Non refurb Sks?

In The Black

In The Black

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What are your thoughts on this one?
Selling my way through the safe, this one is next on the chopping block.

Is it a non refurb? All matching, no force match, no heavy wood varnish.
Blued.

What sort of price point?

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Thanks for having a look!
 

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Definitely nice with the color discoloration on the rear cover. Without further due, I'd say it was unissued until somebody refinished the stock with mini wax. Value is very hard to estimate. I have the exact same one and year, so they are not uncommon, paid $450 last year with shipping.
 
It seems I’m out of storage on here, I’ll add some more photos once I sort that out.

I don’t believe the wood has been altered, but you guys would know best. As far as I’m aware, this came direct through the importer, to me. Sat here ever since. But who knows..
 
In The Black said:
It seems I’m out of storage on here, I’ll add some more photos once I sort that out.

I don’t believe the wood has been altered, but you guys would know best. As far as I’m aware, this came direct through the importer, to me. Sat here ever since. But who knows..
Click to expand...

You should know if you removed the cosmoline, as I said, it is my first guess. I would not sell mine for $450, you should get more but right now the focus is on the new Chinese import which are quite cheap.
 
So...

With Russian Tulas 1954 and before...a lot of people list stuff with "matching serial numbers". That means nothing. OK, so it's not force matched (ie. ######ed over). Still doesn't mean anything...

Here are some definite signs of refurb for Tulas...

1. left side of stock - what does it look like? If it has the Tula star, year and matching number without ######, that is a good sign. Some Russian rifles have JUST the serial number etched on...those are refurbs
2. left side of gun - where the crossbolt is - are there cartouches there (little symbols)? If so that is a good sign
3. Do you have anything that is a rectangle with a slash through it or a diamond with a slash through it. Those are all refurb signs
4. Is the stock the reddish arctic birch? If so, check #1.
5. Is the bayonet black? If so it's a refurb

There are also other stuff like obvious BBQ paint used, peened screw/pin on the bayonet and other things like the gas tube handguard having slightly different colouration...or the fit is such that the lever is extremely hard to operate...

Some non related stuff - some people like the pinned follower rather than the welded block on the mag...which is not aesthetically pleasing - and may require BBQ paint to cover.
 
thegazelle said:
So...

With Russian Tulas 1954 and before...a lot of people list stuff with "matching serial numbers". That means nothing. OK, so it's not force matched (ie. ######ed over). Still doesn't mean anything...

Here are some definite signs of refurb for Tulas...

1. left side of stock - what does it look like? If it has the Tula star, year and matching number without ######, that is a good sign. Some Russian rifles have JUST the serial number etched on...those are refurbs
2. left side of gun - where the crossbolt is - are there cartouches there (little symbols)? If so that is a good sign
3. Do you have anything that is a rectangle with a slash through it or a diamond with a slash through it. Those are all refurb signs
4. Is the stock the reddish arctic birch? If so, check #1.
5. Is the bayonet black? If so it's a refurb

There are also other stuff like obvious BBQ paint used, peened screw/pin on the bayonet and other things like the gas tube handguard having slightly different colouration...or the fit is such that the lever is extremely hard to operate...

Some non related stuff - some people like the pinned follower rather than the welded block on the mag...which is not aesthetically pleasing - and may require BBQ paint to cover.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the depth of response, thank you for the knowledge!

#1- yes. Star and serial.
#2-yes. 4 of them.
#3 no.


I’ll get some more photos posted.

Thanks again!
 
In The Black said:
I appreciate the depth of response, thank you for the knowledge!

#1- yes. Star and serial.
#2-yes. 4 of them.
#3 no.


I’ll get some more photos posted.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Doesn't look like you used it, but always worth checking the handguard/gas tube...is the piston seized in there, or moving free? If it was used previously with corrosive ammo and not cleaned properly there will be corrosion in that area - in the tube and / or on the piston rod.

