Hi, I'm new to the forum and to the world of SKS collecting. I recently purchased a "cosmolene special" SKS from Bud's Gun Shop, sight unseen over the internet. Can you give me some information about my first SKS? Info: Arsenal 26, all matching serials (1403xxxx) except no markings, serials on the stock which is laminated. Stock has very minor dents/dings otherwise almost as new. Bore is bright and shiny. Rear sight has no markings. 95% bluing on metal remains. Trigger appears to be milled. Spike bayonet. Piston extension (under rear sight) is noticeably worn, has a "wobble" if rolled on a flat surface. Replacement part already ordered. Firing pin was rusted internally to the bolt, cosmolene had solidified making removal a challenge. Once the firing pin was removed it was cleaned along with the bolt channel which was really dirty. Sent bolt and carrier to Ben Murray so that he can do his spring firing pin mod. Cost was $389, so far the gun has cleaned up real well and am very satisfied with purchase. I wouldn't mind getting another one from Bud's. Never had so much fun cleaning up a relic firearm. Thanks
Welcome to the forum from Kentucky, CD53!! Like some would say here, if no pictures, it don't exist wink1. We really like pictures here. That said, the experts will soon chime in as to where it came from, but I'm thinking Isreal because of the laminated replacement stock, though I could be wrong. From what the SKS Guide says, it was made in 1969. Again, the experts will soon chime in. Cheers, Bruce.
Welcome! Happy to see your first post. thumb1
Definitely need to see some pictures to offer much definitive information. Use the upload image to post below the post.
Like Bruce said, it's a 14th year of production of the Type 56 (1956 model year) so that's 1969. All the guns that Bud's has currently, or anytime in the last 10 years, originated in Albania. If it has an actual laminated stock, it'd have to be a numbered stock that came off of a Russian SKS-45, which Albania also had. You say the stock has no numbers or markings, which sounds more like one of the Albanian beech wood replacement stocks, but they weren't laminate.
Here are some pics. I was wrong about no markings on the rear sight. There is an "n" marking. Bolt and carrier are at Murrays, hence why they are not in the pics. The stock sure looks laminated to me, but absolutely no markings anywhere on it. I tried to get close up pics to show the laminations. Thanks guys! :)
(https://i.ibb.co/C60qjcf/Unknown-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8b8JyCH)
(https://i.ibb.co/fSVT9D7/Unknown-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PYsVMD8)
(https://i.ibb.co/3vgWJ6Y/Unknown-3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JqD2h6F)
(https://i.ibb.co/HqKcpws/Unknown-4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0rn0V4S)
(https://i.ibb.co/x6bvF0k/Unknown-5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/m4KsNwj)
(https://i.ibb.co/xhbXc6B/Unknown-6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Q9VpqMT)
(https://i.ibb.co/Fg9dsCQ/Unknown-7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Hn09N3c)
(https://i.ibb.co/VT0kkhy/Unknown-8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TtDNNnX)
(https://i.ibb.co/N7GRzcB/Unknown-9.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CWSLFRG)
(https://i.ibb.co/PTMPnP2/Unknown-10.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tZzvtv0)
(https://i.ibb.co/VYcFQtL/Unknown-11.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fdz3n2X)
(https://i.ibb.co/TWc0L13/Unknown12.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8YMxcbZ)
That’s an Albanian beech hardwood stock that’s been refinished stateside. I have to say that the refinishing (normally I’m not a fan) did make the fish-scaling (aka ray fleck) pop on that beech.
Ok, thanks for the info Phosphorus, much appreciated!
Welcome!
I like the look.... I'm sure it be be a good shooter too! thumb1
Congratulations on your first one. :)
Look out though, some guys on here (no names) will start tempting you into buying #2, #3, #4, #5....etc. rofl rofl rofl
One.. that's the first error... think1 Uhmmmm... it starts slowly.. the addiction, the urdge, must have the precious.... next your eating Ramen noodles and lettuce to afford the habit.. it's ok.. we've been there, done that..have empty bank accounts, full safes, and some have divorce papers, oops.. thumb1, we'll help you thru a greater and deeper addiction.. show you the way.. thumb1
Welcome.. and that's some seriously nice wood on that one... for a refinish.. most don't turn out that well.. I woulda bought it too.. thumb1
Tsssss, GM! You are not supposed to tell him about "empty bank accounts, full safes, noodles, etc." Not yet, anyway rofl
Nice SKS there, ceedub53! I like the beech stock, refinished or not thumb1
The refinish job does look good. That being said, I thought buds got their supply from Albanian cache's, when did they start peddling bubbas work?
On a serious note how does a cosmo special supposedly straight out of the crate come in already redone? That's probably a huge win for some, I personally would have been livid as that's half of the joy of buying the cosmo/ufixem/cracked stock/ special etc.
Either way she seems like a good functional shooter for the years to come. thumb1
This was a "cosmolene" special from Buds. It was almost unrecognizable... lol. I did the refinish work myself because the stock had no markings on it, except for a blemish here and a bump there. I had to seal the stock with lacquer because the cosmolene kept leaching from the stock. It was a labor of love for sure and I'm grateful it turned out as well as it did. I'm anxious to get this back from Murrays so that I can take it to the range and have some fun.
