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Front sights

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Type 1. 1930-1935

Drawings were created in 1930, serial production started in 1931 alongside the serial production of M91/30 rifle.
Last used in 1935 (Tula) and in 1934 (Izhevsk).

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Type 2. 1932-1949

Milled one piece body + pin.
Drawings were created in 1932, adopted in 1933.
Tula : produced this type starting in 1933 and up to the end of production in 1940, 1933-1935 a mixed production of Type 1 and Type 2 front sights existed. The newly created Tula factory #536 NKV used this type in 1942-1944.
Izhevsk: produced of this type started in 1933 and lasting until the spring of 1943, afterwards it was replaced with the Type 3. Production of Type 2 front sights was restored in 1945.
In 1939-1945 this type was used on M38 and M44 carbines.

 Type 3. 1943-1945

Two piece welded body + pin.
Production started in the spring of 1943 at the Izhevsk factory #74 NKV. It was also used on M38 and M44 carbines.  In mid to late 1945 the production was stopped, at this time production of the Type 2 front sight was restored

In addition to standard sights, factories produced front sights with pins higher, measuring at 0.02″, 0.04″, 0.06″, 0.08″. They were marked with numbers 2, 4, 6, 8 

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Rear sights

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Type 1. 1930-1936

Drawings were created in 1930, serial production started in 1931 alongside the serial production of the M91/30 rifle.
This type of sight was used up to 1935-1936.

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 Type 2. 1935-1942

Drawings were created in 1935, adopted in 1936. Izhevsk used this type until the autumn of 1941, Tula used them until the end of production in 1940.

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These were also  temporary used at the very beginning of the production at the newly created factory #536 NKV in Tula in early 1942.

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Type 3. 1941-1949

Was used only by the Izhevsk factory #74 NKV, starting in the  Autumn of 1941.

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Type 4. 1942-1944

Was used only by factory #536 NKV in Tula until he end of production

Rear sight base

Type 1. 1930-1944

The rear sight base was soldered, a locking screw at the rear was used.

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Tula factories – 1930-1944.

Izhevsk – 1930-1941.
*Often these rear sight bases were pinned locked during postwar refurbishment. Locking screw at the rear indicates that  it was originally a Type 1 base.

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Type 2. 1939-1949

This rear sight base was locked with two pins, without solder or a screw at the rear. This type was designed in Izhevsk, the first trial occurred in 1939, but it was only introduced into mass production in the Autumn of 1941.

It was only used at the Izhevsk factory #74 NKV starting in the  Autumn of 1941 up to the end of the production 

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Post 1945 rear sight base, produced by Arsenal #7 in Riga (“box” marking, crossed hammers are a quality control marking). Quite often it is observed on ex-dragoon rifles.

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Rear sight slider

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Type 1.  One side bevel.
 

Used by all factories (Tula and Izhevsk) during all production years

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Type 2.  Two side bevel.

 

Main Artillery Directorate repair depots. This part was installed during rifles and carbine repair.

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Type 3.  Two side bevel with lines

 

Observed on rifles and carbines refurbished postwar by a single depot - with a logo "box with vertical line", location of this depot is currently unknown. Exact purpose of the lines is unclear

Button type 1.  Diamond pattern knurling.

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Tula factories – 1930-1944.

Izhevsk – 1930- early 1942.

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Button type 2.  Line pattern knurling

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Izhevsk factory #74 NKV – 1942 and later.

It was also produced by Main Artillery Directorate repair depots.

Rear sight spring

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Type 1. Marking below the notch

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This type was used only by the Izhevsk factory in 1931-1941 and 1943 and later.

 

Before 1937, the location of the marking was not specified in the drawings. In September 1937 a location of the marking above the notch was accepted. However, Izhevsk stamped the marking below the notch up to 1941.

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In early 1943 the location of the factory marking (only Izhevsk factory #74 NKV) was moved to the bottom again, this was because the older location caused additional strain in the most loaded area of the spring, which in some cases led to breakage.

The same location was used by the Podolsk factory

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Type 2. Marking above the notch

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The factory marking is located above the notch. This was specified in drawings since September 1937

 
Tula factories – during all production period.
Izhevsk – 1941-1943

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Type 3. Unmarked

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Unmarked springs were produced by Main Artillery directorate depots starting in 1942-1943 when they started mass production of rifle parts.

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