Mosin Nagant Rifle Guide to Proofs and Markings
All images copyright 7.62x54r Collection

The numerous markings and proofs found on Mosin rifles can be overwhelming to the new collector.  Often the meaning is unknown even to the most knowledgeable researchers.   However, many are known and they often reveal a lot about the individual rifle.   The more commonly encountered markings are shown here with brief explanations of their meanings.

Chatellerault M91	Izhevsk M91
Tula Imperial M91	Tula "Peter the Great" M91
Tula PCFCP M91	Tula CCCP M91
Tula Dragoon	Izhevsk Dragoon
Peter the Great Eagle Barrel shank	New England Westinghouse Eagle Barrel shank
Pinged Eagle Receiver	Ground Eagle (Finland) Receiver
Izhevsk Bow and Arrow (pre 1928) Barrel shank	Izhevsk Arrow in Triangle (post 1928) Barrel shank
Izhevsk Bow and Arrow Bolt body	Izhevsk Bow and Arrow Cocking knob
Tula Hammer Receiver	Tula Arrow in Star Barrel shank
Tula Hammer in Circle Bolt body	Tula Star Bolt body
Remington Circle R Bolt body	New England Westinghouse E Bolt body
Refurbishment mark Barrel shank	Tula "C N" Sniper mark Barrel shank
Barrel shank - firing proof	Barrel shank
MO 1936/51 Date of transfer to the Ministry of Defense (MO)	MO 1938/46/51 Triple dated Ministry of Defense (MO)
M91/59 cut down from M91/30 Barrel shank	Czech M91/38 cut down from M91 Receiver
Serbian Crown Barrel shank	Serbian C (Cyrillic S) Barrel shank
Romanian "INSTRUCTIE" Training rifle Receiver	Romanian Crest Barrel shank
Hungarian Crest Barrel shank	Hungarian country code Barrel shank
AZF Austrian property mark Receiver	Circle B Bulgarian property mark Barrel shank
OEWG Austrian (?) mark Receiver	Chinese characters T53 barrel shank
M28/30	M39 "B"
Boxed SA Finnish Army mark Barrel shank	Polustuslaitos Finnish Army mark Used for 2 months in 1942 Barrel shank
AV1 (stylized) Arms Depot 1 Barrel shank	Crossed Cannons and AV1 Receiver
Early VKT logo Barrel shank	Early VKT logo Barrel shank
Early Tikkakoski logo Barrel shank	Late Tikkakoski logo Barrel shank
Sako logo Barrel shank	Sako part mark M28/30 rear sight base
Civil Guard logo M24 barrel shank	Civil Guard logo M28 barrel shank
Civil Guard SS number Barrel shank	"Christmas Tree" on M24 barrel shank Indicates barrel was shortened from rear and rechambered because of throat erosion
Civil Guard acceptance stamp Barrel shank	Finnish Inspector's stamp Barrel shank
Belgian Liege proof Some M91 B barrel shanks	Sako proof Barrel shank
M24 German barrel on bottom hidde by stock	M24 SIG barrel shank above wood line
Unknown Found on M28 Buttplates	"Jamb Free" M28/30 Magazine bodies
Soviet cartouche Stock	Soviet refurbishment mark Stock
NEW "English Contract" Stock	Bulgarian "Pinecone" Stock
Deutsches Reich (Germany WWI) Stock	Deutsches Reich (Germany WWI) Stock
Finnish M28/30 Stock - Civil Guard	Finnish M39 Stock - SAKO
Finnish stockmaker's mark (can be other letters)	Finnish stockmaker's mark
Polish Stock	Hungarian Stock
Romanian "INSTRUCTIE" with red band Stock	Romanian "EXERCITIU" with black butt Stock
Sestroryetsk M91
Scrubbed M91 (Peter the Great)
NEW M91
Remington M91
Hammer & Sickle stamped over Eagle Receiver
Unknown Found on Russian M38s
Izhevsk Crest Barrel shank
Sestroryetsk Arrow Cocking knob
Cossack rifle
Tula Star Cocking knob
Unknown Bolt body
Tula "C H" Sniper mark Barrel shank
Barrel shank accpetance proof
Made in USSR Spanish export mark Used in Spanish Civil War Barrel shank
Triangle 1 DDR property mark Barrel shank
Romanian "Ex" (Exercitiu) Training rifle Barrel shank (also Receiver)
Romanian Arrowhead in Triangle Barrel shank
Polish country code Barrel shank
German (WWI) property mark Receiver
Triangle 26 Chinese factory code T53 barrel shank
M39 "Late Date"
PR.2 Found on Tikkakoski M91 and M39 rifle barrel shanks partially obscured by the stock Meaning unknown
P-26 (or P-27) and S Found on P-series relined barrels "S" stands for Salerno where process was developed
Late VKT logo Barrel shank
Remarked Finn rear sight for meters from Russian arshin
Sako logo and serial number M28 barrel shank
Civil Guard logo M28/30 and M39 barrel shank
Stamped by importer in United States - VKT
Winter War capture mark Barrel shank
VKT proof Barrel shank
M28 SIG barrel shank below wood line
Reworked for Finnish D166 cartridge Barrel shank
Unknown Found on Soviet M38 Stock
Bulgarian "Pinecone" Stock
Deutsches Reich (Germany WWI) Stock
Finnish M28 Stock (in fingergroove) Courtesy of "FinnMN" Meaning stock met standards
Serial number Chinese T53 Stock
Romanian Stock
Romanian Stock