EP serials on SOVIET stock plates: original or post-production?

[Worm]

Take from this what you will..

Recently I purchased a Russian hardwood stock & a Russian laminate stock. Neither fit my '57 Romanian (I buy beater stocks for the guns i want to use so I don't damage the originals). I figured it would have been "plug-n'-play," but I was wrong. Just out of curiosity, I just tried fitting my.. "smithsonian" ( ) Russian's laminate stock to my '57 Romanian also, and once again, it doesn't fit. The crossbolt does not align. I would have to file a significant amount in the stock where the rear tang (with the trigger "release tab") fits into the stock for any of them to fit my Romy properly.

Mind you, this is a first year production Romanian, when, if at all they would have the most Russian influence on their design. They also had some other more obvious machining differences like the "I" sight leaf, the bulge for the bayo slot on the stock ferrule, and probably some other small, less noticable ones. So, regardless of Russian design, supply & help, the Romanians seemed to have done their own thing from the get-go, even though it seems quite evident now that they did include the buttplate serial after all.

[Boris Badinov]

I'll have to recheck my  Romy's a little more closely.

Is there any evidence of ep serials on early type56's?

[Greasemonkey]

I don't think Russia had quite the control over Romania it did China. Romania also had large amounts of 8mm Mausers..... Like Yugoslavian and the Czech's...they were cranking out large amounts of 8mm ammo in the 60s-80s, I have 3 such sealed crates of Romanian 8mm from various times. Looking at their Mosins production which is comparatively low, if Russia had that much control, why didn't they scrap the Mauser for the Mosins. Same with Bulgaria... Russian control, they had Mosins and no known SKSs, Poland under Russian control had Mosins and few SKS.

Not everyone held to Soviet doctrine.. look at the Czech's, with the Vz.52, Vz-52/57 and Vz.58. no Soviet influeance short of ammo compatibility in the later two. That's what drove away the 7.62x45 Czech round, even though it had slightly better ballistics, they had to stay within the M43 Soviet ammo design.

Another case in point, look at the lack of inspection stamps on the Romanian vs early Chinese or Russians, while some stamps are the same, there are some missing, like the double o, (o) stamp. They used the (k) proof.

And their Ak stock design is also different than Russian, with the forward grip.

[Worm]

Is there any evidence of ep serials on early type56's?

Not sure, maybe someone else can chime in with that info. Earliest I had was a ghost & I can't remember anything about it.

I don't think Russia had quite the control over Romania it did China.

Another case in point, look at the lack of inspection stamps on the Romanian vs early Chinese or Russians, while some stamps are the same, there are some missing, like the double o, (o) stamp. They used the (k) proof.

And their Ak stock design is also different than Russian, with the forward grip.

Truth.

I'm a big fan of the AK "dongs." Love that design.

[Greasemonkey]

I'll have to recheck my  Romy's a little more closely.

I'd be very interested in what is found.. I wish I could get the other one to show up in pictures, but my dinky camera won't pick the number up.

After 27 attempts, this is the best I could get.

[Loose}{Cannon]

My Romy has a serial in that exact location... dont match the receiver.   

$199 to the first that calls dibbs.