[Hollywood]

I have what I believe are a couple of Rad 145 made 24/47's. Both have the same factory code. On the receiver above the crest on one of them there is a " n " stamped. It has an N3XX serial number. The other Mauser does not have this, it's an N9xx serial number. Is there any significance or rarity to this n mark? I have looked for this marking in the survey photos and elsewhere with no luck.

 

[nothernug]

Can you post a pic?

 

[ij70]

Cyrillic P?

 

[Hollywood]

 

[ij70]

View attachment 518539

Ok, it is italic Cyrillic low case P. According to this wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbian_Cyrillic_alphabet) Serbia does not use it, Macedonia does not use it. That leaves us with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro.

 

[Hollywood]

Is this mark uncommon on these rifles then?

 

[nothernug]

No, It is not. I have never seen one and I have looked at quite a few. However, a number of folks here have gotten to look over more than I. Maybe they'll chime in. I'll see if I can find out anything more.

 

[Hollywood]

Anybody have any info on this mark?

 

[nothernug]

I wrote Branko (Serbian, Balkan's arms expert) but he is having computer problems. I'll try again to see if he has them sorted out and can maybe tell us something. The fact that nobody else has chimed in, and there are some very knowledgeable people that frequent here and I know a little myself, indicates that's a pretty unusual mark. Bear with us please.

 

[nothernug]

I heard back from friend Branko. Unfortunately, He does not know anything about it.
He wrote:

I have never seen any letter over the crest. I any case, this is a small Latin letter ''n''. Namely, this letter does not exist in Serbian Cyrillic alphabet. But, in the former Yugoslavia and in Serbia equally be used Latin and Cyrillic alphabets. ij70 cites Wikipedia, but there is an error. In Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro AND MACEDONIA Cyrillic is official constitutional script, but, also equally in use is Latin script.

Frankly, if he doesn't know, I don't know of anybody else more knowledgeable. That doesn't mean he knows all of course but, with nobody else here chiming in, I doubt you'll get an answer.

If I had to guess, and I do mean 'guess' I would say it was the product of the troubles in the 90s. Some nationality's or somebody's stamp for who knows what?...

 

[painterjohn]

I scanned through all my pics and all I found was this mark which may also be a small latin N..personaly I think its likely that its just an inspection that should have been placed under the wood but for whatever reason was misplaced..I cant remember seeing a letter above the crest before..not on my 145 or other Radionicas I've seen..Small letter verses capital??..seems like if it was meant to denote something special they would have used upper case..but I'm no language specialist by any stretch

 

[nothernug]

Hey John, I think you're looking at your potential "n" upside down. I do believe that is the Cyrillic character "Ц". Maybe the feller who struck that post-war proof stamp?

 

[painterjohn]

Think your right 'Nug..closest I could find : )

 

[Hollywood]

I have the same mark on mine in the same location, only its in a square.

 

[nothernug]

I have the same mark on mine in the same location, only its in a square.

The op's "n" over the crest or John's "Ц" on the barrel shank?

(Speaking of which, john, is that on a reworked Mod.98?

 

[Hollywood]

It has the mark on the barrel shank as well.