Taking pictures of this early M21 and found this stamp on the bottom area of the barrel lug. Anybody see a stamp like this before? Is it just a double stamp?
(http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii622/padams88881/DSC03915.jpg) (http://s1263.photobucket.com/user/padams88881/media/DSC03915.jpg.html)
(http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii622/padams88881/DSC03971.jpg) (http://s1263.photobucket.com/user/padams88881/media/DSC03971.jpg.html)
It was either meant to be a std. "Y" a Russian У or it's a pretty horrible partial stamp of a 9. I'd guess the former as I've seen many with a letter prefix (click on images to enlarge):
Possible 9 or a У on a '49 Tula:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Russian/1949_Tula/EM1818_barrel_lug_bottom.jpg)
I on a very very low ghost:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/ghost/2292_under_barrel_lug.jpg)
E on a 70k Chinese ghost:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/ghost/72771_bottom_lug.jpg)
A on a 147k Chinese ghost:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/ghost/147248_bottom_barrel_lug2.jpg)
Large C on a 180k Chinese ghost:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/IOs/184751_bottom_barrel_lug.jpg)
Same Y/9/У character as yours on a 90 prefixed scrubbed gun (clearly different than the 9 though & note the short lug):
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/no_stamp/9001005_right_lug.jpg)
And finally M21 No 949074 with the same lug prefix, but number 45 instead of 55 like yours.
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/M21/949074_right_lug2.jpg)
That last one is pretty defined, it's not a bad/partial stamp, it's supposed to look like that. Maybe a stylized Y and not necessarily tied to the Russian У at all?
Thanks RM....That's pretty interesting stuff right there! More of the existing mystery..... :)
Im sure the Chinese were using the Russian barrels for some time.