The short answer: it means that the item was manufactured to military specifications. On the letter are details of the firearm original specifications and features plus the delivery address as well. Is it a problem that I should be concerned about? Having a good understanding of the code shall let you recognize a particular model from its cousin with ease. As a result, the numbers on the small parts bands, magazine floor plate, etc were removed. The crest was different but the serial number sequence was normal.
The guy who marked the stock may have thought the P looked like an R. The firing proofs should be lions, not eagles. Serial numbers ran in the L3 to N3 range. In 1938 they were sold to Spain for the Spanish Civil War. I have taken the rifle apart at least twice and have not seen a serial number on the barrel. It had been shot very little if at all and had the box, papers, etc. It can be found at most any book store, and ordered online.
The prefix letter is actually P with a stray nick making it look like an R. That is what I tried to do. Stock seems to be factory sanitized or reworked and has empty disk and not serial. The B5 prefix bolt also dates to 1937. But in order to know the age of the gun, you have to find a reference table to crosscheck the character with the manufacturing year. We know from the website that both 5005A and 1140K1 are marked E lion 26. Facts A and B bracket the Romanian contract within 1940 or nearly so.
Regards, BillI know I am pretty late to the party on this, but some mention should be made of the rifles sent to the Loyalists during the Spanish Civil War. Understanding ÄŒZ-52 Markings A typical ÄŒZ-52 pistol bears a number of distinctive and meaningful markings. Design changes could suddenly change the progress of the serial numbers. Combine them to one of the methods above and you should have little trouble absorbing Colt serial rules and regulations. P would be a known prefix for Romanian and other rifles. The importer typically marks the pistol on the bottom of the frame between the trigger guard and the muzzle.
The Z9 on the bolt is a batch number; it means nothing to collectors. Mine is smooth, and this one has the 3 horizontal lines in the bottom of the grip safety. The stock isn't the factory original, but a replacement due to the lack of serial and blank disk. Once too often I have followed a chain of logic to mis-identify a rifle because there were no photos. The following was in response to a question about these punch marks indicating results of an accuracy test. However, a discussion on Tuco's Forum on 2-3 June 1998 presented the following e-mail from the Deputy Director of the privatized Czech arsenal. It appears your pistol was manufactured in 1954.
I have always wondered about the date for this rifle. The marks, possibly rather indistinct, may indicate a specific worker or a successful stage in a manufacturing process. These marks are in a circle or in an oval. The 2% remaining covers the remote possibility that Bubba changed the stock on your rifle and renumbered it. Started in 1912, the M1911 Commercial and its A1 variant got normal serial numbers with a simple prefix or suffix.
The receiver is heavily pitted. My best guess is that your rifle was made in 1937-1938 and sold to Romania in early 1939. Please post photos of the full serial number on the stock, receiver, bolt, and barrel. Your rifle may have come without a bolt or may have come with a straight handle bolt. I'll have to go down to the shop tomorrow and check it out. Andy reports a D1 suffix rifle.
I'm interested to know if there is a site somewhere tried google, my fu is weak where I can find a date of manufacture by serial number. I did find these marks. This server does not set cookies. Also post photos of the receiver ring and sidewall. Even if mismatched, sometimes especially if mismatched, serial numbers tell a story. I believe that guns should be fired whenever possible and that is what I am going for here. The crests would not have changed before King Michael took over.
Impossible to be sure without photos. They built a light and simple motorcycle for the British. If you have the lists in something like the Blue Book of GunValues. Also found a tiny 'shield' on the barrel. I couldn't get the front barrel band off so I didn't check the barrel number. In order to get the letter, you have to pay a certain amount of money, depend on your Colt model.
In addition, on the right side of the receiver in real small die struck letters is N. The fourth digit has been used many times as a way to different later models from earlier ones. The Z9 on the bolt is a batch number; it means nothing to collectors. The civil arms were marked - eské zbrojovka strakonice. The pistol functions via the blowback principle - gas pressure from burning powder simultaneously forces the cartridge case and slide backward and forces the bullet forward in the barrel. Colt serial rules and regulations.