Russian SKS No Date TULA D Series Letter Gun What Is It Worth

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  • jrhzn

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 17, 2017
    280
    Just picked this SKS up from a guy who is clearing his collection out. This is a Russian Tula SKS that appears to be unfired. Receiver SN is KO3009 followed by the Cyrillic ”D”. The Tula star is to the right of the S/N. The butt area of the stock has a faint Square w/diagonal line rebuild stamp as well as on the rear Housing cover which does not have the usual build date. According to the the previous owner the refurbish/inspection was done at 1st GRAU Balakleya Ukraine.

    The Yooper website suggests the rifle was mfgr. in 1956. The laminated butt stock contains the cleaning kit and is in like new condition W/O scratches/ dings. It has a mint bright bore. All parts, bolt etc are serialized to the receiver. Not forced stamped. Comes with original Russian SKS sling. Let me know what you think.

    http://www.yooperj.com/SKS-22.htm
     

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    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    Ouch... I way overpaid then :( The Yooperj site said it was a rare SKS.


    http://www.yooperj.com/SKS-22.htm

    This assesment cannot truly be made until you've shot it and determined just how much you love it:innocent0

    You are always going to find someone getting a better deal on a gun you bought. Unless you are a dealer, or can't pay your mortgage now, don't worry about it.

    Only you can put an accurate value on your enjoyment. ;)
     

    jrhzn

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 17, 2017
    280
    This assesment cannot truly be made until you've shot it and determined just how much you love it:innocent0

    You are always going to find someone getting a better deal on a gun you bought. Unless you are a dealer, or can't pay your mortgage now, don't worry about it.

    Only you can put an accurate value on your enjoyment. ;)

    True dat!

    I think there is some additional value in that this is a letter gun. According to Yooper the Russian letter series are a very unique and collectable example of the Russian Sks 45. The reason they are called letter series is because the serial number is followed by one of three Russian letters. As of right now the current research suggests that the letters correspond with years, before the letter series there are 7 other dated years, 1949-1955 and two years of rifles produced in a factory called Izhevsk in 1953-54. After 1955 the Russians went to a different method of dating the carbines the first year was
    1956, Д =D in English
    1957, И= I in English
    1958, K= K in English
     
    Last edited:

    Hecktor Peabody

    Boris Badinov
    Aug 22, 2018
    84
    Southeastern PA
    $575 is at the higher end of the fair price range. Paid prices for the Soviet guns-- refurbs included-- have spiked over the last 3-4 years in comparison the other standard national variants.


    As a refurb your rifle has a lot going for it. It looks to be in great shape, and the laminate stock is beautiful.

    It has gone through and extensive rebuild, as evinced byt the black paint, the RSL in-the-white, and the difference in serial fonts seen between the trigger guard and magazine. Both hardwood and laminate stocks were standard for 1956 production, so it's very possible that the stock and handguard are original.

    Can you post photos of the EP serials on the piston shaft, and on the bottom of the gas tube?


    Guns like this regularly sell for hundreds more on gunbroker. You got a decent deal. Sure, it could've been better, but not by much IMHO. And it certainly could have been a lot worse. I saw a 1952 just like yours -- heavy refurb, beautiful 9non-original) laminate stock-- sell for $975 about two years ago.

    It's not actually at Tula star on the receiver. Tula production ended in 1955. From 1956- 1958 sks45 production was transitioned to several smaller facilities. The star on the receiver is a generic Soviet property mark.


    Also:
    Nice catch!
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,212
    In a House
    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/817212929

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/817065832

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/816947860

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/820858563

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/820842654

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/821232295

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/820157667

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/813993479

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/815199916

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/814166542

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/813880664

    It's a rework/refurb guys. A rework is a rework is a rework. They are shooters, not collectors. If you guys are willing to pay high prices for reworks, I've got some really high dollar SKS's then that I'll gladly sell you. Only one of the below is a rework and some of the as issued ones have never even been fired.

    P1160756_zpsoayoorho.jpg



    The fact is, even unfired as issued examples are bringing less than 1K at the moment. Even my '54 Izhevsk is only worth about $1000. Prices will eventually go way up but we're just not there yet and as issued ones will climb exponentially faster than reworks. In fact, prices have come down in the past couple years. SOme reworks are prettier than others but it's still a rework. It's kind of like a RC K98 compared to a matching bring back. Yes, some impatient folks will pay more for a RC than it is worth just to get a K98 but patience pays off.


