УЧ Б marked Russian training guns

[running-man]

Applegoomp recently posted an auction he won for a 1950 Tula that was in relatively good shape.   The receiver photo sparked my interest as it has a relatively clear "УЧ Б" stamping on it as shown here:


This УЧ Ы (or sometimes just УЧ) stamping is generally recognized as a Russian shorthand designator for УЧЕБНЫЙ which can be roughly translated to "training", "educational", "instructional", or "practice". 

Fred Datig, in his most excellent "Soviet Russian Tokarev "TT" Pistols and Cartridges 1929-1953" shows a Tokarev TT-33 training pistol example on page 82:


Additionally, we know that they used the УЧ designator on ammo, Nagant revolvers, and the longer abbreviations on other firearms like AKs, Mosin Nagants, and SKSs.

Here are a few images Ive collected over the years of УЧ marked firearms.

SKS, (image courtesy of rocky11731):


SKS, (image courtesy of el viejo):


SKS, (image courtesy of bill in indiana):


AK, (unknown):


Mosin, (image courtesy of brigond):


Mosin #2 (owner unknown):


Nagant Revolver stamp (cropped closeup of a G.W. Lieper photo):


Mosin M95 Steyr or some other M95 in 8x56R, (image courtesy of TheGreenMan) this one is thought by Nick at gunboards to be Bulgarian with the word stamped as "учебна" (Bulgarian) not "учебный" (Russian):

[Phosphorus32]

Great info and a nice collection of photos of a marking I was unaware of until yesterday 

[fenceline]

And one more to look for.... never ends.

[montigre]

Were these training weapons altered in any way either during or after manufacture making them suitable only for training or were weapons just taken off the line and marked with the "training" stamp?

I'm thinking of examples like the Japanese Type 38 trainers that were built to shoot only a 6.5mm wooden blank or had other alterations made to their innards that made them incapable of firing a standard service round.

[Phosphorus32]

The last image is from an M95 Steyr (Mannlicher), or likely an M95/34 carbine converted to 8x56R and commonly used by the Bulgarians, so it makes sense that it would be in Bulgarian.

[running-man]

Ahh I thought that bolt looked a little small to have to hit with a mallet but hell if I know a Mosin from a Mannlicher.  Straight pull right? 

Nice catch, I'll correct the text!   

[running-man]

Were these training weapons altered in any way either during or after manufacture making them suitable only for training or were weapons just taken off the line and marked with the "training" stamp?

I'm thinking of examples like the Japanese Type 38 trainers that were built to shoot only a 6.5mm wooden blank or had other alterations made to their innards that made them incapable of firing a standard service round.

I've read that some had drilled out chambers making them unable to fire.  Others, like the first SKS I show from rocky11731, are fully functioning firearms.  That one was a Russian sneak from the recent IO imports. 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Bootcamp guns eh?

[Greasemonkey]

Ahh I thought that bolt looked a little small to have to hit with a mallet but hell if I know a Mosin from a Mannlicher.  Straight pull right? 

Nice catch, I'll correct the text! 

Well if you would just suck it up, throw them big girl pants on and buy one... You can learn the differences 
  

[running-man]

Wa looking through old files and stumbled across this one.  Some type of optic with a 75th ABV @ Leningrad refurb mark on it as well as a УЧ marking. 

[pcke2000]

you can find this mark on some Soviet TR (TP) 4 sniper/trench periscopes too

[running-man]

Updated this post with additional photos & fixed broken and partially broken photobucket links. 

[jstin2]

Will add this, even though it is on 50 transitions. Pertains more to this topic.

https://ibb.co/album/j3SxrF

[Bunker]

A few examples of the training designation on a few Soviet AK/RPK and magazines. It can also be found on other related accessories designated for training and educational purposes. The magazines are fairly scarce in the states.

[Phosphorus32]

Great stuff Bunker! 

[running-man]

Definitely great stuff. I was surprised at the dearth of info out there for this designator, not just in the SKS world but other weapons too.

[carls sks]

mark designates weapon used for training. learned something. 

[BR7.62]

very cool! i was always under the impression these trainers were always dewats not really functioning weapons. i guess most of the aks i see are in civilian eastern european hands so just happened to be deacts.
Nick very cool magazines had never seen them.
most of the ones ive seen in the past were painted black, furniture and all. notice none of these examples are.

[Cz315]

Since this is connected to the 1950 topic I figured I'll necropost it here.

The mark looks to me to be "УЧ Б" not "УЧ Ы". The two vertical lines that make Ч look like H and Б look like Ы seem to me like they are related to each other and unrelated to the УЧ Б stamp. This does not change any of the discussion, it is of course a training (УЧебный) SKS, but Б makes more sense. There aren't many Russian words that start with Ы.

[pcke2000]

Since this is connected to the 1950 topic I figured I'll necropost it here.

The mark looks to me to be "УЧ Б" not "УЧ Ы". The two vertical lines that make Ч look like H and Б look like Ы seem to me like they are related to each other and unrelated to the УЧ Б stamp. This does not change any of the discussion, it is of course a training (УЧебный) SKS, but Б makes more sense. There aren't many Russian words that start with Ы.

agree, it's letter Б, not Ы