Looking for info/SSC9 arsenal stamp (poorly stamped 6603)

[Ravyn125]

Recently I inherited a Chinese SKS that bears an arsenal stamp containing the characters SSC9. I doubt that the stock is original as it is marked Combat Exchange and the bayonet doesn't fit it (that or the bayonet isn't original either). I'll post the photos to hopefully make it clearer.

[Ravyn125]

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[Ravyn125]

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[Power Surge]

Wow... that is really weird. My best guess, it that it's a very poorly stamped (6603) stamp.

[Ravyn125]

That is probably the case. I don't know SKS rifles very well so it makes sense that I didn't catch that.

[Loose}{Cannon]

I would say 6603.     You sure do t see these often.   

[Ravyn125]

I only know that this was bought pre-AWB with the stock and magazine missing. As far as function everything works fine on it and no issues with firing and feeding. Don't know fully what I'm going to do with it.

[running-man]

Not a (6609)?  The top left vertical line of the final digit sure seems to go all the way down to the horizontal line in the center.  Of course even good quality photos like this one show shadow and other optical illusions that may or may not be real features.

There are mentions of (6603)'s and (6009)'s in certain suspect data floating around the web.  I suspect the broken "6" stamp was endemic to this arsenal in year 24 and caused lots of confusion and both stamps are actually this one...

Nice carbine Ravyn!  Thanks for showing it to us!   

Like LC says, not many oval arsenal guns turn up these days.  What's the story behind it?

[Ravyn125]

I inherited this rifle from my uncle about a month ago. I collect K98's myself so he thought I'd appreciate it. From what I know it was bought pre-AWB by my uncle from a former Marine Corps friend of his while he was living in Kansas City. I don't know if he ever had the original stock, magazine, or bayonet for it. It does have a bayonet but it seems to be from a 60's yugo so it doesn't fit at all(I've tried). It has the U shaped bayonet notch rather than the V-notch the bayonet needs so the stock isn't the problem. It appears that something was done to the bayonet lug as it sits cock-eyed on the barrel(the barrel is stamped with the same serial as the receiver).

Looked closer at the stamp and is definitely a 6609. 

[Justin Hell]

Cool.

See, told ya it would ruffle some feathers. 

That is really interesting. 
What is the symbol to the rear of the sight leaf out of curiousness?
Does the stock fold or is it fixed? 

You are in luck with finding a bayonet....for $23ish eBay has the spike bayo it needs all day long.  You can search for a better deal, sometimes you can get them cheaper...but I have been trying to do that for the last several weeks and hold out until the bitter end only to see them go for $22
They at least are plentiful and cheap....as are the stocks and handguards, you can hold out for a pretty nice one usually, if you can...or if the seller is educated enough, go for a pinned barrel stock. (which is what you have) With pinned barrels, you can use most stocks out there, but a pinned barrel stock will be more securely held in place. More often than not, you will have to hope for really good photos....and know what to look for.

[Ravyn125]

The stock folds but was built for a different style of bayonet altogether if the notch tells me anything. It looks like the barrel was cut down in length and what I've been finding on here says that importers did just that. Whoever reinstalled the bayonet lug must have been cross-eyed though as it sits canted a little to the side. Thanks for the info. I'm going to do a bit of bargain hunting at a local shop that has all kinds of goodies to see if he has anything(he helped me de-modify a rather hard to find K98 by doing some hunting of his own.)

[Justin Hell]

If the cut in the stock is a long groove, which it should be, it is for a spike bayonet, not a traditional blade type...that stock was cut to only work with spikes.
That is what yours should have anyway.
Your barrel isn't cut the same way the importers did, from what I can see, you have plenty of barrel there...but, I can't see the bayo lug problem from your pics...

[Ravyn125]

I originally thought the stock was cut for a spike but the groove is far too narrow and deep. The cut looks hand made though which explains a lot about the stock so far(very poorly modified). The lug is canted slightly and doesn't line up perfectly as it should. This is a common problem with converted sporter swiss rifles when people shoddily put bayonet lugs on them without gauging them right. It's easy enough to fix, which will be my first project.

As for the barrel it has all the signs of being cut down to 18 inches as I measure it. It still shoots just fine and is pretty darn accurate up to 150 yards so it hasn't negatively affected it (it just annoys my purist side).

[newchi]

wow, i would have called that SSC9 all day long, then spent weeks of my life looking up variations of Schenzing SKS Corporation factory 9 or similar until i went crazy.

[Power Surge]

Not a (6609)?  The top left vertical line of the final digit sure seems to go all the way down to the horizontal line in the center.  Of course even good quality photos like this one show shadow and other optical illusions that may or may not be real features.

There are mentions of (6603)'s and (6009)'s in certain suspect data floating around the web.  I suspect the broken "6" stamp was endemic to this arsenal in year 24 and caused lots of confusion and both stamps are actually this one...

Nice carbine Ravyn!  Thanks for showing it to us!   

Like LC says, not many oval arsenal guns turn up these days.  What's the story behind it?

I didn't know 6609 was an option LOL, it wasn't on the list.

Can we see a picture of the front sight block area?

[Ravyn125]

The stamp needed a quick check with some fine powder to glean the indent better but it is 6609 which by the guide isn't listed. Maybe it is more of an issue with the poor stamping. As for the front site I can't get a good photo that shows that cant well enough but I'll try.

[Justin Hell]

I could have sworn that looked like a pinned barrel...it isn't, it is a short lug threaded. 

[Justin Hell]

The sight, from what I can tell for straight reference looks fine...if you are talking about how the post is drifted to the left a little, that is how windage is adjusted on these. Sometimes it is marked visibly from the front at the factory where they set the post. The step you see on the barrel is also normal as well. Measuring using a dowel or cleaning rod down the barrel to the bolt face when the bolt is closed, it should measure 20.5ish".

If the whole front sight block/bayonet lug is canted, it isn't evident from the pictures as there isn't a frame of reference (like the rear sight mounts).

[Ravyn125]

The whole front sight is slightly canted. I'm taking it to the shop to fix that after I finish up an AR for a customer( Nothing like working late).  As for the stock it's getting swapped for a wood stock and I'm putting a fixed magazine back on. We had one in the back so I hope it fits.

[Power Surge]

This is just my personal opinion, so take it for what it's worth... I don't think that is the original barrel for that gun.

For one, the assembly marks don't line up and the mark on the barrel is much heavier than the mark on the receiver. The barrel also has the "10" match number, and the receiver does not have the matching 10. The barrel also seems to have different bluing on it than the receiver. The picture you show of the top view of the rear sight block and bolt carrier, shows the rear sight block canted to the left. You also say the front sight block is canted to the left. That leads me to believe the entire barrel is twisted to the left, which would be very possible if that barrel is from a different gun. It does have the late style front sight block and late style rear sight block, but then it has an early style "n" rear sight leaf. You also said the barrel has the serial on it, which sounds like someone tried to force match a different barrel, since no SKS came with the serial on the barrel.

Of course I could be completely wrong, but that's what I'm noticing.