Going to check out a rfle tomorrow

[HillHopper]

Making a bit of a drive (only 90mi & it's through pretty country anyhow) to look at a KBI. Only one posted photo so I wanna see it up close & get hands-on before going any further. It's a 1954. Original listing was $500 incl. 20 boxes of ammunition. He's down to $450 now, so the rough math in my head makes it about $350-$360 for the rifle. Even if the ammo is TulAmmo that still looks on paper like a good deal, depending of course on condition (which he swears, of course, & maybe quite honestly, is 'almost perfect'). If I get there & the bore, internals & wood are GTG I'm thinking I might just give this one a new home. I mean, say the thing is a BBQ gun but with good bore, stock, no pitting--would you guys shell out if you were looking for a 'using' gun? See, that's what I'm looking for. The rifle I get is gonna be making the daily commute from my bedroom to a spot by the front door, accompanying me into the woods & into town, & generally be 'on the job' for home security, having a little fun, keeping the coyotes from eating our Chihuahua, & being on standby in case 'things get bad'--or these days, just worse. If you were looking for that, would this rifle, at that price & in good shape, be a taker?

[running-man]

Original listing was $500 incl. 20 boxes of ammunition. He's down to $450 now, so the rough math in my head makes it about $350-$360 for the rifle. Even if the ammo is TulAmmo that still looks on paper like a good deal, depending of course on condition (which he swears, of course, & maybe quite honestly, is 'almost perfect').

I'd say it's not a bad deal, but w/o seeing the gun it's truly hard to say.  If it's a bubba hack job, it could be a terrible deal.  If an original refurb, it's an avg. to good deal, if an as-issued gun, a '49 Tula, or a '53/'54 Izhevsk, you found the holy grail at that price.  I'd value the ammo at ~$30, so the rifle would be ~$420.  Right in line with some of the lower cost refurbs in the monthly GB listings.

[HillHopper]

Ah. TulAmmo is THAT bad, huh? Good to know. I don't know that what he has IS TulAmmo, but if so then I significantly over-valued it. Hopefully it's something else, as that would make it occupy a greater portion of the price. I don't dare hope it's an Izhevsk, but how cool would that be? On the other side of the coin, I'd be in a real quandary then. Excellent deal, but for a gun that I'd hate to put to work for my purposes. I'm not a collector. I respect collectors & applaud their desire to preserve, but I don't have the dough for that. I'm wanting something from that sweet spot right in the middle between 'safe queen' & 'thrashed'. Just something to saddle & ride, not a thoroughbred  & not ready for the glue factory.

[running-man]

Ah. TulAmmo is THAT bad, huh? Good to know. I don't know that what he has IS TulAmmo, but if so then I significantly over-valued it. Hopefully it's something else, as that would make it occupy a greater portion of the price. I don't dare hope it's an Izhevsk, but how cool would that be? On the other side of the coin, I'd be in a real quandary then. Excellent deal, but for a gun that I'd hate to put to work for my purposes. I'm not a collector. I respect collectors & applaud their desire to preserve, but I don't have the dough for that. I'm wanting something from that sweet spot right in the middle between 'safe queen' & 'thrashed'. Just something to saddle & ride, not a thoroughbred  & not ready for the glue factory.

Crap, I shouldn't try and multiply so early in the morning.  Sorry about that.  No Tulammo isn't that bad, I was figuring 100 rounds of ammo in 20 boxes, not 400 rounds.   

So 400 rounds at $0.25 a round is $100.  Now you're looking at just what you originally said, $350 rifle, $100 worth of ammo + your time and gas.  That's a good deal all around, almost approaching a steal.  The only way it's not is if you get there and it's a bubba hackjob that doesn't function or if it's some shot out old timer that looks good on the outside yet has a sewer pipe bore. 

[Dannyboy53]

If you were looking for that, would this rifle, at that price & in good shape, be a taker?

I can only echo what running-man has said, under those conditions...go for it,  I sure would. And who knows, you may get good service out of the Tula if it is in fact Tulammo, many folks do!

