5-Digit "Ghost" SKS

[nightstryke]

Here's my horrible example of a rare(not at all) Chinese Type 56 "Ghost" SKS.

Believe me as bad as it looks, I got this from RTI/I.O. Inc. Palm Bay, FL in ten times worse condition back at the beginning of April this year. Though for a $189.99 Grade C there were no broken parts aside from a completely rusted Bolt and Bolt Carrier both of which did not match the serial, every other part does match the serial including the stock. I went and added the missing cleaning rod, replaced the bolt and bolt carrier with unissued non-serial parts. Quite honestly it shoots alright considering the condition that it's in or was in when I received it, unfortunately I did not take before pictures.









Interestingly enough, the bayonet throws me off a little as all the blade bayonets that I have seen of the SKS few have the indent/black strip where the blade meets the metal of the receiver. I did mention it was a 5-digit Ghost, I'm pretty sure this is a 1956 though it could be a 1957, but it's in the 5-digit range so I have doubts that it was made in 1957 since what 218k were made between 1956-1957 without factory markings.

[armedhippie]

So...These are the before pics right?.....


j/k Just messing with ya man  Sweet early 5 digit man. My earliest is at 43k. How are the eternals? I would love to see some more pics of whats going on with the butt of the stock. Some form of trench art? or a crude repair? Inquiring minds want to know 

That stock looks to be in good shape. All in all It will grow on ya. My favorite Ghost has about 5-10% Bluing left and I've nick named it "The Silver Ghost"  Some of us here really dig the "character", adds spice to a gun rack full of pristine examples.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Yeah... That stock aint so bad.  Looks like a fine shooter to me!

[nightstryke]

So...These are the before pics right?.....


j/k Just messing with ya man  Sweet early 5 digit man. My earliest is at 43k. How are the eternals? I would love to see some more pics of whats going on with the butt of the stock. Some form of trench art? or a crude repair? Inquiring minds want to know 

That stock looks to be in good shape. All in all It will grow on ya. My favorite Ghost has about 5-10% Bluing left and I've nick named it "The Silver Ghost"  Some of us here really dig the "character", adds spice to a gun rack full of pristine examples.

Honestly i took the butt plate off once and there's no cleaning kit or even burlap patches like in some older 56's. The spring is being held in place by some of the art. Other than that can't say much more, as for the trench art I have no clue it could just be trench art or it could be kill marks for all I know. Hell when I got it my FFL said "Cool looks like you have some kill marks on the stock."

Yeah... That stock aint so bad.  Looks like a fine shooter to me!

It shoots ok most of the time, though quite often I keep getting cases stuck, I think i'm going to have to get a bore snake to clean it and then scrub the bore with bore paste. Though it does shoot so at least there's an upside.

[Greasemonkey]

I wouldn't use bore paste in the bore, it's chrome lined, just clean it normally.  If it's failing to eject, make sure the recoil spring is installed correctly, make sure the squiggly end goes toward the bolt. If cases get stuck in the chamber, clean it with solvent and a nice stiff wire bore brush, the chamber may have lacquer or dried grease built up in it causing cases to stick.

And, it ain't horrible, it's sweet. 

[bbush44]

Here's one I stole from RM many SKS's ago. 

Chuck a cleaning rod, and a 20Ga brush in your cordless drill. Add some CLP or your favorite solvent, and run that in and out of your chamber.  Good as new.
Only thing I would do to that stock is seal it with some BLO or Mineral oil, as long as there are no cracks in it.

[Greasemonkey]

Here's one I stole from RM many SKS's ago. 

Chuck a cleaning rod, and a 20Ga brush in your cordless drill. Add some CLP or your favorite solvent, and run that in and out of your chamber.  Good as new.

See, RM knows how to fix a Mosin, so you ain't gotta beat the bolt with a hammer  , maybe he is just skeered of moving up from a x39 to x54.

[armedhippie]

Here's one I stole from RM many SKS's ago. 

Chuck a cleaning rod, and a 20Ga brush in your cordless drill. Add some CLP or your favorite solvent, and run that in and out of your chamber.  Good as new.

See, RM knows how to fix a Mosin, so you ain't gotta beat the bolt with a hammer  , maybe he is just skeered of moving up from a x39 to x54.

We need to start him out on a M44, so the rifle being taller wont be an intimidating Factor....as long as the Bayonets not extended of course. 

[nightstryke]

Here's one I stole from RM many SKS's ago. 

Chuck a cleaning rod, and a 20Ga brush in your cordless drill. Add some CLP or your favorite solvent, and run that in and out of your chamber.  Good as new.

See, RM knows how to fix a Mosin, so you ain't gotta beat the bolt with a hammer  , maybe he is just skeered of moving up from a x39 to x54.

We need to start him out on a M44, so the rifle being taller wont be an intimidating Factor....as long as the Bayonets not extended of course. 

I wanted an M44 but every time i get the cash to buy one they're either sold out or the price has trippled. And no i'm not talking russian I'm talking Chinese Type 53 (M44)

Actually originally I was going to buy an AK and then prices started skyrocketing since the Obama ban on imported parts from Russia. Then I remembered all the cool kids used SKS' instead of an AK! 

Note: Yes in one of those pictures is the butt of one of my AR's, I have 3 chambered in 5.56x45mm 1/7 twist and I built them all myself.

[armedhippie]

I can't wait to find a T53, Been wanting one something fierce.

