Heavy Refurb with 565mm Barrel

[Phosphorus32]

Dan's Ammo came through again. Not long ago, I asked him if he had anything interesting. When the email inquiry from Dan about this rifle came through last week, it didn't take long for the AMEX to fly out of my wallet  THANKS DAN!  

Heavily refurbished C-block long barrel with an M59/66 bayonet. No "experimental" front sight. A lot of electropenciled serial numbers. Neither the magazine nor receiver cover have a serial number at all. Regardless, it's a beautiful SKS and I'm pleased to have one of these rare later serial number variants.



















Indexing numbers and alignment mark





Front sight comparison: SN 021 (left) with the experimental front sight.

[Justin Hell]

Gorgeous!

I wonder how it got that barrel?

[Phosphorus32]

Gorgeous!

I wonder how it got that barrel?

Ay, that's the question. There are only two other M59 long barrels with late serial numbers that are 44K and 50K.  I don't recall seeing pictures of them, so I don't know if they were long barrels pulled off of original M59-LBs with damaged receivers, or were spare long barrels that were "found" and screwed on to regular production C block M59 receivers.

The matching index numbers, index/registration mark, and matching brown patina spots suggest the receiver and barrel have been mated to one another for a long time on mine, possibly since this SKS was first assembled.

[running-man]

Heck of a pickup Jon.  What's that, three LB's for you now? 

I don't have a very extensive library of Yugos, but here's the closest S/N'd gun I could find: C37026.

Close number, same 2015 import batch, similar bottom lug markings, standard length barrel, proper bayo collar & latch. 

[running-man]

Ay, that's the question. There are only two other M59 long barrels with late serial numbers that are 44K and 50K.  I don't recall seeing pictures of them, so I don't know if they were long barrels pulled off of original M59-LBs with damaged receivers, or were spare long barrels that were "found" and screwed on to regular production C block M59 receivers.

The matching index numbers, index/registration mark, and matching brown patina spots suggest the receiver and barrel have been mated to one another for a long time on mine, possibly since this SKS was first assembled.

Here's LB 50456 (notice no C block on it) for your viewing pleasure.  Not terribly much detail, but it's better than nothing right?

[Phosphorus32]

Thanks Joe! Interesting specimen with the missing C prefix. Plum receiver. The font of the 6 on the receiver is really distinctive with that flat horizontal top line.

Those pictures really do a nice job at capturing the chrome-lined (sleeved) barrel.

[running-man]

Thanks Joe! Interesting specimen with the missing C prefix. Plum receiver. The font of the 6 on the receiver is really distinctive with that flat horizontal top line.

Those pictures really do a nice job at capturing the chrome-lined (sleeved) barrel.

Yes they sure do.  I forgot to mention that plum receiver...The difference between the receiver and barrel coloring leads me to believe the rifle probably didn't start out life looking like that. 

I think I erred when I said it's missing the "C" block nomenclature too.  50k should theoretically be in the "D" block, though I supposed we don't know where the exact transition happens.  The last C block I have photos for is C48388 and the first D block I have photos for is D59049 so no real help because it's such a huge spread there.  Glen Burton's data indicates the last C at 492xx and the first D at 5000x. 

[Phosphorus32]

Thanks Joe! Interesting specimen with the missing C prefix. Plum receiver. The font of the 6 on the receiver is really distinctive with that flat horizontal top line.

Those pictures really do a nice job at capturing the chrome-lined (sleeved) barrel.

Yes they sure do.  I forgot to mention that plum receiver...The difference between the receiver and barrel coloring leads me to believe the rifle probably didn't start out life looking like that. 

I think I erred when I said it's missing the "C" block nomenclature too.  50k should theoretically be in the "D" block, though I suppose we don't know where the exact transition happens. The last C block I have photos for is C48388 and the first D block I have photos for is D59049 so no real help because it's such a huge spread there.  Glen Burton's data indicates the last C at 492xx and the first D at 5000x. 