[Phosphorus32]

Yup, for that price, $350 + $100 ammo, I'd buy any original configuration Russian, BBQ black painted refurb even.  I'd just look at completeness and verify good bore and mechanical condition (action cycling, look at the bolt face to make sure it doesn't have any significant erosion around the FP hole, flip up the lever and look at the gas tube and piston) and hand over the cabbage 

You might want to print out the gun show guide page on the SKS-45 to bring along with your bore light 
http://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=481.msg5709#msg5709

[Direct Connection]

Hey good luck. The only problem is that if the gun is super nice like the seller says, You might have to buy another one for your hunter/behind the door gun.. But thats a good thing.. I think 

[HillHopper]

R-M, don't worry about the miscalc. You were giving me advice I asked for. Math at ANY time of day was never my strong suit--Polit. Sci. major & I didn't even finish that. Phosphorus, thanks for the 'look for' tips. Knew about the possibility of a 'stretching' effect, kinda like a little volcano, at the firing pin hole from dry-snapping, but stupidly was unaware of the possibility of erosion. Much thanks. Much thanks indeed to all who have replied with advice or just positive wishes, which are most welcome right before a guy takes (maybe) the plunge for 4 1/2 bills. Feel like a 9-year-old on Christmas Eve. Really hope this is something good. Will advise.

[Greasemonkey]

On the ammo, it's commie ammo, it will go bang.. if it were Brown Bear, Silver Bear, Red Army Standard, Wolf, Golden Bear, Wolf PolyPerformance, Wolf WPA Military Classic, KSAP, 99.9% of the time, it will go bang.  They all are pretty much the same the same, little variances here and there, but all are worth about the same value in my book  

If it were M67 Yugo, Golden Tiger, S&B, Prvi, maybe even some old collectible Norinco stuff thats worth getting a little more excited over.

[HillHopper]

One more question, probably dumb, before I take off today. Will check when I get up before I leave. (If I ever manage to get to sleep. Having trouble for some reason. )  Searched the forum under 'gas tube' but no joy. Do I have to completely field strip before I can remove the gas tube so I can check it & the piston? Don't know if this guy's gonna be real stoked about me tearing the thing down on his kitchen table & frankly I'm not secure enough about my grasp of the procedure to be comfortable making my first attempt on a gun I don't own. I mean I've read the 'how to', which is great by the way, but it's kinda something I have to actually DO slowly a couple of times to really grasp. Can I just open the action, flip the lever to 10 o'clock (TOLDJA I read it) & pull the tube? Appreciate it, guys.

[rwhite135]

Unlike with an AK, you should be able to do that with a SKS. Quite frankly, I look at it as a red flag if a seller doesn't want me to visually inspect the internal components.  It makes me think they are hiding something. Good luck on the purchase.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Can I just open the action, flip the lever to 10 o'clock (TOLDJA I read it) & pull the tube? Appreciate it, guys.
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You dont even have to pull the action to the rear.

[Justin Hell]

Probably a little late, but don't open the lever too far otherwise you will launch the op rod across the room.

[HillHopper]

Well, no, it's not too late. D__n water system acted up this morning & required attention. Spent my day paddling around in the mud at the bottom of a ravine & knocking a lot of the paint off of the Third Commandment.  Of course it had to be today. Couldn't wait until tomorrow. Spring water beats the pants off city water (to my taste anyway), but a spring/tank system sure can screw up your agenda at times. One of the Beatles said that life is what happens while you're busy making other plans. Preach, brother. Anyhow, got ahold of the guy & he said it's no problem. So as early as I can get around today I'm en route, after, of course, I use that newly-repaired water system to remove a rather significant accumulation of my native county from my person so the guy doesn't think he's showing his rifle to Swamp Thing. Thanks for the replies, guys. zzzzzzzzz...

[Greasemonkey]

Momma always said:

Life is like a box a chocolates,
you never know what you gonna get

[HillHopper]

Well guys, I'm pretty beat--this was a LONG-a_s day--but I wanted to check in & update some really knowledgeable 'good guys' who have generously offered encouragement  & good advice to the FNG  over the past few days just to help some dude they don't even know avoid wasting his money. More in a day or so--you ain't seen a refurb until you've seen what our water system is gonna take--but for now, suffice to say that she is bee-yoo-tee-full,     she is MINE...   

...and her name is Natasha.

Thanks a lot boys. I'm gonna get some rack now. Night, all.


...good niiight, Natashaaaa...

[Direct Connection]

WoW sounds like you finally had a good day !   Cant wait for the pics to roll in.  WAKE UP !! 

[Phosphorus32]

WoW sounds like you finally had a good day !   Cant wait for the pics to roll in.  WAKE UP !! 

+1   

[rwhite135]

WoW sounds like you finally had a good day !   Cant wait for the pics to roll in.  WAKE UP !! 

+1   

+2, good to hear things went well. 

[montigre]

WoW sounds like you finally had a good day !   Cant wait for the pics to roll in.  WAKE UP !! 

+1   

+2, good to hear things went well.