Is the SKS barrel chromed?

[waterwheel]

My son bought a russian SKS 1952 rifle. He's asked me to ask you if there's a way to tell if the barrel is chromed?

 

[JimDO]

I believe all Russian sks made after 1950 have chromed barrels.

 

[Cgn99]

Yes it is

 

[Rick911]

My son bought a russian SKS 1952 rifle. He's asked me to ask you if there's a way to tell if the barrel is chromed?

By looking in the barrel.

What a shocker !

 

[polaris]

that's how the muzzle should look like.
BTW they are NOT all chromed.

 

[Johnyy]

Most people on here will tell you after a certain date that ALL the Russian SKS's are chromed,(I've heard 1950, 1951 & 1952! lol) This is NOT true, I have a very late production(1955/56) & it is Not Chrome Lined. It was not refurbished. Just look at the end of the barrel, it is either the same colour as the rest of the metal around it, or you may see a shiny ring (chrome), just compare it to a Chinese one, if you aren't sure,(those are chrome lined) also, just shine a decent flashlight down the barrel, maybe after you run a few patches. You can see the difference. Non Chrome lined are generally more accurate, as the bore has a tighter diameter. & Obvi. clean really well after shooting, don't wait for a few days. Most of the ammo you will shoot is corrosive.

 

[Nabs]

I think some 1952 and earlier dated SKSes were not chromed. Your best bet is to check the muzzle and look for the "white" layer around the crown (just like in picture from Polaris).

 

[Claven2]

I've seen the odd 1951 with chromed bores, I've never see an 52 with an un-chromed bore. Rifles dated 1952 and later with unchromed bores would be the exception, not the rule.

Yugo SKS's have unchromed bores.

Virtually all Chinese SKS's have chromed bores.

The rest of the variants are rifles you are not likely to encounter.

 

[EL34/6L6]

,,,

 

[John Sukey]

While the barrel is chromed, the gas tube is NOT! If you are shooting corrosive primed ammo, you need to remove that and give it the hot water treatment to flush out the primer salts.

 

[Gunusr]

While the barrel is chromed, the gas tube is NOT! If you are shooting corrosive primed ammo, you need to remove that and give it the hot water treatment to flush out the primer salts.

Bolts rust too...

 

[gewehr76]

My Barbecue painted SKS has chromed barrel, gas port and chamber. Trying to explain why some have things chromed is depending probably on application or what troops were carrying them.
In any case if you find barbecue painted sks look at the gas port and chamber and you'll find them chromed. that is most likely it was refurbished few times before no finish left so they just used black paint on them at refurbishment.