New 59/66 came in..

[Tbone13]

Oh Lawdy fellas.. My Yugo came in today and I just got it home for its first feel-up.
It is like a new one. The bore is shiny and sharp, the bolt is pristine with no wear apparent and shiny with smeared cosmo on it. The rest of the rifle has been degreased entirely.
The bolt (with its 42 year old cosmoline lube) needs cleaned before any firing as the firing pin moves but sluggishly.
ALL the serial numbers I can find are stamped and matched. The wood looks very good, no bad stains or dings and the bluing has one scar on the GL, and that is it.
I looked up its date of manufacture and being an N 5573XX, it is of 1977 vintage.

I found the bayonet wouldn't go up into the slot all the way, turns out it was assembled with the "sharp" edge facing the wrong way. Five minutes with a screwdriver fixed that.

Anyway, I couldn't be more pleased with the rifle. It is absolutely beautiful. The pictures on Gunbroker didn't do it justice.
Wish my camera wasn't old and gooed up with soda pop. I shot a can of pop with the camera propped close by and ruined it.
Oh, it also lacks a cleaning rod and tool kit, which I have already found online. I will probably pass on the cleaning kit. The rifle is heavy enough. 

[Tbone13]

Since I can't take any pics right now I thought I would post this link to the auction page where a few can be seen.  If this is against the rules, go ahead and take it down.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/866849088

[Phosphorus32]

That is in beautiful condition, I love the wood Congratulations! 

[Tbone13]

The wood caught my eye when I was shopping, but the two overall pics are blurry and the bayonet didn't look right so I was a little worried until I pulled it out of the case at the FFL.  Then I was pretty pleased with the deal. Online auctions can screw up your nervous system.  Scary business if you're poor like I is.

[running-man]

Looks like a winner!  I like the heavy grain of the Yugo elm stocks myself...

[Tbone13]

Looks like a winner!  I like the heavy grain of the Yugo elm stocks myself...

Elm, huh?
Learn something new here with every post.  No finish on it at all.  No worries, I wouldn't touch a hair on her head. I just noticed something I like about the GL. Looked at from the enemy's viewpoint it makes the rifle look like a .48 caliber. 
That's intimidating.  heehee

[running-man]

Some sites (even today) would tell you that Yugo stocks are teak...



This was GM's bane until he could get some solid info:

https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=763.0

Elm and Eastern European Birch are what we see on M59s and M59/66s.  They are typically oil finished.

[Tbone13]

Linseed oil?  I was just thinking that my grimy, dirty paws may get dirt into this stock unless it is sealed somehow. Some sort of satin finish sealant or maybe just old timey linseed oil might be ok?

[Larry D.]

Linseed oil?  I was just thinking that my grimy, dirty paws may get dirt into this stock unless it is sealed somehow. Some sort of satin finish sealant or maybe just old timey linseed oil might be ok?

There's really only one option.

Buy another one. That way you can look at one and shoot the daylight out of a beater and admire this one for the beauty that it is.

That it.
No need to thank me, I'm here to help........

[Tbone13]

Linseed oil?  I was just thinking that my grimy, dirty paws may get dirt into this stock unless it is sealed somehow. Some sort of satin finish sealant or maybe just old timey linseed oil might be ok?

There's really only one option.

Buy another one. That way you can look at one and shoot the daylight out of a beater and admire this one for the beauty that it is.

That it.
No need to thank me, I'm here to help........

I'm a modest collector of firearms and they're all shooters. I sold off my old Ruger Flat top .44
(high offer, took it) but over the years I wore all the bluing off the grip frame, the sides of the muzzle and all the high spots on the cylinder.  I varmint hunted with it for at least 20 long summers.  Worn in smooth like that they only get purtier.
If I had another SKS, I'd just shoot em both.  This new one has a full service life left in it so I'll never wear it out. I only get out to shoot rarely now. So so health, bad location.
I've seen pics of those worn slick (but evenly) old war horse rifles on here that look gorgeous with all the smooth wear and owners that take good care of them.
Yeah, I should just get one moar.. dirty monkey paws on my bare wood... 

