Russian SKS45 long thread.

Claven2, what about posting an add in the EE looking for a un-issued Russian SKS??? I'd try that route if I were you! I do agree with you though, it sure sucks to wait soo long for something and NOT get it... ugh!

Cheers
Jay
 
And to Fry: The rifles were ANNOUNCED in February. Frontier did not accept firm orders via credit card until March. I know.

This is an email I recieved from Frontier on Jan 11, 2008

"Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:48:46 -0600
From: frontier.taxidermy@sasktel.net
Subject: Shooters grade SKS rifles and Free Shipping!!!

This is a notification that we are now accepting orders for all SKS rifles..."


I ordered mine the next day.
 
This is an email I recieved from Frontier on Jan 11, 2008

"Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:48:46 -0600
From: frontier.taxidermy@sasktel.net
Subject: Shooters grade SKS rifles and Free Shipping!!!

This is a notification that we are now accepting orders for all SKS rifles..."


I ordered mine the next day.

I went digging through my mail box, and this is what I found:

To: frontier.taxidermy@sasktel.net
> Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:10 PM
> Subject: Russian SKS
>
>
> Hello!
> Please put me on the list for the Russian SKS - I would like one
> if possible.

I feel your pain Claven - I wanted a non refurbed original as well, and although I got a very nice gun, it was a refurb and the numbers did not match. Oh well, thats the way it goes some times...
 
Well perhaps I am getting the credit card date confused with the order date - either way, I ordered the day after the shipment was first rumored here on the site. It was so long ago I've switched laptops since then and don;t even have that sent messages folder anymore!

As for ordering anything right now, that's a big no-go. I'm leaving the country for 2 weeks starting tomorrow night :( And as for an EE ad, well, I'm not willing to take a raping to get a gun I should have been fondling already at a much fairer price.

grumble-grumble.

To give you guys a taste of what has me upset, would anyone here knowingly pay a steep hand select fee for a rifle with these features?

I know I would not and this is why I do believe the dealer when they say I was likely sent the wrong rifle by accident. Especially when I was verbally told over the phone they would send me a "non-refurb, though we cannot guarantee unissued".

Note the rust-brown chamber (the piston hole brown is grease, but the chamber is surface rusted):
DSCN0113.jpg

And here we see where someone scratched this rusty scab with a screwdriver or something, probably when the mag was out for welding, gave up, and re-assembled the rifle - rusty mag and all:
DSCN0115.jpg

Here's my favorite where someone (recently by the looks of it) took a hand file to some rust on the mag body and still thought it a good idea to grade the gun "hand select"
DSCN0117.jpg

And the buttplate isn't much better... that pitting is DEEP.
DSCN0121.jpg

And here we see how the stock was soo sanded that they didn't X out the old serial number, they just crudely stamped over it...
DSCN0123.jpg
 
Claven2, all I can say is: Yuck!

Can't believe this happened to you. Hope some other sources will turn this story toward a happy ending...

Lou
 
And to Fry: The rifles were ANNOUNCED in February. Frontier did not accept firm orders via credit card until March. I know. I was b/c I was told No.5 when I called and gave my card info ;)

Still doesn't change the fact that guys who ordered in the last couple months typically got nicer rifles shipped sooner than I got.

your timeline is a little off.

jan 3, 2008

"hello, i sent a pm a while back (dec 21) on CGN (MiG25) to put my name on one of the best condition russian sks' when they come in. since i don't know if you received it, i just thought i would send an email."

jan 3, 2008

"Message recieved, I have not have time to send out a mass reply to all the emails but I remember seeing yours."

jan 12, 2008

"Thank you for your order, it has been confirmed. Please call us with your credit card number."
 
That is so awful Claven. I like mine alot more now, Even if it's not the right color. I can't wait to refinish the stock and have it all perfect. I feel all dumb #####ing about it now. lol. Still thinking I want a laminate one now too.... Damn addictive things.
 
That is rough Claven. My hand select has a rusted chamber, active rust on the receiver under the stock, and stock that has been so sanded it looks like a coke bottle and it's been clumsily overstamped with the serial number too without needing the X's. Plus the "refinished" stock has runs in the shellac and is heavily beaten up.
 
And to Fry: The rifles were ANNOUNCED in February. Frontier did not accept firm orders via credit card until March. I know. I was b/c I was told No.5 when I called and gave my card info ;)

Still doesn't change the fact that guys who ordered in the last couple months typically got nicer rifles shipped sooner than I got.

Online, yes. But, as others have mentioned on this site, many were aware prior to the online advertisement and secured their order then.

It does suck though. I don't think that the quality of rifle was determined by your number on the order list. I think they just read the orders and filled them according as they read them, not in order of placement.

My order was placed around the same time as yours, I believe. I shall let you know tomorrow what my rifle looks like.
 
Del Selin Gunsmith in Vernon BC just got 40 of the Russian SKS rifles from BELL. They all have painted metal. About 90% are Tula 1953, there are a few 1952 and 1951 and I think I saw one 1955. About 75% have fully matched numbers the rest have bolt carriers that didn't have stamped serial numbers but are now electo-penciled to match the rest of the numbers. About 75% have new laminated stocks number matched to the metal parts, the rest have excellent birch stocks with the original numbers ###X out and re-stamped to match the metal parts. There is very little scuffing on the finish of any, I didn't see a bad one in the entire lot. Overall, they are all very good refurbed condition. Not priced yet, Del hasn't had time to check his cost yet.
 
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I just fixed my 52 Tula, ground down the giant blog of slag from the pinning job, that was preventing 5 rounds from fitting in the mag, as well as from the bolt hold back from working.

I <3 my Dremel :cool:
 
Hey all, I got my collectors grade from Frontier 2 days ago and I was NOT dissapointed- thank god! Couple of question for everyone though... the date is 1950r ...what is the r mean? Second, there is no refurb mark on the bolt cover, all #'s match except the gas tube which had on e-penciled # scratched off and a different (non matching) # e-penciled on. The stock is clearly stamped with the correct serial # but the factory mark and date- which seems to be 1952 is a lot fainter. There are no other serial #'s X'd off the stock, which also seems to show 2 factory repairs. Anyone eles come accross a stock like that? All the metal is in really good shape. Does it just sound like I have a really good shooter, or could it have more collector status? I just can't believe how good of shape the action is in. Thanks for any advice. Again, what's the r in the date stand for?
 
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Hey all, I got my collectors grade from Frontier 2 days ago and I was NOT dissapointed- thank god! Couple of question for everyone though... the date is 1950r ...what is the r mean? Second, there is no refurb mark on the bolt cover, all #'s match except the gas tube which had on e-penciled # scratched off and a different (non matching) # e-penciled on. The stock is clearly stamped with the correct serial # but the factory mark and date- which seems to be 1952 is a lot fainter. There are no other serial #'s X'd off the stock, which also seems to show 2 factory repairs. Anyone eles come accross a stock like that? All the metal is in really good shape. Does it just sound like I have a really good shooter, or could it have more collector status? I just can't believe how good of shape the action is in. Thanks for any advice. Again, what's the r in the date stand for?

yours is a refurb in very good cond , its at the bottom end of the collectibles , you can collect it or shoot it , its up to you.

"r" stand for " in the year of " .
 
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