from what i have read and been told. they were first added during the 1938 production run. and there is no known meaning or sequence to them. they are just there to make more unique serial numbers.

 

So if I own a 1943 Tula #BG9 is my rifle the 9th one made in 1943 or just the 9th one using the BG prefix?

 

I think how they did it was still 1-9999 for each prefix but I dont know for sure, and I dont know if anyone knows.


PS .DOES ANYONE KNOW?!?!

 

Study this and see if your opinion changes.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?840-1944-Tula-Carbines-Rifles

 

Gang,
I think Ted at 7.62X54.net would know! Unless Vic or Tuco want to chime in!!!!
Cheers
Doc

 

In late 1937 or early 1938 the Soviet Union decided to hide small arms production numbers. Since each year the serial numbers started over, the highest serial observed each year was the number of rifles/revolvers/pistols produced, it was a "piece of cake" to deduce the numbers of weapons produced. So, the Soviets started at Tula in 1938 and prefixed serial number blocks with "random" 2 letter prefixes. They followed this procedure at Izhevsk by 1939. The prefixes are not in alphabetical order and no one seems to have the sequence of prefixes. Rifles seem to have up to 4 digits following the prefix and Nagant revolvers usually have 3 digits (a 1940 dated revolver has a 4 digit number after the prefix).
I recently got an early 1938 Nagant with an early digits only serial number and was very happy! They aren't common.
Joe

 

So a rifle with a serial number of BG9 would only be the 9th rifle made in that block, not the 9th rifle made... If I understand the thinking, the blocks could of been assigned daily, so my rifle could of been the 9th rifle made on that day?

 

It would have been made the 9th one in the prefix group. From there, you don't know more. You don't know the order in which the prefixes ran, so it could still be the 9th one in the group, but one of the last ones made in the year.