1950 Transitional Russian SKS

[pcke2000]

Inspired by Phosphorus32's recent post, I would like to show a newly acquired transitional 1950 SKS. It is obviously a refurb, judging from the laminated stock and hardwood handguard (mixed, so not as nice as Phosphorus32's example). However, it still maintains many early features (I believe this s/n block is known as early 1950 productions) and is not BBQ painted. And more interestingly, it is an early CAI imported but no transliteration English letters added beside the Cyrillic prefix of the s/n on left side of the receiver.

[astronut]

Nice!   

[Phosphorus32]

Nice! Very early in the year since E was only the second letter used for the year in the first position. That seems consistent with the very early 90 degree gas block and looped receiver cover latch. The early bolt with spring-loaded firing pin, tabbed lever, etc. are great early features too.

I believe the letter O in the second position is a new one for the E block in 1950, I only see "Е Б" in RM's list as being associated with 1950. I do see an O as a second letter for the prefix CO, around mid-year of 1950. In other words, EO is consistent with placing it in 1950 but not definitive.

ЕМ,  ЕУ and ЕЮ were used in 1949, so a '49 with replaced bayonet and ferrule when they replaced the stock at refurbishment is not out of the question either  unless I'm missing a tell that it can't be a '49

CAI probably didn't transliterate EO because they could just use it as the English letters EO, even though it would have been more correct to transliterate it from Cyrillic as "YE O".

Interesting that it's another example of a refurb with an SN EP'd on the bayonet.

Definitely a very good to excellent find 

[Greatguns]

Very nice rifle, and good info Phos


Now, according to Phos32's info if you owned an EI rifle and an EIO rifle you would be old McDonald because you
would have...wait for it...EI, EIO

[Phosphorus32]

ЕМ,  ЕУ and ЕЮ were used in 1949, so a '49 with replaced bayonet and ferrule when they replaced the stock at refurbishment is not out of the question either  unless I'm missing a tell that it can't be a '49

...other than the 1950 cover, which, if the font matches, makes it a definite 1950... 

[Larry D.]

Any way you slice it - you got a Russian!

Nice score.

[Bob_The_Student]

GG you had me laughing before I finished reading... I saw where that was going! 

pcke, great looking rifle. I hope P32 is correct and perhaps you have a '49 with a '50 cover? 

[Justin Hell]

Nice! Very early in the year since E was only the second letter used for the year in the first position. That seems consistent with the very early 90 degree gas block and looped receiver cover latch. The early bolt with spring-loaded firing pin, tabbed lever, etc. are great early features too.

I believe the letter O in the second position is a new one for the E block in 1950, I only see "Е Б" in RM's list as being associated with 1950. I do see an O as a second letter for the prefix CO, around mid-year of 1950. In other words, EO is consistent with placing it in 1950 but not definitive.

ЕМ,  ЕУ and ЕЮ were used in 1949, so a '49 with replaced bayonet and ferrule when they replaced the stock at refurbishment is not out of the question either  unless I'm missing a tell that it can't be a '49

CAI probably didn't transliterate EO because they could just use it as the English letters EO, even though it would have been more correct to transliterate it from Cyrillic as "YE O".

Interesting that it's another example of a refurb with an SN EP'd on the bayonet.

Definitely a very good to excellent find 

I have EO1821, 889 after this one. 
There was somebody over on either gunboards or akfiles that had an EO '50 as well...that looked likely to be actually a 50 enough for me to consider my mystery gun to indeed be an early 50.

It is the barreled receiver, bolt, carrier, gas piston...that's all that matches. I bought refurbed, what I thought were early 50 Ey parts. The rest of the gun, including a bonus gas piston came from that gun....the xxxed out restamped stock as well.  The receiver cover, trigger guard, gas tube and piston on the Ey parts,  all seemed original and not scrubbed, despite the restamped hardwood stock.  Like all Canadian magazines though...the Ey's was orphaned lord knows where, soooo I have a period correct magazine in the KO serial realm. 

I dare say the only way to maybe tell if they were reworked to blade 49/50s is to look for the original bottom pinned stock ferrule's groove on the barrel, UNDER the replacement, which is top pinned, larger and has a hole for the cleaning rod.  That is, if they didn't just replace the entire barrel assembly.

On 49s another way to tell if you have an original magazine is to look for the absence of a retaining pin on the floor plate for the hinge spring post.

I find it interesting that my replacement parts come from a 49 serial, but the receiver comes from a 50 serial. 

Let us also not forget these also could be reworked 48's as well...or some of the parts may be. I have seen a few pictures on Russian sites of them...they look pretty much just like these, with spikes. The pictures I saw though, were just the hand engraved covers, no serials.

All that said, this is a very sweet gun, nice to meet the elder sister. The serialed bayonet I agree is a neat feature.
Congrats on the acquisition!

[CARBINE]

Sweet carbine!!

[Greatguns]

GG you had me laughing before I finished reading... I saw where that was going! 

pcke, great looking rifle. I hope P32 is correct and perhaps you have a '49 with a '50 cover? 

Thanks, I'm here all week.

One thing for sure it definitely is from the first 1 1/2 years with a 90 degree gas block.

[pcke2000]

GG you had me laughing before I finished reading... I saw where that was going! 

pcke, great looking rifle. I hope P32 is correct and perhaps you have a '49 with a '50 cover? 

Well, since I have already had a 1949 Russian with correct stock and cruciform bayonet, I am OK with this being a real 1950.

[pcke2000]

Thank you very much everyone! I had been trying to get a transitional 1950 for a while.

Two other interesting features with this rifle: (1) E-penciled s/n on extractor is placed on the inner side of the extractor; (2) most e-penciled s/n do not have the Cyrillic prefix.

[Hotrod]

My EO was presented months back. Prefix on the extractor, but outside.

[Hotrod]

Also......let me add- beautiful rifle!