Yugoslavian SKS Restoration Questions

[Jenro84]

I just got a sks with a bunch of mods done to it. I want to restore it back to how it was originally. I dont have any info about it at all. I only have the serial numbers stamped on it. How can I find out the make, model, year manufactured?

[Phosphorus32]

Hi jenro84, welcome aboard. I gave your question its own post with a title I thought reflected your question.

Can you post some pictures of the whole rifle and markings to start us off?

[Direct Connection]

Yes Pics would really help allot. Is it a M59 or M59/66 or do you know ?

[Jenro84]

http://s1262.photobucket.com/user/jenro84/story

[Power Surge]

http://s1262.photobucket.com/user/jenro84/story

I've got a yugo bayo and collar if you want to put one back on.

[Phosphorus32]

An early, D block, M59/66 made in 1967. The "D" serial numbers were in the 50-81K region.

Needs receiver cover, stock and handguard (besides the M59/66 type bayonet and collar) to return it to original configuration. Not too difficult.

[Jenro84]

Awesome! Thanks for the info! And Power Surge, yeah I do want to put the bayonet back on it! What do you want for yours and the collar?

[Loose}{Cannon]

Dont forget about the spring and screw for that bayo and collar.   

[Justin Hell]

That appears to have been rearsenaled. I have one 2k later than yours but mine still has no night sights and the early ported grenade launcher.

Yours probably got a new barrel at some point, and they gave it the whole treatment.  So a full restore would be difficult.  I know you can find the ported grenade launchers fairly regularly, but I don't know so much about the non night sight leaf, which probably would be the same as an M59. Then you have to consider the gas block FSB is totally different for the night sights, that would be a chore to find, and swap out.

That might be further than you want to go on a restore though.

With the night sights, you can use whichever type of Yugo sling you like, although the appropriate one would be leather for this series.

[Jenro84]

Ive been keeping my eye out on a few different sites for wood stocks and hand guards. Is the bayonet cutout on the stock a must to fit properly or will the bayo still fold back with a non cutout stock?  Anyone have a site theyd recommend? Also thanks for all your help! I really appreciate it!

[Loose}{Cannon]

If you get a proper 59/66 stock.... it WILL be blade cut, and the 59/66 stock cut length for the bayo is specific and not the same as other models.   

[Greasemonkey]

That appears to have been rearsenaled. I have one 2k later than yours but mine still has no night sights and the early ported grenade launcher.

Yours probably got a new barrel at some point, and they gave it the whole treatment.  So a full restore would be difficult.  I know you can find the ported grenade launchers fairly regularly, but I don't know so much about the non night sight leaf, which probably would be the same as an M59. Then you have to consider the gas block is totally different for the night sights, that would be a chore to find, and swap out.

That might be further than you want to go on a restore though.

With the night sights, you can use whichever type of Yugo sling you like, although the appropriate one would be leather for this series.

That sounds more like a restore....and an upgrade 

Ok.. if his has no night sights, wouldn't that be a M59/66... ain't that what Yugoslavia did later, slap night sights on it and call it a M59/66A1. Now, by all rights, it is an early one, and was or should of been a M59/66 at birth, the first of the 4 variants of the M59/66 family, not the night sighted A1 in it's original form.  Am I wrong, miss a memo or something, the M59/66 had no night sights and the A1 variant the night sights were added. So, in the end it may have gotten little or no "whole treatment", instead it was pulled off rack, boxed and shipped.

Hit it with a receiver cover, stock, bayonet and a handguard, maybe chunk a ported spigot on it as a final touch...Done, M59/66 complete.  Throw the night sight garbage totally out the window....cause they were never there from birth.

[Loose}{Cannon]

It was most likely refurbed at some pont and received the night sights anyhow.  I wouldn't be concerned about that... 

[running-man]

Jenro, if you're lost in this conversation (I know I would have been when I was new to the SKS), here's a bit of background info for you.

Yugoslavian production of the SKS progressed in a pretty straightforward manner.  First came the M59 variant, which for all intents and purposes (minus the non-chromed barrel and different wood types), is virtually identical to your generic Romanian, Chinese, or Russian SKS.  These M59s consist of Long Barreled Yugos, B Block, and C Block S/Ns.  At the D S/N block, the design was changed to the M59/66 with a permanently attached grenade launcher, grenade sight ladder, rubber recoil pad, and manual gas valve in the gas block.  From there Night sights were added and this gives us the M59/66A1 variant. 

This is what the front sight block looked like off of a D block M59/66 w/o the night sights:


And then notice the slightly different FSB with the flip up blade when the night sights were used:


Very few D blocks in original M59/66 condition exist.  I have not seen E block or beyond guns that do not have the night sights installed.

The original grenade launcher used from block D through block I was a square backed ported design which look like this:


As the years progressed and the design changed, the GL changed to a square backed unported design:


And the final GL change went to an angle backed unported design:


When Justin talks about getting the rifle back into ORIGINAL condition, he means an original D block M59/66.  This is quite a bit of work including finding parts that would require a ton of searching.  I think most here would say that it's probably not worth it considering what you;re starting with.  Now to simply unbubba the gun, get a Yugo stock & hanguard, replacement receiver cover, and a new bayo & components and you should be golden.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Hey Rm...   That angled back portion of the GL you show is actually part of the FSB. 

[Power Surge]

Awesome! Thanks for the info! And Power Surge, yeah I do want to put the bayonet back on it! What do you want for yours and the collar?

Sent ya a PM.

[Jenro84]

Running man, that was very helpful! Thank you!! I was lost! Haha

[Jenro84]

So maybe this is a silly question but, is the stock of a m59/66 different than the stock of a 66A1?

[Phosphorus32]

So maybe this is a silly question but, is the stock of a m59/66 different than the stock of a 66A1?

Not a silly Q, but they are the same.

[running-man]

Hey Rm...   That angled back portion of the GL you show is actually part of the FSB.

You know, deep down I knew that but I always lump them in with the GL.

The change from square backed to angle backed occurred somewhere between the R and S blocks, so the transition was between 1980 to 1981.