Now don't get me wrong I love my AK's and will end up with more, but the SKS is indeed a fantastic rifle with an incredible amount of history and will always lean in that direction. Can't say I share any love with the AR...I have 1 just to say I do 

[nightstryke]

I can't wait to find a T53, Been wanting one something fierce.

Now don't get me wrong I love my AK's and will end up with more, but the SKS is indeed a fantastic rifle with an incredible amount of history and will always lean in that direction. Can't say I share any love with the AR...I have 1 just to say I do 

Yeah I've got one with a bump fire stock the others in different configurations. Anyways I did a quick search for an M44 and apparently Widener's has a few Russian M44's in stock, but I'm not sure they're worth $250.

[Loose}{Cannon]

If they are in good shape, I would think $250 is a good price.   CAI has 1 t56 and 1 59/66 fix-em for $119.   

[nightstryke]

If they are in good shape, I would think $250 is a good price.   CAI has 1 t56 and 1 59/66 fix-em for $119.   

Yeah I don't have a FFL to get them from CAI. Which most of those fix-em's require an FFL to order and not regular customers. Granted not that I'm not working on getting an FFL anyways. I'd rather finish what I am studying first before I go head first.

[running-man]

Here's one I stole from RM many SKS's ago. 

Chuck a cleaning rod, and a 20Ga brush in your cordless drill. Add some CLP or your favorite solvent, and run that in and out of your chamber.  Good as new.

See, RM knows how to fix a Mosin, so you ain't gotta beat the bolt with a hammer  , maybe he is just skeered of moving up from a x39 to x54.

We need to start him out on a M44, so the rifle being taller wont be an intimidating Factor....as long as the Bayonets not extended of course. 

Ouch, ouch, OUCH!!!
Man, rough crowd here!

I'll have everyone know that the bore brush chucked in a drill is solidly LC's baby.  Works damn well though!

As for being taller than the rifle, I'm surprised blicero hasn't chimed in with a:


I doubt my delicate shoulder could take x54r.  I barely made the transition from .22 short to .22lr! 

T53's are rare as hens teeth at retail anymore. Kind of like CZ82 pistols. They were there at great prices and then they were absolutely gone!  I regret missing a CZ, T53, not so much!

[running-man]

Many say it and it's absolutely true: a C&R FFL is the most expensive $30 you'll ever spend!

[Power Surge]

Hey nightstryke, that's a great looking ghost!

On your ejection issue.... take the bolt COMPLETELY apart and clean the extractor spring and the hole it sits in in the extractor. If it has any cosmo whatsoever in there it will cause the extractor to not grab the round and pull it out of the chamber. I have had this happen on my old Yugo, because I cleaned everything EXCEPT the extractor spring/passage and had ejection issues till I pulled that apart and cleaned it.

[armedhippie]

I doubt my delicate shoulder could take x54r.  I barely made the transition from .22 short to .22lr! 

lol Thats good stuff right there.

With as thick a skin as you got RM, x54r would be no problem at all 
We joke because we care man. C'mon over to the darkside RM....Gm has cookies 

I missed the boat on the T53 and the CZ 82 as well but I'll find 'em...just a matter of time.

[Greasemonkey]

I doubt my delicate shoulder could take x54r.  I barely made the transition from .22 short to .22lr! 

lol Thats good stuff right there.

With as thick a skin as you got RM, x54r would be no problem at all 
We joke because we care man. C'mon over to the darkside RM....Gm has cookies 

I missed the boat on the T53 and the CZ 82 as well but I'll find 'em...just a matter of time.

Get him an AirSoft Mosin 

Cookies,  the man says, the dark side has real good cookies         Cookies, Type 53s, Cz 82s,  all we need now is milk and ammo 

Maybe it's you got to be a minimum of 39 inches tall to shoot an SKS, but more than 54 inches tall to shoot the Mosin. He's more than 39 inches but less than 54 inches tall.      

[nightstryke]

Hey nightstryke, that's a great looking ghost!

On your ejection issue.... take the bolt COMPLETELY apart and clean the extractor spring and the hole it sits in in the extractor. If it has any cosmo whatsoever in there it will cause the extractor to not grab the round and pull it out of the chamber. I have had this happen on my old Yugo, because I cleaned everything EXCEPT the extractor spring/passage and had ejection issues till I pulled that apart and cleaned it.

I might not have mentioned it, but this rifle came to me covered in rust and pitting and no cosmoline and before you ask yes I know the difference between the two. As for the shells not always ejecting apparently from what i can tell they bulge. It's not the gas system as I have already inspected and cleaned the gas system. That and the ejector does work, but it just tears off the rim of the casing instead of ejecting it. I think I may go the drill cleaning route which is probably the solution to the problem, i'll just have to give the damn thing a thorough cleaning.

[nightstryke]

I doubt my delicate shoulder could take x54r.  I barely made the transition from .22 short to .22lr! 

lol Thats good stuff right there.

With as thick a skin as you got RM, x54r would be no problem at all 
We joke because we care man. C'mon over to the darkside RM....Gm has cookies 

I missed the boat on the T53 and the CZ 82 as well but I'll find 'em...just a matter of time.

Get him an AirSoft Mosin 

Cookies,  the man says, the dark side has real good cookies         Cookies, Type 53s, Cz 82s,  all we need now is milk and ammo 

Maybe it's you got to be a minimum of 39 inches tall to shoot an SKS, but more than 54 inches tall to shoot the Mosin. He's more than 39 inches but less than 54 inches tall.      

Just make sure it has the orange flash hider or else ATF Special Agent Kelven Crenshaw will confiscate it citing it can be turned into a real gun!