[tsellati]

I recently added this non-refurbushed, non-import marked 1937 Tula Nagant revolver to my collection.

The curious thing is that there are three numbers stamped on the left side of the barrel just below the front side blade. The numbers are "3_4_9", but curiously the "4" is not stamped inline with the "3" and the "9", but is instead, quite a bit lower.

These numbers do not correspond to the serial number on the frame of the revolver. So, I am wondering whether anyone else has seen such numbers stamped on the barrel of a Nagant revolver and what do they mean? Is it the serial number of another revolver or is it some reference to the height of the front sight blade and zeroing at different distances?

Thanks for the education.

Tim

 

[tsellati]

I just purchased a similar 1937 model and mine has the same numbers on the barrel.

Well now, that certainly is a fascinating coincidence. I wonder if this numeric stamp is specific to the inspectors of the Tula arsenal or specific to the 1937 year of manufacture or both? I guess what the numbers actually represent will remain a mystery.

Tim

 

[tsellati]

Well with all these responses...I guess my 1937 Tula is not as rare as I thought it was.

I think this is a situation of the glass being half empty or half full, it depends on how you look at it. I breath a sigh of relief when I find other examples stamped the same way mine is, that way if it is the work of "Bubba" then all the examples have been Bubba-fied!

Regarding this 3-4-9 stamp I am particularly excited because the existence of these other examples would argue against my barrel being a replacement with another pistol's serial number stamped on it. And instead, I believe what I have is an original all-matching, non-refurbished 1937 Tula which is precisely what I have been looking for these past few years!!!

Tim