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OK I was able to go through just a few handfuls of rifles and found two with the 25 marking. This can be updated when I have a chance to check many many more. Here the data sort of corresponds with what I have seen in the past. The markings usually shows up on rifles in 1943-1944 time frame. This also corresponds to when the markings show up on the scopes. I show you two rifles here that are not refurbished in any way in either wood or metal. The one shows the triangle 25 marking as being applied to me at least under magnification over the Izhevsk marking indicating placement after final production.
I don't recall ever seeing this on a Tula made rifle. The others are some scopes that I have that I had access to that show the marking again on a couple and again most of these are not refurbished and then one is but it is not on a typical scope one would expect-its on a Factory 297 Yoshkar-Ola made tube from 1943. That tube shows a repair of some kind in the 1960's.
My theory is that this marking came into use in the 1943 time period and was done in the time frame of control and inspection changes that came into use in this time frame. Many of the optical facilities that were began and under the operational control of the NKVD were either moved or transfered to the AU or "Artkom" (Artillery Committee). It is my thought in examining several of the scopes I have been able to look at in my collection, that the marking appears on the two scopes that are refurbished and in the same position-above the star in the logo of the 357 and 294 factories. This indicates to me that the marking was placed after the logo was produced as in the rifles. And the marking to the right of the logo on the Yoshkar-Ola scope tube indicating that the marking could not be visible if placed above the logo so it was placed to the right side.
I venture forth the theory that this marking was a quality control stamping used in the interim period of 1943-1944 when several facilities were organized and production was moving and going from one facility to the another. In the case of scope tubes, some were transfered from one facility to another for final completion when the later was not able to meet tube production. Hence a 357 made tube going to say 297 or 237 for final completion to take place. Thus an acceptance stamp that the tube and components were acceptable upon completion. I present some tube markings of the time frame-1943-1945 that may support that the marking was not a refurbishment marking but an inspection/acceptance marking as it appears on tubes with no refurbishment markings of any kind. Also it is on a tube with a refurbishment marking and out of the norm in regard to what we usually see. Some of the tubes are very very low in the production time frames such as the first few thousand made in 1943 and the last few thousand made in 1944 before the date was reintroduced in the fall of the year 1944.
Then the triangle 25 marking disappears again completely after 1944 from either rifles or scopes. The marking has also been observed on a few 1944 dated optical units like trench binoculars.
View attachment 147368
View attachment 147369
Two rifles with the marking and non refurbished in any way
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Two scopes both of different makers that bear this marking from the 1943 time frame. One rebuilt in the 60's the other untouched.
View attachment 147372
1943 with a lens repair marking
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View attachment 147374
Examples of tubes from both the non dated period of mid 1943 (A prefix) start and end of production cycle and again from 1944 early non dated (B prefix) to the resumption of dating the tubes at #357 located in Leningrad at the close of 1944. The triangle 25 marking is almost always sen on the 357 tubes and almost always on the later B series production with the marking located at the rear of the tube housing. As is depicted here there are 2 1944 dated scopes non-refurbished with no 25 marking and one 1945 dated tube with no 25 marking but a repair date of 1960 below. I will check on the SVT scopes when I get thge chance but I think I may have a 1942 Krasnagorsk made tube with the 25 marking. I will add to the posting then.
I don't recall ever seeing this on a Tula made rifle. The others are some scopes that I have that I had access to that show the marking again on a couple and again most of these are not refurbished and then one is but it is not on a typical scope one would expect-its on a Factory 297 Yoshkar-Ola made tube from 1943. That tube shows a repair of some kind in the 1960's.
My theory is that this marking came into use in the 1943 time period and was done in the time frame of control and inspection changes that came into use in this time frame. Many of the optical facilities that were began and under the operational control of the NKVD were either moved or transfered to the AU or "Artkom" (Artillery Committee). It is my thought in examining several of the scopes I have been able to look at in my collection, that the marking appears on the two scopes that are refurbished and in the same position-above the star in the logo of the 357 and 294 factories. This indicates to me that the marking was placed after the logo was produced as in the rifles. And the marking to the right of the logo on the Yoshkar-Ola scope tube indicating that the marking could not be visible if placed above the logo so it was placed to the right side.
I venture forth the theory that this marking was a quality control stamping used in the interim period of 1943-1944 when several facilities were organized and production was moving and going from one facility to the another. In the case of scope tubes, some were transfered from one facility to another for final completion when the later was not able to meet tube production. Hence a 357 made tube going to say 297 or 237 for final completion to take place. Thus an acceptance stamp that the tube and components were acceptable upon completion. I present some tube markings of the time frame-1943-1945 that may support that the marking was not a refurbishment marking but an inspection/acceptance marking as it appears on tubes with no refurbishment markings of any kind. Also it is on a tube with a refurbishment marking and out of the norm in regard to what we usually see. Some of the tubes are very very low in the production time frames such as the first few thousand made in 1943 and the last few thousand made in 1944 before the date was reintroduced in the fall of the year 1944.
Then the triangle 25 marking disappears again completely after 1944 from either rifles or scopes. The marking has also been observed on a few 1944 dated optical units like trench binoculars.
View attachment 147368
View attachment 147369
Two rifles with the marking and non refurbished in any way
View attachment 147370
View attachment 147371
Two scopes both of different makers that bear this marking from the 1943 time frame. One rebuilt in the 60's the other untouched.
View attachment 147372
1943 with a lens repair marking
View attachment 147373
View attachment 147377
View attachment 147375
View attachment 147376
View attachment 147374
Examples of tubes from both the non dated period of mid 1943 (A prefix) start and end of production cycle and again from 1944 early non dated (B prefix) to the resumption of dating the tubes at #357 located in Leningrad at the close of 1944. The triangle 25 marking is almost always sen on the 357 tubes and almost always on the later B series production with the marking located at the rear of the tube housing. As is depicted here there are 2 1944 dated scopes non-refurbished with no 25 marking and one 1945 dated tube with no 25 marking but a repair date of 1960 below. I will check on the SVT scopes when I get thge chance but I think I may have a 1942 Krasnagorsk made tube with the 25 marking. I will add to the posting then.
