Russian sneak - tons of pics!

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Alright fellas...here's my new Russian sneak. Now, I know very little about Russians, so I took tons of pics and hopefully you guys can give me an idea of the year of this gun. I am blown away at just how many stamps there are on this gun.

It's an IO import, and has a two hole Albanian stock. The fish scale wood is actually quite pretty in person. As expected, the receiver cover was changed, most likely when it was in China's possession. The bluing on the cover looks to have aged at the same rate as the rest of the gun.

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Whew!! That's all....give me your thoughts...

[Loose}{Cannon]

I like it.   

[Phosphorus32]

Cool 

After looking at that I wasn't expecting to say, I need more pics  ...but where are the receiver cover pics? 

I would expect it was the Albanians that mixed up the receiver cover and the rest of the rifle while they were replacing the stock of this Soviet SKS.

[Power Surge]

Cool 

After looking at that I wasn't expecting to say, I need more pics  ...but where are the receiver cover pics? 

I would expect it was the Albanians that mixed up the receiver cover and the rest of the rifle while they were replacing the stock of this Soviet SKS.

You know... when I saw the changed receiver cover, I said to myself that the numbers don't look Chinese. They are way smaller font than anything Chinese I have or have seen.

Your reply made me go look at Alby stampings too... and it doesn't look like a factory one of those either. So not really sure....

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I just noticed this too....

[Loose}{Cannon]

How many early chinese you have?

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How many early chinese you have?

Just the 2mil.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Should be similar...  Looks like a 5 digit ghost cover.

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Should be similar...  Looks like a 5 digit ghost cover.

It's way different... I'll try to take a pic side by side with my 2 mil cover. These numbers are quite a bit smaller. And also when you look at numbers on an early Chinese, they are deeper stampings and usually raise the surrounding metal around the number. This one is completely flat. Let me snap a pic...

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Here's a comparison to my 2mil.... I also compared the machining inside both and there are differences there too.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Def a ghost cover...  They are smaller if I recall.

[Phosphorus32]

Here's a comparison to my 2mil.... I also compared the machining inside both and there are differences there too.

Here's the cover from my matching Ghost SKS

[Loose}{Cannon]

Notice the 6 font

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Notice the 6 font

I have been comparing it..since it's the only related number. It's close, but hard to say. What we need to really see, is if a known ghost cover has those other inspection marks that I posted in the other pic.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Ghosts are loaded with insoection stamps....  This isn't a mystery.  I have seen them on the cover of some and not others.  A ghost having/not having a stamp there does not change what it is. 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Is it russian?  Nope

Is it Romanian?  Nope

Is it Albanian?  Nope

Is it Yugo?   Nope

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So what is everyone's guess on year? I have been reading threads and looking at pics of other guns all night, any my feeling is that it has to be a 52-54 year Russian. Guns before and after those three years have different attributes.

Also....I have seen discussion of how do you identify a Tula from an Izzy without the receiver cover or stock.

This may be old news, or maybe I just stumbled onto something here, but....

While taking pics of my sneak, one stamp in particular jumped out at me. Look at the pic below:



Notice the little STAR stamp? Could this be something to show a Tula receiver from an Izzy? Can we get someone here who has 52-54 Tula and Izzy guns to pull the stocks and check? CARBINE maybe?

[Loose}{Cannon]

Its chinese....   And the letter series has the letter, the 6 digi had all 6 digits marked, 2m hqd last 6, 3m had last 6, font matches ghost, size matches ghost.