GB listings for October, 2015 - Russian

[running-man]

Back up to 'normal' for this month, 48 Russians, $300.00 low, $1275.00 high, $537.99 avg.

As-Issued guns averaged $808.00 this month.

Please let me know any feedback (good or bad) to these.

If you have an objection or observation to add to anything I've listed, by all means call it out.  Let's look at it long and hard (I only look at each listing for a minute or two at most) and maybe everyone can learn a thing or two! 

Item Link   Description   # Bids   Final Price   Year   Arsenal   Arsenal Condition   Current Condition   S/N   RM's Notes

507293990   EAST GERMAN MARKED RUSSIAN SKS SEMI AUTO RIFLE EXCELLENT CONDITION-ALL MATCHING NUMBERS   20   $900.00    1953   Tula   Bubba   Good   PH5515   What a sad state SKS collecting is in when a gun like this sells for $900.  I'm embarrassed that the seller humped this one like he did and proceeded to outright fib on it.  I'm embarrassed that Gunbroker chooses to promote this seller as a "top 25 seller" despite the numerous complaints from 100's of collectors throughout the years.  I'm most embarrassed for the buyer though, this thing could have been painted Hello Kitty Pink and it would not have been less authentic than what was sold.  Russian DDR indeed. 

509370274   Russian SKS Tula 1953 matching numbers   4   $481.00    1953   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   ФB1964   Not a big fan of this gun.  I never love the brown refinished hardwood stocks.  Metal looks well used too with a messy layer of BBQ on the receiver cover and receiver.  I like the used look on my Sino-Banians, not so much on the KBI imported Russians.

510457863   russian tula sks 45 kbi russia 1950 matching #   6   $455.00    1950   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Fair   EB538   Pretty neat transitional 50 here.  Even has the '49 stock ferrule cut and welded for a blade bayonet. 

510678035   Russian SKS 7.62X39 W/Bayonet,All Matching,V.Good   2   $699.99    1954   Tula   As-Issued   Very Good   ЗH1517   Decent enough as-issued '54 Tula here.  Photos are a bit far away, but still show decent detail.  Stock looks a bit rough in places.

510738567   Safe Queen Russia Russian SKS Black Bolt Blade   11   $500.00    1956   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   HM3775_Д   Nice laminate stocked refurb here.  Laminates just aren't going for what they used to though...

510748530   Russian SKS - Tula? Matching numbers!   1   $499.00    1954   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   HC45   Neat low numbered late '54 gun here.

511030604   Amazing LNIB KBI Russian SKS all matching 7.62x39   1   $750.00    1956   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   KP2643_Д   Another addition to the 55-56 Transitional gun list!

511487131   RUSSIAN SKS 1957 TULA Letter Gun   1   $495.00    1957   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   ЛK3216_И   Pretty neat gun here even though it's a heavy refurb.  That stock reminds me of a K98 laminate stock with the red tinted glue lines.

511819463   Russian SKS Rifle Tula non import marked   11   $481.76    1957   Tula   Light Refurbished   Fair   УO5085_И   At first glance I would have bet my house that this one was a Russian Sneak that came in with Sino-Banian imports.  Looking at the right barrel, I see no import stamp, so it's not an IO gun. It might still be a TGI gun with a stamp between the barrel and the stowed bayo.  If not and there is no import mark, one's got to wonder if it's an IC that came in via Canada or maybe even a VN bringback.  It certainly has the 'look'...

511827576   Russian SKS 7.62x39   1   $450.00    Uncertain   Tula   Bubba   Good   ЮH263   $450 BIN for THAT?!  Wow.

512000882   Norinco SKS 7.62x39 20" W/Extra's-Excellent!   4   $400.00    Uncertain   Uncertain   Bubba   Fair   KT1211?   Mislabeled as a Chinese gun.  Someone went full retard on it, and it was a heavy refurb anyhow, but still sad to see one less Russian in the pool.