[Tbone13]

I have a momontous announcement to make regarding this militaristic steampunk banzai boomstick I was lucky enough to stumble upon.
From now on,
her name shall be called
...
..
.
Marshal Tito
in honor of the Big Boss of all Yugoslavia for all those years. 
Commie though he undoubtedly was he did what he thought was right for the Yugoslavs and was their favorite son.  If I get another SKS it will be a stripped down fairie wand in contrast to this one, so this one shall rule all it surveys. 
So it is written..

That is All.
 

[Larry D.]

I have a momontous announcement to make regarding this militaristic steampunk banzai boomstick I was lucky enough to stumble upon.
From now on,
her name shall be called
...
..
.
Marshal Tito
in honor of the Big Boss of all Yugoslavia for all those years. 
Commie though he undoubtedly was he did what he thought was right for the Yugoslavs and was their favorite son.  If I get another SKS it will be a stripped down fairie wand in contrast to this one, so this one shall rule all it surveys. 
So it is written..

That is All.
 

 

Well done.

[carls sks]

nice going Tbone, beauty. 

[Tbone13]

Thanks, Carl.

[Tbone13]

I finally got into a nice gun club out in the country and have been shooting there for a couple weeks.
Today I took that yugo out for a spin for the first time. 
I was surprised that the sights were pretty much on and it was hitting right off the bat.
On the 25 yard range at first, then out to the fifty.
I found a coke can in the weeds on the way out to the 50 yard stop so I put up a target then took a shot at the pop can.
Gone! It flew off into the woods to the right. I've always been better with cans, clay birds, rocks and debris than on targets. Target shooting is a little too dull.
On the paper target (Ack!) I got a first 50 yard group of 6 shots that was about 6", strung mostly vertically with 2 bullseyes.  The big group was my fault, I had no rest and my shooting stinks from being out of practice. If I leave off one flyer it was really about 4".
I went to the car and brought back a few clays. At 50 yards I broke 5 with 7 shots. The two misses were my bad.

I picked up some brass and noticed the primers were deeply dented, one almost broken through, the dents sharp edged.
The hammer spring is a little powerful. I may disassemble the bolt to round off the shoulders of the firing pin.  I am also leaving it cocked for a while to try to weaken it a little.  The ejector was trying to launch the brass into low earth orbit, they were bouncing off the ceiling and raining down in front of me.
Other than that, there were no malfunctions at all.
I guess I shot 80 rounds, some brown bear and some of those non-magnetics I bought to shoot indoors if it came to that. I couldn't tell any difference in them.
I like the rifle quite a lot. It is a little heavy feeling to me but so are all my guns now that I'm old and less than glowing with health.
Anyway, she's a shooter.
 

[Larry D.]

Nice detailed range report.
Sounds like a keeper.

[Tbone13]

I should get a new camera to try posting pics to make it more interesting. Really I just wanted to jabber about it because I haven't had a place to shoot for quite a while and had big fun today, Larry.
You must be a nite owl, too.

[Larry D.]

I should get a new camera to try posting pics to make it more interesting. Really I just wanted to jabber about it because I haven't had a place to shoot for quite a while and had big fun today, Larry.
You must be a nite owl, too.

I'm up at odd times.
I grab sleep when I can, but it usually comes in 2 or 3 hour increments.

I meant what I said about getting another one. I bought a really nice minty Yugo, then went back and bought a rough trench art covered one.
That's the cool thing about the Yugo's. The Chino-Banians are calling to me now.....

[Tbone13]

I should get a new camera to try posting pics to make it more interesting. Really I just wanted to jabber about it because I haven't had a place to shoot for quite a while and had big fun today, Larry.
You must be a nite owl, too.

I'm up at odd times.
I grab sleep when I can, but it usually comes in 2 or 3 hour increments.

I meant what I said about getting another one. I bought a really nice minty Yugo, then went back and bought a rough trench art covered one.
That's the cool thing about the Yugo's. The Chino-Banians are calling to me now.....

I'd like to have another one but the prices are out of whack right now. I also have a bad habit of buying lever action rifles and various handguns and that bear needs fed, too.

[Greatguns]

Linseed oil?  I was just thinking that my grimy, dirty paws may get dirt into this stock unless it is sealed somehow. Some sort of satin finish sealant or maybe just old timey linseed oil might be ok?

Very nice catch Tbone. On the finish, tung oil is also a very good option and I think more durable than Linseed oil. Not sure on the prep work difference between the 2 though.