Zastava Nirvana

[montigre]

Hi everyone,
I believe I may have made another beginner's luck purchase.  This one seems like it is one of the little known Yugo M59 LBs.  It is a 1959 model imported through PW Arms; Redmond with matching numbers of 078.  The furniture is in pretty rough cosmetic condition, but does not appear to be damaged in any way.  The bore is listed as being average, but I was told, the gun has been shot quite a lot, so if it has been properly cleaned after use, it should be okay. It is missing the bayo and cleaning rod, but I should be able to find replacements for those.

Can anyone tell be if the 59 and 59/66 bayos are the same length?

Here are a couple of pics until I get it in my hands for better images:

[Greasemonkey]

Yup, true beginners luck    You'll find several of these here, I have 061. 

The bayonet on the M59/66 is about 2 inches longer due to the launcher and has a more silver finish and a different locking mechanism. You would need a M59 bayonet to be correct, now the M59 bayonet is different due to the flat dark grey finish, and usually these are very difficult to find.

[montigre]

Thanks for the bayonet info GM; now I know what to look for and hopefully can find a replacement in the next couple of years.  I see what you mean about the more subdued gray coloring on the M59 bayos.

Have you ever posted pics of your 061?  I read through the M59 sticky, but it was not one of the samples listed.

Since these are old school Yugo SKSs, do you happen to know what type of finishing the furniture usually has--is it just a rubbed oil finish or did they use some type of shellac?  I'd like to work off some of the outer surface dirt and grime without damaging the original finish.  Thanks!!

[Direct Connection]

Yea you did really good ! More pics is a plus if you can.  If the M59 is the correct Bayo like GM said your really in luck because you know the chances if the 59 LB had its own bayo the great depression would be setting in. M59's are tough find but you'll find one eventually. I had an old M59 with a very frosty BBL and it shot just a good as its brothers.... Nice score ! I would'nt touch nothing on that gun. Its a collector and the stock will lose color and value if you do..

[Greasemonkey]

Oil finish on the wood, I have not seen a shellac coated Yugo, with maybe the exception of the G10 Bosnian, even tbose I cant say, Ive never seen on in the wild.

I "think" the LB and M59 are the same bayonet, I will have to measure them to be sure when I'm off, but I do know the M59/66 is different. I'm going to update the M59 sticky, hopefully soon to add the LB Yugo.

And yes I have posted it, http://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=1834.0. 

[montigre]

I will certainly post more pics when it arrives and you're right, probably should leave the wood alone since the seller stated all of the markings can still be read through whatever grime had accumulated on it.

GM, your #61 is a very nice sample, indeed!!  You scored big with that acquisition!!

[Greasemonkey]

if you want to try to clean it, Ive used a decent lemon oil wood cleaner or in extreme nasty cases, Goop hand cleaner "without" pumice...the creamy stuff. I have used both with success. But, technically removing dirt, goop and grime can alter it in a purists eyes, but I dont like sticking to the wood. These two cleaners wont alter the markings or damage the wood, it may even require several wipe downs. Even just putting the stock in the hot summer sun for a few hours can leach and sweat out alot of the grim and years of grease and oil. Just wipe it down every so often with a clean towel or rag.

  Just please do not use oven cleaner, purple power or some other harsh caustic cleaner.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Pretty sure this was of Raspootyns LBs he sold.  Must be changing hands a few times.

Nice LB..   welcome to the club. 

[Dannyboy53]

Montigre That's a nice carbine, lots of "character". I wouldn't risk altering the appearance at all either!

[montigre]

Haha...it does seem to have a lot of character from what I can see, but if it sticks to my hands like fly paper, I may have to break out the ol' lemon oil. 

If it is one of the LBs that Raspootyn had picked up, I wonder why it is changing hands so relatively frequently.  It appears to be well found and aside from the missing bayonet and cleaning rod, intact.  It was definitely calling out to me as I was certainly not planning on picking up another right away... 

I'm going to have to put these guys on some sort of birth control really soon... 

[Power Surge]

Haha...it does seem to have a lot of character from what I can see, but if it sticks to my hands like fly paper, I may have to break out the ol' lemon oil. 