512339770   Beautiful Russian SKS Tula Laminate   1   $475.00    1957   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   ЛM6482_И   I don't like the look of heavy refurbs with the amber laminate replacement stocks.  Those stocks look really nice with the metal still blued, but they just look sloppy contrasted to all the paint.

512443215   Russian SKS 7.62 x 39mm Semi-Auto Rifle Clean Nice   29   $495.00    1951   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   Uncertain   Horsetrash listing plain and simple.  Not enough detail to even assess 100% that this is a true '51.  The $1250 BIN is laughable.  I guess it never hurts to try but egging people on with a "Consider the Buy Now option as there will be a fight at the end for this desirable & competitive item." is a bit ridiculous.

512488306   Russian SKS, 7.62x39, 1954R CDI Importer Nice   1   $550.00    1954   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   HA3831   Not a great presentation for this auction.  I'm not surprised there was only one bid, I am surprised that someone paid $550 for it though...

512618903   Russian SKS, Laminate SKS NR   9   $444.00    Uncertain   Uncertain   Uncertain   Uncertain   Uncertain   Horsetrash.  Took two cycles to sell.

512767123   NUMBERS MATCHING Russian SKS   5   $418.00    1952   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   Uncertain   Not the best GB listing.  Decent enough shooter at a fair price.

512841491   Russian SKS NIB UN-refurbished Original NR   37   $1,050.00    1954   Tula   As-Issued   Very Good   ЛП5489   I'll give this one props for being a really nice condition gun.  '54's aren't particularly rare, but it's a nice gun.  Now the auction listing...borderline horsetrash!  What's up with the last photo sporting an HRA stamp?

512842947   Russian SKS Russia 7.62x39   1   $595.00    Uncertain   Tula   Bubba   Good   ЛB548   Too bad about that receiver cover swap.  Was a nice gun up to that point.  That magazine has a very Canadian look to the way it's pinned...

513104302   Russian SKS 7.62x39   1   $395.00    1954   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   ЛB6378   You know, there is such a thing as putting too much detail into an auction.  500 photos of every ding and mark doesn't help identify exactly what year this rifle truly is.  It nice to see full disclosure with all the photos, but a few photos from a bit farther out would have been a welcome addition to this one.

513111357   Russian SKS Matching serial Numbers 7.62x39   1   $500.00    1957   Tula   Uncertain   Good   ЛP1816_И   This is one of those ones that could easily be an as issued letter И gun with the ruby laminate stock.  Not sure the stock has enough red in it, but with only 4 photos, I guess the world will never know. 

513181192   Russian SKS 7.62x39 / Matching Numbers   1   $400.00    Uncertain   Tula   Bubba   Good   BP8192_И   Can't 100% tell the date suffix on this one, likely a '57, but could be a 58 too.  I'll have to compare it to other guns in the survey.  So w/o that duckbill to push this one into bubba land, this gun might even be as-issued... Ed note: Yup, definitely a '57.  I have extensive photos of this gun from long ago.  It is as-issued under that God awful duckbill magazine!  Someone absolutely stole this one...

513391061   TULA RUSSIAN SKS 7.62X39 CLEAN NUMBERS MATCH 1951   1   $699.99    1952   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   BЛ4453   This one has an interesting hardwood stock with an auxiliary crossbolt.  Don't see terribly many of those.  699 BIN for this gun, wow.

513403104   Russian Tula SKS KBI Ex-DDR Liski 7.62x39 Mint Box   16   $755.00    1950   Tula   Light Refurbished   Very Good   KB1499   Oh my, B***7 was not going to be denied on this one.  Amazing what a bit of runny cosmo will do to the stock and handguard sheen.  This one is in admittedly great shape  with the box and accessories though.  The "very rare" Ex-DDR/Liski story is a good one, I wonder if it helped sell the gun?

