Author Topic: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania  (Read 3425 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« on: May 25, 2019, 10:30:10 PM »
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).







Looks like this one was used by Petrit Gjoni (Peter Johnson?) of the village of Kallmet, in Lezh.



Anyone know the significance of this symbol and acronym?



Dated at the transition of Albania's form of government:







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?



A remnant of the former markings seem to suggest an islamic theme, at least as I see it first-hand; something "Turk".



Cool ersatz remnant of a Chinese sling:



Offline Loose}{Cannon

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Constitutional Extremist
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2019, 11:21:54 PM »
Can you get a closeup of that serial prefix?

      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2019, 11:26:15 PM »
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"?

Offline Loose}{Cannon

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Constitutional Extremist
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2019, 11:36:52 PM »
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)
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2019, 11:42:57 PM »
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.

Offline carls sks

  • Location: Culpeper, Virginia
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sharp-Shooter
  • *
  • Posts: 1420
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2019, 09:16:36 AM »
very neat find, they sure look good together. thanks for sharing.  thumb1
ARMY NAM VET, SO PROUD!

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2019, 09:37:35 AM »
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.

Offline Loose}{Cannon

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Constitutional Extremist
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2019, 10:57:13 AM »
Quote
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? 
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2019, 11:26:48 AM »
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!

Offline Loose}{Cannon

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Constitutional Extremist
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2019, 12:43:08 PM »
Oh how times have changed.    :))
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Offline Phosphorus32

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+13)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: 6796
  • Send lawyers guns and money...uh, skip the lawyers
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2019, 04:41:52 PM »
I really like all of the “trench art”. Nice score  thumb1

Offline Bob_The_Student

  • SKS-FILES CONTRIBUTOR
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sharp-Shooter
  • *
  • Posts: 1273
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2019, 04:47:13 PM »
Really cool. Can I ask how much for them? If you don't want to post not a problem. Thanks

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2019, 08:14:44 PM »
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.

Offline Bob_The_Student

  • SKS-FILES CONTRIBUTOR
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sharp-Shooter
  • *
  • Posts: 1273
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2019, 04:24:07 PM »
 thumb1 thumb1

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2019, 05:18:27 PM »
Here's a couple close-ups of the serial number prefix from the Petrit Gjoni rifle:





Here's the serial number prefix from the KFS import "first year" rifle:












Offline Matchka

  • SKS-FILES CONTRIBUTOR
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sharp-Shooter
  • *
  • Posts: 1367
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #15 on: June 01, 2019, 06:03:02 PM »
The "backwards J"! Ennyhoo, can someone 'splain why the bc has that interesting 'micro-chiseling' on it.  think1

Online jmaurer

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Rifleman
  • *
  • Posts: 152
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #16 on: June 01, 2019, 09:08:14 PM »
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.

Offline Loose}{Cannon

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Constitutional Extremist
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #17 on: June 01, 2019, 09:39:56 PM »
Its not a backwards J.   
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Offline Matchka

  • SKS-FILES CONTRIBUTOR
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sharp-Shooter
  • *
  • Posts: 1367
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2019, 09:32:30 PM »
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

Offline Loose}{Cannon

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • Sniper
  • *
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Constitutional Extremist
Re: A Couple of Type 56s via Albania
« Reply #19 on: June 02, 2019, 09:35:08 PM »
Step number one.....      Never look at the Pooper sight again. 

Step two......  read the stickies.     :))

https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=42.0


      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.