TFB Armorer's Bench: Matching Mysterious Mosin Markings

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb below, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article, I finally picked up one of the trash pandas of the military surplus gun world, the Mosin Nagant. I always make sure to tear new used firearms apart and give it some proper maintenance before introducing them to the rest of the gun-safe family and while I was doing that I figured I could talk about all of the curious markings on my rifle. Luckily, I am one of those people who buys things because “someday I will have one” so I had a high-quality Mosin collectors book lying around. Let’s dive right into identifying Mosin Nagant markings!

Gun Specific TFB Armorer’s Bench Reading @ TFB:

• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Commentary on The Colt 1877 Revolvers
• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Diagnosing and Assessing a Remington 1858
• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Commentary on The Savage 1907 Pistol
• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Commentary on The 1915 Spanish Ruby Pistol
• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Commentary on The Marlin Model 60
• TFB Armorer’s Bench: Commentary on the Remington 74 Series

TFB Armorer’s Bench: Identifying Mosin Nagant Markings

Here, we at TFB hope to inform, entertain, and even inspire any would-be gunsmith or armorer out there. Ideally, with the information I provide and with the help of our sponsors, you can have some useful knowledge pertaining to the conservation and improvement of firearms technology while at the same time sharing experiences and teaching each other new tips and tricks along the way in the comments. Digging deep into what it is to be an armorer or gunsmith has significance but what is important is what those people do to show they’ve earned that title. I am happy to share my experiences and knowledge and hope it is informative!

Make your personal safety a priority:

1. Practice proper gun safety. Always make sure before the firearm hits your bench that it is unloaded and safe to be handled.
2. Wear the proper safety equipment. The main one would be safety glasses (decent ones) since parts are often under spring tension and you may work with high RPM tools. Other honorable mentions would be latex gloves or a respirator when working with potentially harmful solvents and oils. Also hearing protection when working with loud machinery or test-firing firearms.
3. Modifications, alterations, and customizations will void your firearm’s warranty 9.5 times out of 10. Please take that into consideration before attempting any at-home gunsmithing.
4. If you are unsure about proper safety practices, disassembly procedures, or warranty standards, stop, put down the tools, and consult a competent gunsmith.

Markings 101: Identifying Mosin Nagant Markings

There is a multitude of markings on guns. Some are standard for just about all commercial and military small arms. Military and imported stuff will usually have close to double.

Some examples of common everyday markings:

• Serial Number
• Brand/Manufacturer Marking - Spelled out name, acronym, or symbol
• Proof marks - Marking denoting not only that the firearm passed a proofing inspection but also where it was proofed.
• Caliber - Not always obvious with the military stuff.

Then of course with the military stuff, it can get uber-specific or extremely vague. It can have cryptic numbers and letters denoting something as simple as a rack number all the way to something like my Luger being so specific It marks the unit, regiment, and gun number. Beyond that the more boring stuff is the importer marks if it wasn't smuggled in by some GI. These will typically have a spelled-out importer name, location, new serial number either replacing or next to the original, and a caliber.

My Mosin Markings

Due to the nature of many mil surp small arms, some markings are hard if not impossible to read/identify. These were done on the fly and can come up shallow and half-done. With the help of an extremely helpful book; The Mosin Nagant Rifle by Terence W. Lapin and various internet sources here and there, I was able to determine most of my markings. Feel free to correct my research. I am by no means a Mosin aficionado.

Main receiver marking: This is a USSR Izhevsk factory marking. These popped up in 1928 and served through production. Below that is the year of manufacture - ‘1942’.

Marching Away from Mosin Markings

As we wrap up our journey through the markings on this Mosin Nagant, it's clear that these rifles are more than just surplus firearms - they're historical artifacts waiting to be deciphered. Each stamp, number, and symbol we've explored offers a glimpse into the weapon's past, from its manufacture to its military service and beyond. While we've unraveled some mysteries, others remain, inviting further investigation. For the dedicated collector or curious enthusiast, this process of discovery is part of the appeal of surplus firearms. So the next time you come across a well-worn Mosin or any other military surplus piece, take a moment to examine its markings. You never know what stories you might uncover, hidden in plain sight on wood and metal. Happy hunting, and may your next firearm bring you as much intrigue and historical insight as this one has.