Thought I'd treat myself , and Monday I ordered one from SOG. It's worthy of the price. $299 + shipping. It's an all matching E1414 Chinese letter gun. Haven't cleaned it yet, but bluing looks 90%+ thru the cosmo, stock has a few dings and maybe a trace of trench art. No electropenciled markings on the gas tube or gas piston that I can make out. This one will be a keeper next to K9103, which has more character and less bluing. :)
Sks E1414 Slideshow by brentb636 | Photobucket (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/brentb636/slideshow/sks%20E1414?sort=3)
Sounds like a keeper. Congrats
You've definitely got a keeper Brent, she's a really good looker there! Not too many letter guns showing up with these last batches. Good score. thumb1
I've put it in the survey, albeit incompletely . It's in no condition for checking for stamps on the small parts. They are soaking in spirits, and I'll let you know what stamps I find. :)
Good catch Brent...congrats!
Brent, What are the import markings on your new rife? I would like to know what batch this is from. TIA
Based on the first photo in his slideshow, I see enough of a fuzzy outline of the import stamp to be pretty sure it's from the IO Monroe, NC batch. These were imported prior to IOs move to Florida way back in August, 2013 so it appears this gun has been sitting for a good year-and-a-half waiting to be sold.
The Monroe guns were certainly nice ones. Makes me like it even more! thumb1
Very nice... RM is right, there were some real decent rifles in the first IO batch. thumb1
Quote from: running-man on December 26, 2014, 11:07:52 PM
Based on the first photo in his slideshow, I see enough of a fuzzy outline of the import stamp to be pretty sure it's from the IO Monroe, NC batch. These were imported prior to IOs move to Florida way back in August, 2013 so it appears this gun has been sitting for a good year-and-a-half waiting to be sold.
The Monroe guns were certainly nice ones. Makes me like it even more! thumb1
Good Eyes, R-M, it is indeed the Monroe batch. After cleaning it looks to be about 95% good blue. This should be a sharp looking old gun when it gets cleaned up, and the stock tweaked. There's no varnish left , so I've given it an acetone bath, and then stained it. Will finish it off with my home-blended wiping varnish.
This E1414 is the top one of my mini-collection. :)
(http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o700/brentb636/C-R%20Guns/DSCN2574014_zpsd6f852a7.jpg~original) (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/brentb636/media/C-R%20Guns/DSCN2574014_zpsd6f852a7.jpg.html)
Brent
Quote from: brentb636 on December 27, 2014, 07:17:12 AM
Quote from: running-man on December 26, 2014, 11:07:52 PM
Based on the first photo in his slideshow, I see enough of a fuzzy outline of the import stamp to be pretty sure it's from the IO Monroe, NC batch. These were imported prior to IOs move to Florida way back in August, 2013 so it appears this gun has been sitting for a good year-and-a-half waiting to be sold.
The Monroe guns were certainly nice ones. Makes me like it even more! thumb1
Good Eyes, R-M, it is indeed the Monroe batch. After cleaning it looks to be about 95% good blue. This should be a sharp looking old gun when it gets cleaned up, and the stock tweaked. There's no varnish left , so I've given it an acetone bath, and then stained it. Will finish it off with my home-blended wiping varnish.
So there goes the collectabilty... Now we need somebody to say, "well, it's your gun"...
Is the russian sneak 100% matching, even the stock? How did you make the stock look so good? :)
Your mini collection is very nice. thumb1
I'm looking for a nice all matching letter gun myself, one day I'll be at the right place at the right time. wink1
Thanks for sharing your 4 beautiful treasures with us. clap1
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on December 28, 2014, 10:34:51 AM
Is the russian sneak 100% matching, even the stock? How did you make the stock look so good? :)
Except for the receiver cover, it's 100% matching, even the stock. Here's a copy of the slideshow of the "sneak" ( work in progress) . Got rid of the old finish with Acetone/Mineral spirits blend. Let it dry and hit it quickly with a Mahogany oil stain and wiped it off, to accent the residual red . Several coats of wiping satin BLO/spirits/varnish to protect it. It's a very nice gun to start with, couldn't have seen any trench time . :)
SKS-Russian Slideshow by brentb636 | Photobucket (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/brentb636/slideshow/SKS-Russian?sort=3)
Brent
To change the subject slightly, both of my Letter guns have an air gap between the rear sight and the barrel lug. That gap is not evident on either my ghost or "sneak". Is the gap also present on the guns immediately before or after the letter guns ? Inquiring minds ......... ?
:)
Brent
(http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o700/brentb636/SKS%20Chinese%20Letter%20gun%20K9103/DSCN2061_zps6cb615df.jpg~original) (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/brentb636/media/SKS%20Chinese%20Letter%20gun%20K9103/DSCN2061_zps6cb615df.jpg.html)
Quote from: Stoned_Oli on December 28, 2014, 10:33:19 AM
Quote from: brentb636 on December 27, 2014, 07:17:12 AM
Quote from: running-man on December 26, 2014, 11:07:52 PM
Based on the first photo in his slideshow, I see enough of a fuzzy outline of the import stamp to be pretty sure it's from the IO Monroe, NC batch. These were imported prior to IOs move to Florida way back in August, 2013 so it appears this gun has been sitting for a good year-and-a-half waiting to be sold.
