Is this SKS a refurb?

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bp2626

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Recently purchased an SKS that was supposed to be unrefurbished from a dealer here but I think it may actually be a refurb.

I gave it a once over when I purchased it and everything seemed alright, threw it in the safe and didn't worry about it. Brought it out for a closer look and I found something I've never seen before.

Everything is 100% correct for a mid-1950 SKS at first glance, no refurb mark, everything is matching, including the rear sight, until, we get to the stock.

-Inspection cartouche is quite light, probably sanded or just very lightly stamped
-Cartouches on the left side of the stock near the cross bolt are missing, in there place is a single backward R stamp
-Stock is missing year and tula star on left side
-Serial numbers on stock are matching and there are NO ###X or lined out numbers indicating a previously issued stock

My best guess: Stock was refurbished from a new, unused stock. I am no expert on these though, please feel free to chime in.

Photos:
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jv9aikPl.jpg
 
bp2626 said:
What do you need to see?
Click to expand...

Pictures of the whole gun both sides. The top and back end of the receiver cover. Close in pics of both sides. Pics of serialed portions of the magazine and trigger group. Close up pic of the fore grip crossbolt on both sides. Take the pictures outside in natural light if you can. Those give the best detail as many pics taken inside are dark and hard to see. It would depend on the year of production as well. Actually going by the year alone unless it is a later production gun, all non refurb guns will have the Factory and date stamp on it. It was only the late production where they started only stamping the serial number. But most of those are laminate stocks. So again it most likely is a refurb unless it is from a very small time frame where they were switching to not using the Factory/Date stamping and switching from using the hardwood stock to laminate. It is also an excuse to get some more SKS #### posted. We have been running thin a little of late... ;)
 
If it is a recent Ukrainian import all date and factory stamps will be missing from stocks even if the gun is new. This was done on purpose to hide were the guns were stored since in the same areas military base numbers were also stamped. I'm talking area around cross bolt and side of the butt stock. Keep in mind that this guns were stored all over the former Soviet Union and Ukraine was just the transit point before they made into Canada. Many markings were removed even on new guns just to hide their origin
 
ljones said:
Pictures of the whole gun both sides. The top and back end of the receiver cover. Close in pics of both sides. Pics of serialed portions of the magazine and trigger group. Close up pic of the fore grip crossbolt on both sides. Take the pictures outside in natural light if you can. Those give the best detail as many pics taken inside are dark and hard to see. It would depend on the year of production as well. Actually going by the year alone unless it is a later production gun, all non refurb guns will have the Factory and date stamp on it. It was only the late production where they started only stamping the serial number. But most of those are laminate stocks. So again it most likely is a refurb unless it is from a very small time frame where they were switching to not using the Factory/Date stamping and switching from using the hardwood stock to laminate. It is also an excuse to get some more SKS #### posted. We have been running thin a little of late... ;)
Click to expand...

Everything is 100% correct but the areas of the stock where I took photos.

wojnar said:
If it is a recent Ukrainian import all date and factory stamps will be missing from stocks even if the gun is new. This was done on purpose to hide were the guns were stored since in the same areas military base numbers were also stamped. I'm talking area around cross bolt and side of the butt stock. Keep in mind that this guns were stored all over the former Soviet Union and Ukraine was just the transit point before they made into Canada. Many markings were removed even on new guns just to hide their origin
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a recent Ukrainian import.

Do you have more information or a source for this?
 
Does not look like it was. Keep in mind that they were stored for 50 years and at least during soviet times they were regularly inspected and moved around. Stamps were added and removed depends where it went
 
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