Making a bit of a drive (only 90mi & it's through pretty country anyhow) to look at a KBI. Only one posted photo so I wanna see it up close & get hands-on before going any further. It's a 1954. Original listing was $500 incl. 20 boxes of ammunition. He's down to $450 now, so the rough math in my head makes it about $350-$360 for the rifle. Even if the ammo is TulAmmo that still looks on paper like a good deal, depending of course on condition (which he swears, of course, & maybe quite honestly, is 'almost perfect'). If I get there & the bore, internals & wood are GTG I'm thinking I might just give this one a new home. I mean, say the thing is a BBQ gun but with good bore, stock, no pitting--would you guys shell out if you were looking for a 'using' gun? See, that's what I'm looking for. The rifle I get is gonna be making the daily commute from my bedroom to a spot by the front door, accompanying me into the woods & into town, & generally be 'on the job' for home security, having a little fun, keeping the coyotes from eating our Chihuahua, & being on standby in case 'things get bad'--or these days, just worse. If you were looking for that, would this rifle, at that price & in good shape, be a taker?
Quote from: HillHopper on August 23, 2016, 07:13:08 AM
Original listing was $500 incl. 20 boxes of ammunition. He's down to $450 now, so the rough math in my head makes it about $350-$360 for the rifle. Even if the ammo is TulAmmo that still looks on paper like a good deal, depending of course on condition (which he swears, of course, & maybe quite honestly, is 'almost perfect').
I'd say it's not a bad deal, but w/o seeing the gun it's truly hard to say. If it's a bubba hack job, it could be a terrible deal. If an original refurb, it's an avg. to good deal, if an as-issued gun, a '49 Tula, or a '53/'54 Izhevsk, you found the holy grail at that price. I'd value the ammo at ~$30, so the rifle would be ~$420. Right in line with some of the lower cost refurbs in the monthly GB listings.
Ah. TulAmmo is THAT bad, huh? Good to know. I don't know that what he has IS TulAmmo, but if so then I significantly over-valued it. Hopefully it's something else, as that would make it occupy a greater portion of the price. I don't dare hope it's an Izhevsk, but how cool would that be? On the other side of the coin, I'd be in a real quandary then. Excellent deal, but for a gun that I'd hate to put to work for my purposes. I'm not a collector. I respect collectors & applaud their desire to preserve, but I don't have the dough for that. I'm wanting something from that sweet spot right in the middle between 'safe queen' & 'thrashed'. Just something to saddle & ride, not a thoroughbred & not ready for the glue factory.
Quote from: HillHopper on August 23, 2016, 09:07:20 AM
Ah. TulAmmo is THAT bad, huh? Good to know. I don't know that what he has IS TulAmmo, but if so then I significantly over-valued it. Hopefully it's something else, as that would make it occupy a greater portion of the price. I don't dare hope it's an Izhevsk, but how cool would that be? On the other side of the coin, I'd be in a real quandary then. Excellent deal, but for a gun that I'd hate to put to work for my purposes. I'm not a collector. I respect collectors & applaud their desire to preserve, but I don't have the dough for that. I'm wanting something from that sweet spot right in the middle between 'safe queen' & 'thrashed'. Just something to saddle & ride, not a thoroughbred & not ready for the glue factory.
Crap, I shouldn't try and multiply so early in the morning. Sorry about that. No Tulammo isn't that bad, I was figuring 100 rounds of ammo in 20 boxes, not 400 rounds. dash3
So 400 rounds at $0.25 a round is $100. Now you're looking at just what you originally said, $350 rifle, $100 worth of ammo + your time and gas. That's a good deal all around, almost approaching a steal. The only way it's not is if you get there and it's a bubba hackjob that doesn't function or if it's some shot out old timer that looks good on the outside yet has a sewer pipe bore.
Quote from: HillHopper on August 23, 2016, 07:13:08 AM
If you were looking for that, would this rifle, at that price & in good shape, be a taker?
I can only echo what running-man has said, under those conditions...go for it, thumb1 I sure would. And who knows, you may get good service out of the Tula if it is in fact Tulammo, many folks do!
