What to do with this handful of Bubbas

[running-man]

Yes, it's very likely that the mismatching parts were put on that paratrooper in China when it was cut down to 16".  They may have had pretty bad rust & pitting issues or perhaps the handguard was trashed and swapping out the whole gas tube was much easier than pulling rivets like you are about to do.  I wouldn't sweat it, this is not at all uncommon for a letter gun from the early imports.  Being that it's already been 'modified' when converted to a paratrooper, matching #'s are nice but not really the draw of this gun. 

New unnumbered stocks are not unusual at all on paratroopers either.  Nor are spike stocks existing on blade guns, they could match the new stock and crossbolt location to the old gun for good fitment w/o dealing with the issues we have when we want to put a spike stock onto a blade gun.  Blank paratrooper stocks IMHO don't detract from the value at all.  I suspect the bayo groove widening was done in China; they cut just enough to get it to fit and then were on to the next one.   

The only standard (i.e non AK mag variant) type 56 paratrooper with a short gas system that I'm aware of is an SKSS. 

Sounds like you might have caught the bug.  I'll be interested to hear about your first range trip and what you think of them! 

[Dante]

Sounds like you might have caught the bug. 

You might be right about that.  Just what I needed.   
Seriously though, thanks for the input, RM.  I appreciate all of the expertise you guys have been so willing to share.  Just the detail I got by filling out the surveys makes me feel like half an expert now.


Today the fourth magazine catch turned up, along with some ammo belts and a sling that looks like it's never been installed. The new mag catch is tombstone shaped, so there's a nice 3-1 match.  I didn't see anything in the reference material about the shape of the magazine catch changing between generations, so I'm guessing it's not a critical difference anyway, but having 3 and one makes them line up nicely.

I also turned up some 30-round Zytel magazines, also from Cobray, to go with the aftermarket stocks.  Now it's a complete package except for one missing original magazine. 

The Zytel magazines that were still in their wrappers each came with two of these little round knobs.  Anyone know what they are?

[Phosphorus32]

Not sure about the knobs but do they fit in the groove in the magazine body, such that you can pull the follower spring down for assisting in loading cartridges.

[firstchoice]

Not sure about the knobs but do they fit in the groove in the magazine body, such that you can pull the follower spring down for assisting in loading cartridges.

P32 has it right on. Cobray supplied those to aid in loading the magazines. One on each side and you can compress the spring fairly easy. The problem was losing them, of course. If I remember correctly, the Cobray mags were pretty reliable in feeding. I think there was an issue in long term use with the feed lips wearing down eventually. But that would be after a lot of rounds, I suppose.

If the OP keeps up with the missing items showing up like they have been, pretty soon the Chinese workers that put them together will pop up and explain it all to us!  That's some good fortune, for sure!

firstchoice

[Dante]

Not sure about the knobs but do they fit in the groove in the magazine body, such that you can pull the follower spring down for assisting in loading cartridges.

P32 has it right on. Cobray supplied those to aid in loading the magazines. One on each side and you can compress the spring fairly easy. The problem was losing them, of course. If I remember correctly, the Cobray mags were pretty reliable in feeding. I think there was an issue in long term use with the feed lips wearing down eventually. But that would be after a lot of rounds, I suppose.

If the OP keeps up with the missing items showing up like they have been, pretty soon the Chinese workers that put them together will pop up and explain it all to us!  That's some good fortune, for sure!

firstchoice

In these particular mags, there's only a groove in one side to get to the spring, but it does fit in there pretty well and compress it easily.  Maybe the second is just a spare, or perhaps there's an elite two-button technique that's lost to history...

If the Chinese do show up, I'll ask them.   

[echo1]

If I remember correctly, the Cobray mags were pretty reliable in feeding. I think there was an issue in long term use with the feed lips wearing down eventually.
firstchoice

Do you think it would make a wear difference with the "shaved bolt" mod? PAX

[1mlt]

http://www.the 'other' boards/smf/index.php?topic=63836.0
That Cobray mag will only run if you have the Cobray mag adapter. It won't latch up w/o their adapter in place. There is nothing on the front of the mag to latch under the rear sight tab.
If you want to run aftermarket mags, you need our G3. You buy and modify Tapco or ProMags yourself to run in your SKS's. Our buy modified mags from us.

Marcus

[Dante]

That Cobray mag will only run if you have the Cobray mag adapter. It won't latch up w/o their adapter in place.
Marcus

Right.  All 4 of these rifles had this little block in place.  They had to come out to get the original mags back on.
The tooth on right side of the block hooks into the front of the magazine, then an oversized zytel mag catch clicks onto the back. 

As I'm piecing it together, these rifles all had:
a Cobray folding stock, replacing the original wood,
a Cobray Mag kit, consisting of this adaptor block screwed into the bottom of the barrel lug, a magazine, and an oversized magazine catch.
a "Combat Exchange Custom Cushion," slid over the end of the folding stock and held in place with what looks like a bunch of clear silicone sealant.

[Larry D.]

Quite the little trove of aftermarket stuff you've stumbled into.

[Dante]

No kidding Larry, I can only imagine what it would take to sort this all out on my own. 

My plan right now is to get the three rifles with original mags back into original condition, then either put the Cobray magazine adapter back on the one with no magazine and call that a converted rifle plus a bunch of mags, or get an extra original magazine (can I get one that's unmarked without being in 922r trouble?) and see if anyone else is interested in the Cobray bits.   

[Dante]

OK.  Thanks to everyone for sharing your extensive knowledge. Here are the results.  Technically, I still need one magazine and 4 cleaning kits (oddly, I have the caps for the cleaning kits, but not the tubes and contents).  But these are now mostly complete.  I think they look quite a bit nicer than they did on the folding stocks.

D

[astronut]

Looking very nice!     Oddly I have 2 cleaning kits without the caps that I am willing to part with.  Will send you a message on them.

[Larry D.]

I've got some AK type cleaning kits if that will do it for you.

Also, Tickbite supply has some accessories:  https://www.tickbitesupply.com/sks.html

I've dealt with Tickbite before, and they're good to go.

[Dante]

Forgive my ignorance Larry, but what's the difference between the AK and SKS kits?

[echo1]

Those are looking pretty sweet D. Nice save. PAX

[Bacarnal]

Dante, in my honest opinion,  they look MUCH better.   Let me know if you need a magazine.  Cheers, Bruce. 

[Justin Hell]

out of curiosity...are the mags on the 906s kind of dented on the floorplate? Kind of a triangular indentation towards the narrow hinge end.  Those are something we noticed about 906s a few years back...I am wondering if yours maintain the trend. I haven't seen so many at once before. I wonder is the original owner bought a crate? Its a fairly uncommon arsenal to find at all, much less three. 

I kinda bubba'd the heck out of my 906...and I feel shame.

I also have one of those cobray mag adapters, and wondered what the heck those button things were for...I got them in a lot with a bolt a few years back. I learnt somethin today.

[Phosphorus32]

Well done! They look very good, like proper Chinese SKSs!



P.S. What sound does a Communist Chinese cat make?

“Mao!”

[Larry D.]

Forgive my ignorance Larry, but what's the difference between the AK and SKS kits?

To be honest, I don't know about all of them, but the caps are different on some.

[Bacarnal]

Well done! They look very good, like proper Chinese SKSs!



P.S. What sound does a Communist Chinese cat make?

“Mao!”

Good one, P32.  What's the sound of a Chinese ricochet?   Xing....Ping!