Does a refurbished rifle necessarily mean it was ever issued? I bought an unissued 1952 Tula sks with laminate stock and noticed the refurbished marks on the rifle after reading some threads on here. All the serial numbers match but it has a "n" symbol on the forestock and a diamond stamp on the top cover. Could it have been unissued? cheers
Unissued/Refurb - sks
- Thread starter freewheel
- Start date
No, because it was refurb. he may have seen little use but he was used. Laminate stock is not correct on a 1952. The proper stock would have been hardwood one on a non refurb or unissued rifle. Some refurb have only the stock replaced sometime,without any others major work.
what he said,and to add,my '54 izzy has only had the original stock replaced with a laminate and doesn't have any diamond or refurb stamps on it. So,someone please correct but,I think if your seeing refurb marks some sort of other work was done at the arsenal...which isn't a bad thing BTW
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- In the Badlands of Alberta
Unissued might be a misnomer when it comes to Russian SKSs. Non-refurbed is actually a better description. Your gun sounds like it was stored after refurbishment. Some refurbs have markings,some do not. Depends on who and where the refurb was done.
Can you tell by looking at the gas piston and bolt face?
I remember someone mentioned there shouldn't be any burning marks / scars on the gas piston for any non-issued one.
Also, the bolt face should be nice and clean without any primer marks.
Can you use those as a guide?
I remember someone mentioned there shouldn't be any burning marks / scars on the gas piston for any non-issued one.
Also, the bolt face should be nice and clean without any primer marks.
Can you use those as a guide?
Even brand new ones were "test fired" back in the day soooo I'm going to say no. Having said that if someone is selling an un-issued sks and there is obvious signs of it being shot either in the trigger mech or gas tube and op rod....well then he's full of sh1t go elsewhere,like oh I dunno....WEIMAJACK!!!! {lawyer made me put this next bit in} The views expressed in the above thread are not corporately endorsed and Plinker has no affiliation with said EE dealer what so ever BLA,BLA....you know what I mean
No because even if they were test fired, they have been cleaned before storage. I have 2 refurb 1949 and a excellent non refurb 1952, all 3 show bluing wear on the hammer face. I also have a unissued 1953,(was advertised unissued) bluing on the hammer is perfect, i dont think they put a huge amount of rounds for test firing,no dent on the hammer, metal of the rifle is spotless. Stock have fews handling marks, perfectly normal, i dont think unfired sks exist because they must have been test fired a fews shots,unissued could be possible or unfired since refurb also.
A 52 with a laminate stock and diamond stamp is a definite refurb. But once more, post pics!
I don't really believe in the "unissued" SKS. I'm betting some were very lightly used by officers or for guard duty, then checked out at the arsenal and stored. Could be wrong, but I think there would be entire crates of non refurb rifles if they were never issued. Anybody ever see a full crate of nonrefurbs? I have 2 that are non refurbs, but I'm sure they belonged to somebody in the Soviet army at one point in time.
I don't really believe in the "unissued" SKS. I'm betting some were very lightly used by officers or for guard duty, then checked out at the arsenal and stored. Could be wrong, but I think there would be entire crates of non refurb rifles if they were never issued. Anybody ever see a full crate of nonrefurbs? I have 2 that are non refurbs, but I'm sure they belonged to somebody in the Soviet army at one point in time.
Russians perhaps....Chinese sks's another matter. There are sea containers full of brand new never issued sks's...just to be clear
Russians perhaps....Chinese sks's another matter. There are sea containers full of brand new never issued sks's...just to be clear
Yeah, I should have said Russian, but that's what the OP is talking about. There are tons of unissued Chinese and Yugos out there.
Even brand new ones were "test fired" back in the day soooo I'm going to say no. Having said that if someone is selling an un-issued sks and there is obvious signs of it being shot either in the trigger mech or gas tube and op rod....well then he's full of sh1t go elsewhere,like oh I dunno....WEIMAJACK!!!! {lawyer made me put this next bit in} The views expressed in the above thread are not corporately endorsed and Plinker has no affiliation with said EE dealer what so ever BLA,BLA....you know what I mean
Just so I'm clear. The above is to be read with tongue in cheek. My advice is that if you are suspicious to the way someone is presenting a rifles condition/history to you,your concerns are probably well founded.Steer clear of the fly by night guys and deal with a reputable dealer like WEIMAJACK on EE here. And no, I don't work for him or have any affiliations with him at all. I have bought from him in the past and will again in the future. Great guy to deal with and IMHO really picks the "beauties" from the bunch....Keep up the great work Jacques.
