The fastest way to allocate a weapon to the particular manufacturer occurs by using the country-specific marks. Most of them are engraved on pistols produced before 1990. The following listed marks are to find on the left side of the frame above the grip. Exceptions are the guns from Suhl, Germany. There, the marks are graved on the right from the safety lever and up front of the frame.
Arsenal, Bulgarian | Baikal, Russia | Norinco, China | Armories Suhl, Germany | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Drawing: |
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Picture: |
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Dimension: | Height, width: approx. 5 mm | Height, width: approx. 5 mm | Height, width: approx. 5 mm | Height, width: 3 mm |
Arsenal, Bulgarian | Baikal, Russia | Norinco, China | Armories Suhl, Germany |
---|---|---|---|
arsenal | Baikal | Norinco | Ernst Thälmann Fabrik |
mod. MAKAROV cal. 9x18 | Baikal-442 | Model 59 | Ernst Thälmann |
MAKAROV CAL. 9x18 | Izhmech | MADE IN CHINA | SIMSON SUHL/THüR |
MADE IN BULGARIA | IMEZ | SIMSON SUHL | |
IMZ | MAKAROV 9x18 mm | ||
Izhmekh | MADE IN GERMANY | ||
MADE IN RUSSIA | |||
IJ-70 | |||
IJ70 | |||
Izh-70 | |||
Cal. 380 ACP | |||
Cal. 9 mm Makarov |
Except for the armories in Suhl, all manufacturer used Cyrillic characters.
Explanation:
$ - Character
# - Figure
Arsenal, Bulgarian | Baikal, Russia | Norinco, China | Armories Suhl, Germany |
---|---|---|---|
$$ ## #### | $$ #### | $$#### | $$ #### |
$$###### | $$###### | $ #### | |
$ $$ #### | V######1) | ||
$$## | ###### | ||
### ## ##### |
1) The "V" stands for a test series (German: "Versuchsserie"). This character was used 1995 for only 16 pistols.
Pistols with adjustable sights are produced by Baikal. The same is to mention for pistols with ten or twelve bullets.
Norinco assembles grips with 5 (one great and 4 small) stars.
Models which provide the possibility to manipulate the slide in locked state (safety lever horizontal) derive from Suhl. Often a woman who forges a sword is pictured on the slide. In the anvil is the word "Suhl" graved. The grips are usually made with black plastics.