Refurb sks or not?

Boris Badinov said:
It certainly does look to have been painted. And bolt face wear and the traverse wear on all sides of the bolt indicate that it has been fired extensively. Did you get it as a new import or from a previous owner?

Also: does the buttplate look like the one on the left or the one on the right?


Original laminate stocks are generally thought to look like the one on the right, while a replacement laminate stock will have a buttplate like the one on the left.
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My new production replacement laminate stocks look like the right.
 
The Kurgan said:
In Canada, the overwhelming majority of SKS's available PRIOR to 2018 were mild refurbs (after which many bottom of the barrel crap and lease lends were thrown onto the Canadian market). Mild refurbs meaning: stock replacement with either recycled hardwood stocks or new production blonde laminate stocks, blued or matte silver coated bayonets (matte silver was usually factory original on 1953+) and gas tube/piston replacement. I have handled more SKS's than most members here, and I can tell you I have seen zero barrel replacements. There are also heavy refurbs that got the BBQ paint treatment and/or are parts mix masters, but their status as refurbs was never in doubt. This nonsense about electropenciled buttplates and/or painted buttplates as being indicative of refurbishment is complete and utter nonsense--the later simply being a storage method.
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Overall, I agree with your assessment. Especially regarding the utter lack of evidence of barrel replacement on the imported sks45's. :cheers:

However, I think EP serials and painted buttplates, though not attributable to original manufacture, are two of number of crossover traits that are associated with both refurbs and non-refurb guns. Wear patterns on many painted buttplates indicate that some were likely attached to issued-carbines, stored upright in armory racks, whereas true deep-storage guns would have been stored horizontally in crates with no such wear patterns on the buttplates.
 
The painted buttplates were to prevent corrosion during issue and during storage (rack or crate). There are two types of painted buttplates that I have seen: a dark green durable heavy paint (likely a refurb process) and an easily peelable black paint--which is what I am referring to above.
 
Interestingly, the buttplate on the right exhibits the heavy dark green paint (sometimes with yellowish tinge) that is not uncommon on laminate stock refurbs. This may have been applied to new production buttplates or recycled buttplates, but for certain it was meant to help combat corrosion.
 
Boris Badinov said:


Kurgan--

It turns out I was wrong. The buttplate on the right, without the tab, is associated with a replacement stock. I misunderstood the explanation.
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Laminate stocks are common for refurb, but Original laminate stocks seem to be very rare, 1955 and later is this true? This would mean the tab on the buttplate of a laminate stock is an original stock and somewhat rare.
 
jaroslav said:
I don't know what you are talking about. Solid wood stocks have a buttplate with a tab, laminated ones have NO TAB.
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How about this buttplate with a tab on my Tula SKS И (I) series manufactured in 1957?

bAKv8MY.jpg

An2OWX7.jpg
 
Doesn't look painted to me. The bayonet has extra peening marks, may have been replaced but that's not conclusive. I'd be leaning towards this being a non-refurb, unissued.
 
Extra peening marks are not uncommon. Tightening screws sometimes necessitated repeening. I don't classify expected maintenance during issue as refurbishment. I think the term "refurb" is commonly misused.
 
The Kurgan said:
Extra peening marks are not uncommon. Tightening screws sometimes necessitated repeening. I don't classify expected maintenance during issue as refurbishment. I think the term "refurb" is commonly misused.
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Absolutely. I agree. Also with many of these rifles there just isn't much indication of being fired. I have a hard believing that the Russian armories were "refurbishing" new rifles.
 
762.39 said:
Are there any sks experts can tell me if the sks is refurb or non refurb? I can't find any refurb marks but I may be missing something? Also, what's it worth today??.. it's unfired by me and I bought it 5 years ago. Gun is still in the grease and bore is perfect. It has gone through some rework to pin it, and it has a light spray varnish on it that scratches off with my fingernail.

Pictures here::

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rBAiCHQUWyGPE38W9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3VijdwwA99B6ETdr9
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Looks like a laminate stock Russian. One of the best looking SKSs.
 
I think the US forums are influenced by what was/is available stateside, and Canadians accessing those forums believe their info to be gospel true for what we got here--MUCH nicer and more plentiful SKS's for 1/3 the cost. Most Ukranian-sourced SKS's prior to 2018 were very mildly used at best, and a good percentage absolutely unused. Some got replacement stocks prior to storage--probably as Soviet-style make work programs and to slightly increase the durability of these rifles in the case of new production replacement Laminate stocks. There are heavier refurbs too pre-2018, but not as many (1949's and 1950's seem to be more in that category based on timing and military need). Now, of course, what's left are largely "shooter grade".

Boris has alot of knowledge and provides some excellent insight, but his observations (or what some other not-so-learned Americans spout) are based on what they have stateside (e.g. Russian "sneaks" via Albania--now God knows what happened in their refurb facilities!). So, guys, be a little more charitable--this is a forum where opinions sometimes vary, but we all share a common passion. Knowledge never advances when the drones only carry the party line!
 
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