Flat bladed Rumanian (few pics added) w/sling

[MEBears]

I've been wanting an Albanian for a while to round out the 5 easier countries. I came across this "Flat -bladed '78 Rumanian" and went ahead and bid. It's not matching but looks to be in good shape for an Albanian. He had another one listed correctly that sold right after this one so I don't know why he thought it was a Romy. He said he'd ship it out Monday and it's not very far away so hopefully it will be here Wed-Thurs.

[running-man]

I think you hit a home run on this one MEB!  Looks like you're going to have a very nice gun in your hands soon.  The stock looks better than 90% of the Albys I've ever seen on GB.  Is it the mismatching part, or are there other replacements?

I wouldn't sweat the mismatch on this gun too much, there are so few of them that I personally don't think it's a huge value ding.  The current condition of any given Alby (many are in simply rotten condition) really makes up the bulk of the value from what I've been seeing when I generate the GB reports.  I'll get the yearly 2105 report out before the end of the month and you'll be able to see how you did compared to the averages. 

[Phosphorus32]

That's a beauty  Nice pick up   

[MEBears]

Thanks guys. He said the magazine was also non matching but for the price I didn't mind. His other one was matching but it went for $100 more. I'll be interested to see how it stacks up in the report. The monthly GB reports have been really helpful in getting an idea of what things are selling for.

[Loose}{Cannon]

What other parts dont match?  Stock?

Welp...  It anreally nice looking Alby regardless.   Nice score!

[Justin Hell]

Whoa....she is a gorgeous beast isn't she?!

Some day, I hope to have one half as nice.  Congrats! 

[MEBears]

What other parts dont match?  Stock?

Welp...  It anreally nice looking Alby regardless.   Nice score!

Thanks guys, he was sure the stock and magazine didn't match but thought the rest did. He wasn't in his shop when I spoke with him. For a gun store owner he didn't seem on top of things. Now I have to figure out how to slide this oddball past the wife.

[Justin Hell]

Good luck on the home front, I fear I may babble too much for the wife to not notice an Alby suddenly showing up.  She likes wood furniture and gives me the riot act anytime I switch one of them into plastic...even temporarily. Even if I sold one off (as if) I would be busted...

She knows the differences now between SKSs...at least enough to catch me. Even a missing 91/30 couldn't hide those long hand guards. 

[MEBears]

They do pay attention more than you realize. When she saw my CC she immediately asked why it was so short. Luckily she trusts me not to go too crazy, to a point and knows they're basically liquid assets if we got in some kind of pinch.

[MEBears]

Fed ex dropped it off yesterday and I wasn't disappointed. The non matching parts were the receiver cover and carrier. Everything else is 02137 right down to the sight leaf. There weren't much for marks except the barrel/receiver # and something that almost looks like a heart on the lug. There was also a G (Gramsh?)in the rear of the receiver. It had the TG import mark under the barrel. The machining is pretty rough, it almost feels gritty when you pull the carrier back. I can just imagine the trigger. The barrel and gas tube look new. The magazine had a little pitting on one side and a few small spots on the receiver that have been blued. The bluing is worn on the edges but overall it's not in bad shape and I'm pretty happy. Hopefully we'll get some good weather next week so I can try it out. Now I need to find a sling and oiler. Are the cleaning kits any different than other countries?

[Phosphorus32]

Very nice!    The wood and the bluing look to be in beautiful condition.   

[Loose}{Cannon]

Matching or not...  Thats a looker for certain!   

It has been my observation that the mill work quality was slightly reduced towards the last years of production.  Similar to war time mosins, it wont effect the performance and in my opinion has no effect on value. 

[Justin Hell]

Beautiful!  So happy it arrived OK.

Wifey caught me reading this post.  I think I piqued her interest enough to never be able to sneak one in, but maybe enough to get one someday.

[MEBears]

Very nice!    The wood and the bluing look to be in beautiful condition.   

Matching or not...  Thats a looker for certain!   

It has been my observation that the mill work quality was slightly reduced towards the last years of production.  Similar to war time mosins, it wont effect the performance and in my opinion has no effect on value.

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with it. I was hoping to take it out Monday but it looks like winter has finally arrived.

Beautiful!  So happy it arrived OK.

Wifey caught me reading this post.  I think I piqued her interest enough to never be able to sneak one in, but maybe enough to get one someday.

When it got here the wife said "Good now that you have each country (I'll be divorced before I get one of the big ones) You don't have to buy anymore". Boy is she gonna be disappointed!

[Phosphorus32]

When it got here the wife said "Good now that you have each country (I'll be divorced before I get one of the big ones) You don't have to buy anymore".

That's just crazy talk!   

[armedhippie]

When it got here the wife said "Good now that you have each country (I'll be divorced before I get one of the big ones) You don't have to buy anymore". Boy is she gonna be disappointed!

  lol So innocent and so funny. I think all of us at 1 time or another has said or thought the same thing. Just like Lay's chips or oreo's....Ya can't have just 1...even if ya have 1 of each country. It's most certainly a goal of mine and will happen, given time and cash.

That is 1 down right gorgeous Alby and I would be proud to have it as my Alby spot filler. Congrats man 

[Greasemonkey]

Nice     Hurry up..........shoot it already 

Just like oreo's....Ya can't have just 1...

MMMmmmmmmmmmm..........Oreos      Just  1....Oreo, what, you outta your fricken head..  1 package maybe, a case....

"Good now that you have each country (I'll be divorced before I get one of the big ones) You don't have to buy anymore".

If'en I had a dollar for everytime I heard that, I'd have I don't know, 20 more

[Justin Hell]

I am beginning to believe wifey is almost as much of an addict as I am...she pretends she doesn't smoke too. 

I think she got a little miffed when her mother called recently and accusingly asked how many AK-47s we have....when she was able to respond zero I think she felt a little justified, and it may have gotten her bitten by the SKS bug as a result.  I just thought it was cute she knew to say zero. Any time my mother in law is forced to back pedal it is good.  This came as a result of me actually talking to my father in law about his VN vet friends and potential bring back data...I will remember to not bring that up again.

She likes the wood, and there is so much more on an Albanian SKS...I am just hoping she doesn't meet a real Albanian and think the same...her appreciation of black bayonets is worrying enough. 

[MEBears]

Here she is with a correct sling. I thought it was canvas in the pictures but it is one of the cloth ones. I have a chest rig and oilers on the way. Now I just have to talk LC into selling me that ammo pouch

[running-man]

Excellent MEB!! 

When the rig and the oiler comes in make sure to take a nice group photo.  Because of the extreme niceness of this one, it's a wonderful candidate to be featured on the Albanian SKSGuide pages (if you want that is).