1949 Tula Refurb

[Larry D.]

Thanks for the education, gents.

Also like the vintage aircraft plug box.

[running-man]

Thank you to everyone for the info and replies. Appreciate it!

Sabu,
I have additional information about your carbine, and you may not like it.

I had photos of this gun saved on my computer direct from the WestRifle website.  I pulled these photos on 04/19/2016:






Of particular interest is the stock when originally listed via WestRifle:


WestRifle had this gun on their site a looong time, I grabbed another set of photos on 05/23/18.  Different photo, same stock:


Now look at your stock:


It's the same stock, the S/N was left mostly unmolested, though filled in with heavy finish, the old XXX'd numbers were sanded out (you can clearly see where now that you know where to look), and the cartouche and date were added.  The stock is the same stock, the toe addition (a separate block that was added to many stock blanks that were just a bit too small to make a full stock) is clearly identical as is the remnants of the little 0 after the AГ1144 S/N.

Obviously between when it was photographed on 5/23/18 and today something happened to that stock.  I want to make it clear that I have no information that WestRifle did this, indeed they had it listed with the clearly double XXX'd stock for over two years.  "Any" owner between them selling it and and you buying it could have humped it. 

We have a member here who was fond of saying "This gun gives me the heebie-jeebies" - this gun does indeed give me the heebie-jeebies.  It is clear to me that I can now make this statement with 100% certainty:

"Someone in Canada right now has a Tula star stock cartouche stamp, a 1949Г stamp, the ability to sand and refinish a stock to make it appear to be something that it isn't, and they are actively doing this to SKS45s there right now."

Before I only had circumstantial evidence that this was occurring...for example there were no documented 1956-58 guns with 195XГ dates & cartouches, but they turned up on CGN and were hailed as absolute proof that these guns were indeed made this way.  It is clear that the pool of guns in Canada has major issues and I've been absolutely correct in excluding them from my data collection.

[Justin Hell]

We need a smoking gun emoji.

Damn, while it seemed way too good to be true seeing these stocks pop up...it is disheartening to find out that indeed it was.

[sabu243]

I have nothing to be upset about, it's a beauty rifle that now has even more of a story!

That's unreal that you happened to have the pictures from West Rifle as well.

Thanks for the update with the new info.

Lots of shenanigans up in the North it seems.

[running-man]

I have nothing to be upset about, it's a beauty rifle that now has even more of a story!

That's unreal that you happened to have the pictures from West Rifle as well.

Thanks for the update with the new info.

Lots of shenanigans up in the North it seems.

Good deal!   .   As long as you're happy with what you have. The gun is indeed a bonifide '49 as I have many others with the prefix that are untouched. 

Some guys collect firearms; they have beautiful collections. I mostly just collect data.  You'd be surprised how many new guns people post that I already have a photo of.

[Justin Hell]

There is the fact it is documented in photos that it is at least the stock it was refurbed with. Just with a slight touch of additional refurbing done by a third party.

Most folks with these won't be able to ever know for sure...great catch RM!

[sabu243]

RM - Data collection is very important when trying to decipher a mystery that is over 50 years old from half way around the world. It will be a constant learning curve as more examples surface and more pieces of the puzzle are assembled. Good on you for your dedication to the cause.

For me, as much as I appreciate the carbine for it's historical value, it is still a nicely blued rifle with a decent looking stock that I will shoot at the range and enjoy.

I like learning the minute and intricate differences between the model years and variations while possibly having someone see something I hadn't is fun!

[Larry D.]

Wow.
What a catch.

[Direct Connection]

Man alot of nice SkS's have suddenly appeared lately. Very nice piece of Ruski history

I wonder if Greasemonkey/C13 Mechanic has one of those aircraft spark plug tools yet.