Yeah, I know. Just been hoping to find one rearsenalled the opposite way. I would think that someone with an otherwise Sino Soviet would like to trade.
Mine is 244xxx
SKS Porn
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Yeah, I know. Just been hoping to find one rearsenalled the opposite way. I would think that someone with an otherwise Sino Soviet would like to trade.
Mine is 244xxx
Bertfish
Throw bread on me
Dad has a pile of them just never got one myself
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Yeah, i'm super pleased with it...
Hecktor Peabody
Boris Badinov
None of it mine.
Two decades worth of research by a small, dedicated handful of SKS nuts over at:
Sks-files.com
and
Chinessks.weebly.com
I have a few Chinese that were imported in 2013-2014, at the time the story I read was they came from Albania after being seasoned 20 years. Most fall into the known categories of serial numbers and features. But I have one that is unique, and doesn't fully fit the accepted theories.
It's a Tula star receiver on the left side, no markings on the dust cover for year or arsenal like a Russian-used Tula. I believe the stock is arctic birch, its much much harder than the typical Chinese Chu that its siblings wear. Bottom pivot rear sling mount.
It's a numbers matching rifle. But it does not fit into the range of serial numbers from 0356 to 1999 like the accepted Sino-Soviets. The serialization is no doubt Russian (УЮ 5--- K), and all the stampings and proofings on the rifle are Russian. Other than the lack of markings on the dust cover and placement of the Tula star on the left side of the receiver, you'd be hard pressed to call this Chinese in any way. But it is hands down different from any production Russian Tula i've ever owned or handled.
Originally I was told this was a Sino-Soviet, or a start-up or transitional rifle, but the serialization doesn't follow what the current accepted logic states. Any ideas since it's all Tula but doesn't follow the stamping placement or markings of an actual Russian-used Tula?
Sorry the pic sucks, it's from when cell phone cameras were not good. A fresh pic would better show the serial #, but i'm positive in the Russian lettering since it's numbers matching and all over the gun. It appears to be well used, lots of bluing wear on the metal, and doesn't show any refurbishment marks.
It's a Tula star receiver on the left side, no markings on the dust cover for year or arsenal like a Russian-used Tula. I believe the stock is arctic birch, its much much harder than the typical Chinese Chu that its siblings wear. Bottom pivot rear sling mount.
It's a numbers matching rifle. But it does not fit into the range of serial numbers from 0356 to 1999 like the accepted Sino-Soviets. The serialization is no doubt Russian (УЮ 5--- K), and all the stampings and proofings on the rifle are Russian. Other than the lack of markings on the dust cover and placement of the Tula star on the left side of the receiver, you'd be hard pressed to call this Chinese in any way. But it is hands down different from any production Russian Tula i've ever owned or handled.
Originally I was told this was a Sino-Soviet, or a start-up or transitional rifle, but the serialization doesn't follow what the current accepted logic states. Any ideas since it's all Tula but doesn't follow the stamping placement or markings of an actual Russian-used Tula?
Sorry the pic sucks, it's from when cell phone cameras were not good. A fresh pic would better show the serial #, but i'm positive in the Russian lettering since it's numbers matching and all over the gun. It appears to be well used, lots of bluing wear on the metal, and doesn't show any refurbishment marks.
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Pale Ryder
Ultimate Member
No SKS pics here, but I did stumble across this. I'll have to try it, I was always doing it wrong apparently. 
MilsurpDan
Ultimate Member
If I remember right, the guy who bought all his stuff kept it. There was a refurb Tula in the group of stuff I saw, but the guy wanted too much for me to spend on it ($800 if I remember right).
I did buy Lou’s mint Romanian SKS though.
Hecktor Peabody
Boris Badinov
Very. Nice!
If you got it with the recent Chinese imports, then it's a 1958 Soviet 'K' letter gun from the Albanian stockpiles. Incorrectly stamped on the barrel as 'M56 MADE IN CHINA'. I have one too.
Commonly referred to as a Soviet Sneak.
Moscow supplied all of the eastern bloc countries with the all kinds of military equipment-- including the sks. When Tirana split with Moscow in the late 1950's, China stepped in and filled the gap.
When the Chinese guns from Albania started to come into the US, many Russian supplied guns "sneaked"in with them stamped as 'MADE IN CHINA'. Often the covers will be Chinese replacements-- its very likely that some importers were trying to conceal Soviet origins by removing the Tula stamped covers.
The majority of Matching sneaks are Soviet letter guns, like yours, because the Soviet letter guns dont have Tula stamps on the cover. However. Occasionalky.you will see matching early guns with Tula star covers still intact despite the made in China import stamps.
Also, the prevailing info on the tiny star on the receiver suggests that it is NOT a Tula stamp, as Tula sks production ended in 1955. Instead the tiny star is a basic Soviet property/origin stamp.
I've got three sneaks 1950 mismatch, 1952-3 mismatch, and an all matching 1958k like yours. But in an original, matching laminate stock.
Just guessing, but it's an I.O. Import, yes?
Yeah you're exactly right, it's an I.O. Import. Definitely came in with the Albanian cache and imported / sold as Chinese, and import marked as you stated. The dust cover has no marks on the top, but it is numbers matching on the back, so it wasn't swapped by the importer. I got it 5-6 years ago when that first seasoned Albanian cache hit the scene.
Thanks for the info btw, that was an excellent write up. Makes total sense, and it's the best answer i've ever gotten on it. Now that I have a proper name for it, Soviet Sneak, I see there is more info on them out there. Very cool!
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Hecktor Peabody
Boris Badinov
Many collector's hate the "sneak" designation. In this case, the term is about as accurate a description as you can get.
I didn't know what mine were either when I first got them. Thought they were Chinese too...because of the erroneous import stamps.
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
It is collections like yours that keep me from getting started on a single type. So far i just have one each of my firearms.
Straightbolt
unindicted co-conspirator
What are you talking about....I remember when I had a superior SKS collection LOL
Holy chit!!! That’s incredible. What a work of art!
WOW!!!
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