The Monroe guns were certainly nice ones. Makes me like it even more! thumb1
Good Eyes, R-M, it is indeed the Monroe batch. After cleaning it looks to be about 95% good blue. This should be a sharp looking old gun when it gets cleaned up, and the stock tweaked. There's no varnish left , so I've given it an acetone bath, and then stained it. Will finish it off with my home-blended wiping varnish.
So there goes the collectabilty... Now we need somebody to say, "well, it's your gun"...
:) I'll probably drop it in the mud at the range a few times, just to make it collectible again. chuckles1
The gap you note is very common, some are more obvious than others. Throw in the fact a lot are plugged with gunk and cosmo many don't realize their rifle has that gap.
Brent as monkeyboy says that gap is normal. It actually serves a purpose, it's a storage area for dirt, lint, etc! ;)
Quote from: monkeyboy on December 28, 2014, 02:52:01 PM
The gap you note is very common, some are more obvious than others. Throw in the fact a lot are plugged with gunk and cosmo many don't realize their rifle has that gap.
It stands to reason that you wouldn't want metal-metal contact, for fitting purposes. Perhaps the chinese changed their specs a little on the sight blocks, from the earlier specs. I'll try to locate my vernier caliper and be scientific about it. Thanks for the feedback. :)
Quote from: Dannyboy53 on December 28, 2014, 03:02:38 PM
Brent as monkeyboy says that gap is normal. It actually serves a purpose, it's a storage area for dirt, lint, etc! ;)
Always said those Chinese were clever !!! :)
Quote from: monkeyboy on December 28, 2014, 02:52:01 PM
The gap you note is very common, some are more obvious than others. Throw in the fact a lot are plugged with gunk and cosmo many don't realize their rifle has that gap.
+1
Are you sure your ghost does not have a gap?
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on December 28, 2014, 03:08:10 PM
Quote from: monkeyboy on December 28, 2014, 02:52:01 PM
The gap you note is very common, some are more obvious than others. Throw in the fact a lot are plugged with gunk and cosmo many don't realize their rifle has that gap.
+1
Are you sure your ghost does not have a gap?
I pulled it out and looked at it. I tried to clear the area under the sight with a knife blade, but got no traction. I'm thinking that there might be a tiny gap there, but nowhere near the size of the gap that I see on the two letter guns. That gap is obvious.
Here's the ghost....
(http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o700/brentb636/SKS%20Ghost%20131864/DSCN2065_zps8f8e02de.jpg~original) (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/brentb636/media/SKS%20Ghost%20131864/DSCN2065_zps8f8e02de.jpg.html)
There's a gap.... simple tolerances differences. You will need a toothbrush and solvent and maybe a paper clip to get the crud out.
Nice example of a russian proof right thar. thumb1
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on December 28, 2014, 04:48:02 PM
There's a gap.... simple tolerances differences. You will need a toothbrush and solvent and maybe a paper clip to get the crud out.
Nive example of a russian proof right thar. Q thumb1
:)
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on December 28, 2014, 04:48:02 PM
Nice example of a russian proof right thar. thumb1
I have a 5 digit Ghost with that exact Proof on the front,of the front sight. Along with the single digit fitment #'s that you find on Ghosts...er russians...er...hhmmm makes ya think rofl2
Brentb636 Some beautiful SKS's ya have man. Thanks for sharing.
Brent those four carbines are definitely drooling material! thumb1 Good looking specimens.
Quote from: brentb636 on December 28, 2014, 05:24:40 PM
Quote from: Loose}{Cannon on December 28, 2014, 04:48:02 PM
There's a gap.... simple tolerances differences. You will need a toothbrush and solvent and maybe a paper clip to get the crud out.
Nive example of a russian proof right thar. Q thumb1
:)
I searched all over and found my feeler gauges to measure the gap.
Results:
E1414 - gap 0.020"
K9103 - gap 0.019"
Pл7360 - gap 0.015"
Ghost 131864 - gap 0.010"
Conclusion: Too small a sample size to think of a conclusion, but my Letter Guns have a noticeably larger gap. :) Those feeler gauges are good to clear the gap out, that's for certain.
My old letter gun i use to have had a gap too. Had a horrible trigger, loose bolt & carrier, and just wasn't made all that well.
China's first attempt at creating their own parts though, right?
When I would shoot it, the carrier would actually get hung up before getting to the point where it should have closed the whole way... And that was an all matching gun.
10 mils of difference isn't much when it comes to something like this Brent. That could easily be a variation in the barrel lug, the rear sight block, or both. Heck, finding a 10 mil variation between two parts today is not unheard of, even with NC programming and CNC machining.
It really is a testament to how well controlled the machining and fittment were back in the '50s and '60s. Of course, you get a story like Worm's and have to wonder how 'hard' the transition truly was when the Chinese suddenly had Russian support change over to Russian animosity. Even though they have been in the SKS business for several years with at least 450k units under their belts, producing one totally from scratch as opposed to just assembling certain imported/foreign produced parts must have had quite a learning curve.
+1
I would say the under belly of the rsb was minuscule as long as the center/center offset between the bore and operating rod channel were correct. thumb1
Sounds like Worms gun was simply needing maintenance after years of abuse. It couls have been anything from a disconnector issue/adjustment to worn carrier channels. Either way, I bet it was top notch when it left Jianshe. thumb1