Russian SKS Serial Number Registry
- Thread starter The Kurgan
- Start date
- Location
- Steel Town
I am a bit down lately with personal business, but I hope to have it back up and running with some sort of security feature to keep the spam out!
- Location
- Steel Town
BACK UP AND RUNNING. SORRY FOR THE DELAY. WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES.
You won't notice the spam filter running in the background.
You won't notice the spam filter running in the background.
walleyed99
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- I'm not telling, Sask
Just picked up 2, one 1953 non issued with a foced match laminate stock that appears to have never been fired. And a westrifle, 1949 numbers matching, no refrb mark, but has a painted spike bayonette(appears to be only noticable refurb marking) will supply numbers asap
- Location
- Steel Town
Percentage by year (approximately 4% of which are Izhevsk)
1949... 25, 1%
1950... 109, 5%
1951... 74, 3%
1952... 243, 11%
1953... 465, 20%
1954... 841, 37%
1955... 137, 6%
1955/56 (no date)... 402, 18%
Total... 2296 entries
Now for the most interesting calculation... SKS production total (so far) based on maximum serial number for each unique Cyrillic range (by year, prefix and suffix):
2,238,238
This production total will grow as the database grows. However, there are only a few more prefix/suffix combinations (by year) left, and I am now of the strong opinion that this number with ultimately level-out at approximately 2.5M units.
Take it for what it's worth, but super senior member "sksguide" is writing a book on the history of the SKS and has quoted a total production figure of 2,685,900 units, Tula and Izhevsk arsenals combined. He has not yet been able to separate the two factory totals.
"sksguide" is not a member of this forum (I don't think), so here is where I found the information:
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?103969-Izhevsk-SKS
This is what he said:
"Some folks on another board have questioned the production figures listed above. These production figures come from a russian language book written by s.v. monetchikov entitled and roughly translated as a history of the russian automatics. the other forum post calls me an expert. i don't call myself that. somehat knowledgable and still learning is more like it."
I am now confident that the 2.7M quoted by Monetchikov will be very close to my future production calculations! I am going to attempt to acquire a copy of the book and contact the author. I know people that can speak Russian, so I can ascertain his contacts and resources.
If all of the above is true, and I believe my methods/calculations are sound and forecasted to grow very close to Monetchikov's estimates, then the overall numbers of Russian SKS's are much less than what many believe at ~2.5 to 2.7M. Yes, the Chinese made many more, but from my perspective, they are as different as a Porche and a Chevy.
These are exciting times for Russian SKS collectors! And, while production numbers are fairly high, they are not "through the roof".
1949... 25, 1%
1950... 109, 5%
1951... 74, 3%
1952... 243, 11%
1953... 465, 20%
1954... 841, 37%
1955... 137, 6%
1955/56 (no date)... 402, 18%
Total... 2296 entries
Now for the most interesting calculation... SKS production total (so far) based on maximum serial number for each unique Cyrillic range (by year, prefix and suffix):
2,238,238
This production total will grow as the database grows. However, there are only a few more prefix/suffix combinations (by year) left, and I am now of the strong opinion that this number with ultimately level-out at approximately 2.5M units.
Take it for what it's worth, but super senior member "sksguide" is writing a book on the history of the SKS and has quoted a total production figure of 2,685,900 units, Tula and Izhevsk arsenals combined. He has not yet been able to separate the two factory totals.
"sksguide" is not a member of this forum (I don't think), so here is where I found the information:
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?103969-Izhevsk-SKS
This is what he said:
"Some folks on another board have questioned the production figures listed above. These production figures come from a russian language book written by s.v. monetchikov entitled and roughly translated as a history of the russian automatics. the other forum post calls me an expert. i don't call myself that. somehat knowledgable and still learning is more like it."
I am now confident that the 2.7M quoted by Monetchikov will be very close to my future production calculations! I am going to attempt to acquire a copy of the book and contact the author. I know people that can speak Russian, so I can ascertain his contacts and resources.
If all of the above is true, and I believe my methods/calculations are sound and forecasted to grow very close to Monetchikov's estimates, then the overall numbers of Russian SKS's are much less than what many believe at ~2.5 to 2.7M. Yes, the Chinese made many more, but from my perspective, they are as different as a Porche and a Chevy.
These are exciting times for Russian SKS collectors! And, while production numbers are fairly high, they are not "through the roof".
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- Location
- Steel Town
The SKS Registry, with 2296 responses so far, contains the following information regarding the 1955 and 1955/56 (no date) "letter series" Tula, single letter suffix:
Д -- 133 occurrences (of which, 14 are date stamped 1955's)
И -- 158 occurrences (of which, 2 are date stamped 1955's)
К -- 112 occurrences (no date stamped 1955's, yet)
Total = 402 "letter series" registry entries
Again, "К" does appear to be the last "no date" Tula, and no doubt produced in 1956!!
Д -- 133 occurrences (of which, 14 are date stamped 1955's)
И -- 158 occurrences (of which, 2 are date stamped 1955's)
К -- 112 occurrences (no date stamped 1955's, yet)
Total = 402 "letter series" registry entries
Again, "К" does appear to be the last "no date" Tula, and no doubt produced in 1956!!
- Location
- Steel Town
Izhevsk Arsenal Suffix Codes represented in the registry:
1954
no suffix 13
А 2
Б 1
Г 1
Д 3
Е 8
И 9
К 2
Л 3
М 5
Н 2
П 6
Р 3
С 2
У 5
Ф 1
Х 2
Т 1
Grand Total 69
**************
1953
15 entries, none with suffix codes.
1954
no suffix 13
А 2
Б 1
Г 1
Д 3
Е 8
И 9
К 2
Л 3
М 5
Н 2
П 6
Р 3
С 2
У 5
Ф 1
Х 2
Т 1
Grand Total 69
**************
1953
15 entries, none with suffix codes.
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Does is have the Tula star on the recoil spring cover or is it just a star on the serial number side?
Now that is cool! Seen low numbers in the 100s, no double digits but a single! Wow.
- Location
- Steel Town
I just recently sold a 1953 Izhevsk with the serial number "OP 8"... very rare year and 1-digit serial to boot!
- Location
- Steel Town
too many rifles. :0
- Location
- Steel Town
Now that is cool! I might do that for my favourite SKS... 1951 non-refurbished beauty queen.
Not possible. However if the impossible happens again please PM me haha.
haretrigger
CGN Regular
- Location
- Lower Mainland, BC
I owned, but in a moment of weakness, sold, a 1955r top cover dated SKS that had a star on the receiver. I'm trying to buy it back as we speak.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this, but I've never seen it on any other Russian SKS:
My receiver cover looks to have been polished to the point where the year and arsenal marking are gone, but I can VERY faintly see the refurb mark. It does have the star on the left side of the receiver, and I know it's a refurb.
Is having the receiver cover polished on 55/56 Tula's normal, or is this unusual?
It's a great shooter and a great "buddy" gun, I'm just curious if this is a usual practice?
My receiver cover looks to have been polished to the point where the year and arsenal marking are gone, but I can VERY faintly see the refurb mark. It does have the star on the left side of the receiver, and I know it's a refurb.
Is having the receiver cover polished on 55/56 Tula's normal, or is this unusual?
It's a great shooter and a great "buddy" gun, I'm just curious if this is a usual practice?