Leaking cosmoline.. oh the joy, love some storage grease... that stuff is like doe in heat or hoppes9. chuckles1 I've had some rifles for years that when really hot they can still get nice and slickery.. Don't be surprised if it still seeps some... If it's really soaked deep it can actually bubble up the finish after a while..
Quote from: ceedub53 on May 22, 2022, 10:28:36 PM
This was a "cosmolene" special from Buds. It was almost unrecognizable... lol. I did the refinish work myself because the stock had no markings on it, except for a blemish here and a bump there. I had to seal the stock with lacquer because the cosmolene kept leaching from the stock. It was a labor of love for sure and I'm grateful it turned out as well as it did. I'm anxious to get this back from Murrays so that I can take it to the range and have some fun.
Oh dear... Saying that is the first sign of it starting. ::) ::) ::)
Unfortunately there is no cure and it only gets worse. Besplode
Quote from: Greasemonkey on May 23, 2022, 04:44:57 AM
Leaking cosmoline.. oh the joy, love some storage grease... that stuff is like doe in heat or hoppes9. chuckles1 I've had some rifles for years that when really hot they can still get nice and slickery.. Don't be surprised if it still seeps some... If it's really soaked deep it can actually bubble up the finish after a while..
Mine still ooze some cosmoline after getting warm at the range. I did a pretty thorough job of cleaning them, but it still comes out from somewhere.
I'm already trying to figure out what to tell the wife when I get another SKS. I can hear it now: "Why do you need another, two of them"? I'll wait a few months... chuckles1 Hope the economy stays afloat.
Quote from: ceedub53 on May 23, 2022, 09:33:44 PM
I'm already trying to figure out what to tell the wife when I get another SKS. I can hear it now: "Why do you need another, two of them"? I'll wait a few months... chuckles1 Hope the economy stays afloat.
Bah!! it gets easier when you get to........10....... or 25.. :o it just comes to you naturally at that point. thumb1
The 'divot' in the Alby replacement stocks rears its head yet again. Why the are there isn't known I don't think, but dang those sure are a dead giveaway!
ceedub, did you refinish down to bare wood and add the color as well or just add a layer of lacquer on top of what was already there? The reason I ask is the Alby replacement stocks had a muddy brown color that looked like this, I've not seen any that looked like yours (which I like much better than the 'stock' look as it came from Gramsh):
(https://i.ibb.co/kJg79Tz/IMG-4056.jpg)
How's the fit? I see that the stock bayo groove might be a little shallow at the tip of the bayo (or maybe that's an optical illusion). At any rate, nice carbine at a very good price. thumb1
I did moderate sanding and then stained the stock with Minwax "Wood Finish" Penetrating Stain Dark Walnut 2716". The stock was a little lighter before the walnut stain, but surprised me the way the stain made the grain "pop" the way it did. I added the lacquer as the stock was leaching cosmolene. The lacquer seems to have sealed it up so far. This stock had to be an arsenal replacement (?) as it came with the rifle cosmolene and all. The fit of the stock around the upper end of the hand guard looks a little sloppy but blends in ok if you aren't looking too close, otherwise the receiver fits it well. Not sure what you mean by "divot".
Here is a pic of the poor stock fitment (right side/end of hand guard. The opposite is better. Not too noticeable, but a trained eye would catch this.
Bayonet fit to stock looks ok?
(https://i.ibb.co/G9qtXqW/Unknown-3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0KxFkxC)
(https://i.ibb.co/q7YJ211/Unknown-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Jmj3Skk)
(https://i.ibb.co/TBMXbJD/Unknown.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1fGVdBY)
(https://i.ibb.co/SKScQpZ/Unknown-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9qPhwjd)
The reason I went with dark walnut stain is because the hand guard was darker than the stock. I couldn't do too much color wise with the hand guard except try to match the stock color with it, which was the desired end result.
Neat!
By divots, I mean these. They are always in this location too:
(https://i.ibb.co/3dQNBHq/47-A624-E6-A5-FB-4347-A681-BF6104252655.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Rp4TZKC/75-DBB0-B1-DDD7-45-E1-8-C27-3-B15742-C84-E4.jpg)
The fit at the front ferrule is also a good indicator of Albanian origin replacement stocks. Quite a bit of fittment is required to get them into a carbine. The bayo channel on yours looks custom cut, almost zero clearance instead of the typical half round slot the mill typically leaves during std production.
It’s a neat example you have for certain, I’ve not noticed many Albanian made replacement stocks on spike Chinese type 56’s in general. (The three or four type 56’s I own with these stocks and the loose replacement stocks I have are all blade bayo models). thumb1
Actually never noticed the divot before, Here's mine on an 11M spiker with replacement Alby stock.
(I notice they didn't give a damn if the lumber they used to cut the stocks was full of knots, that little one there isn't half as bad as the one going through the magwell) :(
(https://i.ibb.co/68rZf1F/11mil10.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dtjczLD)
Something knotty.
(https://i.ibb.co/tQ0CF8S/11mil12.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5GQcwBd)
Those divots are weird for sure, can't deny the placement... Thanks for all the feedback!