It’s a nice looking gun Do you have a picture of the serial number on the back of the receiver cover, and the right side of the buttstock?
The "АП" stock acceptance stamp on this one is visible on his left side buttstock photo just behind the S/N.
This is my first post on this forum as I have never heard about this forum before, till I read the thread about new SKS book coming up and this forum was mentioned. So, anyway, picked up this SKS at the NGD set up Saturday morning and here it is for your opinions:
Welcome to the SKS-Files. Glad to have you here!
My opinion: I think it's a legit
"As-Issued" '53 Izhevsk in "very good" condition. I think it could be debated that the stock has had a new coat of shellac applied on it due to the very faint "АП" stock acceptance stamp (and whether or not this constitutes a "refurb", whether this gun could be called "non-refurb", "unfired", "unissued", etc.), but irregardless, this carbine would be classified as 'as-issued' in the database just based on it having all the correct features for a '53 Izhevsk. It is *extremely* difficult to find a carbine from this year, this arsenal, in this condition so this is a great find!
I have another from this prefix series in my files that is only ~250 units later that is in similarly "As-Issued, very good" condition: