Hello all, new guy here. I'm not to savy on the computer and I don't spell very well so please bear with me. I have recently acquired what I believe is a letter series SKS. I've been searching the web for info which led me to this page. The serial number is KM####D, it's numbers matching. Appears to be a referb BBQ gun as the bolt is black. It also has what I assume is the arctic birch stock. I guess what my question is, after my research, was it common for these to go into referb and still retain a standard issue original stock? Plus I read somewhere that in 1956 they had switched over to the laminate stock? I'll never sell it and I don't care about value, I'm just trying to figure out what it is. It has the Tula star stamped on the side of the reciever. It has a blade bayonet, natural or bare finish. If anyone is interested I can try to figure out how to post pics. Thanks
I'm also not trying to hijack this thread, just seemed like the thread that related to what I'm dealing with.
Welcome to the board Snow. Would need to see photos of the gun to tell for certain. Based on the description, it’s highly unlikely that the stock you describe is the original stock, but it posibly could be. Most heavy bbq refurbs would have gotten replacement stocks. It’s impossible to tell for certain without photos of your particular gun though.
Thanks RM. I'll try to figure out how to upload some when I get a chance.
(https://i.ibb.co/vhgTmSd/20210409-045725-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nBZYfF1)
(https://i.ibb.co/rGWhgjk/20210409-045734-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jvpYdNh)
(https://i.ibb.co/dJ36CSq/20210409-045824.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TqnRjZS)
(https://i.ibb.co/thNKTtq/20210409-045700.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7zTCd5n)
Definitely a heavily refurbished 1956 Д (D) letter gun. The replacement stock was made and/or refurbished at Arsenal No. 1 in Balakleya, Ukraine based on the box with diagonal line marking on the buttstock.
Thanks for the info on the stock. It must have gotten a "forced" serial number because it matches the other numbers. Nothing is X'ed out or looks out of place in any way. Thanks again!
The refurb facility likely sanded the old numbers off. Is there any evidence of barely visible old numbers or a year cartouche on the left side of that stock near the S/N?
RM, the left side of the stock shows no sign of old letters/numbers. It has the KM#### and that is it. The right side has the "diver down" symbol. Aka box with diagonal line and about 6 other small marks. I'll post some pics. Appears to me to be a 10, a seven and others.
(https://i.ibb.co/RPhCLyz/20210409-213030.jpg) (https://ibb.co/K7N9CwF)
(https://i.ibb.co/V9ZFt07/20210409-213042.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zxY3rWy)
(https://i.ibb.co/PzMhcnR/20210409-213058.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DgYC9yN)
(https://i.ibb.co/BgkWfqV/20210409-213129.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HrZwKnD)
(https://i.ibb.co/Wzcm9wp/20210409-213321.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VCvfyZp)
Blank replacement stocks for SKSs and Mosins were also made at Balakleya. Yours is likely one of those.