Ok... Lets light this candle.

[Loose}{Cannon]

This is how I think this will work best. Let me know what you think...

The reason why I created all these placeholders is to keep them in order. I locked them because any additional posts in them will bump it to the top and subsequently screw up the order.  The only way to keep said order is to not have any additional posts within them.

All we have to do is transfer data to the OP and give credit where credit is due. Simply start a new thread, and using RMs template list of components (shown below) fill in what the rifle has, and add some pics. I'll let RM decide what pics we should aim for, but we also understand that any given situation may not yeild all the pics we may wish for, so lets just do the best we can.  I would highly suggest a full pic of the right side of the entire rifle because many things can be seen from that angle such as lightening cut carrier, stock cutouts, takedown levers etc.

So, start a new thread, fill in the blanks, post relevant pics, we will all go over it, and then transfer it to the proper arsenal.

Here is the format example... If you have any issue determining component erra, please see here.  Component Variations - Chinese SKS Guide

Please put the arsenal in the your thread title...

Barrel Lug: Short/Long/Pinned/Uncertain
Battle Sight on RSL: П/3/D/III/Uncertain
Bayonet Type: Blade/Spike/Uncertain
Bayonet Lug: Early Cut/Late Non-Cut/Uncertain
Bolt Carrier: Early Cut/Late Non-Cut/Uncertain
Gas Tube: Early 1 Piece/Late 2 Piece/Uncertain
Gas Block: Early Milled/Late Cast/Late Cast w/Round/Uncertain
Receiver Cover Takedown: Normal/Inverted/Uncertain
Rear Sight Block: Early Milled/Mid Milled/Late Milled/Late Cast/Uncertain
Serial Number Format: X Digits, Y,YXX,XXX
S/N on Components: Last X digits/Uncertain
S/N on Stock: Last X digits, leading zeros, Small/Medium/Large Font/Uncertain
Stock Swivel: Bottom/Side/Uncertain
Trigger Group Type: Early Milled/Late Stamped/Uncertain
Notes: Things such as where the firearm was found.  Owner of the photos, mismatching components, etc.

 We need your help guys... This (like everything else) is a group effort that I think would be an asset to the community. 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Some additional notes..

Each arsenal thread will be status marked using the message icons as follows.

   Lightbulb
The lightbulb will indicate a thread containing information, but is incomplete.

Thumbs Up
The Thumbs Up will indicate a completed arsenal thread.


Also, please refrain from using anything associated with sksboards.  We have gotten this far without doing so and there isn't anything that connot be found somewhere else. 

[armedhippie]

Question... LC or RM.

I'm gonna post my DP Changchun. I noticed that the COMPONENT variations page doesn't include the gas block ( not busting yalls chops here just noticed because it was on the list)

On my chinese SKSs, I have milled, cast and "round" gas blocks. For those that didn't know, would those be all?( for the chinese SKS) and I've been wondering since I've been studying on these DP's and DB's if "round gas block" would be considered the correct terminology for those gas blocks? or are they called something different already?

EDIT----The round is also milled, just a different style. So if I'm over thinking this, feel free to tell me 

Thanks guys 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Good question...  RM needs to make a terminology executive decision as it involves the survey.  Im sure he already has a term hes using...

I haven't done anything with the component page in over a year!   Needs an update.

[running-man]

No worries Hippie!  . This is the kind of feedback I'm looking for.

We do have the gas block, but as of right now I've only got milled and cast as the two examples. I have not paid great deals of attention to the gas blocks. If there are multiple milled variations on them, I'm afraid I'll have to plead ignorance. 

Hey, I get to learn too! 

[Loose}{Cannon]

I know the one he speaks of..  I assumed you had these classified in the survey I guess.  Very rounded 'ball' shape gas block...

[armedhippie]

Hey, I get to learn too! 

  That right there is 1 of the reasons this place is awesome. We've all been in the game for quite a while....but ego does not get in the way of learning. No matter how much I think I know....There is always room for more to learn.( Questioning things that just don't add up or have nothing to back it up....well that's another reason  )

I didn't really notice them much either RM till I held my 1st DB...then it kinda jumps right out at ya. Looks very different than the standard "sloped" gas block.

Just dug out most of my chinese and the sloped milled 1 seems to be the norm. The DP has the "round ball" shape like LC said. Now my only cast gas block is like a combination of the 2 ( although I would lean more toward sloped like the milled 1's)

I've seen them on a few different rifles but mainly I've been finding them on the DB and DP rifles. Course with my touch of ocd...I'm on the look out for 'em now 

[running-man]

I know the one he speaks of..  I assumed you had these classified in the survey I guess.  Very rounded 'ball' shape gas block...

