Bubba'd for 2000 (Alex Trebek Voice)

[First6digits]

So I am looking at a romanian SKS on Armslist and the price is good but I get a closer photo and i see this...(stock discoloration, matte bolt?) Are these signs that this gun was refurbed or just straight up bubba'd? I need some help. Thanks guys.

[Greasemonkey]

Stock discoloration looks like oil spilled on the wood.. the bolt... 99.9% of the time they are in the white, almost polished like chrome.. no clue on it unless someone tried to blue it, cerakote it or something else.. It may be reversible..if you knew exactly what was done to it.  I would ask for better pictures in natural light and what was done to the bolt.

And I see your new.. WELCOME 

[carls sks]

hi and welcome. good to have you here.     have not seen a bolt like that one. stock is hard to tell what was done to that, maybe to much of something used on it. 

[spongemonkey]

Welcome to the sks-files forum!

[First6digits]

Thanks yall! So he has no idea about the bolt. He is telling me he sees other bolts that are this color but I explained why (russian refurbs painted, late Norincos etc). If everything else is matching and its just this off colored bolt is 375 too much or is that still worth pursuing? Is the bolt make or break?

Thanks.

[running-man]

Stock is normal for a refurb Romy.  Here's a shot of the wrist of one of my Romys.  The wrist isn't just worn from use, it has a ridiculous amount of extra finish that is dark and smooth to the touch in the affected areas.  It's a very interesting feature:


As for the bolt, everyone else's guess is as good as mine.  I have not seen a Romy with a bead blasted bolt carrier like that.
Closest thing I've seen is this matte finish example (also an EF prefix):


These run the gambit from shiny to dull though, perhaps even chrome plated like this FE example:


$375 is quite a reasonable price face to face.

[Greasemonkey]

375.. humm

What is.... did you buy it yet???

[Phosphorus32]

Welcome to The Files! ...and BIN!

[Direct Connection]

 If it smells like a Romanian, Then its a Romanian. 375.00 is a light snack for what they go for in California.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Is it #s matching?   I wouldn't worry about the bolt carrier as you can likely polish it out.  Looks like black oxide.

Welcome to the Files!   

[First6digits]

I decided against it... Not sure if I will kick myself later but it just isn't what i was looking for right now. I also found out later that the stock wasn't matching either...The pictures had a ammo pouch covering the serials on the butt stock and I finally got a pick without it. Thanks for all the great input yall. Seriously. The hunt continues...

[Greasemonkey]

Well..... wish it would have worked out.. I love Romanians..99% of the time they don't fully match, finding a matchy one is rare.

So feel free to come back when the regret and remorse of walking away sets in..    I'm good at guilt trips

It does happens.... ask that Boris Badinov fella...

[First6digits]

Well it is still up for sale.... Haha hmmm