Russian SKS

[highpower]

It looks like another Russian SKS followed me home today. Walked into one of the local stores and I spotted this on the wall. I checked it out and noticed that it is a non-refurbished, matching number Tula in a laminated stock. I negotiated a bit on the price and took it home.

1954 Tula:









I don't collect Russian SKS rifles, honestly, I don't. Somehow though, I now seem to have four of them.

[Stanze]

Nice score!

[Rob1961]

Nice! I would love to stroll into my LGS and find a score like that!

[DoubleTap76]

Ha! That's pretty funny.

Hey, this question comes to mind. Did Kalashnikov develop the SKS or, did he just base his AK design off of it?

Or is something else going on that I am totally missing.

(I actually own a book on this but don't recall the chain of events. Poor reading comprehension.)

[Tacit Blue]

Very nice score! Kalashnikov had no involvement in the design of the SKS.


Double Tap The credit is due to Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov who Kalashnikov looked up to at the time as he was a inexperienced weapons designer. A few years later the Soviets dumped the SKS and adopted the AK-47. The M14 and was right around the corner in the 1950's and they had to adapt quickly.

[81turbota]

Awesome score!! It's beautiful.

Looks like a light refurb to me, primarily the stock. Are the bayonet pivot stake marks lined up and no additional ones present?

[Tacit Blue]

Usually the refurbs have that little box with a line through it. I think most Russian weapons including SKS may have been refurb in a Arsenal at least once. You have to understand during the post WW2 period millions of Mosins were packed into crates and a few years later SKS. The AK-47 became the main weapon of use. I know some Russian SKS's were given away as a sign of " friendship" to countries allied with the Soviets. Anything is possible.

They loved storing weapons because of the whole physiological fear of being invaded by fascist. They made sure they had enough guns for every reserve or able bodied man in the Soviet Union.

[highpower]

Awesome score!! It's beautiful.

Looks like a light refurb to me, primarily the stock. Are the bayonet pivot stake marks lined up and no additional ones present?

Yep, looks like the bayonet was only put on there once. No box with the line on it anywhere.

[81turbota]

Usually the refurbs that little box with a line through it. I think most Russian weapons including SKS may have been refurb in a Arsenal at least once. You have to understand during the post WW2 period Millions of Mosins were packed into crates and a few years later SKS. The AK-47 became the main weapon of use. I know some Russian SKS's were given away as a sign of " friendship" to countries allied with the Soviets. Anything is possible.

They loved storing weapons because of the whole physiological fear of being invaded by fascist. They made sure they enough guns for every reserve or able bodied man in the Soviet Union.

The box refurb mark is common, but not always present on refurbs. The most common indications are BBQ black paint, X'd out stock serials and stake marks on the bayonet pivot pin out of alingment/evidence of restaking. Light refurbs, like I believe this one to be, may only have one or two parts replaced - I believe the stock on this one to be a replacement.

I have an as issued non refurb 1954 Tula (same year/arsenal as Highpower's), I don't want to spam Highpower's thread with pics but here is the link to compare the non-refurb attributes. Notice the proof stamps on the stock by the recoil lug were stamped over the shellac finish - final approval stamps. Lots of small, nitnoid features that I didn't even look at and had the Gunboards zealots confirm for me.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?404685-Picked-up-a-beautiful-as-issued-1954-Tula-SKS-would-you-shoot-it-much-Update-13

Here is a great resource for SKS features:

http://www.yooperj.com/SKS.htm

Again, I am by no means an SKS expert. My understanding is that laminate stocks are a dead giveaway as a refurb except when it comes to later letter series SKS.

[bohoki]

is the bayonet on upside down ? i can't tell

[Tacit Blue]

The box refurb mark is common, but not always present on refurbs. The most common indications are BBQ black paint, X'd out stock serials and stake marks on the bayonet pivot pin out of alingment/evidence of restaking. Light refurbs, like I believe this one to be, may only have one or two parts replaced - I believe the stock on this one to be a replacement.

I have an as issued non refurb 1954 Tula (same year/arsenal as Highpower's), I don't want to spam Highpower's thread with pics but here is the link to compare the non-refurb attributes. Notice the proof stamps on the stock by the recoil lug were stamped over the shellac finish - final approval stamps. Lots of small, nitnoid features that I didn't even look at and had the Gunboards zealots confirm for me.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?404685-Picked-up-a-beautiful-as-issued-1954-Tula-SKS-would-you-shoot-it-much-Update-13

Here is a great resource for SKS features:

http://www.yooperj.com/SKS.htm

Again, I am by no means an SKS expert. My understanding is that laminate stocks are a dead giveaway as a refurb except when it comes to later letter series SKS.

I think your assessment is pretty accurate. I heard the line with the box and the black paint on the dust cover indicate arsenal refurb. Regardless of if it's been overhauled or not, still plenty of history behind them. Who knows where its been or who's hands it's been through. If only they could talk

[DirtyRussianAmmo]

Very, very nice! Congrats!

[highpower]

I have an as issued non refurb 1954 Tula (same year/arsenal as Highpower's), I don't want to spam Highpower's thread with pics but here is the link to compare the non-refurb attributes. Notice the proof stamps on the stock by the recoil lug were stamped over the shellac finish - final approval stamps. Lots of small, nitnoid features that I didn't even look at and had the Gunboards zealots confirm for me.

Well, you learn something new every day. I thought that because it was a later dated rifle in a laminated stock and it didn't have the box/line and no paint, it was very likely to have not been refurbished. But there are no proof marks on the stock anywhere or a date like is on my other Russians.

Thanks for the info.

[Tacit Blue]

East Berlin.

[81turbota]

Well, you learn something new every day. I thought that because it was a later dated rifle in a laminated stock and it didn't have the box/line and no paint, it was very likely to have not been refurbished. But there are no proof marks on the stock anywhere or a date like is on my other Russians.

Thanks for the info.

Anytime. So many small details as with any C&R it'll make your head spin.

Regardless, you have brought home a very fine SKS. The blued examples are gorgeous IMO

Tacit Blue- I see quite a few of the elusive EG Karabiner-S in that picture.....I would love to get my hands on one of those as well as an NK SKS.