I'm not even tracking these in the survey

Here's what I think we've got:
Std milled:



Cast:


I think I've seen the bulbous gas block you guys might be talking about. I'll see if I can scrounge up a photo.

[armedhippie]

The best pic I could find ATM. I'll take some from the front and better of the side for ya. It doesn't stand out quite as well in this pic.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Yup..  Thats the one.   Had one on my /0223\

I don't think they are milled.  I cant see them milling a round ball shape from a forge, and it sure looks cast to me.

[running-man]

Those are definitely not milled.  You can see the mold reliefs here on this [0221]:



And here's another /0223b\:

[armedhippie]

hmmm...It didn't occur to me that it might be cast. If so they put some extra work to polishing it I guess. Compared to my cast ( which sticks out like a sore thumb) It looks very refined but.....would explain why the cast is very similar in shape. Not trying to muddle up your thread but think I'll take a few side by side pics for further study if yall don't mind.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Mind?....   We encourage it!

I think its more of a wire wheel smoothing of the parts prior to finish.  I would think this can vary from part/part location/location and year/year. 

They may have even started using tumblers?

[running-man]

Very well could be.  No worries Hippie, pulling the string is the right thing to do, even if it does make a bit of a tangle upfront.  I think we're going to find there are more than three versions.  In looking over just the three cast examples I posted, compared with the cast example you posted there are at least three, and possibly four different cast types just based on the four photos. 

My /0223b\ example is round nosed, but it doesn't have the same kind of shoulder yours has.  It just kind of ends while yours has a defined bumpout to a larger diameter that matches the OD of the gas tube.  They are certainly different. 

Good stuff!

[armedhippie]

Good stuff right there.  This morning I would have put dollars to doughnuts that is was milled....now, not so sure and that is a good thing.  Data, data and more data.

Got some good pics of definite cast, maybe cast, milled rounded and milled with sharp corners. Even was able to finally get a "chorus girl" line up shot of my chinese  but...I've put off work long enough. I'll get 'em uploaded this evening.

Different gas blocks may seem trivial to some, but I feel, its this kind of in depth overall data coverage that sets us apart. Plus I know I'm not the only 1 here that might be a touch OCD and well...the beast needs to be fed 

[armedhippie]

Here's a good pic of the 1 in question.


Here's my definite cast, Rough to say the least.


Top to bottom--- Cast,DP,Early milled ( edges were smoothed)and 18 mill milled ( edges are sharp)



Cast then the round DP. I can see this 1 as being cast and then smoothed and polished quite a bit or perhaps a different method? Can't see mold lines but the edges are to round and smoothed to be milled IMO.




Back and then front of DP. See the weird score/cut marks on the back?




Thoughts? and Thanks for looking    Another neat thing is the receiver on the Para...it has that same look,It Looks to be almost cast but no extra pins and just a lil to smooth. I don't think its cast, but I had to really look it over good to get to that.Feel free to move this if you'd like. I've also got tons more side by side pics.  Side note...in the 3 pic the bayo collar appears to be cast as well.

[Greasemonkey]

Good question...  RM needs to make a terminology executive decision as it involves the survey.  Im sure he already has a term hes using...

I got it  , the Chinese dog knot gas block .  I shoulda been a rap star

Ok, yeah I know,  shut it GM  , RM already has one of them wordy technicality type terms he will use..

[Dannyboy53]

LOL, I kinda like the "Chinese dog knot gas block"! 

This is fascinating, I don't remember ever seeing these rounded gas blocks before now. Now I gotta go check all mine!

[Phosphorus32]

Here's my definite cast, Rough to say the least.

Sheesh, yeah, I think I still see a few grains of mold sand stuck to the front of it 

Cool set of variations. I didn't realize there were so many. My 4 Type 56s are all ghosts or F series so they're milled. 

[Justin Hell]

Cast?!  Looks like hand forged a thousand years ago. 

I think whereever and whenever the DB/DPs were made were set up with some very rudimentary tools to work with.  The straightforward simple design Simonov created seems to be capable of manufacture under the most primitive industrial standards.  The one cast block DP I saw was also with the bulbous front end....kind of in the middle of the quality of those pictured.

My DB receiver appears to be cast and then 'fine' tuned with milling....the barrels seem to have that broken lathe blade look to them on a lot of them too.  My assumption is that they were exploring faster and cheaper methods of manufacturing these....and slowly refined it a little bit. The castings might have come from milling shards from other factories...who knows? Recycling in China?!

One thing is for sure, the more data accrued the more the painting of the history of the SKS will look more like a DaVinci than a Van Gough.