513619934   Tula Russian SKS-45 7.62x39 20" Barrel KBI Import Free Shipping and 4 Month Lay-Away Available   1   $459.00    1957   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Fair   УP531_И   This gun was already in my files. It was as ugly then as it is now!

513677934   Russian sks 7.62x39   2   $455.00    Uncertain   Uncertain   Uncertain   Uncertain   Uncertain   Congratulations, you win the horsetrash award for October with this worthless listing.  The sad thing is that two people bid on it and one actually paid $455 for it!

513687660   Russian Tula SKS 1950 #s Match Excellent Cond.   6   $609.00    1950   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   TЛ1409   I had this one in my records before.  Nice large circle 31 refurb stamp on the stock.  Overall a decent rifle, not sure it's worth 6 Benjamins, but it is in good condition.

514112542   Russian SKS Tula 1952 7.62x39mm No Reserve / No Credit Card Fees   1   $400.00    1952   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Fair   ГB1517   You're probably thinking, "Hey RM, WTF?!  This gun has an aftermarket muzzle brake on it!  How do you come up with Heavy Refurb instead of Bubba?!"  Well yes, you're right, but in 2 seconds (or 5 rounds of shooting) that twist on brake is going to come right off and nobody would ever know it was ever there.

514150943   Russian SKS Izhevsk 1954 UNISSUED   18   $806.00    1954   Izhevsk   Light Refurbished   Good   E1689_И   From the seller: "This has NOT been through a re-furb. NO re-arsenal marks on wood or metal. This is how it came from the factory in 1954. 100% matching numbers. NO line outs or force matched numbers."  Sure thing junior, whatever you say.  You know, if you're not going to educate yourself in the nuances of the SKS, please don't make absolute statements like that.  It just makes you look like an ignorant jackass and it's one more source for noobs new to the hobby to start off on the wrong foot. 

514330196   SKS RUSSIAN   7   $370.00    Uncertain   Uncertain   Bubba   Uncertain   KP3088   No surprise this one sold les than $400.  With enough TLC, you could put it back to as-imported status I'd bet.

514428877   Russian SKS Folding Stock   1   $300.00    Uncertain   Tula   Bubba   Fair   Uncertain   Do'h!

514452980   Russian 1951 SKS Tula, all matching 7.62 x 39   14   $465.00    1950   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Fair   TИ4543   Not much to say about this one.  I've never seen or met anyone who "removed the bayonet back in the 1980s or 1990s when we had one of those bayonet laws."

514466022   Russian SKS 1952 Tula laminate unfired   1   $625.00    1952   Tula   Light Refurbished   Very Good   OШ1931   This refurb is in wonderful condition, but to say it's unfired?!  C'mon man, you've got 0 evidence to back that up.  Unfired since import...ok I might buy that, but that's a whole lot different beast than 'unfired'.

514627013   RUSSIAN SKS Rifle Blade Bayonet Matching # 7.62x39   2   $505.00    1950   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   ПГ1090   A bit high for my liking, but this is an honest '50 in good shape as far as I can tell. 

514639052   Russian SKS Near Mint Condition No Reserve   15   $430.00    1958   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   TУ1290_K   I was going through this auction with dread because I didn't see the all important receiver S/N.  The seller came through and added it in photo #16 at the end, add TУ to the confirmed 1958 prefix list.

514947805   Russian SKS #3524 .7.62X39 $.01 No Reserve!   15   $505.00    1956   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   HO3524_Д   I see black paint on this one...heavy refurb unless one of you guys wants to suggest otherwise (which I'm of course open to!)

515082439   1950 Russian SKS SKS-45 .01 START NO RESERVE LOW SN# TULA LAMINATED STOCK W SLING NR LOOK   21   $445.00    1950   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   TP9   Nice low S/N verified '50 right here.