Maybe that's why 50456 doesn't have the letter prefix. C's should be M59s and D's should be M59/66s, the serial number 50456 was available but the D letter was inappropriate. Just one possibility. It's interesting that the digits 456 look fairly well aligned with one another but the 50 looks like it's on a different line 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Talk about cornering the market.   

[Phosphorus32]

Talk about cornering the market.   

I only have 10% of the recorded examples 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Did you add this one to the list?   

[Phosphorus32]

Did you add this one to the list?

Yup, it’s a new one. I’m assuming it’s a relatively recent import, from PW Arms last batch of imports from the former Yugoslavia.

[martin08]

I guess I haven't been paying attention very well.  This is the first time I have seen a long barrel outside of the initial block of numbers.

Exotic.

[Phosphorus32]

I guess I haven't been paying attention very well.  This is the first time I have seen a long barrel outside of the initial block of numbers.

Exotic.

Yes, there are just the three examples so far, including this one. None of these presumably later builds have the adjustable front sight.

[Phosphorus32]

Heck of a pickup Jon.  What's that, three LB's for you now? 

I don't have a very extensive library of Yugos, but here's the closest S/N'd gun I could find: C37026.

Close number, same 2015 import batch, similar bottom lug markings, standard length barrel, proper bayo collar & latch. 

Yes, three; I have 021, 040 and C-36439.

Thanks for the pics of C-37025. I have a standard M59 C-36111 on the other side that has the walnut or at least "not-elm"  stock.

[Direct Connection]

Phos thats a nice score !  Especially these days. Looking at how nice the BBL lines up to the receiver near perfect seems almost impossible that a long bbl was added to the M59 shorty receiver. But check out the serial number on this guy in the middle 36478. These two could have easily been born on the same day ! I would have to say that the long BBL was an extra and was placed on a M59. No guarantees but this is very close being 39 numbers apart : ).. IDK but Nice score ! I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.. I call them all the time over there at Dans but they never pick up : )  This M59 36478 is one I got from them 2 summers ago along with the 36114 pictured also.. Your fence is holding up well and still looks great 

[Greasemonkey]

I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.. I call them all the time over there at Dans but they never pick up : ) 

That hoarder....P32 has frequent purchase miles.. he has Dan's red courtesy express buying phone number.. 

[Direct Connection]

I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.. I call them all the time over there at Dans but they never pick up : ) 

That hoarder....P32 has frequent purchase miles.. he has Dan's red courtesy express buying phone number.. 

Yeah whats up with that ? Between you and him aint nobody got a chance around here.

[Phosphorus32]

I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.. I call them all the time over there at Dans but they never pick up : ) 

That hoarder....P32 has frequent purchase miles.. he has Dan's red courtesy express buying phone number.. 

Yeah whats up with that ? Between you and him aint nobody got a chance around here.

  Well, yeah, I guess I am a frequent buyer, at least of Yugoslavian SKSs, five purchased from Dan's to date. But like I said, I think it was good timing on my email inquiry and Dan's acquisition of this LB. Whatever the reason, I'm humbly grateful

[Phosphorus32]

Phos thats a nice score !  Especially these days. Looking at how nice the BBL lines up to the receiver near perfect seems almost impossible that a long bbl was added to the M59 shorty receiver. But check out the serial number on this guy in the middle 36478. These two could have easily been born on the same day ! I would have to say that the long BBL was an extra and was placed on a M59. No guarantees but this is very close being 39 numbers apart : ).. IDK but Nice score ! I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat.. I call them all the time over there at Dans but they never pick up : )  This M59 36478 is one I got from them 2 summers ago along with the 36114 pictured also.. Your fence is holding up well and still looks great 

Sweet heptet of M59s you have there DC!   

Yeah, clearly I lean toward it being added to the receiver during the original build. Likely a long barrel found in the stock of barrels that was added in the middle of the production of standard M59s by chance (most likely). Possible that the long barrel was intentionally picked out and added to this receiver for a specific purpose since lost to history.