91/30

[Sarr Dean]

I recently bought this Tula M91/30 dated 1936. The seller could not identify this make however, nor could I. I was hoping someone might be able to tell me what it is. Thx gents!

[ssg_lord]

That's a interesting 91/30, The barrel is a 1936 Tula barrel but the receiver looks like a pre 1928 Izhevsk hex receiver. Have you looked at the date stamped on the bottom of the receiver tang to see when it was made? I'm not sure which barrel mark your asking about but the square with a dash is a refurbishment stamp from a currently unidentified Soviet repair depot. The symbol with the circle to the right of the refurb stamp is a Tula quality control mark. The circle stamp to the left of the refurb stamp is the black powder pressure test proof. The 50 over stamping the Soviet crest on the receiver is not something I've seen before. You may have a rifle that was assembled from recycled parts by a Soviet Army repair depot and the 50 may have something to do with that. We know more about Mosin markings today than ever before but there are still many markings who's meaning remains unclear or unknown so this may be one of them.

[Sarr Dean]

Thank you for explaining the markings to greater detail! Yea, sry the specific mark I was asking about was the circled 50. No I have not looked at the date on the receiver tang yet, I’ll get back to you on that

[Sarr Dean]

I have looked at the bottom of the receiver and the tang but found no date. Instead, I found what looks like a star above the number 6 on the tang and and a 3 next to some sort of symbol or marker on the underside next to the magazine assembly screw. Any ideas?

[steelbuttplate]

I have looked at the bottom of the receiver and the tang but found no date. Instead, I found what looks like a star above the number 6 on the tang and and a 3 next to some sort of symbol or marker on the underside next to the magazine assembly screw. Any ideas?

Looks a Tula star, probably a '36, original for the barrel. I've got a '36 Tula hex with the big hammer stamp on receiver. Tula's last year for hex's.

[ssg_lord]

Actually, it's right there. The star is for Tula and the 6 is likely part of a worn away 36. That's interesting because virtually all 1936 Tula M91/30's have round receivers, only a few hex's are known apparently. It would appear that either I'm wrong about that receiver being a pre-1928 Izhevsk receiver and it's a early Tula hex or Tula ground down the original tang markings and restamped them (not sure if they actually did that) Either way it's a very interesting rifle, not your typical wartime refurb at all. Thanks for sharing.

tula tang_LI (2).jpg

[Sarr Dean]

Awesome! Thx for the insight and knowledge. It’s my first mosin nagant and I gotta say I love these rifles and the vast array of history you can discover about them.

[SA1911a1]

You got an interesting rifle for your first. Congrats!

[qz2026]

Interesting gun. The circle 50 on the receiver is just (currently unknown) repair depot stamp. I don't know how ssg_lord determined that the receiver was pre-1928 Izhevsk? How would you even know this unless you looked at the tang? If anything, you could look at this receiver and say, it's a pre 1937 receiver made by an unknown armory.

The rifle looks like a decent refurb. Is it in a prewar stock?

The most comprehensive knowledge base on Russian markings is here: https://www.m9130.info/ and it's always being updated.

[ssg_lord]

I don't know how ssg_lord determined that the receiver was pre-1928 Izhevsk? How would you even know this unless you looked at the tang?

When I first looked at the 50 stamp it appeared to me that it was stamped over a Soviet crest, something that only appears on pre 1928 receivers. It looks like it's probably just a circle but when looking at it on my phone initially I thought it might be the crest.

[Sarr Dean]

Interesting gun. The circle 50 on the receiver is just (currently unknown) repair depot stamp. I don't know how ssg_lord determined that the receiver was pre-1928 Izhevsk? How would you even know this unless you looked at the tang? If anything, you could look at this receiver and say, it's a pre 1937 receiver made by an unknown armory.

The rifle looks like a decent refurb. Is it in a prewar stock?

The most comprehensive knowledge base on Russian markings is here: https://www.m9130.info/ and it's always being updated.

Thx for the link! I serial numbers are all matching so I assume it’s a 1936 stock to match the barrel and receiver but as I’m still new to mosins I’ll look into it more and make sure. I’ll get back to ya when I find out

[racerguy00]

Since it has been refurbed and is a prewar dated mosin most likely it has been force matched.

[Ratnik]

50 in a circle is a repair depot marking

[Sarr Dean]

Awesome, thx for comparing it to another mark. I have nvr seen it so it’s nice to see it on another rifle to confirm

[Sarr Dean]

Interesting gun. The circle 50 on the receiver is just (currently unknown) repair depot stamp. I don't know how ssg_lord determined that the receiver was pre-1928 Izhevsk? How would you even know this unless you looked at the tang? If anything, you could look at this receiver and say, it's a pre 1937 receiver made by an unknown armory.

The rifle looks like a decent refurb. Is it in a prewar stock?

The most comprehensive knowledge base on Russian markings is here: https://www.m9130.info/ and it's always being updated.

How do I determine that? I’ve looked the stock over completely but can’t find a date stamped anywhere. Do you just go by the design?

[millman]

Interesting gun. The circle 50 on the receiver is just (currently unknown) repair depot stamp. I don't know how ssg_lord determined that the receiver was pre-1928 Izhevsk? How would you even know this unless you looked at the tang? If anything, you could look at this receiver and say, it's a pre 1937 receiver made by an unknown armory.

The rifle looks like a decent refurb. Is it in a prewar stock?

The most comprehensive knowledge base on Russian markings is here: https://www.m9130.info/ and it's always being updated.

How do I determine that? I’ve looked the stock over completely but can’t find a date stamped anywhere. Do you just go by the design?

Prewar will have screwed in sling escutcheons, the wartime/postwar ones will be pressed in or no escutcheon.