Helpon a 54 Izhevsk refurb mark.

[OLD OUTLAW]

I have a 54 Izhevsk, 100% blue. A reurb, it has to be as the hand guard is AB and the stock is a brand new looking laminate. Never counter bored.
Original crown and still blue. Not a single scratch to indicate the receiver cover latch pin was ever opened. Same with the gas tube release lever.
A very large collector had this one from when the first Russians started showing up here.

The mark appears as a slanted backwards 77. NO ONE on any board I have been to seem to recognize the mark. It is not a bad stamp of a
[X} divers down nor a long diamond <>. You can try to draw a pencil line to connect, but it does not come out to either. Ever see this mark before?







Except for that mark and this stock, it appears as actually new. I have never opened it up yet to look inside. All matching and all parts have the same deep Blue of an Izhevsk. A really different rifle. Bolt face shows no sign of any ring from firing rounds either. Any thoughts on this rifle? It just is a kinda stand alone I guess.
I would like to know specifically if you have ever seen that stamp before on any type of Russian rifle. Thank You.

[sheepdog]

I've never seen the mark before but I've seen that powder blue chair a bunch.

[MN Fan]

Man, that's one sweet looking rifle! The chair ain't so bad either lol

I hope you find the mark's meaning.

[pacanis]

Yeah, I was fondling some SKSs today. They sure are nice rifles.

[OLD OUTLAW]

I've never seen the mark before but I've seen that powder blue chair a bunch.

Leave muh chair alone doggie!

[OLD OUTLAW]

Man, that's one sweet looking rifle! The chair ain't so bad either lol

I hope you find the mark's meaning.

MN, don't go and support my puppy about my chair. Only place inside where there is any light it seems.

[MN Fan]

lol, I hear ya'!

The other night, I was trying out my new camera. I realized there wasn't any good light in this house, so I picked up a new lamp.

Damn Mosins. Before long I will be remodeling my house all because of a $100 rifle lol.

[Drago]

I remember when you first got that rifle and we wondered about those marks. I say we start a viral internet theory that says those two marks mean it's "twice as good" as a normal Izhevsk! ;)

[OLD OUTLAW]

I remember when you first got that rifle and we wondered about those marks. I say we start a viral internet theory that says those two marks mean it's "twice as good" as a normal Izhevsk! ;)

Something needs to be done.So far, no Forum I have been to can identify it. People agree that is a different mark. All metal is 100% perfect, stock is strange on this one. It seems it has to be a refurb if for no other reason than the stock. I just have not
seen a virtually new original set of metal in a laminate before. EXCEPT for the as issued Tula I letter gun BOOMER has. It has all the cartouches around
the cross bolts stamped right into the new Laminate stock. Plus in the wrist and lower edges of stock just like an original AB stock. I may never figure this
particular Izhevsk out. But it sure is a one of a kind odd ball to date.

[MN Fan]

Hey Outlaw,

Well, I am not an expert, but I have been researching this mark as much as I possibly could. I have found nothing yet. I keep thinking maybe it's a letter, or two letters. I check all possible alphabets and nothing is close. Then, I got to thinking maybe it was a rank designation...some soldier gets promoted and stamps his insignia in the rifle. Nope. Then I checked all practical Nationality Symbols and came up blank there too. I even made a quick sketch of the symbols on AutoCAD and rotated them around thinking maybe they were stamped on upside down (as we are looking at them) for example.



I sent this image off to a few history fans I know of to see what they know. Also, I sent it to a few "other than English" speaking folks to see if the symbols are somehow alphabetic.

The stuff I've read while looking has been pretty interesting! Sorry, but you're right...there's not much out there on this!

[OLD OUTLAW]

Very good there MN. That as you took from the pics is the EXACT stamp on that Izhevsk. Very crisp and clear.
So far it is an unknown stamp. My curiosity is killing me month in and month out. I was hoping the Mosin guys may have seen it, but nope. New to them even.

[WeldonHunter]

Maybe they're kill marks.

[OLD OUTLAW]

Maybe they're kill marks.

Weldon.

[WeldonHunter]

Maybe they're kill marks.

Weldon.

Well it could be. Since there doesn't seem to be any marks like this on any other guns so far anywhere else. Maybe it's some soldiers own personal mark to record kills or some other personal identification. I know I've put hash marks on my tools so I can tell them apart from other guys stuff. Especially when we've had a thief in our midst. We have a lot of the same tools. It could happen.

[OLD OUTLAW]

Hey Outlaw,

Well, I am not an expert, but I have been researching this mark as much as I possibly could. I have found nothing yet. I keep thinking maybe it's a letter, or two letters. I check all possible alphabets and nothing is close. Then, I got to thinking maybe it was a rank designation...some soldier gets promoted and stamps his insignia in the rifle. Nope. Then I checked all practical Nationality Symbols and came up blank there too. I even made a quick sketch of the symbols on AutoCAD and rotated them around thinking maybe they were stamped on upside down (as we are looking at them) for example.



I sent this image off to a few history fans I know of to see what they know. Also, I sent it to a few "other than English" speaking folks to see if the symbols are somehow alphabetic.

The stuff I've read while looking has been pretty interesting! Sorry, but you're right...there's not much out there on this!

I am bumping this one up again Wolfy. Since a lot of other guys have come here since I posted this. No one can explain this one so far.
From any Board I have gone to. Rifle is 100% blue and condition. Metal and stock are unblemished at all. No indication a round has even been put in the magazine.
The best description I can give is that it looks like it was built today. Someone has to have seen or know some thing about this one.
I hope, even a guess about it.

[WeldonHunter]

Do you know if Howie's looked at it? If not maybe he's seen it before somewhere.

[OLD OUTLAW]

Do you know if Howie's looked at it? If not maybe he's seen it before somewhere.

I do not think so. But, I sent him via regular email a real slew of pictures Cliff. He will also see it here plus a lot of others now also.
The two Russians I know from other boards, one works in an arsenal outside of Moscow some where and he has only a speculation about it.
But, because of his job his emails are monitored at all times. May know but cannot say. Unfortunate to say the least.

[MN Fan]

Its odd you bumped this up, I was just thinking about it again over the week-end. I was curious if you ever found any answers. Good thinking looking into it again now that we have a lot more experts on board. I am curious myself on what they may mean.

Good luck Steve!

[OLD OUTLAW]

Its odd you bumped this up, I was just thinking about it again over the week-end. I was curious if you ever found any answers. Good thinking looking into it again now that we have a lot more experts on board. I am curious myself on what they may mean.

Good luck Steve!

Many months now and no luck Cliff. Collectors I have contacted have no answers for me as of tonight.

[Bareassmeagain]

Is that White Dog hair I see on your powder blue chair ?