Been There "Ghost"

[ded321]

I picked this up several weeks ago on our "favorite" auction site, only one other bid at the very end of the auction.  I felt sorry for it and since I like the "been there done that" look, I picked it up.  Probably paid a couple dollars more than it's worth but that's okay.  It is stamped PW Arms if anyone has an idea when that batch came in?  It has an Albanian stock obviously and although it has a Chinese butt plate on it, the stock has 2 holes drilled into it.  Numbers match other than the stock and dust cover which brings into question, do you think the cover was original to the gun?  I have seen a couple others "ghosts"with arsenal marked covers.  Looks like the bayonet was swapped for a spike also.  Don't know much about these, any info or speculation is welcome.

[Phosphorus32]

Nice, I like the been there done that examples as well. 

The receiver cover is definitely from a 1953 Tula SKS-45. The Albanians received assistance in the form of some SKS-45s and Mosin M44s from the USSR before they broke with them over the "liberalization" that occurred under Stalin's successor Kruschev. Many of these Albanian small arms had mixed parts, including stocks, bayonets, receiver covers, etc. as on your Type 56 example, or most often bolts on the Type 53s/Model 44s.

Edit: typo

[astronut]

I like it!   

[Greatguns]

Really like the patina of the metal on that. Nice pics too.

[Bob_The_Student]

Make me a +1 for likey!

[ded321]

Thanks, funny thing, I traded another Chinese and some cash for a 1965 M-16 clone about a week before I saw this.  I had a few Chinese SKS's and figured I could do with one less.  Apparently not, lol.

[carls sks]

always thought ghost had blade bayonets, confused. were there different ones referred to as ghosts?

[Greatguns]

always thought ghost had blade bayonets, confused. were there different ones referred to as ghosts?

You would be correct, the original ghost SKSs direct from China would have blade bayonets. I think this one came in from the batch of Albanian imports so the stock, bayonet, and receiver cover are most likely field replacements. The correct stock I think would also have a bottom sling loop as opposed to the side loop it has.

[ded321]

Yes, looks like the stock, bayonet and receiver cover were swapped and being that the stock is Albanian, this would have been an Albanian import.  I have had other Chinese/Albanian SKS's, one with a stock swap.  Most of those imports were well used.

[echo83]

That's a cool looking specimen; the battle-tested ones always are. I like that look of the metal, especially when it's taken into the white.

Some people turn their noses up at mismatched parts, but I think in this case it speaks to pure functionality, like the armorer took one last look at it and said, "This will do exactly what it needs to do."

...then the conscript took it back to his bunker, adjusted the sling attachment on the stock, carved a few initials into it, and like the A1 Steak Sauce commercials..."NOW it's done."

[Larry D.]

I like that one a lot.

[Sksghostgun1986]

I just picked this up at my lgs and cleaned the snot out of it! Its a non #s matching ghost. I had to buy another stock since the first was cracked! I sanded it and torched the stock and then applied red oak stain I havent sealed it yet but still a nice rifle waiting on a handguard!

[Larry D.]

I just picked this up at my lgs and cleaned the snot out of it! Its a non #s matching ghost. I had to buy another stock since the first was cracked! I sanded it and torched the stock and then applied red oak stain I havent sealed it yet but still a nice rifle waiting on a handguard!

Please start a new thread for this one...Lots of pictures please.
Looks like a pretty cool resurrection you have going.