Am I correct in assuming these are signs the stock was replaced in Albania? Side swivel and two holes in the stock.
The metal butt plate only has the one opening on Chinese models.
Finally got around to removing the cosmoline......
(https://i.ibb.co/5xn4vgW/image.png) (https://ibb.co/7NRCVdJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/jrKLQ2P/image.png) (https://ibb.co/vj5JTG6)
(https://i.ibb.co/YBqk466/image.png) (https://ibb.co/pj9z6gg)
More than likely yeah.
Not the side swivel, but the two hole butt stock for sure.
Another indication would be the missing stock serial . But I've seen a handful of obvious Alby replacement stocks with matching serials-- although the serials were clearly non-chinese in origin.
Quote from: Greatguns on July 04, 2022, 12:05:17 AM
More than likely yeah. Quote from: Boris Badinov on July 04, 2022, 01:44:23 AM
Not the side swivel, but the two hole butt stock for sure.
Another indication would be the missing stock serial . But I've seen a handful of obvious Alby replacement stocks with matching serials-- although the serials were clearly non-chinese in origin.
Thanks. I figured the double hole stock was a sure sign of replacement in Albania.
Interesting that the spring only fits one hole - can't put in a cleaning kit without the spring.
So, HN, the spring only fits in one hole? Or only one spring was supplied? I've never looked at my Alby to check that. Seems odd only one spring would be installed in the two-hole stocks. Doesn't seem like the cleaning kit or oil bottle would "eject" if the spring wasn't there.
I'll have to check mine when I can tomorrow.
firstchoice
Quote from: firstchoice on July 05, 2022, 02:51:54 AM
So, HN, the spring only fits in one hole? Or only one spring was supplied? I've never looked at my Alby to check that. Seems odd only one spring would be installed in the two-hole stocks. Doesn't seem like the cleaning kit or oil bottle would "eject" if the spring wasn't there.
I'll have to check mine when I can tomorrow.
firstchoice
It only has one spring..... Tried to put it in the center hole that lines up with the metal butt plate, but the base seemed bigger than the center hole.
I'll look at it again when I get time to finish cleaning it up. My guess was only one spring was used since it still has the Chinese single opening metal butt plate. It didn't have a cleaning kit and with no spring it wouldn't come out anyway.
HN, is that SKS one of the recent Bud's was selling?
Quote from: ceedub53 on July 05, 2022, 07:07:57 PM
HN, is that SKS one of the recent Bud's was selling?
No sir... It came from Atlantic Firearms last Summer. Think that was the last round of Chinese SKSs that they had.
I got two - both from 1969. This one is all matching metal with this replacement stock. The other is all matching.
The two deep, relatively equal sized holes certainly point towards it beginning it's life as an actual Albanian 561 replacement stock that was then cut down for a Chinese SKS HN. The stock in the middle is a Alby replacement stock made specifically for a blade bayonet Chinese SKS, while the other two are Albanian 561 stocks with spike bayonets:
(https://i.ibb.co/1XznnSB/IMG-4055.jpg)
This image shows what is under the buttplate of true serialized Alby stocks on Albanian SKS 561's:
(https://i.ibb.co/Hh5XcYp/0439-buttstock.jpg)
And this image is two more Sino-Banian SKSs with the same configuration as yours. Only one spring in the cleaning kit cavities seems to be the norm:
(https://i.ibb.co/kSVH8gF/real-alby-buttstock.jpg)
I've never noticed that the two holes are different sizes, but that may certainly be the case and it may be the case that the springs are different sizes. That one of those thing I'll have to check next time I have a buttplate off an Alby chuckles1.
The springs that go in the holes are tapered, meaning that the base is wider than the top. To insert them, you have to kind of 'wind' them in. This keeps the spring captive in the hole without any kind of retainer and prevents the spring from coming out when the oil bottle/cleaning kit is removed from either of the buttplate trap doors.
There also *may* be indications of 'the divot' right behind your sling swivel. Hard to really tell and from the prep before finish, application of the finish, and subsequent abuse, it kind of looks just like any other dent, but it's in the right spot.