Odd ball Arsenal

[longhairlimy]

Here is one i just got and I have not seen this factory. I starred at it for a while but,nope. Can't seem to see #'s.

[Boris Badinov]

Looks like a worn or poorly struck /26\.


Can you post more photos of the overall rifle?

[longhairlimy]

This rifle came to me with a folder stock and no Bayonet.I added stock and Bayo from some extra parts a buddy had. The rifle was covered in Cosmoline. This rifle had not been fired yet after import,#'s match. Gave 425.00 for it from a gun guy that I bs with on a FB page. This Factory mark appears to have not been altered. Bluing is great, doesn't have any rust. Thanks for your input!This sks is # 16 in my stash.

[Phosphorus32]

The extra pics help confirm that it’s a worn Factory 26 marking, as Boris surmised. The import mark indicates it’s a Chinese Type 56 imported from Albania in 2012 by Century Arms International. They only imported early Factory 26 guns. The Russian laminate stock and handguard fit well since these early Type 56s were direct copies of the SKS-45 made with Soviet assistance.

[Bacarnal]

Nice rifle and fix job!!  Welcome aboard!!

[Boris Badinov]

I can't access the imgbb photos.

Can someone tell me the serial range/year of manufacture?

[Boris Badinov]

Here's my 3rd year carbine, with the wonky /26\ arsenal stamp:

[longhairlimy]

Thank you guys for the information.I was way stumped on this one.Boris your 3rd year factory stamp looks to be real close.I'm trying to recover the stock that was on mine before folder.He said it was cracked and someone had used pegs and glue on rear upper stock.

  Phosphorus32, yes the russian stock does fit nice.I have a few Chinese stocks,but this russian was cheap enough to not pass up.Good clean looker. Going to take her out today in my back 40 to shoot it.

   I have looked at a lot of SKS rifles and this markings were just odd,with no Chinese writing and strange factory mark.

[longhairlimy]

I can't access the imgbb photos.

Can someone tell me the serial range/year of manufacture?

Not sure Year,but sn#3219749

[Boris Badinov]

Third year. 1958.

Same year as mine with the wonky 26 stamp:

[longhairlimy]

Third year. 1958.

Same year as mine with the wonky 26 stamp:


 Looks as if the #'s are close.22,578.     I'll take another please!.

[running-man]

Stamps like this are what birth many of the phantom stamps found in other arsenal lists.  (Including the arsenal /25\ fallacy). There is no arsenal /25\ that I’ve been able to find.  The worn stamp persists through a range and then changes when they notice or go through a periodic replacement.  I’m a bit surprised it stayed for 20k S/Ns, but the numbers don’t lie. When I get back to my desktop I’ll look and see if there are any others in that range with similar arsenal stamps.  I bet there are some. 

[longhairlimy]

Stamps like this are what birth many of the phantom stamps found in other arsenal lists.  (Including the arsenal /25\ fallacy). There is no arsenal /25\ that I’ve been able to find.  The worn stamp persists through a range and then changes when they notice or go through a periodic replacement.  I’m a bit surprised it stayed for 20k S/Ns, but the numbers don’t lie. When I get back to my desktop I’ll look and see if there are any others in that range with similar arsenal stamps.  I bet there are some. 

Way cool, Would like to see..I laugh now that I understand,"Stamps" do wear out..And strange is correct that that many were getting stamped with buggered up stamp and still got stamped. Oh,did I say that.
but... I starred at that two three times trying to figure a way the lines made numbers. Back in the day I might have seen some..ha ha ha. I told the guy that I got this from that I would like to get original stock back for it. He is looking in his gun stuffs for it. He said he would gladly trade it for the "Combat Exchange SKS Folder" stock that I took off. YEP,Deal.I'll post it up when it comes around.

[longhairlimy]

Traded Black folder back and got stock off said rifle.Kinda beat up for sure but is what it is.

[running-man]

There was definitely something going on in that range with the stamp they were using.  Many bad ones, but also a few very nice ones.  They must have had more than one stamp:
Pristine stamp in the 3,168,xxx range:

By 3,180,xxx they start getting bad:






But right in the middle, a beautiful stamp at 3,194,xxx:

And another at 3,196,xxx:

Back to bad stamps at 3,196,xxx:

Boris's gun from the gunbroker auction:






Nice ones again at 3,128,xxx:

Back to bad 3,219,xxx:


<--- Your gun would fit in right here --->

Finally, by 3,221,xxx: they are good again: