Please, help with my new rifle

[Vity]

Hi, I just got Izhevsk ex-dragon rifle(at least I think it is ex-dragoon ). There is something strange with this rifle. The year of manufacturing is 1923. However, name of the Izhevsk factory contains 'i' which should no be there if it would be really made in 1923. Also, reciever has two crests, soviet and tsar. If you look closely pictures below you can see that year was changed. Under number '3' there number which looks more like '1'. And number '2' was probably '0'. I tried to check tang date, but it got more confusing because it says it was made in 1916 by Sestroryetsk. On the top of all strange things serial number is really small: 6662. I really confused, Can somebody help me to understand what I got? Thank you in advanced!

[SA1911a1]

That is a very interesting rifle, but I will wait for someone else to answer your question. I'll give you twenty dollars for it! ;)

[Vity]

:-)

[steelbuttplate]

That is a common occurrence on Hex receivers, to have a newer barrel on an old receiver, recycling 100 yrs ago.

[Vity]

What about the serial number? the number 6662 is still really small for any of the years 1916, 1901 or 1923. It is probably has to be in hundred thousands (xxx-xxx)

[millman]

It has been refurbished and force matched. Also Mosin serial numbers don't run in any real order. Not 1 through Millions.

[Vity]

Thank you.

[Darryl]

I think the "older" Mosins used sequential serial numbers. But once they went to M91/30's they used a random starter letter and ran a certain amount of rifles (batch). Then randomly changed the first letter and did a new batch. This way no one could tell how many rifles they had ever made. AND it is impossible to tell from serial numbers the year it was made (like most arsenals do). But, the older ones you could.

I think when yours was re-barreled they used the old serial number.
Darryl

[Vity]

Yes, the style of the numbers look original and year looks partually untouched. This low number means that this rifle was made in the first production year, but it can't be true. First two digits (19) weren't touched, only two last digits were changed. I don't believe that by year 1900 only 6xxxx plus Dragoon rifles were made.

[racerguy00]

They restarted the serial numbers each year until 1938 when they went to a different procedure. So the first rifle assembled and numbered in, say 1928 would have been serial number 1. And up from there til the end of the run for that year then started over again at #1. Your barrel was made in 1921, a year of turmoil and upheaval at the Izhevsk plant. The barrel could have easily been rejected or something then reworked and completed in '23 when the date was changed. The serial number means it was among the first few 1000 completed in 1923.
The recycled receiver on an early 20s date Izhevsk is really common.

[Vity]

Thank you! I didn't know about that.

[millman]

To boot it looks like that 1916 receiver is a Sestroryetsk. Pretty cool.

[Vity]

All Mosin rifles I saw were Tula or Izhevsk. Never Sestroryetsk. Saw it only on pictures. :-(

[millman]

That single arrow is Sestroryetsk.

[Vity]

I was trying to say that I never saw rifle made in systroyetsk, this receiver is the first time I see at least something from systroyetsk live :-)