Also if you havne't shot it yet, may want to remove the bolt and give it a shake. If it doesn't rattle, and the FP is seized in there, it will cause a slamfire...it's an easy fix to remove the FP retaining pin, take out the free floating FP and clean it as well as the channel...and may as well clean extractor too...now, this is something people buying may/should know, but not everyone does. Also if the thing was sludged with cosmo and only cleaned on the surface, the sear on the trigger assembly may be seized as well and need to be taken apart to clean - otherwise, it will affect reset operations.
 
fritzhanzel said:
You should know if you removed the cosmoline, as I said, it is my first guess. I would not sell mine for $450, you should get more but right now the focus is on the new Chinese import which are quite cheap.
Click to expand...

Agree with this - since the infusion of those Chinese SKSes at various retailers - and based on feedback from people, they are predominantly in immaculate condition, that has definitely affected the demand for the Russian ones. I was at Tenda looking at one of the Chinese ones and I could not believe how good of a condition it was.
 
thegazelle said:
Agree with this - since the infusion of those Chinese SKSes at various retailers - and based on feedback from people, they are predominantly in immaculate condition, that has definitely affected the demand for the Russian ones. I was at Tenda looking at one of the Chinese ones and I could not believe how good of a condition it was.
Click to expand...

Best to let it rest another few years then perhaps.

What’s a Chinese one go for? 500+tax ish?
 
I just scored a beauty unfired unissued chrome lined 51 for $200 hard to beat at that price lol.
 
I don't think that sks has been refurbished, I have an identical one that I got from lever arms years ago and it is a non refurb as well
As to value I am not sure anymore as a run of the mill sks goes for 550ish nowadays
 
In The Black said:
Best to let it rest another few years then perhaps.

What’s a Chinese one go for? 500+tax ish?
Click to expand...

What kind of chinese SKS? There are a load of different imports as far as I remember. (from like 10 years ago when people were collecting, lots of old threads on here.) Military or Commercial? 'Factory 26' with special markings was a specific if I remember correct. Some may have even had a stamped receiver...
 
How is the mag pinned? The ones that are done internally without a large rivet or weld on the floorplate will go for more. I liquidated a large sks collection a year or 2 ago and sold several in that condign in the 6-700 range then. If well photographed and without any serious flaws I could see you getting 7-800 for it without too much effort.
 
Deathrawt said:
I don't think that sks has been refurbished, I have an identical one that I got from lever arms years ago and it is a non refurb as well
As to value I am not sure anymore as a run of the mill sks goes for 550ish nowadays
Click to expand...

I have seen quite a few for $400, not even selling fast. The prices for SKS are cyclical. You can buy a brand new Chinese military one for $450 to 500 from dealers, the wood looks very solid. I would buy one of those over the one pictured above, especially with the ugly weld. I have one like this, paid $400 with 250 rounds on stripper clips, not matching but that's very similar to the ugly weld one. You can always file it flat and reblu, so it looks nice, that's what I did. Last year I sold 2 for $750 when the market was hot but I would not get that today for sure.
 
OP, I don't believe your SKS was refinished with "min wax"

As for someone having an identical date, that isn't much proof IMHO that all 1959 rifles had the shiney finish that is seen on most surplus Soviet surplus firearms with wood stocks.

Just over 45 years ago, I purchased ten crates of SKS rifles in a bulk buy.

I didn't get to ''hand pick'' any of the rifles and had to rely on the people I was purchasing from to be honest with what they claimed were anywhere from new, unissued to fresh out of FTR and VG to excellent grade issue rifles. They came out of Bulgaria and were definitely Russian manufacture.

They were definitely a mix master of dates and the condition I was promiced was held to a high standard.

One crate of the rifles had all natural Arctic Birch stocks, with a very light protective finish that appeared to be some sort of wax. All of the rifles in that crate bore all of the proper Russian stamps on the wood as well as the metal. All were as new, unissued. I had a hard time selling those. Everyone wanted RED or Laminated stocks.

The stocks and finish on many of the ''issue" were identical to that in your picture. They weren't slathered in dewaxed "shellac''

None of the stamps on the stock of your rifle appear to be sanded or enhanced as often happens when a chemical finish remover is used to remove the shellac.

IMHO, it was issued and gently used but never received the heavy shellac coatings we're so familiar with.

When it comes to milsurps, anything is possible, whether done by a factory armorer or bubba after being released to surplus vendors. Many of the rifles sent to India had all sorts of, correct for them, modifications made to all models to keep them in serviceable condition longer and more suitable to their conditions. This is true, for every nation with a military.
 
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