Another early CAI import

[swede1894]

I thought this one was interesting. (hopefully, others do too!)   It's an 11.48mil with a laminated stock set.  The stock is serial numbered to the rifle and has the CAI ST A VT import stamp.  It's been used hard but has a ton of character!

[Phosphorus32]

Excellent find! 

Definitely fits into the Israeli Capture slot 

https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=1886.0

[Boris Badinov]

I agree with Phos32

Very strong candidate for a Middle East capture rifle.

Very Nice catch

[running-man]

I don’t have access to my computer at the moment to verify 100%, but the 11.4 mil serial number and look of that stock certainly make me believe it is an original Chinese laminate and not restocked with a Russian replacement laminate stock like many of the ICs were.  It may very well be an IC (in fact I think it is as it has the ‘look’), but finding original Chinese laminated stocks are like finding hen’s teeth. I’ve been looking for one for 12 odd years w/o success. I cringe a bit every time one shows up because it means more competition for me with every new eyeball that sees one or remembers about it, but this is a very nice find Swede!! 

[swede1894]

Thank you P32, BB and R-M!

Running-Man  --  The laminations are definitely much thinner than those on my Soviet stocks.  There is no stock reinforcement bolt at the wrist.  This stock is milled only for a spike bayonet and there is no solid block of wood in place between the magazine housing and bayonet cutout.  The recoil lug is also slightly different from those I've seen on other Chinese and Russian sks stocks.

[Phosphorus32]

Great observations on the stock. From a great find to a stellar find! 

The weathered appearance of the wood, reminds me of my IC Syrian Contract Yugoslavian M48 Mauser.
https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=1025.0

Hypothesis: Heavy use without any stock treatment stripped away the shellac and left them prone to weathering. These guns from the IC cache may have been dried well below a typical (moderate humidity climate) dry wood moisture content of 15-20% by the arid environment, sun and wind leading to some post manufacture contraction of the wood. Moistening (rain or sweat) and drying cycles coupled to use further erodes the surface.

[swede1894]

I think your hypothesis is solid.  High temperatures, low humidity and constant usage in a sandy, dusty environment would take it's toll on objects made of wood. 

As an aside, i wonder what type of wood was used in this laminate?  The wood feels slightly softer than the European Beech of a German 98k stock or the Arctic Beech of a Soviet sks stock.  I'm not sure what the relative hardness is of Chinese Beech but the fact that the entire species of wood is not considered resistant to rot makes me think that they likely used some other variety of hardwood for the laminate.  The odd look and feel of the raised red layers on the stock seem to indicate that the wood is quite a bit softer than the resin used to bind everything together. 

It's neat that your m48 has the same ST. A. import marking!!

[echo1]

Nice grab. Definitely looks ICish. PAX

[running-man]

Finally have a bit of time at the computer.  Based on the more detailed description you gave Swede, that's definitely a Chinese laminate.  Very nice! 

I suspect you are probably right P32.  Here in the desert Southwest, certain types of exposed wood simply doesn't last.  We get a condition called dry rot that absolutely can trash wood in no time at all.  I remember one time my dad was overseeing a project where a contractor installed some very nice/fancy poplar balusters on a widow's peak (think of it as a little balcony on the top of the roof, accessible via the attic) of the church in Old Town.  They lasted only about 6 months through a single spring & summer before the combination of sun/heat/lack of humidity totally compromised their structure.  The contractor had to take them all down and replace them with something else as they were disintegrating into small chunks of wood.  They even had a very good quality exterior white paint on top of them & it didn't matter. 

I have no idea the type of wood, my first guess would be Chu (Catalpa) just like the hardwood stocks are.  That's what is believed that the Russians did with their laminated stocks (Laminated Birch, same as their hardwood stocks), I see no reason as to why the Chinese would do something differently but as you say Swede, if the typical stocks weren't very rot resistant, maybe they tried something else?


Serial number ranges for known laminate stocked guns are:

10360220: This one is the odd man out.  I have no idea why this early gun has one of these, it could be a replacement stock as I have no record of the correct S/N on the stock.  This one is interesting, however, because the stock has a side swivel.  All the 11 mil laminates have bottom swivels.  This is the nicest condition laminate I've seen, though it was Possibly refinished stateside? (I think the finger grooves are pretty well rounded over and the gloss is sickeningly shiny compared to what I think it should look like in my mind for a mid 10 mil /26\).  Photos don't really provide concrete evidence one way or another, but if refinished that's quite a shame as this is a unique one!








11,479,xxx to 11,539,xxx.  There are known examples of matching hardwood stocks within this range, so there is not a full 60k laminate stocked carbines out there.  Here are some of the nicer more definitive photos I have of some of these:

















Yeah, I'm still looking for one of these for certain.  Maybe one day!

[Loose}{Cannon]

Im sure this is an IC. We have seen them in the 11m range before.

[running-man]

It certainly has the look.  I wonder if there is still sand in the recesses?  Sweede, have you pulled it from the stock yet?

[Loose}{Cannon]

It certainly has the look.  I wonder if there is still sand in the recesses?  Sweede, have you pulled it from the stock yet?

Have you seen any with this import stamp that didn’t look like an IC?

Seems it was used for a brief time period and I would imagine there being a good size patch from one location.

[swede1894]

LC & RM -  i pulled it a while back.  There was very fine grit in the recesses of the stock and in the action....didn't clean it....just left it where it was.