latest find

[ArkSlim]

Found the following SKS of some kind. Will attempt to send pictures when I learn how but for now. Serial #'s match on stock ,reciever,bolt and are scratched on gas port. Serial # has VP over B and upside down U 3703 followed about 2 1/8 in away 5.  Site ramp has the upside down U with a star below and what looks like a triangle (?) beside it and a little below.  Reciever cover has scope mount made onto it. Attached scope is a Leapers 4x25.  The stock appears to be a dark wood and has about a 1/8in up and down movement at the front. The butt plate has been replaced with a rubber cover and the butt plate is missing. The butt has 3 holes in it one for the missing cleaning kit not sure what the other ones are for. Sling attachment on the butt is on the bottom upper attachment is on the left side. Would like to find out what kind it is and if it may be worth the 325.00 I paid?  Any help appreciated.

[astronut]

That does sound like an interesting rifle!  To upload pics, click on the "Upload image to post"  button below the text reply area.  That will open a secondary window where you can drag the photos you want to post into that area.  Or you can click on the "browse photos from your computer"  which will open another window and let you search for the files you have stored.  Good luck, I hope it works for you and would be glad to see pics of your purchase!

[Justin Hell]

Sounds like a Russian import where they attempted to translate the cyrillic characters to 'normal' letters.  It likely is in a laminate stock, which I believe has three holes, two of which I believe were simply for lightening the stock....there is only one hole in the buttplate it is missing.  If the stock looks like a finely layered plywood, and has two crossbolts vs. the normal one....it's a laminate.

The scope mount receiver cover is aftermarket...as is the buttpad.

While it will set you back a bit to replace the scope mount cover with a proper Russian...it shouldn't be hard to find one. With regards to the buttplate, if it indeed is a laminate, those plates are very hard to find...as they are slightly different, not having the same contour on the top edge. You could get a more common regular plate and grind it down to fit though.

Any Russian in this state is well worth $325...even if you plan to restore it back to normal...it will still be a great deal in today's market.

[ArkSlim]

Thanks Justin, I have a chinese that gas all the numbers that match  and a pretty good stoch that I may try to bring back to stock and use the  possible russian as a hunter/shooter. Cost to bring the russian to standard may cost more than it would be worth. Have determined the chinese was made 1976.

[Phosphorus32]

The only SKS it could be is Russian. VP is the importer’s transliteration of the original ВП, as others pointed out.

As it stands, you have a reversible Bubba’d Russian for $325, which is a reasonable price. You should be able to find a buttplate and receiver cover for $75-100, if you luck out that would be a mismatched Russian for $400. Still a good price in today’s market.

[Bacarnal]

Does it have an original magazine?  I have a Soviet one, but the serial doesn't match.  Cheers, Bruce.

[ArkSlim]

The mag is a 10 round stripper fed one but the #'s do not match the rest of the gun.

[ArkSlim]

Did the 52 sks's come with laminated stocks and marked with the serial #'s of the rest of the carbine?  the one I bought has the laminated stock and same serial #'s ? All #'s match but the mag.

[Bob_The_Student]

Russian '52 did not have a laminated stock. The wood stock (sorry can't remember type of wood) would've had the year, the arsenal (Star- Tula / Triangle Izhevsk) and the serial number on the left side of the stock.

[ArkSlim]

Thanks Bob , The stock on this gun is a darker color with a wood grain(?) but it has the same numbers as those on all the rest of the gun,reciever ,trigger group ,bolt and bolt cover gas tube ect. different # on the mag. and no # on reciever cover. Hope to be sending pictures  later today. Not that al this matters just want a good shooter but very curious . Thanks  all

[Justin Hell]

Laminates were most commonly used as a refurb stock...it originally had a solid Arctic Birch stock...at some point it was replaced. Very few later guns actually came originally with them.  They are less prone to breakage...in fact I can't say I have ever heard of a cracked one. They are a bit lighter than the hardwood stocks....and many think they look cooler.  Does yours also have a laminate handguard?

[ArkSlim]

Yes it does. There is @ 1/8in up and down play up at the front and the front pin thru the stock seems loose there is a 2nd pin at the wrist. I can shim the front but do not know how to tighted the pin?

[Justin Hell]

To tighten the crossbolt DO NOT use a screwdriver other than to hold the screw still, while you use a tool to spin the nut. The bolt is anchored into the wood, if you spin it...like someone might have done.....it chews it up and it won't ever stay still. They are kind of like skateboard truck bolts.

It's cool you have a laminate handguard too....a lot of them retained the hardwood one.

[ArkSlim]

In checking during cleaning I found all #'s match with the following 1. the mag has a different #. 2.The receiver cover has no # at all it is one of those strange covers that has 4 screws to attach to the receiver in order to put a scope on (which it came with mounted). Everything else has matching numbers and a lot of factory(?) marks that I can not read. Even the stoch has the same # as the receiver which should not be as it  is not supose to be mfg. with a laminated stock. Being new to trying to determine the age and value of the gun. Hope to get to shoot it soon and may just enjoy it and quit trying!

[Justin Hell]

The receiver cover is aftermarket, and wouldn't be serialed. Mismatched magazines are fairly common...and when fitted with a laminate at refurb, they would serial them to the receiver.   The rest of the stamps are proof marks, barrel/receiver index marks. Russians liked stamps.

[ArkSlim]

Thanks very much. Looks like I may have found a good buy. Paid  $300.00 for it ?

[Larry D.]

I think any SKS for $300 is a good buy these days, let alone a Russian.