- Location
- East of Home, West of the Rest
It isn't the first two letters. It is about the single letter that follows the serial numbers.
letter dated SKS's
- Thread starter hacer2
- Start date
It isn't the first two letters. It is about the single letter that follows the serial numbers.
These will have a star on the receiver behind the serial number plus a single letter after the regular serial number eg: ЛБ ###X И (Star)
I saw this on the site too recently and looked into my own rifles. And it doesn't line up with three of my unrefurb'd letter rifles:
Rifle 1. Receiver cover marked with Tula Star dated 1955, but left side of receiver also marked with Tula Star and 'N' letter series. All serial parts match and no signs of a refurb.
Rifle 2. Receiver cover marked with Tula Star non-dated, left side of receiver marked with Tula Star and 'N' letter series. All serial parts match and no signs of a refurb.
Rifle 3. Receiver cover blank, left side of reciever Tula Star. All serial parts match and no signs of a refurb.
These slight variations and the use of left over receiver covers makes more sense for the 55/56 years of production as all rifles fall within the same letter series, but demonstrate the diminished use of marked receiver covers.
I also have another rifle dated on the receiver cover Tula Star 1955 with no Tula star on the left receiver, also indicating a change from markings on the receiver cover to the left side of the receiver.
I also have another rifles with a wood stock, Tula Star marked cover, with no date on the side of the receiver that falls into the 'A' letter range.
Again demonstrating a progression in my mind of 1955 production falling into the 'A' and 'N' range and 55/56 rifles falling into the 'K' range (my 'K' letter series has a blank cover, lami stock and has a Tula marked left receiver).
Interesting theory? Yes, but it doesn't line up with examples from rifle production.
Rifle 1. Receiver cover marked with Tula Star dated 1955, but left side of receiver also marked with Tula Star and 'N' letter series. All serial parts match and no signs of a refurb.
Rifle 2. Receiver cover marked with Tula Star non-dated, left side of receiver marked with Tula Star and 'N' letter series. All serial parts match and no signs of a refurb.
Rifle 3. Receiver cover blank, left side of reciever Tula Star. All serial parts match and no signs of a refurb.
These slight variations and the use of left over receiver covers makes more sense for the 55/56 years of production as all rifles fall within the same letter series, but demonstrate the diminished use of marked receiver covers.
I also have another rifle dated on the receiver cover Tula Star 1955 with no Tula star on the left receiver, also indicating a change from markings on the receiver cover to the left side of the receiver.
I also have another rifles with a wood stock, Tula Star marked cover, with no date on the side of the receiver that falls into the 'A' letter range.
Again demonstrating a progression in my mind of 1955 production falling into the 'A' and 'N' range and 55/56 rifles falling into the 'K' range (my 'K' letter series has a blank cover, lami stock and has a Tula marked left receiver).
Interesting theory? Yes, but it doesn't line up with examples from rifle production.
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- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
Agentcq; you present a compelling and classic argument. I will play devil's advocate and say that towards the end of SKS production (parts assembly), after the Soviets sold the Tula tooling to China, that they assembled SKS's from spare parts including parts made in late 1955.
The 'no date' non-letter series SKS's were likely made with parts made in very late 1955 or very early 1956. Some 1955 SKS's were dated, others were not... parts bins get mixed all the time. This was near the end of production and Tula was likely building a large inventory of parts.
I was a big skeptic at first, but I am slowly growing into a 1956-58 letter series believer. They were parts bin SKS's.
Just to respond to Jones above... I have access to a larger database of serial numbers than what's provided in my registry. All three letter series are more less equal in number/percentage, with K being slightly less.
The 'no date' non-letter series SKS's were likely made with parts made in very late 1955 or very early 1956. Some 1955 SKS's were dated, others were not... parts bins get mixed all the time. This was near the end of production and Tula was likely building a large inventory of parts.
I was a big skeptic at first, but I am slowly growing into a 1956-58 letter series believer. They were parts bin SKS's.
Just to respond to Jones above... I have access to a larger database of serial numbers than what's provided in my registry. All three letter series are more less equal in number/percentage, with K being slightly less.
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Kurgan
You provide a good argument as well. I think someone with a data base would need to really try to trend patterns. For example if you had a clear pattern of rifles in the 'N' series with Tula star 1955 receiver covers it would indicate that these rifles were in fact made in 1955. However, if there is not clear pattern it would lean more towards this new theory.
I know a few individuals who trend patterns within serial number ranges for K98's in order to determine legit snipers, SS rifles, etc.
You provide a good argument as well. I think someone with a data base would need to really try to trend patterns. For example if you had a clear pattern of rifles in the 'N' series with Tula star 1955 receiver covers it would indicate that these rifles were in fact made in 1955. However, if there is not clear pattern it would lean more towards this new theory.
I know a few individuals who trend patterns within serial number ranges for K98's in order to determine legit snipers, SS rifles, etc.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
From the full registry... Tula single Cyrillic character suffix FACTS that you can all debate until the cows come home:
Д 1955=14 1955/56=122
И 1955=2 1955/56=161
К 1955=0 1955/56=114
Note: some 1954 Izhevsk arsenal SKS's employ the aforementioned suffixes, as well as 14 other characters.
Д 1955=14 1955/56=122
И 1955=2 1955/56=161
К 1955=0 1955/56=114
Note: some 1954 Izhevsk arsenal SKS's employ the aforementioned suffixes, as well as 14 other characters.
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- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
I am not 100% convinced. I am just impressed with the strength of the theory. In truth, I still lean towards 1956 assembly for the simple fact that overall proportions of all "1955/56 no date" Tulas are still lower than many previous production years. In the end, it really doesn't matter as its clear that the "1955/56" Tulas were assembled from a supply of parts made in late 1955 or very early 1956, possibly by smaller arsenals.
It is just that I have passed many I letter guns through my hands of late. Most heavily refurbed. I have talked to others with crates of them but, I have seen few, very few D and I have personally seen no K at all...
- Location
- East of Home, West of the Rest
About the 55s. Refurbs? Receiver covers swapped? Left over 55 covers used?
I personally own a K I got a blank refurb cover on it
upside down picture im doing this via phone
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
Maybe. However, most are probably "1955/56" with receiver covers made in late 1955 and taken out of the parts bin.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
It's just coincidence. According to the registry, it's fairly evenly split...
Д 1955=14 1955/56=122
И 1955=2 1955/56=161
К 1955=0 1955/56=114
Interesting. I managed to get the one D letter gun WestRifle just put up a few days ago. It is a refurb but it has a fairly dark laminate stock. No inspection cartouches around the forstock bolt. But in excellent condition though. And a refurb 53 Izzy. Just need a K letter gun and my Collection is complete.
I have 2 with the 56 mark on them, blank cover birch stock, Starting to warm up to this theory for sure. There are no refurb marks on the receiver/barrel or mag, not the stock either however there is a slight dip in the stock where it looks like they belt sanded the old serial # off and re stamped it. They are both black bayo's, people said before that the black bayo was refurb, not so sure,they are more slender and very smooth. I think they are parts bin assembly rifles and when it came to the stock, they grabbed the first one near them and stamped the serial #. The receiver/barrel, mag and bolt look new, unlike any of my other SKS, the bluing is phenominal, they are around 2000 apart in serial #! Refurb or not they are the best looking of my SKS!