Yup, for that price, $350 + $100 ammo, I'd buy any original configuration Russian, BBQ black painted refurb even. I'd just look at completeness and verify good bore and mechanical condition (action cycling, look at the bolt face to make sure it doesn't have any significant erosion around the FP hole, flip up the lever and look at the gas tube and piston) and hand over the cabbage :)
You might want to print out the gun show guide page on the SKS-45 to bring along with your bore light thumb1
https://clone.sks-files.com/index.php?topic=481.msg5709#msg5709
Hey good luck. The only problem is that if the gun is super nice like the seller says, You might have to buy another one for your hunter/behind the door gun.. But thats a good thing.. I think :)
R-M, don't worry about the miscalc. You were giving me advice I asked for. Math at ANY time of day was never my strong suit--Polit. Sci. major & I didn't even finish that. Phosphorus, thanks for the 'look for' tips. Knew about the possibility of a 'stretching' effect, kinda like a little volcano, at the firing pin hole from dry-snapping, but stupidly was unaware of the possibility of erosion. Much thanks. Much thanks indeed to all who have replied with advice or just positive wishes, which are most welcome right before a guy takes (maybe) the plunge for 4 1/2 bills. Feel like a 9-year-old on Christmas Eve. Really hope this is something good. Will advise.
On the ammo, :) it's commie ammo, it will go bang.. if it were Brown Bear, Silver Bear, Red Army Standard, Wolf, Golden Bear, Wolf PolyPerformance, Wolf WPA Military Classic, KSAP, 99.9% of the time, it will go bang. They all are pretty much the same the same, little variances here and there, but all are worth about the same value in my book thumb1
If it were M67 Yugo, Golden Tiger, S&B, Prvi, maybe even some old collectible Norinco stuff thats worth getting a little more excited over. explode1
One more question, probably dumb, before I take off today. Will check when I get up before I leave. (If I ever manage to get to sleep. Having trouble for some reason. :) ) Searched the forum under 'gas tube' but no joy. Do I have to completely field strip before I can remove the gas tube so I can check it & the piston? Don't know if this guy's gonna be real stoked about me tearing the thing down on his kitchen table & frankly I'm not secure enough about my grasp of the procedure to be comfortable making my first attempt on a gun I don't own. I mean I've read the 'how to', which is great by the way, but it's kinda something I have to actually DO slowly a couple of times to really grasp. Can I just open the action, flip the lever to 10 o'clock (TOLDJA I read it) & pull the tube? Appreciate it, guys.
Unlike with an AK, you should be able to do that with a SKS. Quite frankly, I look at it as a red flag if a seller doesn't want me to visually inspect the internal components. It makes me think they are hiding something. Good luck on the purchase.
QuoteCan I just open the action, flip the lever to 10 o'clock (TOLDJA I read it) & pull the tube? Appreciate it, guys.
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You dont even have to pull the action to the rear.
Probably a little late, but don't open the lever too far otherwise you will launch the op rod across the room.
Well, no, it's not too late. D__n water system acted up this morning & required attention. Spent my day paddling around in the mud at the bottom of a ravine & knocking a lot of the paint off of the Third Commandment. Of course it had to be today. Couldn't wait until tomorrow. Spring water beats the pants off city water (to my taste anyway), but a spring/tank system sure can screw up your agenda at times. One of the Beatles said that life is what happens while you're busy making other plans. Preach, brother. Anyhow, got ahold of the guy & he said it's no problem. So as early as I can get around today I'm en route, after, of course, I use that newly-repaired water system to remove a rather significant accumulation of my native county from my person so the guy doesn't think he's showing his rifle to Swamp Thing. Thanks for the replies, guys. zzzzzzzzz...
Momma always said:
Life is like a box a chocolates,
you never know what you gonna get thumb1
Well guys, I'm pretty beat--this was a LONG-a_s day--but I wanted to check in & update some really knowledgeable 'good guys' who have generously offered encouragement & good advice to the FNG over the past few days just to help some dude they don't even know avoid wasting his money. More in a day or so--you ain't seen a refurb until you've seen what our water system is gonna take--but for now, suffice to say that she is bee-yoo-tee-full, drool2 she is MINE... yahoo1
...and her name is Natasha.
Thanks a lot boys. I'm gonna get some rack now. Night, all.
...good niiight, Natashaaaa...
