Good Day all!
I'm new to both the forum and the SKS. I've been a handgun shooter for about 40 years, but am not a hunter and other than a Ruger 10/22 didn't own a long gun. But I started seeing videos and reading about the remarkably rugged and reliable SKS and got bitten by the bug and had to have one.
I knew the gun store attached to my range had them so the owner let me go through the inventory and find one I wanted. After mistakenly ending up with a 1955 Tula which was painted (only after I got it home did I realize this - then learned about the BBQ paint thing), I returned it and settled on a 1951 Tula.
The Tula had a horrible stock, but I settled on it as it was matching numbers (but for the stock??) and all blued metal in fine condition. The bore is mirror-like. A previous owner appeared to have taken a belt sander to the stock so I did a complete refurbishment.
Took it down to bare wood - the arctic pine was near bone white! Sanded, starting at 80 grit and working to 320 grit. Minwax pre-stain, 3 coats Minwax gunstock stain and 8 coats Tru-oil. Very pleased with the results.
Glad to have joined this forum! Looking forward to learning about the SKS. I will attempt to load some pictures....
(https://i.ibb.co/W5q6HQt/IMG-0589.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QQzfJZd)
(https://i.ibb.co/1d6d5vk/IMG-0591.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hZfZj7S)
(https://i.ibb.co/X4XyK2j/IMG-0592.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9vnw18c)
(https://i.ibb.co/c6T8yYV/IMG-0576.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QPmHJDt)
(https://i.ibb.co/K6WY0ss/5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mJ4mDyy)
(https://i.ibb.co/HF6Zp8C/IMG-0587.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Rvf84wN)
hi Ross and welcome. good to have you here. nice work on the stock, you did good. thumb1
Nice! I love a blonde Russian. Welcome
Greetings, glad to have you on board! Once the SKS bug hits, hey start multiplying like crazy! dance2
Hope you enjoy it here, if you need anything please feel free to ask!
Ross welcome. The first thing you should do is admit you're an addict. You will see what I mean in a few months when you're telling us you now own 4, 7, 15, 25 SKS's (11 in 5-6 mos. for me and possibly another in a week or two...in progress).
Nice job on your stock.
These guys will help you with any questions you have. I'm still trying to learn and I have a very long way to go. But I'm a lot wiser with help of the SKS-Files.
Welcome to the Files...and your new addiction! :)
You are off to a great start! A 51 Tula with the 45 degree gas block. Its one of the last in the evolution of design before they settled on what became the standard SKS-45. They are a highly desirable version that are fairly uncommon. While it's a shame about the stock, you refinished it beautifully. Just get a cleaning rod on there and you are all set.
Welcome, Ross! B-T-S speaks words of wisdom. The first thing I had to do in the SKS world, fess up and admit to my 'addiction'. rofl
Welcome thumb1
Quote from: Justin Hell on February 01, 2019, 09:52:40 AM
You are off to a great start! A 51 Tula with the 45 degree gas block. Its one of the last in the evolution of design before they settled on what became the standard SKS-45. They are a highly desirable version that are fairly uncommon.
Thanks to all for the welcome! And you guys are right... I'm thinking I need another! I was intrigued by Justin's comment to the effect that the rifle went through a number of design changes. My local gun store has more stored in individual boxes but I think the owner would let me go through them. Is there any year(s) which are more interesting from a design perspective?
I selected the 51 because there was no paint and the absence of evident ware on the bluing suggested to me that it had seen little use - of course, for all I know it may have been re-blued when refurbished.
Can you give me some direction please as to what I should be looking for in the year of manufacture? Thanks!
Hi and welcome thumb1
One thing to consider.. if the stock was in the shape you said it was, its possible the previous owner stripped the metal. That possibly could account for the metal "wear marks". As for design changes... you could fill a safe with the little nit picky changes through the years. Some people absolutely despise that black paint.. me, I could careless....it ain't gonna rust. :)
Maybe find an early '50 with a non chrome bore, a later Letter gun, or if your really get lucky....a Izhevsk SKS.....................or if the golden goose flew in and dropped a golden egg in a box at your LGS....a 1949 version.
Quote from: RossP226 on February 03, 2019, 10:28:57 AM
Thanks to all for the welcome! And you guys are right... I'm thinking I need another!
Oh we got another one, them famous last words, "I'm thinking I need another"...................hook, line and sinker... a new addict has been born. rofl2 chuckles1
First step is admitting you're an addict. Second step is to fulfill the desire. Get buying.
Quote from: Greasemonkey on February 03, 2019, 10:57:48 AM
Hi and welcome thumb1
One thing to consider.. if the stock was in the shape you said it was, its possible the previous owner stripped the metal. That possibly could account for the metal "wear marks". As for design changes... you could fill a safe with the little nit picky changes through the years. Some people absolutely despise that black paint.. me, I could careless....it ain't gonna rust. :)
Maybe find an early '50 with a non chrome bore, a later Letter gun, or if your really get lucky....a Izhevsk SKS.....................or if the golden goose flew in and dropped a golden egg in a box at your LGS....a 1949 version.
Quote from: RossP226 on February 03, 2019, 10:28:57 AM
Thanks to all for the welcome! And you guys are right... I'm thinking I need another!
Oh we got another one, them famous last words, "I'm thinking I need another"...................hook, line and sinker... a new addict has been born. rofl2 chuckles1
Thanks for the input Greasemonkey! I realize I didn't post any before pictures and will below. Looks to me like someone how had no idea what they were doing started to refinish the stock - the sanding was across the grain, deeply scoring the wood. Seems he gave up as the wood over the gas tube was untouched. I doubt the metal was refinished/reblued on this side of the world as there was still cosmoiline in the receiver and re-bluing is pretty expensive.
