Russian SKS45 long thread.

Sorry to hear that your SKS is not in the shape you were hoping! I hope your able to resolve it with the dealer, I am very curious as to what condition it arrived in???

Here's hoping you track down a good one!

Cheers
Jay



Claven2 said:
Got my SKS today. Very disappointed. We'll leave it at that until after I contact the dealer I got it from.
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Ok, here are the pictures. Bear in mind that I had to 'dumb 'em up' a bit because of dialup.

Before picture taken with previous owner's camera, after pictures taken with my camera, obviously.

Also bear in mind that the wood on the Chinese Type 56 (Fac 26) SKS is much crappier looking than on the Russian SKS'. I'm not quite sure what the wood is, but when it was stripped, it was very soft and felt like I could pick it apart with my fingers. I have stained other stocks in Sedona Red and have great results.

BEFORE
23.jpg



AFTER (The stock is actually much darker than in the picture, and stains even darker with birch)

21.jpg




It's a unique woodtype but still turned out alright. If you're unsure, buy a small can for 5 bucks, go buy a few different nugs of wood and test it out. I promise you won't be disappointed if you want to refinish your Russian with the same stain!

EDIT: I also stained/wiped off quick with cheese cloth. If you want an even darker red, let it set in for a few minutes. Open a can of Sedona Red and you'll see how dark and rich it is.

No, I'm not a Miniwax spokesman :)
 
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SIR sks

apparently mine should be at the post office so i asked my gf to pick it up for me and ill see what it looks like tomorrow night when i get back from valcartier :)
 
Ok so I've got pics now, although crappy ones. No markings on top cover other than the refurb mark, but there is a star on the left side of the reciever. From what I can tell it is a 1955/56 tula refurb. Has electro penciled gas tube, force matched mag and this is the 3rd rifle the stock has been on. Is this a laminate stock? I dont think, but I find it hard to tell. Quite pleased with it. Thanks

sks001.jpg


sks004.jpg
 
Gas cylinders were never stamped with the serial number on Russian SKS or any other. Look at the tube and you'll see why. Too thin, too round.

The gas cylinder will have it's original number EP'd on the bottom of the tube. Typically, the gas tube will display the number on the side of the tube when re-numbered. or elsewhere on the circumference if done several times.
 
scruffee said:
apparently mine should be at the post office so i asked my gf to pick it up for me and ill see what it looks like tomorrow night when i get back from valcartier :)
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Don't know what province you are in but here in Ontario, ONLY the person to whom the package is addressed can pick it up at the post office. And then you must show photo ID that has an address matching the one on the package.

They can leave it at your door as long as ANYONE is there to sign for it (of proper age), but to pick it up it must be the actual customer.

Hope you got a good one.
 
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Fry said:
If you're stripping and going to stain/seal, I recommend the following.


Stripper - (Me), OR, Circa

Stain - Miniwax Sedona Red

Seal - Miniwax polyurethane SATIN

You will NOT be disappointed, I promise! Use those green plastic abrasive pads from crappy tire in conjunction with circa. Msg me for pics. I did my Chinese SKS and have before/after pics.
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Woodbeef said:
But there is one problem with using a stain,as Miss Val pointed out to me. Once you stain it you're stuck with it. Where as using tinted shellac you can remove it and start over.
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Nope. Try some Circa wood stripper, Woodbeef. It works WONDERS!
 
That would make it alot easier then Fry. I've talked to a couple of the restoration gurus south of the border about it. Most seem to have given up on trying to match the shellac color,and went to stain. They say you can get pretty close if you keep experimenting with stain. But never perfect,if you put an original up next to it. A shade of mahogany is what they are using.
 
Woodbeef said:
Hey 1300 that's a regular Arctic Birch stock. A laminate you can tell by laying the gun on it's edge. The plies run verticaly through the stock,but horizontal on the handguard.
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Thanks :) I actualy did this and seen no plies but I wanted a second opinion as the paint (or shelac) is thick and makes it hard to see through in parts. Either way I likes my rifle!
 
Woodbeef said:
But there is one problem with using a stain,as Miss Val pointed out to me. Once you stain it you're stuck with it. Where as using tinted shellac you can remove it and start over.
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although why would you ever want to re-color it something else? If you do though, you get through 99% of the stain with a light sanding

//waits for someone to post pics of horrible green tinted stain job

north_ivy.jpg


maybe blue for "russian navy edition" sks?

deep_ocean.jpg


LOL
 
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eos said:
Gas cylinders were never stamped with the serial number on Russian SKS or any other. Look at the tube and you'll see why. Too thin, too round.

The gas cylinder will have it's original number EP'd on the bottom of the tube. Typically, the gas tube will display the number on the side of the tube when re-numbered. or elsewhere on the circumference if done several times.
Click to expand...

I have a question for the "experts". Was the EP on the gas cylinder done as part of the manufacturing process? or is this a sign of refurb? Would an unissued rifle still have EP anywhere on it? (Electro Pencil).

I believe the two SKS that I received are both refurbs (1951r Tula). Both have stocks with ###X'ed out numbers, EP'ed gas cylinders, & one has EP on the extractor. Both appear to have been fired. I had planned to keep one as a collector if it appeared unfired, but since I didn't get lucky in that regard, I just plan to shoot the hell out of them :D.

George

HSSKSfull291.jpg


HSSKSstock292.jpg


Stock270.jpg


HSSKSdisassembled303.jpg


Has anyone seen a gas piston spring like this? It appears to be made from a twisted wire rope.

HSSKSpistonspring305.jpg


If you look closely, you can see the EP on the gas tube. Can't really notice it when the gun is assembled.

HSSKSEPedgastube299.jpg
 
THX-1138 said:
although why would you ever want to re-color it something else? If you do though, you get through 99% of the stain with a light sanding

//waits for someone to post pics of horrible green tinted stain job

north_ivy.jpg


maybe blue for "russian navy edition" sks?

deep_ocean.jpg


LOL
Click to expand...

I am against sanding since I have found Circa. While my stains never are exact to the real deal, I am very happy with the result.
 
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