question , about a 4 digit 26

[Greatguns]

i will post some pics when i get it home , will have to grab a normal stock i suppose , too bad russian stocks are not correct

There is very little substitute. It is a tall order finding ANY blade cut side swivel stock. Most Chinese replacements would look out of place...IF you can find blade cut. Put it in a Russian until the right stock comes along.

I agree, grab one of those Russian hardwood stocks from Canada for $60 + shipping while you look for the correct stock. Either that of a spike cutout stock and cut your own blade groove into it.

[hoopharted]

i will post some pics when i get it home , will have to grab a normal stock i suppose , too bad russian stocks are not correct

There is very little substitute. It is a tall order finding ANY blade cut side swivel stock. Most Chinese replacements would look out of place...IF you can find blade cut. Put it in a Russian until the right stock comes along.

found a un messed with side swivel stock with honest wear , and Apex was all out of the chicom blades so i bought a spike , wish i boght 2 blades when they had them

[hoopharted]

serial number E 9696 , is it in the data base?

[hoopharted]

receiver looks scrubbed doesnt it

[Phosphorus32]

Yup, the receiver rail got a hard scrub to the left of the serial number.

[hoopharted]

Yup, the receiver rail got a hard scrub to the left of the serial number.

so you think shenanigans or what

[running-man]

No the database doesn’t have this one. That receiver has been scrubbed and restamped. Font and position is totally wrong for a letter gun.  Not a bad deal though, looks to be a good shooter.

[hoopharted]

so do you think it was done as fakery or done prior to importation , i just cant see someone going through all of that to fake a sks , i know the nonsense is rampant in K98's , i mean up until recently the prices were not out of line or out of wack enough  to seem worth the while and this thing has been in that black and nasty for some time ,it had a crud line at the stock when i pulled it

[Greasemonkey]

I'd say done before import.

[hoopharted]

I'd say done before import.

not that I'm wishful thinking looking for qa better outcome but I'm leaning towards agreeing with you , I didnt catch it when looking it over , the lighting in the shop wasnt the best
Looking even closer I think I see remnants of the original serial
I'm just not sold on the fact that they resealed it as a arsenal makeover either

[Boris Badinov]

It looks like a worn single digit -- possibly a 3 or maybe a 5 -- stamped to the left of the receiver serial number. In that position, such a single digit stamp is a characteristic seen on some of the Israeli Capture/Middle East Contract carbines.

Can you get a photo of the import stamp that may be on the barrel?

[Bob_The_Student]

It looks like a worn single digit -- possibly a 3 or maybe a 5 -- stamped to the left of the receiver serial number. In that position, such a single digit stamp is a characteristic seen on some of the Israeli Capture/Middle East Contract carbines.

Can you get a photo of the import stamp that may be on the barrel?

Looks like an "8" or "3" to me

[hoopharted]

I'm at work , I did snap a pic of import, just didn't post it , it's on the receiver , California cfg

[running-man]

I'd say done before import.

+1000  Likely a refurbishment where they had to swap out the receiver or the whole barreled receiver but otherwise, it looks like all the other original components from the E9696 gun were useable. 

When you get a chance with the action out of the stock, take a look at the left barrel lug and see if the clocking number (0 through 35) and fonts for both numbers match on the receiver and barrel.  That will give you an indication of how much of that barreled receiver may have been replaced. 

[hoopharted]

[hoopharted]

I'd say done before import.

+1000  Likely a refurbishment where they had to swap out the receiver or the whole barreled receiver but otherwise, it looks like all the other original components from the E9696 gun were useable. 

When you get a chance with the action out of the stock, take a look at the left barrel lug and see if the clocking number (0 through 35) and fonts for both numbers match on the receiver and barrel.  That will give you an indication of how much of that barreled receiver may have been replaced. 

is this what yo mean? the 9's

[hoopharted]

definitely two remnants of the original sn , one closest to the collar is a 8 and the other is so light its not even possible to guess , at least you guys put my mind to ease that its not some jacked up forgers abomination , i have a K98 that is , and have had it for about 25 years and still makes me sick when i oil it up, cant sell it , been slowly buying the parts to make it into a fax sniper

[Boris Badinov]

Hmmm...

Is it just me, or does the font of the 9's in the barrel indexing pair look the same as the font of the 9's on the receiver?

But different from the 9's on the other serialized parts?

[Boris Badinov]

OP --
Is the receiver serial # 9696 or 9698?

[running-man]

Hmmm...

Is it just me, or does the font of the 9's in the barrel indexing pair look the same as the font of the 9's on the receiver?

But different from the 9's on the other serialized parts?

I would tend to agree with this one Boris.  Though the 9 on the barrel lug looks a bit different to me.  Hard to say for certain, but it looks a bit narrower than the 9 on the receiver...but yes, they certainly look very similar to the receiver S/N to me.  Add the scrub marks on the receiver and sharp corners where the flat transitions to the round at the front of the receiver and I think that a replaced receiver is the most plausible explanation. 

Impossible to say for certain, it look to be in really good shape though!