Markings On SKS Bolt Carrier

VancouverSkiBum

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Hi guys! Just got my new baby the other day on finally took it out shooting! I love it, but I want to know some more! There is a lot of markings on the bolt carrier and I was hoping some of you can educate me as to their origin and purpose. Here are 2 pictures. Its a 1955r Tula all parts matching with laminate stock. Thanks!

OuPOtCZ.jpg


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They're arsenal inspection marks - refurbs will have a ton, non-refurbs usually have a few (mine does.)

As far as I know, no one's really deciphered what they exactly mean. I just assume they're put on the bolt as a way of showing that the bolt has been inspected by an armorer.

Also, these generally appear most commonly on Russian specimens. My Chinese carbines don't have them. Refurb Chinese Type 56's may have them, but arsenal refurbished Chinese SKS's are quite uncommon here in Canada as far as I know. I've never seen one in this country that didn't start its life in civilian hands unissued in the cosmoline.

I don't remember if my Yugo has anything like that...maybe a trip to the safe is in order.
 
When the guys in the armoury drink too much vodka, they get a little stamp crazy. The real comedians stamp dirty birds on them. Ivan, you crack me up!

Seriously though, I count 19 stamps, some three times... a little overkill.
 
Un-issued? Impossible!! Any Soviet Comrade will tell you these markings are directly related to the number of confirmed Capitalist Pigs it has taken down in the defence of Mother Russia and her Communist ideology!! The markings vary and are indicative of rank and the Fascist or Capitalist country of origin the pig belonged to, but the code is kept in the Kremlin...and we shouldn't talk about it much. (KGB still listens)

As always, have nice day. :)
 
When these bolts were manufactured, each machinist had to perform certain function with the bolt and had his own stamp on hand to mark his work. Then in the end assembly had final inspection and each bolt, if was inspected for proper machining and found improper machining then the inspector could trace the machinist and find out where he went wrong.

If you guys think that drunks or happy people were stamping your bolts with all sorts of characters just for fun, you will be mistaking.
This was serious business, during manufacture of defence equipment no cutting corners was permitted in 1950s Communist country.
 
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