SKS-FILES FORUM
SKS Carbines => Unaltered SKS Rifles => Chinese SKS (Military) => Topic started by: jmaurer on May 25, 2019, 10:30:10 PM
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I recently came across these at a local shop, where they had languished in dirty cosmoline and their as-shipped plastic bags since import. Both of these had the sections of Albanian hose on the bolt handles, and are Tennessee Guns imports. Took a few days to get them clean, but mechanically, they're as good as any. A third awaits layaway payoff, and is one that utilized an Albanian stock that had not been inlet for either type of bayonet; I'll post it as I can.
The ghost on top utilized an Albanian stock that had been inlet for a cruciform bayonet and double-aperture buttplate, and which now sports a Chinese buttplate after plugging the two holes and drilling a new one to fit the replacement plate (no spring was present in the stock).
(https://i.ibb.co/3M49qs8/20190511-130652.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1d7t5np)
(https://i.ibb.co/3CcH484/20190511-130722.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tJD5QNQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/jVccrqN/20190511-130756.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZHnnMvj)
Looks like this one was used by Petrit Gjoni (Peter Johnson?) of the village of Kallmet, in Lezh.
(https://i.ibb.co/DtxmzMP/20190511-130822.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vH7fVdC)
Anyone know the significance of this symbol and acronym?
(https://i.ibb.co/1MJTp9S/20190511-130832.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BGKB7g1)
Dated at the transition of Albania's form of government:
(https://i.ibb.co/CHHM27C/20190511-130913.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mccX8qZ)
(https://i.ibb.co/bzvYskB/20190511-130934.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SRmHtzn)
(https://i.ibb.co/xSnCWhD/20190511-131011.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d0NWFBr)
Something on the buttstock had been heavily abraded, and had once been painted red. If Kallmet/Lezh was a stronghold or enclave of Orthodox Christianity (as it seems from a quick web perusal indicates), could this have been some communist or fundamentalist islamic symbol that Gjoni found that he didn't want?
(https://i.ibb.co/7ngq2DK/20190511-131033.jpg) (https://ibb.co/v3sSZWk)
A remnant of the former markings seem to suggest an islamic theme, at least as I see it first-hand; something "Turk".
(https://i.ibb.co/VYZD07L/20190511-131142.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yF15mwN)
Cool ersatz remnant of a Chinese sling:
(https://i.ibb.co/R4C413F/20190511-131154.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jZLZdyN)
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Can you get a closeup of that serial prefix?
(https://i.ibb.co/DtxmzMP/20190511-130822.jpg)
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LC, I'll be happy to; right now I'm out of town, but I'll get one as soon as possible. Are you thinking it's the "G"?
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LC, I'll be happy to; right now I'm out of town, but I'll get one as soon as possible. Are you thinking it's the "G"?
Its a great example. 8)
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Will do on the photo, sir. Maybe a week out, but maybe by that time I can pick up the other of the three. I have no idea how the third is marked or anything about the serial numbers-these things were untouched and loaded with filth from import.
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very neat find, they sure look good together. thanks for sharing. thumb1
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Thanks, Carl! I'm looking forward to picking up the third, since each of these were from the same import batch from a few years ago, and were taking up space on the dealer's rack all that time. You literally could not see anything about them, other than the general stock configuration: wrapped in heavy plastic; filthy, sandy, cosmoline; etc. I guess that's why they stayed around so long. So I picked the two that were interesting; one seemed to have trench art, and the other with the makeshift sling fitment. As a novice collector, I used to seek out the super clean, unissued rifles (and those certainly have their place) but I've got an affinity for ones like this now.
Once the third's in hand, I'll update here.
Oh, and LooseCannon, I'm away from my database, but I seem to remember that I may have one of the early Kengs "First Year of Production" (if I remember correctly, that's how they marketed them) with the G prefix, but I'll have to dig back once I'm able. If so, I'll post images from both rifles.