WoW sounds like you finally had a good day ! :) Cant wait for the pics to roll in. WAKE UP !! rofl
Quote from: Direct Connection on August 26, 2016, 12:21:05 PM
WoW sounds like you finally had a good day ! :) Cant wait for the pics to roll in. WAKE UP !! rofl
+1 clap1 :)
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 26, 2016, 12:56:12 PM
Quote from: Direct Connection on August 26, 2016, 12:21:05 PM
WoW sounds like you finally had a good day ! :) Cant wait for the pics to roll in. WAKE UP !! rofl
+1 clap1 :)
+2, good to hear things went well. thumb1
Quote from: rwhite135 on August 26, 2016, 01:35:06 PM
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 26, 2016, 12:56:12 PM
Quote from: Direct Connection on August 26, 2016, 12:21:05 PM
WoW sounds like you finally had a good day ! :) Cant wait for the pics to roll in. WAKE UP !! rofl
+1 clap1 :)
+2, good to hear things went well. thumb1
thumb1 thumb1 thumb1
I was gonna have a little fun with you guys by posting a photo of the receiver cover & then just innocently asking if anybody 'recognized this funny marking where the star's supposed to be' & something like 'is mine not a good one because it has this instead'. Would have been a good, believable gag coming from a new guy, but photobocket don't wanna play with me. I set up my account but the d__n site won't let me log in. The 'login' button just plain doesn't DO anything. It might be because I'm using a tablet. Only thing I can figure. No worries. Going to town Monday so I'll take a bunch of photos, save them on a flash drive & see if I can do this from a computer @ the library. At any rate, fact is that Natasha is...an IZHEVSK... :o with a good bore, strong mechanics, no corrosion, a great stock, & to my eye, at least, not a drop of paint. That's one reason I'm eager to get some pics up, let you guys take a look. I think my tablet's camera can make a decent fist of it. So, I know, 'way to bury the lead, a__hole!', but there you have it. Can you say 'beginner's luck'? I...am...stoked. dance2
If she's all that you say--you found a good one. Congrats on your honeymoon with Natasha and I'm dyin for pics!!!!
Quote from: HillHopper on August 27, 2016, 03:53:37 AM
I was gonna have a little fun with you guys by posting a photo of the receiver cover & then just innocently asking if anybody 'recognized this funny marking where the star's supposed to be' & something like 'is mine not a good one because it has this instead'.
rofl rofl chuckles1 Yep, your definitely running with the right crowd here. I'm gonna go ahead and load up a few mason jars of jelly and some good 'ole homemade wine, cuz I'm sure GM has already gassed up his pickup and will be by any min for a road trip, to give ya a good, old fashioned, neighborly azz-whooping. chuckles1 Now don't get me wrong...we'll pour ya a jar and chuckle about it afterward....but dang-it man...talk about beginners luck! chuckles1 chuckles1 Congrats brother Congrats thumb1
Now I didn't have a lucky horse shoe quite as far up my backside but I was just kinda looking for my 1st plain jane Chinese and stumbled upon a gorgeous Public Security at a yard sale 1 day. Didn't realize it till I got her home...Talk about cloud 9 :))
Ride this wave as long as ya can brother....cuz you will most certainitly be chasing the dragon after this. Tell ya what though....Best dang excuse to go out and get ya another SKS I've heard in a long time rofl rofl
+1 on pics, Take your time, Photo Bucket can be a pain. Just don't take to long or you'll have a full blown riot on your hands chuckles1
oh...and Welcome thumb1
( mumble mumble ya lucky sob, grumble grumble)
If I were the seller, I'd be calling the cops because he done got robbed! Why can't I ever get that lucky? rofl
What year was Natasha born ?
The luck some guys have. bat1
Connon lookin, but he cant see any Izzy porn. eyeball1 eyeball1
cry2
HillHopper, you might try imgur if hellinabucket photobucket is giving you fits. I haven't tried it but a bunch of others seem to like it.
Or flikr or tinypic or postimage.org. I'm going to drop PB out of the tutorial, it's just crap now. Too many annoying videos and ads. Other free hosting services have left it in the dust.
Great thing about the app and doing it from phone.... No adds and it actually works.
Quote from: running-man on August 27, 2016, 11:37:12 PM
Or flikr or tinypic or postimage.org. I'm going to drop PB out of the tutorial, it's just crap now. Too many annoying videos and ads. Other free hosting services have left it in the dust.