515255118   PRE-BAN Matching #'s SKS 45 semi-automatic AK AR Enfield,MAS,Mauser,Garand,Springfield SVT40   10   $381.00    1952   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Fair   BH292   Not my favorite Russian.  WTF is up with that auction title, how about telling us what it is, not what it ISN'T?!  It cracks me up to see PRE-BAN on a Russian SKS.  Like people using words like 'Sugar Diabetes'

516246114   Russian SKS, laminate stock, 7.62x39, SKS   1   $449.00    1956   Tula   Bubba   Good   HP1876_Д   I'm surprised the laminate stock didn't push this one above $500.  People much have caught on to the Chinese magazine and shied away from this one.

516254572   Russian SKS, Tula armory, 1951, all matching   10   $485.00    1951   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   ИП3137   I really dig the HUGE S/N stampings on some of these replacement stocks.  I used to think the 19<hex>60 stamp on the receiver wasn't a terribly common stamp, but I'm rethinking that one.  They are everywhere if you just pay attention and look for them.

516465234   Russian SKS Tula 1952r 7.62x39mm Century Arms   11   $430.00    1952   Tula   As-Issued   Fair   MЮ2354   This would be an $800 gun if the metal & stock condition wasn't so poor.  This is a good example where condition does indeed matter and the collectors out there looking for an as-issued '52 passed on this one hoping for a better specimen.

516478465   RUSSIAN SKS 7.62X39 RIFLE NO RESERVE   9   $380.00    1952   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   CA813   Pretty reasonable price for a Russian SKS45, even if it is a heavy refurb.

516663222   Russian SKS-45 NUMBERS MATCHING. w/ bayonet   1   $395.00    1957   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   BM4464_И   I'm honestly not seeing what kept the price on this one under 4 Benjamins.  The stock is a bit heavy with shellac, but it's not overly ugly. The bit of rust on the buttplate maybe played a role?

517009979   Russian SKS Rifle Tula 1955 100% matching   30   $585.00    1957   Tula   As-Issued   Good   AH3896_И   I really like this one, very nice example of a hardwood '57.  Someone got a great deal on it.

517065479   Russian Tula SKS 1954 #s Match Laminated Mint!!   1   $650.00    1954   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   HA6180   Almost gave this one a 'fair' current condition. Not sure what the winning bidder saw in this one, but $650 is a real stretch.

517749664   Russian SKS Semi Auto in 7.62X39mm   1   $675.00    Uncertain   Uncertain   Heavy Refurbished   Good   Uncertain   Pretty high price to pay for a gun you can't tell much about from the photos...

518052830   Izhevsk Izzy SKS 1954 Scarce   14   $1,275.00    1954   Izhevsk   As-Issued   Very Good   Б523_X   Great gun here.  The photo spread is pathetic though, a gun like this deserves better photos than what comes out of a Fisher Price "My First Camera" taken in a dark room on the living room floor. 

518795725   Russia SKS-45 7.62X39 SKS Russian   4   $445.00    1950   Tula   Light Refurbished   Good   УM2803   Nice little shooter here at a decent price.

519294652   Russian SKS Tula 1955 7.62X39 Rifle Re-Arsenaled   1   $411.00    1955   Tula   Heavy Refurbished   Good   CM3039   Actually not a bad looking gun here.  '55s aren't easy to come by and this is a great placeholder in someone's collection until something better comes along.

[pcke2000]

510457863 is an interesting transition 1950, I almost bid on it. It looks like a 1st GRAU and Liski double-refurbed (1st GRAU, then Liski ??). The seller at least posted many pictures of the different parts.

But what's the yellow stuff inside the stock channel?

[pcke2000]

510678035 the rear sight leaf looks like a replacement, typical refurb rear sight metal dull finish

[CARBINE]

Early 50' Transitional in Russian SKS - Page 1 of 1

Look familiar....
I'm not sure what the yellow stuff is never noticed it, I will check it out tomorrow...

