non-factory /26\ "Egyptian Contract" possibility

[Phosphorus32]

I see it's not a laminate but it does have very prominent grain that I like.

It's not laminate! Had me fooled. Wasn't looking as close to that because the grains look like layers to me. Are you sure?

Figured I was on to something when I first saw it but I'm still new on the SKS platform. I'd love to find a crisp Hebrew stamp or some other regional identifying mark once I get it apart. Fingers crossed this one turns out to have some hidden surprise on it, but prelimary observations definitely have an Israeli flavor

Definitely hardwood.  Look at auction photos 2 and 3, the way the grain is curving. Laminate would be straight, and the laminates wouldn't be canted at an angle off of vertical.  Like I say, cool gun regardless of how it turns out.

Does it look like the dent in the magazine will affect its capacity or function?

Probably not, but it's hard to say for sure, especially from the angle of the photo. If the dent impinges on the front of the follower arm, it could prevent you from loading all 10. If so, I'd just peen it out from the inside.

[running-man]

P32 knows his wood!    Def hardwood, not laminate.

The stock is likely the original if it turns out to be a /906\ (and I agree with you and think it is likely a /906\ too, that zero is too flat on bottom to not be unless it's something we haven't seen yet).  Side swivel stocks on all the examples I have in my files. 
With your negotiating, I think you made a fine deal on that carbine.  It's a nice example from that era.   

[running-man]

Add Morocco

Here is what your lookng at....

This gun was built in 1971. In order to narrow it down, you have to look at any and all countries that were involved with Arab aggression toward Israel post 1971, and then pick out the ones having Sino arms relations with China.  Good luck!   

IF it's an IC (and that's a big IF), I'd guess 1982 Lebanon War.  Yom Kippur War was in 1973.  Seems like you'd be cutting it pretty close for that firearm to arrive in new condition, be used, and captured looking like that in the span of two years.  Not impossible, but I'd think it was more unlikely.  '82 is the last date as the newer conflicts occurred after the early 80's which is when that import stamp was used.

[gregsthe1]

Definitely hardwood.

I stand corrected, thank you for pointing that out. I think I like it better with hardwood.

And thanks to you all for helping to put some of the pieces of the puzzle together. I would not have been able to figure all of this out on my own.

[gregsthe1]

Picked it up a couple of days ago and it is very cool... and clearly a /906\. After doing some research I see these examples are known in the community as "Israeli Capture" variants, even though when originally imported they were under the category of "Egyptian Contract" models. After fondling this one for the weekend I am quite sure it is one of them. And perhaps the first non-/26\ example recorded? Stuck a Balkans war used Russian metal hook sling on it that looks great. All numbers match. I took as many good pics as I could indoors, it is nothing but cold and snow here in SW Michigan.

Here are the pics:

[gregsthe1]

[gregsthe1]

Looks a lot like a Syrian property Jiim stamp, but I will let you decide:











It's got sand, it's got marks, it's got patina, and lines up perfectly with the IC rifles. Looks like one to me...

[gregsthe1]

Seriously!? No comments or opinions?

I thought you guys love this kind of stuff...

[running-man]

Always slow on most boards around Christmas. It's a nice carbine, certainly an early CAI marking.  Nice buy.

I don't know about the jiin. I think thats a simple 2.  Would be Iraqi with the jiin, not Syrian though.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Always slow on most boards around Christmas. It's a nice carbine, certainly an early CAI marking.  Nice buy.

I don't know about the jiin. I think thats a simple 2.  Would be Iraqi with the jiin, not Syrian though.

Its a jiim... not a jiin.  And from what I understand, it was used by several arab states. Not sure if thats what we are seeing here though...   I agree this is a very sweet find and would make a great addition to any collection.  I really wish we knew more about this gun in particular, but atleast we have this 'one' as an example.  Hopefully we will come across more in the future.  Sorry for the delay in response.

[Loose}{Cannon]

The sandy cosmo is priceless.....  please leave as-is!!

[gregsthe1]

The sandy cosmo is priceless.....  please leave as-is!!

