My newly acquired Middle East contract 9 Mill

[Worm]

I've been scouring Chinese SKSs on gunbroker for a couple years now looking for another one to snag to get back in the game. The early CAI Middle East Chicoms rarely come up & although I've passed on a couple, something about this guy I couldn't resist. I dig the blonde laminate stock & the dirty sling. Smack dab middle of the 9 mill serial range w/ typical CAI import mark. Only a couple hundred away from GM's 9 mill & even less from Swede1894's recently posted 9 mill. I am the third owner. The guy I bought it from's uncle bought it "new" in the 80's & supposedly let her sit in his safe for over 30 years. Then it sat in his. Inside still had grease everywhere! Mismatched mag, other metal numbers match. Happy to be back. Also, kind of a weird cleaning kit. I don't recall ever seeing one where the cap goes inside the tube, rather than wrapping around the outside. Anyone know its origin?

[Bacarnal]

Congratulations on your find!!  Let us know how she shoots .

[Worm]

Congratulations on your find!!  Let us know how she shoots .

I will! Thanks

[Phosphorus32]

Nice looking rifle 

I had to go back and read your sticky thread on the ICs. If the previous owner's story is correct in its details, then it came into the US that way and must have lost its shellac in use back in the Middle East.

[Worm]

Nice looking rifle 

I had to go back and read your sticky thread on the ICs. If the previous owner's story is correct in its details, then it came into the US that way and must have lost its shellac in use back in the Middle East.

Thanks. There's been a number of these with stocks that appear "sanded." Never held one until I got this one. It's bone dry, like zero finish. I should've taken closer pics but in the left side finger groove below the gas tube there appears to be remnants of some black paint. That's about all she has for any kind of coating. Lol no idea

[Phosphorus32]

Interesting. Clearly, the Palestinians or their local sponsors, did different things to the Type 56s after they received them, and/or after they'd been in service for a while. They probably didn't have a PLO government-issued list of requisite procedures and finishes to be applied at refurbishment 

That cleaning kit is a new one to me. I've never seen a cap that inserts into the body 

[Worm]

Interesting. Clearly, the Palestinians or their local sponsors, did different things to the Type 56s after they received them, and/or after they'd been in service for a while. They probably didn't have a PLO government-issued list of requisite procedures and finishes to be applied at refurbishment 

Haha probably not 

& yeah I can't seem to find any examples of this cleaning kit but I'm no expert on them. Maybe someone here knows

[Boris Badinov]

Nice catch.

The implements in the cleaning kit aren't the standard grouping of tools for an SKS cleaning kit. The flat implement and the needle/poker are typical of AK cleaning kits.

The specks of dark paint / finish in the finger grooves may indicate that a previous finish was removed. It's not uncommon to find IC/ME carbines with very heavy, dark red (almost black, even) finishes. IIRC, there's an Iraq example with dark black painted stock.

...

The sheer number of darkened bolt carriers on IC/ME and Vietnam capture guns suggests to me that the discoloration isn't natural patina. It seems more likely that the discoloration is intentional -- like a cold blue intended to mitigate glare.

[Worm]

Nice catch.

The implements in the cleaning kit aren't the standard grouping of tools for an SKS cleaning kit. The flat implement and the needle/poker are typical of AK cleaning kits.

The specks of dark paint / finish in the finger grooves may indicate that a previous finish was removed. It's not uncommon to find IC/ME carbines with very heavy, dark red (almost black, even) finishes. IIRC, there's an Iraq example with dark black painted stock.

...

The sheer number of darkened bolt carriers on IC/ME and Vietnam capture guns suggests to me that the discoloration isn't natural patina. It seems more likely that the discoloration is intentional -- like a cold blue intended to mitigate glare.

Ha, you're right. That is an AK cleaning kit. Thanks.

Yeah, the original (and not so original) finishes are long gone, whatever they were. I had forgotten about the Iraqi black painted stock. I do know some of the IC guns have been found with black painted metal parts as well. Who knows what the hell they were doing over there. Very well could've had a black painted stock, but that makes me cringe to think about. Lol

I'm not sure about the Vietnam guns, but yeah, the "IC" ones were most definitely intentional on the ones that are blued.

[echo1]

Nice one. I've got a similar unit in the 12 M range with a black bolt carrier. PAX

http://chinesesks.weebly.com/arab-12-mil-laminate.html

[Worm]

Nice one. I've got a similar unit in the 12 M range with a black bolt carrier. PAX

http://chinesesks.weebly.com/arab-12-mil-laminate.html

I remember that one from back in the day. She is a beautiful example

[running-man]

That's a really nice one Mitch!    That stock is wild. Does it have any remnants of an old S/N?  Wonder if it is a NOS stock that was simply never finished?

I have some cleaning kits like that, got them in a batch of 10 from Sarco back in the day. I always assumed they were AK kits based on the tools inside but never really tried to track down the nationality.

The black stock on the Iraqi 'Jeem' marked SKS that LC has is bituminous coated. That stuff is nasty. We use it to coat the inside of warhead cases we deliver to the Air Force. Stinks to high heaven (think a crude oil/petroleum smell) and it never really dries to the point where it doesn't leave bit of residue on your hands should you touch it on a warm day.

[Worm]

That's a really nice one Mitch!    That stock is wild. Does it have any remnants of an old S/N?  Wonder if it is a NOS stock that was simply never finished?

I have some cleaning kits like that, got them in a batch of 10 from Sarco back in the day. I always assumed they were AK kits based on the tools inside but never really tried to track down the nationality.

The black stock on the Iraqi 'Jeem' marked SKS that LC has is bituminous coated. That stuff is nasty. We use it to coat the inside of warhead cases we deliver to the Air Force. Stinks to high heaven (think a crude oil/petroleum smell) and it never really dries to the point where it doesn't leave bit of residue on your hands should you touch it on a warm day.

Thanks RM! No numbers on the stock. Looking back on all my old pics of these there actually happens to be quite a few with no-numbered/"sterile" laminates, including the double bayo cut ones. Perhaps you're right & this one was just never finished. No smell or stickiness coming from the tiny bits of black paint, I highly doubt it was the same as LC's. Could be a million reasons why it's there especially after almost 4 decades here in the states too.

[firstchoice]

I've seen that style cleaning kit before but don't know the exact country of origin. The closest I could find was this Russian kit but it doesn't have the knurled cap exactly like yours. The contents match up, though.

/2/]https://battleflagmilitaria.co.uk/shop.php?code=59878#prettyPhoto[59878]/2/

I think I had a Polish AK parts kit come with a cleaning kit like yours.

firstchoice

[Worm]

I've seen that style cleaning kit before but don't know the exact country of origin. The closest I could find was this Russian kit but it doesn't have the knurled cap exactly like yours. The contents match up, though.

/2/]https://battleflagmilitaria.co.uk/shop.php?code=59878#prettyPhoto[59878]/2/

I think I had a Polish AK parts kit come with a cleaning kit like yours.

firstchoice

Right on, Thanks 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Great rifle Worm! 

[High Noon]

Nice one!   

I like the stock too...gives it some personality. 

[Worm]

Great rifle Worm!

Thanks man!

Nice one!   

I like the stock too...gives it some personality. 

Me too!

[swede1894]

that's a beauty!!

[Worm]

that's a beauty!!

Thank you! She shoots well too