55 Refurb

[Hotrod]

I picked this one up years ago. It's in real nice shape overall. Lots of parts renumbered. What's odd is how many variations in the style of serializing took place. Was is refurbed that many times and holding this condition? Who knows. Some curious stuff. I need to get out of the garage which doesn't have the best lighting and areas to get full rifle pics. Laying them on my being restored 77 Bronco tailgate...












what is a restored salvage title

[Larry D.]

I like it.

Nice shape and some cool character.

[Bob_The_Student]

Interesting, I don't think I've seen a Russian refurb like it.

[Shoot The Refurbs]

Interesting, I don't think I've seen a Russian refurb like it.

I would agree.
It looks almost as if the receiver cover is only painted with the arsenal stamp and year. the only stamped 55' i've ever owned has a very deep, deeper than normal i would even say, stamping. it being an obvious scrub makes me ask if it does actually have any sort of indentation still or is it as it appears and is basically paint at this point? could there have been a different year underneath it from the previous rifle it was on? would be neat, but seems unlikely.
The fonts alone could be a whole discussion and give it a minute im sure it will be 
Also, i feel like ive seen EP marks like those on the carrier somewhere else before but cannot place my finger on it.

Neat rifle for sure 

-STR

[Bob_The_Student]

I have never seen the strike outs and all different fonts on a Russian, I should clarify. I forget how many variations there could be for the '55 Tula but I think it's at least 3-4.

[Bacarnal]

STR, From what I see, the numbers and stampings have been filled with either paint or chalk.  A common way to highlight markings.

[Shoot The Refurbs]

STR, From what I see, the numbers and stampings have been filled with either paint or chalk.  A common way to highlight markings.

I've seen that done numerous times as well, maybe my eyes are going bad but that stamp looks about as smooth as a babys butt though. I had previously observed there to be depth that can be seen where they painted them in, maybe i'm just losing it, or never had it 

[carls sks]

weird the way they marked everything. whoever did the numbers, needs to get some help. thanks for sharing. 

[Boris Badinov]

Hotrod, can you post photos of the gas tube release lever and the gas port cut/angle?

[Boris Badinov]

I have never seen the strike outs and all different fonts on a Russian, I should clarify. I forget how many variations there could be for the '55 Tula but I think it's at least 3-4.

The line strikeouts and XXXX force matches are very uncommon on metal stamped parts. I have seen them before, but not very many.

I've always wondered if it was an indication of when (how late) or where the refurb was done. Or both.

[Phosphorus32]

I have never seen the strike outs and all different fonts on a Russian, I should clarify. I forget how many variations there could be for the '55 Tula but I think it's at least 3-4.

The line strikeouts and XXXX force matches are very uncommon on metal stamped parts. I have seen them before, but not very many.

I've always wondered if it was an indication of when (how late) or where the refurb was done. Or both.

I would lean towards later era Soviet refurbishment, rather than specific facilities. Line outs or EP'd numbers are quite common on the Mosin M91/30, M38, M44 refurbished rifles with a variety of refurbishment markings.

[Bob_The_Student]

I have never seen the strike outs and all different fonts on a Russian, I should clarify. I forget how many variations there could be for the '55 Tula but I think it's at least 3-4.

The line strikeouts and XXXX force matches are very uncommon on metal stamped parts. I have seen them before, but not very many.

I've always wondered if it was an indication of when (how late) or where the refurb was done. Or both.

I would lean towards later era Soviet refurbishment, rather than specific facilities. Line outs or EP'd numbers are quite common on the Mosin M91/30, M38, M44 refurbished rifles with a variety of refurbishment markings.

P32, the lineouts I referred to were on an SKS specifically.

[Hotrod]

Also note the odd upside down stamping of the serial on the side of the mag.

[Boris Badinov]

Never seen that kind of stamping on the magazine. Intriguing.

However, the photo of the takedown lever has only one tab. Which means the rifle was made before 1955 . Two tabbed takedown lever appeared some time in 1954.

[Phosphorus32]

I have never seen the strike outs and all different fonts on a Russian, I should clarify. I forget how many variations there could be for the '55 Tula but I think it's at least 3-4.

The line strikeouts and XXXX force matches are very uncommon on metal stamped parts. I have seen them before, but not very many.

I've always wondered if it was an indication of when (how late) or where the refurb was done. Or both.

I would lean towards later era Soviet refurbishment, rather than specific facilities. Line outs or EP'd numbers are quite common on the Mosin M91/30, M38, M44 refurbished rifles with a variety of refurbishment markings.

P32, the lineouts I referred to were on an SKS specifically.

Yes, I caught that  My point was that it's not uncommon in Soviet refurbishment practice. Mosins were refurbished immediately after WWII, but also much later. I suspect (opine) as Mosins became so clearly obsolescent in the later years of the Soviet Union, the attention to detail waned, and Xs and strikethroughs became more common practice. Similarly, for the refurbished SKS-45s.

Granted, my opinion is just a hand-waving argument. Perhaps it is facility specific.  It would take someone recording refurbishment marks on different types of Soviet firearms and the scrubbing, line-out, X out and restamping practices of each firearm observed from that refurbishment arsenal to really get a satisfying answer. An interesting question...but not interesting enough to motivate me to start collecting all of that data 

[ffjoey]

You sure have some beautiful rifles!