    For example, I paid $900 out the door from a gun shop just last year for the matching (sans the handguard) BYF44 K98 shown below. It's not import marked either. Some kooks are paying that for RC K98s but impatience is expensive.
    P1150748_zpsbotkmhge.jpg
     

    Hecktor Peabody

    Boris Badinov
    Aug 22, 2018
    84
    Southeastern PA
    "Unfired" is highly dubious claim, and 100% unverifiable. And for a 70 year old surplus rifle, virtually impossible.

    Without a service record and storage log from the Soviet military, 'unfired' is, at it's very best, just an indication of very high condition-- and nothing more.
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,212
    In a House
    And another thing, don't get sucked in gunbroker and gun show prices. GB is where you go for really rare and specialty items. You expect to pay top dollar because you most likely just aren't going to find it otherwise. For common stuff, it's far better to research and network. Time, patience and research pay dividends.
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,212
    In a House
    The unfired controversy has been going on a LOOOONG time. Some scoff at it while others do not. You fall into the former camp and I the latter. To me, the absolute total absence of any carbon in the system is enough proof and when gas pistons (which are permanently marked after even just a few rounds) look absolutely pristine, that's good enough for me...and many other collectors who've been at this for decades. You don't have to agree; that's your prerogative. But evidence like this is proof positive to me:

    P1130077_zps523c10c7.jpg


    P1130081_zps38c6cdfb.jpg


    P1130119_zpsabb52e74.jpg



    The gold coloring on the bayonet is a factory applied preservative for storage. It is hard, brittle and scratches off with even the slightest use. Ihave not tested it but I would bet that solvent breaks it down easily. Underneath it is the usual chrome plated blade. Only the most pristine examples exhibit this preservative in complete form:
    P1130123_zps82f3f1eb.jpg


    P1130124_zps6668c583.jpg


    P1130126_zpsed315770.jpg


    Yes, unissued and unfired examples do exist judging from my almost thirty years of collecting them.
     

    jrhzn

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 17, 2017
    280
    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/817212929

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/817065832

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/816947860

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/820858563

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/820842654

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/821232295

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/820157667

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/813993479

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/815199916

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/814166542

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/813880664

    It's a rework/refurb guys. A rework is a rework is a rework. They are shooters, not collectors. If you guys are willing to pay high prices for reworks, I've got some really high dollar SKS's then that I'll gladly sell you. Only one of the below is a rework and some of the as issued ones have never even been fired.

    P1160756_zpsoayoorho.jpg



    The fact is, even unfired as issued examples are bringing less than 1K at the moment. Even my '54 Izhevsk is only worth about $1000. Prices will eventually go way up but we're just not there yet and as issued ones will climb exponentially faster than reworks. In fact, prices have come down in the past couple years. SOme reworks are prettier than others but it's still a rework. It's kind of like a RC K98 compared to a matching bring back. Yes, some impatient folks will pay more for a RC than it is worth just to get a K98 but patience pays off.


    For example, I paid $900 out the door from a gun shop just last year for the matching (sans the handguard) BYF44 K98 shown below. It's not import marked either. Some kooks are paying that for RC K98s but impatience is expensive.
    P1150748_zpsbotkmhge.jpg

    I like the second SKS in the top picture. How much?
     

    jrhzn

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 17, 2017
    280
    $575 is at the higher end of the fair price range. Paid prices for the Soviet guns-- refurbs included-- have spiked over the last 3-4 years in comparison the other standard national variants.


    As a refurb your rifle has a lot going for it. It looks to be in great shape, and the laminate stock is beautiful.

    It has gone through and extensive rebuild, as evinced byt the black paint, the RSL in-the-white, and the difference in serial fonts seen between the trigger guard and magazine. Both hardwood and laminate stocks were standard for 1956 production, so it's very possible that the stock and handguard are original.

    Can you post photos of the EP serials on the piston shaft, and on the bottom of the gas tube?


    Guns like this regularly sell for hundreds more on gunbroker. You got a decent deal. Sure, it could've been better, but not by much IMHO. And it certainly could have been a lot worse. I saw a 1952 just like yours -- heavy refurb, beautiful 9non-original) laminate stock-- sell for $975 about two years ago.

    It's not actually at Tula star on the receiver. Tula production ended in 1955. From 1956- 1958 sks45 production was transitioned to several smaller facilities. The star on the receiver is a generic Soviet property mark.


    Also:
    Nice catch!


    Really appreciate the feedback, I got excited about this SKS because according to Hooperj the Russian Letter Guns are very rare.....
     

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