GB Soviet Find (with assistance)

[Bacarnal]

Well, she came I today, the one that STR pointed out in Auctions and I staked a claim on  (again, thanks for the lack of competition.  It's much appreciated!!)
All serials match except for under the gas tube (ep'd so faint I can't tell what it is) and the piston.  Having never had a Soviet SKS (except briefly in 1996 which I traded for an Luxemburg FN49).  I was surprised to find stamping on the piston.  The stock has no marks except for a very faint lined through square (rebuild?).  Took the buttplate off and the freshly milled wood smell was unexpected as I was thinking I'd smell cosmoline. 
Stampings all over the place.  Rockwellivitch pin punches on the piston and the takedown lever.  The laminates were flipped 90° in the cleaning rod/bayonet channel for added strength. Something I'd never noticed was the uneven placement of the grip channels, the right being set back a bit from the left, which gives a more natural hand position.  It must come from the Mosin grip placement.  Went back to my Chinese SKS's and it was the same.  BBQ paint on the stock sling swivel, butt plate and cross bolts.  Is the rear cross bolt common for laminate stocks? 
Pictures below...


















































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[Bob_The_Student]

Very nice, Bruce! Yes, the rear cross bolt is standard on Russian laminate stocks. The belief, I think, is more strength in the wrist.

[Shoot The Refurbs]

VERY NICE!

Very nice, Bruce! Yes, the rear cross bolt is standard on Russian laminate stocks. The belief, I think, is more strength in the wrist.

Indeed, splits there are much more common than a lot of shooters give credit for in my opinion as most people in america today shoot far less rounds out of their sks than that of a soldier and as such are far less likely to see it occur. Happened in one of my Russian refurbs that lacked the rear crossbolt.
-STR

[Tbone13]

Got any more pictures? 

That is one nice Rooskie, nice find!
Looks great!
(Nice job with the photographs, too)

[Bacarnal]

Got any more pictures? 

That is one nice Rooskie, nice find!
Looks great!
(Nice job with the photographs, too)

Darn, I forgot the one with the Rockwell pin punch on the tappet .

Anybody have any ideas on what manufacture, time period, etc.?  Somebody was speculating it might be a cache weapon?  Sterile of markings, Vietnam?  Granada?  Thoughts?  Thanks!!

[newchi]

1957

[Larry D.]

Scha-WINNNGGGG!!!

Oddly enough, I looked at the last 3 digits and this popped into my head:

Yes, I'm weird.

[Bob_The_Student]

1957

Damn, I didn't even catch it's a letter gun! Newchi is correct!

The laminate stock is correct or commonly found on a letter gun.

[ffjoey]

I'm so jealous, that's a beauty!

[Hotrod]

Nice score! 

[Boris Badinov]

Anybody have any ideas on what manufacture, time period, etc.?  Somebody was speculating it might be a cache weapon?  Sterile of markings, Vietnam?  Granada?  Thoughts?  Thanks!!

Even with the original magazine intact, Canada is the most likely candidate for Non-import stamped Soviet SKS 45.

A handful of MOLOT stamped carbines have shown up on GoneBroker and elsewhere over the years with the original 10round magazines unmodified .

So the absence of the 5round mag block, does not obviate "import" via Canada.

[jstin2]

The serial number(letters) looked similar with one that I used to own.
https://ibb.co/album/nvbofa

[Bacarnal]

Ok, I found the sticky for the letter guns, which reminded me that they did the same for ammunition headstamps during that time frame.  Thanks, all!!!