Will do! I got a good feel (and even a little taste) of the gritty stuff and it is something.

I wish that it did have a definitive mark of some kind, and I will concede that maybe it is just a simple "2" (wishful thinking). All other signs point to IC but for now I guess it will remain a mystery. I plan on keeping it, so if in the future someone would like to see more of it just let me know  

I was glad to find it and even more glad to share it with the community and have a conversation about it. I especially love the wood ding from the safety and the red paint on the sights. The magazine dent does not affect function, it looks worse in the pics than it really is.

[running-man]

Its a jiim... not a jiin.  And from what I understand, it was used by several arab states. Not sure if thats what we are seeing here though...   I agree this is a very sweet find and would make a great addition to any collection.  I really wish we knew more about this gun in particular, but atleast we have this 'one' as an example.  Hopefully we will come across more in the future.  Sorry for the delay in response.

Jīm or Jeem says wikipedia.  Hell if I know. 

All the weapons I've seen with purported Iraq markings all have the ج enclosed in a triangle.  In fact, all the symbols I've ever seen purporting to be this marking show the triangle, whether on canvas, in a stamp, or other general marking. Seems to make sense, w/o the triangle it's just a letter J right?  (They all show it belonging to the Iraqi army too, Jeem being the first letter in "JAYSH" the arabic word for army.)

I scrounged up a few interesting ones, some stylized, some with additional info inside the triangle:












Last photo is from http://francona.com/travels/iraq/  That's a neat photo spread; Rick Francona...that guy's certainly been around.

[gregsthe1]

Here is one not in a triangle. Thought to have previously been Syrian property:

[Loose}{Cannon]

I have the same bag...   

I specifically remember Worm finding/having a list of all nations known to have used the jeem.  IIRC it started out being a 'arab state" deal with multiple nations designated to use it, but it only really caught on in mass by Iraq.   

[Loose}{Cannon]

Here is one not in a triangle. Thought to have previously been Syrian property:

This was one of Worms guns, and while seemingly could be a jeem, I found a #2 thats identical on one of my guns..... think it was the HG that I sold, or maybe my 7m bringback. 

[gregsthe1]

I found a #2 thats identical on one of my guns.....

Well then I guess that changes things, I was hopeful based on that

Oh well, no definitive proof but maybe someday more info will come out solidifying it's place amongst the IC's.

[running-man]

I have the same bag...   

I specifically remember Worm finding/having a list of all nations known to have used the jeem.  IIRC it started out being a 'arab state" deal with multiple nations designated to use it, but it only really caught on in mass by Iraq.

Yeah, I totally thought Google was pointing me right to your post (http://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=151.0) until I looked at the url and followed the link to the guy's photo archive. 

It would be interesting to put together a list of nations who have used the jeem symbol or even a history of how it came about.  All new to me, heck I didn't realize it was more widely used.  

IC's are definitely a neat rabbit hole to follow...

[Justin Hell]

The magazine dent does not affect function, it looks worse in the pics than it really is.

That magazine dent is not a dent...I think we may have found a Factory 906ism...because I have 1611283...and it has the exact same dent in the magazine...I never noticed it until I saw your pic, and I compared it to all of my other mags and it is the only one that has that.

Mine also has the same very heavy 1 in the serial number, with the awkward exclamation pointish traingularism to it...only mine is inverted from the direction yours points. Mine also has similar marks around the barrel. It also has one of those strangely shaped 2s on the underside of the receiver...but very small.

Mine was purchased new in box by me...and is a later CSI import...in around 98-99ish?  2,594 rifles later...my first experience with cosmoline, on my 3rd SKS.

[gregsthe1]

906-ism, I like that. I believe you are correct that they will all have the "dent". I do not have a high enough post status to access the s/n threads but RM was nice enough to share some info with me about the other /906\'s that are documented, including this pic:



It was the only one he had with similar patina, of the 15 or so that are recorded most are either pristine or obvious Chinese factory refurbs with replacement stocks. This one is 1615470 and is an early IA CO import.