[CARBINE]

510678035 the rear sight leaf looks like a replacement, typical refurb rear sight metal dull finish

I think it might be the lighting in the pic that makes it look that way, I think RM nailed it on this one.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=510678035

[pcke2000]

Early 50' Transitional in Russian SKS - Page 1 of 1

Look familiar....
I'm not sure what the yellow stuff is never noticed it, I will check it out tomorrow...

Nice!! I planned to bid on it, as it has some early production features. But was busy with my work and forgot it. Very glad to see you got it.

[pcke2000]

510678035 the rear sight leaf looks like a replacement, typical refurb rear sight metal dull finish

I think it might be the lighting in the pic that makes it look that way, I think RM nailed it on this one.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=510678035

Well, I still think it doesn't have the typical original bluing

[pcke2000]

512443215 gas block, bayonet lug, and safety still have early production characters

[pcke2000]

512488306, someone bought it for the interesting refurb mark on the receiver, right front of the serial number?

[CARBINE]

510678035 the rear sight leaf looks like a replacement, typical refurb rear sight metal dull finish

I think it might be the lighting in the pic that makes it look that way, I think RM nailed it on this one.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=510678035

Well, I still think it doesn't have the typical original bluing

That's what's cool about this forum we can agree to disagree and no one gets butt hurt about it..

[pcke2000]

510678035 the rear sight leaf looks like a replacement, typical refurb rear sight metal dull finish

I think it might be the lighting in the pic that makes it look that way, I think RM nailed it on this one.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=510678035

That's what's cool about this forum we can agree to disagree and no one gets butt hurt about it..

Well, I still think it doesn't have the typical original bluing

Agree!! just for my discussion and learning purposes.

[pcke2000]

512841491, very nice 54 non-refurb Tula. I couldn't stop laughing when i saw the last picture.  seriously wondered if the seller was willing to offer a bundle sale.

[pcke2000]

514466022, gas block and bayonet lug look like replaced

[running-man]

512443215 gas block, bayonet lug, and safety still have early production characters

Yup, but could be a '50 just as easily as a '51. A gun like this, that is so ambiguous is pretty much useless for the gold standard registry.  I'd have to get an as-issued gun with the same S/N prefix and same component characteristics to even think about giving it a verified '51 status (and even then, it'll only get to 'probable' status unless I get three or four other like prefix/featured guns to compare it against). Those zany Russians mixed and matched so often during refurbs that I'm more skeptical about what I think I know about these guns with each 'surprise' I find...

[Bunker]

1954 Tula non-refurb went for $1326.00 today.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=519331584

[Phosphorus32]

Holy horse apples  That's a lot of dough. Looks good except for the price. One happy seller there!

[running-man]

I dunno, the right side of the stock (the Tula acceptance stock cartouche) sure gives me pause.  It's way too dark in the deep valleys.  The auction is really doesn't show great detail, you can barely even make out the Tula cartouche on the stock, and it and the S/N are dark too.  I wouldn't have touched this one with a ten foot pole unless much better photos were available.  As it is, $1300+ for a pretty common '54 Tula is a reach.  There's no justifying the price on this one, this gun just isn't 'rare' enough and it certainly isn't 'nice' enough in my opinion.  In fact with that chromate bayo and the lusterless finish on the stock I'd say this one could easily be a light refurb...

[Loose}{Cannon]

512443215 gas block, bayonet lug, and safety still have early production characters

How you figure?

[pcke2000]

Holy horse apples  That's a lot of dough. Looks good except for the price. One happy seller there!

so I guess the guy who paid $1275 for the 1954 Izhevsk is even happier now

[applegoomp]

513111357   Russian SKS Matching serial Numbers 7.62x39   1   $500.00    1957   Tula   Uncertain   Good   ЛP1816_И   This is one of those ones that could easily be an as issued letter И gun with the ruby laminate stock.  Not sure the stock has enough red in it, but with only 4 photos, I guess the world will never know. 

I bought this one.  Took a risk but it arrived with a diamond refurb mark on the receiver.  Other than that it was darn nice!!