I just got this one in the mail - my first M24!
I don't have any photos uploaded, but here is a description. See if I'm reading things right
Stepped barrel, counter-bored. Early civil guard logo on the top of the barrel shank, "D" designation indicating the chamber was relieved for the heavy Russian ball, and a singular number "3".
On the right side is the script indicating a SIG barrel, and on the left is a crossed out civil guard district number and an [SA] stamp, indicating the rifle being absorbed into the army at a later date.
The receiver has no evidence of markings, or of their obliteration, so it was done well if they were removed. I've not looked under the tang yet for provenance markings. Bluing is worn, and the receiver is almost in the white on the inside. The over all effect of the metal, especially the sight base, is almost like a muted or worn sort of case hardening. It's seen some use to wear the finish like that.
The barrel bands are the early type, with screws through tabs on the underside (rather than the second pattern screw-type bands), one with the early Tula mark, and the other with an arrow of the Sestroretsk arsenal.
The stock is a light brown/blonde, unfortunately appears to have been refinished at some point. Though it looks like a single-piece stock the recoil lug is centered in the finger groove, which is something that the Fins took more pains to do than the Russians did, so I'll guess that it is a Finnish stock. There is a wooden plug on the RHS of the stock where an ID disk once was. There are open escutcheons of the early screwed-on type, with no sling bars (those may have been removed at some point, of course).
Back to the number 3 on the barrel. At first I thought it might be some sort of condition marking, since it's counterbored, and a touch frosted. Then I looked at the bolt, and a number 3 is stamped there where a serial ought to be.
So whatever series this rifle was assembled in, I appear to have the 3rd one made? Pretty cool, if so.
I'll take it down to clean it (it's loaded with copper) and record any further markings.
Cheers
I don't have any photos uploaded, but here is a description. See if I'm reading things right
Stepped barrel, counter-bored. Early civil guard logo on the top of the barrel shank, "D" designation indicating the chamber was relieved for the heavy Russian ball, and a singular number "3".
On the right side is the script indicating a SIG barrel, and on the left is a crossed out civil guard district number and an [SA] stamp, indicating the rifle being absorbed into the army at a later date.
The receiver has no evidence of markings, or of their obliteration, so it was done well if they were removed. I've not looked under the tang yet for provenance markings. Bluing is worn, and the receiver is almost in the white on the inside. The over all effect of the metal, especially the sight base, is almost like a muted or worn sort of case hardening. It's seen some use to wear the finish like that.
The barrel bands are the early type, with screws through tabs on the underside (rather than the second pattern screw-type bands), one with the early Tula mark, and the other with an arrow of the Sestroretsk arsenal.
The stock is a light brown/blonde, unfortunately appears to have been refinished at some point. Though it looks like a single-piece stock the recoil lug is centered in the finger groove, which is something that the Fins took more pains to do than the Russians did, so I'll guess that it is a Finnish stock. There is a wooden plug on the RHS of the stock where an ID disk once was. There are open escutcheons of the early screwed-on type, with no sling bars (those may have been removed at some point, of course).
Back to the number 3 on the barrel. At first I thought it might be some sort of condition marking, since it's counterbored, and a touch frosted. Then I looked at the bolt, and a number 3 is stamped there where a serial ought to be.
So whatever series this rifle was assembled in, I appear to have the 3rd one made? Pretty cool, if so.
I'll take it down to clean it (it's loaded with copper) and record any further markings.
Cheers
