1953 trigger transition

[jstin2]

There was a question of transitions made in 53 - ( Topic- Minty 51 refurb by BB and on reply #2). I have a early 53 with a flat base and a friction safety and a later 53 with a raised base and a spring safety. This should indicate at least one transition made in 53.

https://ibb.co/album/hPR8Va
https://ibb.co/album/mAB8yv

[Boris Badinov]

The early gun is a Molot gun, which might be the best explanaiton for an early trigger housing and design on a late gun.

Might also be a re-serialed 1953 cover on a 1952 gun.

Maybe RM has insight on the serial prefix and its association with specific years of production. ?

[jstin2]

There has to be a transition from early to late style triggers. 49 to 52 had the early style(pulled out my 52 and early style). I also pulled out a couple 53s(late style trigger). So when did it change? Unless there are 52s with late style triggers, I would say early 53 ??

[Boris Badinov]

The dust cover on the early 1953 has no (lightening) holes on the under side.

No idea how accurate the assessment is, but these holes are often associated with 1953 and later production.

Possibly parts were manufactured in 1952, but the gun wasn't assembled and date stamped until 1953

[jstin2]

BB- that raises another question- When did they actually start drilling out the lightening holes? Early, middle or late production of 53?  If it is proven that mine is a early 53 and with a early style trigger and no lightening holes, it would indicate that 2 changes were made in 53.

[running-man]

For the S/N prefix record I have two ДН guns, both of unknown years w/o even a receiver cover to look at: ДН1315 with an early receiver style and ДН2066 with what looks to be a late receiver style.  Photos of the trigger groups on both are inconclusive with respect to early vs late style. These guns are typical of the worst guns in the database, useful for not much at all! 

I have many many 1953 КГ's though:
КГ12   (as-issued, late trigger photos)
КГ848 (light, inconclusive trigger photos)
КГ2422 (as-issued, late trigger group)
КГ2555 (heavy, early trigger group)
КГ5989 (heavy, early trigger group)

Doesn't really help, but when doing a broader search for trigger groups throughout all as-issued '53s, I find early groups on:
BГ
HA
KT
ДB

and late groups on:
HT
OИ
HP
КГ
KЛ
ЛH
ФE

Clearly a transition there.  I think we touched on this transition a while back when discussing the '52 transitions, but I never followed through with the detailed analysis.  I don't know of any other transition in '53.  Of all the years for SKS45s, '53s always seemed kind of dull to me.   

[Boris Badinov]

Rm, in your  research are there any indications of receivers being scrubbed and re-serialed during refurb?

[running-man]

Most certainly:



BO5220 over an old ИO342.

Using a refurbished gun to try and tease out Soviet production is pure folly at best.  Heck, simply determining which gun is refurbished and which is as-issued takes a very experienced collector with an exceptionally good eye (I don't consider myself to have either enough experience or a good enough eye to consistently be right BTW.)  Even with this, mistakes can easily be made or inconsistencies overlooked.  This is the major reason for my apprehension at collectors calling their SKSs "unfired", "non-refurb", and "unissued"; you just never know.  About the time you think you know, another curveball comes your way...