Author Topic: Albanian SKS still in cosmo....all numbers matching except for stock (Read 4796 times)

edrod68 · « **on:** December 06, 2018, 02:24:45 PM »

Local shop posted one for sale (same place I got a Yugo C series non grenade launcer SKS from last year).

Got it for $500....I do ok??

Picking up on Tuesday next week...will post pics then

running-man · « **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2018, 03:30:30 PM »

W/o pics it's impossible to know, but if it's halfway decent you did great.

edrod68 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2018, 04:18:59 PM »

Will be picking up on Tuesday, will post pics as soon as I pick it up..... cosomline and all..

edrod68 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2018, 01:24:31 AM »

Here is the pic from the shop I am picking it up from next week.

Just a tease, will take and post detailed pics when in hand.

Bob_The_Student · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2018, 04:43:47 AM »

Looks good from that side so far. I'm nervous about your good looking stock though. Just like my '70 posted in prior thread, it has a light refinish stock hope it's original for you. Until seeing other side we won't know. But like they all told me it's an Albanian enjoy it either way.

edrod68 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2018, 03:51:08 PM »

Ok, picked it up today.... first impressions.... LOTS of cosmo….we will see how easily I can get this out of everything. Stock does not appear to be worked on at all (sharp edges, no signs of sanding, there are a few use marks, dents, etc.) there does appear to be shellac of some kind on the hand guard and stock (though not ruling out cosmo). All metal parts match, and bore/barrel look good so far.

Downside.... not 100% sure, but there seems to be a few areas that could be raised rust on the receiver (opposite side of the pic of course), and some minor pitting on the bolt carrier.

Will take pics once I get it all cleaned up.

Serial number on it is 0174-78 (1978 production as I found out from research here)

Maybe not as great of a deal as I thought, but we will see once clean-up has been done.

Phosphorus32 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2018, 05:19:46 PM »

Shellac is appropriate.

$500 for a beat up mixmaster Albanian is reasonable these days. $500 for yours...there's no way you got hurt on this one.

To card off raised rust I use a pre-1982 penny (95% copper instead of 97.5% harder, cheaper zinc) and/or bronze wool and oil. It won't get rid of pitting of course, but you can knock off the worst of it and oil it to prevent any further corrosion.

edrod68 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2018, 05:28:18 PM »

Thanks for the info....will put it to use over the next few days as the cleaning is underway...will give a full report with pics when done...

running-man · « **Reply #8 on:** December 12, 2018, 09:30:29 PM »

Sounds like you did just fine. I think even with a mismatching stock, it's a $500 rifle every day of the week. Looking forward to the photospread!

edrod68 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2018, 11:31:05 AM »

A quick update....have not been able to do a lot and yet. Had arthroscopic surgery on my right knee on Wednesday...hobbled out to the workshop yesterday evening and disassembled the rifle.

Definitely two areas of rust on the rifle. One approx 3/4 inch square on the left side of the receiver...and one approx 1/4 inch square on the gas block area on the front of the rifle where the gas tube goes down into the barrel (right by sling eyelet).

Have soaked in oil (after wiping majority of Cosmo out of the receiver)...will go to work on it with a plastic brush to get oil as deep into the rust as possible. Then will try the penny trick as listed above and see how it does.

Will post pics later as we get the rust under control.

carls sks · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2018, 05:10:44 PM »

how's the knee feeling? had a few of those scopes on both knees. finally had a right replaced and was best thing I ever did. . can't wait to get the other one replaced.

edrod68 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2018, 07:01:17 PM »

knee is doing pretty good four days after surgery, moving ok, still a fair amount of swelling and still a bit stiff, but improving every day...

Was able to spend about an hour in the workshop today... did the penny carding trick on the rust... seemed to get the raised rust off of both spots.... seems to be a bit of pitting underneath.... sigh.... I will see if I can clean it up any better with repeated oiling and penny carding... optimistic , but we'll see how it turns out...

edrod68 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 21, 2018, 03:38:06 PM »

Update:

The more cosmoline I clean off, the more rust I find.

Every major metal assembly of the rifle has rust to some degree on it. Unfortunately, the cosmoline hid a good bit of it.

Luckily the only bad spot was the left side of the receiver as I said earlier. Unfortunately the more I clean, the more rust I find....getting a little pushed, but, mechanically it looks pretty solid.

Will post pics when I get it cleaned up, but just a word of warning....wipe or scrape cosmoline off when inspecting, it can hide more than you would think.

Phosphorus32 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 21, 2018, 04:18:40 PM »

Sounds like standard Albanian armory storage protocol.
1. Pick up a firearm that's lying in amud puddle
2. Toss it in a vat of ersatz-cosmoline carefully formulated from rancid lard and used motor oil
3. Pull it out and toss it on the pile in the corner of the warehouse

Albanian Armament Ministry Protocol
4. Sell it to the Century, IO, TGI buying representative as a well-preserved vintage Albanian firearm
5. Grab cash, board fishing boat on the Adriatic with family (or not) and flee to Italy

edrod68 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 21, 2018, 06:08:40 PM »

Wish I would have known that....at least I now know what to look for in the future...

Phosphorus32 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 21, 2018, 06:52:34 PM »

I bet it'll be mechanically fine when you get it cleaned and oiled. I have one mismatched Albanian in the "ridden hard put away wet" category that functions fine.

running-man · « **Reply #16 on:** December 21, 2018, 09:38:56 PM »

I think you may be selling this one a bit short Ed. Naturally one wants to be pleasantly surprised that the condition of a firearm they bought is better than they thought it was (when they bought it) as it is cleaned, but finding additional areas of minor corrosion under the preservative is not uncommon with firearms from the Balkans. I think if the corrosion is not as bad as the worst area you've already found, this adventure will turn out just fine.

The single teaser photo you posted really does look like quite a nice specimen for an Albanian. There are some real ugly Bettys out there, believe me:

edrod68 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 22, 2018, 10:39:07 AM »

Gotcha....I have been spoiled by my two previous SKSs.....the Chinese (Arsenal 26, 1957 production) and Yugo M59 C series were both in VERY nice shape...no rust anywhere on either one...

edrod68 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 05, 2019, 07:09:37 PM »

Small update.....due to the amazing amount of cosmoline in the trigger group, I took it upon myself to completely disassemble the trigger group.

Wow....what a pain in the tush....but a great learning experience, I now know how to completely take it apart and get it back together successfully....

Much nicer now that all parts were scrubbed clean and action of the trigger is soooooo much nicer.

All reassembled and properly lubricated...

Next up....receiver group/barrel/bayonet and gas block.....its gonna be messy

MxwllBkr · « **Reply #19 on:** January 05, 2019, 08:38:58 PM »

For rust: http://www.big45metalcleaner.com

It’s cheap, it works great.......

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Author Topic: Albanian SKS still in cosmo....all numbers matching except for stock (Read 4796 times)