I take your point about the myriad design changes the rifle underwent and being retired and without money to burn I'm really interested in another one or two with interesting characteristics. I guess I want to avoid the paint as I like the patina blued steel develops with use. One of my favourite revolvers is an 1970s S&W Model 13 police trade in - I love the hostler wear! I doubt I'll ever find a '49 - sounds like the Holy Grail, but I'll look!
Before I refinished the stock...
(https://i.ibb.co/cY8RXcj/IMG-0543.jpg) (https://ibb.co/y4kKBnr)
(https://i.ibb.co/hf7bcjh/IMG-0540.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TLv61Sp)
(https://i.ibb.co/846ST26/IMG-0554.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XkSvNpS)
(https://i.ibb.co/r6x73LZ/IMG-0553.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k84HJrh)
When you strip a Russian that has the bbq, you will find they stripped the bluing and somehow etched the surface of the metal for the bbq to adhere to, so I don't think thats the case here.
Can you post a pic of the import mark?
I figured someone, somewhere would have figured out how to remove the paint and not alter the blueing. I remember seeing all kinds of concoctions used with moderate success in years past.
I'm saying, the Russians did this to the surface as a prep for bbq.
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on February 04, 2019, 12:20:36 AM
When you strip a Russian that has the bbq, you will find they stripped the bluing and somehow etched the surface of the metal for the bbq to adhere to, so I don't think thats the case here.
Can you post a pic of the import mark?
Here are the import markings. The electric penciled marking from the side of the receiver is hard to see, but appears to be the same as the marking beside the number "15" found on top of the barrel.
(https://i.ibb.co/n3hM4gR/IMG-0627.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wJDh80Y)
(https://i.ibb.co/s6yzj3w/IMG-0628.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LJnHSpt)
A close up...
(https://i.ibb.co/2YJ9xj2/IMG-0629.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fGJgfCR)
A Molot stamp... :o
Ok... are you from Canada by any chance.. just curious.. that would explain the stamp. :)
Quote from: Greasemonkey on February 04, 2019, 11:03:48 AM
A Molot stamp... :o
Ok... are you from Canada by any chance.. just curious.. that would explain the stamp. :)
Yes, I'm in Ontario. Please tell me what is a Molot stamp?
Those stamps are part of Russian export requirements, it's not an import mark persay, but a mandated export mark. If I remember correctly from playing with Mosins.. the Diamond mark is a Russian proof mark, it will be found on any Russian exported rifle and the Bn mark is a trade mark of Molot. I believe the larger number next to the diamond is the year it passed the Russian requirement test. The CIP mark, I believe, is it meets requirements for ammo...Permanent International Commission for the Proof of Small Arms.... Like SAMMI(Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) here in the US. Russia is a CIP member, and weapons have to meet said requirements.
These same markings can be found on quite a few Mosins of all variations, M44s, M91/30s, Snipers here in the US that were imported like somewhere between 2012 and 2014-'15. Actually Molot... or Vyatskiye Polyany Molot Machine-Building Plant has been around since the early '40s.. they produced the PPSh-41 in mass numbers.. Now they build alot of commercial/sporting weapons, along with military weapons.....including doing rebuilds.
The reason I asked about Canada... we never got the Molot SKS here in the states... just Mosins, Veprs and maybe a few others........ now, we cant even seem to get them. cry1
That is great information, Greasemonkey. I looked up the Vyatskiye Polyany Molot Machine-Building Plant and checked out their website. Many thanks!
I always assumed the number after the ГИС was the year it was laser etched (i.e. a kind of born on date: in this case, the SKS was built in the 50's but the gun final refurbished/released for export in 2015) If you look around the web, you'll find those numbers on various other weapons that clearly increment upwwards and you'll never find one that is larger than the current date (I don't believe they had '99 or previous numbers etched into exported guns in the pre 2000 era...)
I don't think Molot was doing sporting or commercial guns back then, or at least they weren't using that style stamp.That style is fairly recent, use just started in the last.... Less than 10 years ago.
Russians gotta make some coin...so start production of commercial/sporting weapons and clean up some of the store rooms and caves that are full of junk......people like buying old Russian "junk" rofl2
You're probably right. Interestingly enough, the <ГИС> stamp is pretty old, I've seen it on stuff that dates from Soviet breakup times.
Another stamp I've seen before and know is relatively old is the "micrometer symbol"...maybe a "PCT" abbreviation. You see it on stuff all the time, even to this day:
(https://i.ibb.co/tQwCDgQ/10717431-bayo-passport.jpg)
Quote from: running-man on February 04, 2019, 06:13:56 PM
You're probably right. Interestingly enough, the <ГИС> stamp is pretty old, I've seen it on stuff that dates from Soviet breakup times.
Another stamp I've seen before and know is relatively old is the "micrometer symbol"...maybe a "PCT" abbreviation. You see it on stuff all the time, even to this day:
the <ГИС> stamp is some kind of State Test Station certification...it's been in use for a good while, most weapons and ammo boxes have it. I "think" I have even seen it as an ammo headstamp. I'll have to dig into and probably through the heap and see what I can find..
The "PCT" stamp is on all Saigas, and probably others.. both my Saiga 12 and 410 have it. It's a Patent Certification symbol, look on most weapons and ammo boxes.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/48vjybzj0d1bpbl/HPIM0224.jpg?dl=0)
Both my Russian Makarovs have it......so the "PCT" stamp has been kicking around a while as well.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/5pbwa8q233zlhj4/SAM_3476.JPG?dl=0)
Darn Molot, thats whats stopped my Russian SKS collecting, ugly ass markings