What is this (Trial Rifle)

[Shoot The Refurbs]

Was looking at pictures of some trial sniper SKS's and noticed this.
My initial thoughts are some type of ambidextrious safety they were experimenting with, or perhaps a different release method for the TG?
It is certainly intended to be manipulated from the shooters left side of the rifle from the groove cut in the wood to allow for use, which is what's making me think it's some sort of lefty safety.
I'm probably wrong but kind of neat regardless.

[martin08]

Since there is no other safety lever evident, I am thinking that is the safety.

[Boris Badinov]

The visible profile of the rifle indicates that its an early production era gun, not a trials rifle. IIRC, the op carbine is a 1949 DOM.



Just riffing, here:


Without seeing the other side of the rifle, I'm inclined to agree with martin08  that the location of the object in question seems to suggest that its a safety of some sort.

The well known crappy trigger of the sks is a result of the safety design.

If they were trying to develop a scoped DMR or sniper version of the sks, eliminating the crappy trigger pull would be a good place to start. To do so would require some modifications to the trigger, and a  different type of safety design.

[Boris Badinov]

Just riffing, again...

It could also be an early variation of the safety-- like a trigger stop-- that swings down behind the trigger and rear trigger guard.Though it's placement is on the left side, it would still be actuated with the  left/trigger hand

[Shoot The Refurbs]

Alas, I finally guessed something (almost) right. 

Boris you are very right to point out my ambiguous title, I guess it was a trial of some sort, but not the same ones most of us probably think of when we hear Trial rifle.

My reasoning on why I initially thought they did that style safety is way off now that I spend a moment longer to think about it...
I feel kind of dumb now thinking that Sergei would spend even a moment considering the wants of left handed sharpshooters and not immediately identify it as a change designed to increase accuracy in the testing. 

Thanks guys, I appreciate y'all pointing me in the right direction, it was bothering me   
now to look up if the soviets ever produced anything with ambidextrous operation in mind 

[Boris Badinov]

TBH, I think I was wrong.

This may actually be a pre-production trials rifle. 90° gas port could be 1949, but it could just as easily be before that.

[auskip07]

SVT-40 had a flip down safety similar to that.

[carls sks]

wonder what the other side looks like?

[Shoot The Refurbs]

https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?1134945-A-brief-history-of-and-a-couple-of-SKS-Sniper-Rifles-(picture-heavy)

Here is the thread on gunboards where member JimJa shows both photos as well as many others and discusses much more in depth on the actual scoped trials.

I was attempting to not de-rail JimJa's thread over there by asking a (potentially dumb) question about a minor feature I initially thought unrelated entirely to the scoped trials discussion here instead.

I can't quite tell if what I believe to be a safety is flipped the opposite direction in the other side of the photo provided.
I also don't see a cutout for manipulation on the shooters right side of the weapon. 

[auskip07]

It would be neat to recreate that.   bed the stock,  float some of the barrel and see what that gets you with modern wolf ammo

[Shoot The Refurbs]

It would be neat to recreate that.   bed the stock,  float some of the barrel and see what that gets you with modern wolf ammo

I feel like this has been done by a few people I know, and they're all named bubba. 

[auskip07]

It would be neat to recreate that.   bed the stock,  float some of the barrel and see what that gets you with modern wolf ammo

I feel like this has been done by a few people I know, and they're all named bubba. 

ive seen a few but  most miss place the scope mount,   too far rearward,  if they even reuse the military stock at all.   I dont know if the guy in the thread posted above bedded his stock but his 3 shots out of 4 were decenly grouped.    Ive found that most of my flyers disappear after going through a box and seasoning the barrel with copper.