I've never seen a Б<?> prefix before. There are several <?>Б prefixes and 1954 Izhevsks with the format Б####_<?>. Here's a list of what I've got in the <?>Б format:
Prefix 1 | Prefix 2 | # | Suffix | Rec. Tula Star | Refurb. | Receiver Cover YearВ | Б | 2639 | | Uncertain | Bubba | 1953
В | Б | 4711 | | N | Heavy | 1953
В | Б | 5348 | | N | Heavy | 1953
Е | Б | 194 | | Uncertain | Heavy | 1950
Е | Б | 427 | | N | Heavy | 1949
Е | Б | 485 | | N | Heavy | 1950
Ж | Б | 781 | | Uncertain | Light | 1949
З | Б | 665 | | N | Light | 1953
И | Б | 2790 | Д | Uncertain | Light | Blank
К | Б | 1113 | | Uncertain | Light | 1953
К | Б | 1958 | | N | Light | 1953
К | Б | 2470 | | N | Heavy | 1953
К | Б | 220 | Д | Y | Bubba | Blank
К | Б | 2317 | Д | Y | Light | Uncertain
К | Б | 5931 | Д | Y | Heavy | Uncertain
К | Б | 6522 | Д | Y | Light | Blank Star
Л | Б | 1132 | | N | Heavy | 1953
Н | Б | 5090 | | Uncertain | Uncertain | Uncertain
Н | Б | 415 | Д | Y | Bubba | Blank
Н | Б | 1432 | Д | Y | Heavy | Blank
Н | Б | 1478 | Д | Uncertain | Uncertain | Blank
Н | Б | 2647 | Д | Uncertain | Uncertain | Blank
Н | Б | 2790 | Д | Y | Heavy | Blank
Н | Б | 2997 | Д | Y | As-Issued | Blank
Н | Б | 6352 | Д | Y | Heavy | Blank
Т | Б | 1325 | Д | Y | As-Issued | Uncertain
Т | Б | 1331 | Д | Uncertain | Uncertain | Uncertain
Т | Б | 2193 | Д | Y | Uncertain | Blank
Т | Б | 5975 | Д | Y | Bubba | Uncertain
Т | Б | 6166 | Д | Y | Heavy | Uncertain
Т | Б | 6809 | Д | Y | Heavy | 1949
I'm not convinced it's a Б on the OP's gun. I am also not convinced that the cover and receiver fonts match as well as was once thought either. The numbers look great, but the prefix don't seem to, especially the aspect ratio left to right vs top to bottom of the two E's receiver to receiver cover.
The bottom line is this: we can all talk until we are blue in the face and it matters not one little bit. Without another example, nothing can be determined from this firearm.
I'm having issues because it doesn't match the other EM prefixed guns with respect to stock ferrule and bayonet. Either the gun is legit and the serial data is wrong or the serial data is right and the gun is suspect.
Here are the different scenarios I can come up with:
- Gun is legit, EM prefixes are all consecutively produced in 1950 and this particular firearm received a spike bayo and top pin ferrule at fabrication. Other EM prefixed guns (both before and after) received blade bayos and bottom ferrule welded early stock ferrules at initial fabrication which were not changed at refurb.
- Gun is legit, EM prefixes are all consecutively produced in 1950 and this particular firearm received a spike bayo and top pin ferrule at refurb. Other EM prefixes were all refurbed but blade bayos and bottom pinned were left on those.
- Gun is legit, two consecutive series of EM prefixed guns were produced in 1949 and 1950. The '49s were produced with unknown bayo and ferrule features but after refurb, all known specimens have blades and top pin ferrules. The '50's were produced with unknown bayo and ferrule configurations, but after refurb some specimens have spike/bottom pin features (like the OP) while others have blade/top pin ferrules.
- Gun is legit but receiver prefix is a Б and rest of gun is a E. Mistake was made at fabrication.
- Gun is not legit and is really a '49 with a transitional '50 replacement cover. Included in this is possibility of the receiver prefix being Б and component prefixes reading E - all restamped at refurb.
- Gun is not legit and is really a '50 with replacement stock, bayonet, and ferrule.
Anyone think of anything else?