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Oh, and LooseCannon, I'm away from my database, but I seem to remember that I may have one of the early Kengs "First Year of Production" (if I remember correctly, that's how they marketed them) with the G prefix, but I'll have to dig back once I'm able. If so, I'll post images from both rifles.
Modify message
Kengs databate? First year?
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Oh no, sorry to mislead. My own personal database, which includes a Kengs rifle or two. I seem to remember that KFS marketed the letter series/Arsenal 26 rifles as "first year" rifles with a slight premium, along with the internal security rifles. I used to have one of their ads for these saved, but it's been lost long ago. Memory might be lost or faulty, too!
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Oh how times have changed. :))
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I really like all of the “trench art”. Nice score thumb1
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Really cool. Can I ask how much for them? If you don't want to post not a problem. Thanks
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Bob, I'll put it this way: the original asking price was $400 each, which I thought was perhaps a bit stiff (especially since they were "take them as you find them"; that is, no unwrapping or serial number review). Given that the shopkeep played his hand and "couldn't believe nobody wanted SKSs anymore" I made an offer for more than one that I didn't think was insulting, and the offer was accepted! Given what Classic is now asking, I was comfortable with what I've paid.
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thumb1 thumb1
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Here's a couple close-ups of the serial number prefix from the Petrit Gjoni rifle:
(https://i.ibb.co/n7m33T9/01-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PcjTTRK)
(https://i.ibb.co/tDTT4wn/02-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZxppVRv)
Here's the serial number prefix from the KFS import "first year" rifle:
(https://i.ibb.co/CsnCJKK/03-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pr3VWjj)
(https://i.ibb.co/0YdKx8x/04-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VMPxsrs)
(https://i.ibb.co/852hXh1/05-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/r6MWvWD)
(https://i.ibb.co/K6RbZHY/06-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kKk5nFp)
(https://i.ibb.co/9yrPrS0/07-Pinyin-G.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F8DpDC1)
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The "backwards J"! Ennyhoo, can someone 'splain why the bc has that interesting 'micro-chiseling' on it. think1
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Matchka, do you mean the left side of the stripper clip guide? I went back to the Gjoni rifle photos that I didn't post for a similar angle of the bolt carrier, but I didn't take one. Anyway, it sort of looks like the machining of the guide is quite similar between the two, at least from a quick review.
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Its not a backwards J.
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JM, yep.
LC, isn't this the Chinese pinyin referred to as the backwards J? I must've misinterpreted and/or completely misunderstood Yooper's description. I stand corrected - but help a brother out and fill me in. Standing tall for my NJP :o
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Step number one..... Never look at the Pooper sight again.
Step two...... read the stickies. :))
https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=42.0
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That site is still around.. :)
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Done & done! (Still learning)
I own 60+ SKS's, from my personal, sorta authorized 'bring back' that traveled from 'Nam to Iwakuni, Japan in a comm van (AN/TSC-15) - disassembled then mailed (yep, mailed via the FPO) to my folk's house in TX, to the pristine, slathered in cosmoline Yugo M59, not 66 - that I snapped up a few months ago. Once the temps rise, stay tuned for my 'melt down' & clean up pics of that beauty.
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Finally picked up the third Sino/Albanian Type 56 (lowest one in the photos) that was in the replacement stock made from an unused Albanian stock blank: no shellac applied, and inlet for the blade bayonet. The Albanian family grows:
(https://i.ibb.co/TPMYQwk/20190616-161547.jpg) (https://ibb.co/r52FBQm)
(https://i.ibb.co/sF8YFsF/20190616-161619.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hK3zK2K)
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That's one of the nicer replacement stocks I've seen. Fit is pretty good all in all! Some of them were carved with a dull butter knife and left half-looking like a 2x4 (and fit about as well as that too).
Nice set! thumb1
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Thanks, Running-man! Even though the last one was like the others (in plastic wrap with dollops of cosmoline), that grain jumped out, and once I figured it was another variant of the import configurations, I had to snag it. Now all I have to do is find a 15XXXXXX/1970 from Classic's latest batch, and then I'll be done...or probably not!