Thanks for forgetting "Click To Enlarge" RM chuckles1
AH, if I recall correctly, in one of your posts you make reference to being in Louisiana. So... 'jelly'. Is that what they call the stuff people fill Mason jars with down there? ;) I was at a Civil War event in Tennessee & our sergeant went out during some slack time to see if he could find us some 'preserves'. Had me scratching my head until he returned with a couple of jars of re-purposed corn. He grew up close by there & apparently 'preserves' is local-speak for the product of the distiller's art. If that's the case, no a__-whoopin' necessary, just hand me a jar & I'll wake up next morning feeling like I've had a d__n good one with no expenditure of effort on your part.
So, the post-game wrapup. I didn't get her for $350 but $450. When I mentioned the 20 boxes of ammo the guy looked at me like I fell out of the sky & said there was no ammo. Almost put me off the deal until I saw the condition of the rifle and, of course, the arsenal stamp. On the way home I hit Rural King & grabbed a range pack of Red Army Standard, then hit an army surplus looking for stripper clips. Only ones they had were loaded ones in the 40-pack of M67, so I got one of those. I'll check sighting with it to free up a couple of clips & give myself some practice in thorough SKS cleaning, then refill those good surplus clips with the non-corrosive RAS. So all told I ended up laying out just about the $520 the guy originally had on the listing. Would have picked up more ammo, but had already spent $70 more than I had planned. I get my income twice a year from cash rent on some farm ground I inherited. Not due again until November & I gotta be careful with my budget. Once I'm reasonably flush again I'll hit luckygunner or someplace & lay in some more ammunition & start putting together a 'put-away' kit of essential parts.
Forgive me for forgetting who asked, but there were a lot of replies... Natasha is a 1954.
See, look at that. Approached this very practically. 'You're just looking for a good rifle'. No sentiment, just be pragmatic & get something GOOD, but just a tool to serve the purpose. You can't AFFORD to get caught up in a collector mindset. No mystique or romance about it--it's a good gun, but just a gun...
Five minutes after I get hands-on I'm thinking of the rifle as 'her' & ten minutes after I leave the guy's house she has a name.
Preordained, though. Good, old-fashioned 'The Eagle Has Landed' synchronicity. My 91/30 is also an Izhevsk & he got named right off the bat too about 4 years ago. You Bullwinkle fans will get a grin out of this. I call him Boris. :)
Thanks for the encouragement, advice & kind congrats, fellers. Pics ASAP, I promise.
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 27, 2016, 11:32:12 PM
HillHopper, you might try imgur if hellinabucket photobucket is giving you fits. I haven't tried it but a bunch of others seem to like it.
I started using Imgur recently and I really like it. So fast and simple even a Dannyboy can use it. Photobucket has become more trouble than what it's worth for me, even free!
Congratulation on the carbine, it will be great to see it.
UUmmmmmm....jelly.......mason jars...preserves drool2 thumb1
Luck....bah... rofl
Pure unadulterated sell out under a star beginners luck would have been not having a clue, walking in and buying, then skipping away away with your first SKS, you look it over when you get home and the receiver is stamped like this....and it had serial 0002 :o
(http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/C13mechanic/soviet%20sino/SAM_0939_zpsed0685bc.jpg) (http://s1016.photobucket.com/user/C13mechanic/media/soviet%20sino/SAM_0939_zpsed0685bc.jpg.html)
Congrats on the "luck" of the first purchase, thumb1 and whats wrong with Olga... rofl2 But....
where the pics at...ya tease and tease..soon impatience will creep in, people will get feisty, then you gotta bunch of guys all engorged, waiting on gun porn, that have turned in to panthers with sore arses.. rofl2 It's akin to like taking a ED pill, hitting the front row at a strip club for hours and 19 lap dances, then leaving to go home just to watch the Oprah channel. :o rofl2 chuckles1
And since I'm on the subject...You mentioned a "Mosin", I don't care much about a Izzy SKS chuckles1...but show that Mosin, I gotta real soft spot fer'um ;) :)
Runningman needs to see it as well, he is "strongly" considering one for a future purchase, please, please, donate to the Mosin picture and post fund, help the fella out by showing yours. thumb1 thumb1