If it is one of the LBs that Raspootyn had picked up, I wonder why it is changing hands so relatively frequently.  It appears to be well found and aside from the missing bayonet and cleaning rod, intact.  It was definitely calling out to me as I was certainly not planning on picking up another right away... 

I'm going to have to put these guys on some sort of birth control really soon... 

Here's a good way to de-cosmo a saturated stock...

Wrap the stock in paper towels, and put it in a black trash bag. Then leave it out in the sun, and change the paper towels about every hour. The heat will draw the cosmo out, and the paper towels will soak it up.

[Greasemonkey]

Some of the regular M59s S.O.G. have or had not long ago didn't have bayonets when they came in, I "think" maybe Dans or another retailer might have gotten some bayonet-less M59s as well. No clue where they are or when or why they would have been removed. Sadly, I think it's going to be a fairly hard item to find, but hey, you got a LB Yugo, which is more than most can say..     Just keep looking, hunting and searching the depths of the internet, gun shows/shops, auction sites and hell, just when your about to call it, one might fall in your lap.  I measured all 3 M59s today, a LB and 2 regular M59s, the length on all three is right at 12 and 3/8ths, so I would say they are probably the same bayonet.

Probably doesn’t tell you much, but here is my standard M59 on top and a LB M59 on the bottom, no difference in visual or size I could find, or they are just so close, no one would really notice.

[montigre]

Just to be sure, from what points are you measuring-- just the blade? 

[Greasemonkey]

I measured the overall length

[firstchoice]

Hey GM,

Is this the shade of grey that the M59 uses? It looks darker than most of my 59/66's.





http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Yugo-Yugoslavian-SKS-Blade-Bayonet-with-Hardware-/331897303024?hash=item4d469eeff0:g:oJIAAOSw0kNXhW-A

Thought I'd throw it out there in case it could help the OP. I know it has a pic of a bayo on a 59/66, but that pic looks more like a stock picture used for example of how they mount on the Yugo SKS. Certainly wasn't taken at the same time or place as the other pics.

Don't beat me if I'm wrong. 

firstchoice

[montigre]

Thanks, firstchoice, but I emailed the seller on that one and it is a 14" from a 59/66.  I was able to pick one up from GB that is supposedly 12" total length and am waiting to receive it and the carbine to see if they match up properly.  If so, I'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief as I'll only have to find a cleaning rod.

Can someone give me the correct length of an M59 cleaning rod? 

[Greasemonkey]

Hey GM,

Is this the shade of grey that the M59 uses? It looks darker than most of my 59/66's.





http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Yugo-Yugoslavian-SKS-Blade-Bayonet-with-Hardware-/331897303024?hash=item4d469eeff0:g:oJIAAOSw0kNXhW-A

Thought I'd throw it out there in case it could help the OP. I know it has a pic of a bayo on a 59/66, but that pic looks more like a stock picture used for example of how they mount on the Yugo SKS. Certainly wasn't taken at the same time or place as the other pics.

Don't beat me if I'm wrong. 

firstchoice

It kinda looks like it, but the photos are so washed out and low resolution it's difficult to tell.. The M59/66 bayonet is a dead give away, a 2 inch bloodgroove less area at the base and no barrel loop.

Can someone give me the correct length of an M59 cleaning rod? 

My LB has a 15 1/2 inch rod, my regular M59 is 17inches, go figure    This is what they came with when I got them.

[Phosphorus32]

My LB has a 15 1/2 inch rod, my regular M59 is 17inches, go figure    This is what they came with when I got them.

Hmm, sounds like the standard M59 is overcompensating   

[Greasemonkey]

My LB has a 15 1/2 inch rod, my regular M59 is 17inches, go figure    This is what they came with when I got them.

Hmm, sounds like the standard M59 is overcompensating   

Well, I did go check the other M59, it's a 15 1/2 incher, so I got nothing on how long the LB cleaning rod is, unless it's the 17inch. In which case I'll just swap'em 

Anyone else with a LB Yugo, pull your rod out (cleaning rods only fellas, lets clarify  ) and measure it.   

[Loose}{Cannon]

Ill have to check me non furb when I get home later.