Polish Honor Guard SKS

[Phosphorus32]

Don’t know where those Pony Express guys ended up…maybe they got bushwhacked outside of Cheyenne   

[Greatguns]

Laramie, it's always outside of Laramie...don't you remember your westerns?

[Phosphorus32]

I found an authentic Polish Honor Guard rifle, aka SKS-M (modified) on Facebook, that is owned by a person in Poland. Here's some information he provided:

Owner: Marcin from Warsaw, Poland, 2018 post. “In the picture is my fresh recently purchased SKS made in Tula, USSR in 1953. Originally modified for Representative Battalion of the Polish Army (Honor Guard Battalion). The original Polish name is SKS �"M  (modified). The original stock is replaced by beech plywood. Bayonet and bolt are polished and finished with nickel as well as the butt plate. This rifle is still in service in some Honor Guard Units in Poland �" however they are being displaced by new introduced Polish MSBS vel “Grot” (Modular Small Arms System, aka “Arrowhead”)”.

2022 comment: “We have auctions organized in Poland by the Military Property Agency, https://amw.com.pl/en  If you have a license you can go and buy old but still nice equipment from rifles, to helis, tanks and old, not planned for future use, weapons. Some of the goods like pistols, ammo or rifles etc. can then be sold on the civilian market. The SKS is not the most popular in Poland but IMHO the SKS has "soul". Still, in Poland the most popular are AK clones and now AR15 type rifles. Mine is strictly a "collection one" and rarely used on the shooting range. But this is one of the prettiest ones I have.”



He only shared one picture. I thought it was interesting that it's a 1953 Tula. Internet hearsay from an old Gunboards post and Wikipedia is that the Poles received/purchased 1954 SKS-45s, some say only Tulas, and some say purchased them in 1954. The purchased in 1954 scenario, where the purchases included old inventory, not just new production, is the only plausibly true scenario from those choices, given this data point on a purported 1953 Tula.

[Matchka]

Zow! Bravo Zulu!

[Phosphorus32]

Zow! Bravo Zulu!

Thanks Matchka   

[Bob_The_Student]

Stock is beautiful, Jon. Rifle looks great in it.

[Bacarnal]

Thanks for the additional information, Jon.

[Phosphorus32]

Stock is beautiful, Jon. Rifle looks great in it.

Thanks Bob 

[Phosphorus32]

Thanks for the additional information, Jon.

You’re welcome. One guy, one data point, but purchased as is in Poland makes it interesting.

[Justin Hell]

If I were to have to settle on one adjective....

TITS

....would be the word.

[Phosphorus32]

If I were to have to settle on one adjective....

TITS

....would be the word.

  Thanks JH 

Darn good to see you here 

[Phosphorus32]

Well, I should pay it (the enabling) forward, so here’s the current link. He was great to deal with. $30 shipping from Poland. Very well packaged. I highly recommend the owner-operator Marcin.
https://genuine-militaria.com/

Just a follow up note. I’ve also ordered some grips for a CZ 27 pistol from him. In brief email conversations I learned that Marcin has taken in a couple of refugee families, two mothers and two children, the men presumably stayed behind in Ukraine to fight. If you need anything from his menu, I’d encourage you to consider a purchase   

[Chevy Boy]

I do love the notice concerning PayPal on the payment page.

[Phosphorus32]

I do love the notice concerning PayPal on the payment page.

Yeah, I forgot about that. He’s clearly not a fan and I don’t blame him.

I used Wise for my two transactions with him. It was fairly easy to sign up, and seems secure. Marcin communicated within a day or less (9 hour time difference for me on the west coast).

[Rotorranch]

I just got one of the Polish Honor Guard stocks, but missing the handguard.  Trying to find a handguard for it.

[Phosphorus32]

I just got one of the Polish Honor Guard stocks, but missing the handguard.  Trying to find a handguard for it.

That'll likely be a long and patient search, likely looking at a lot of handguards. I'd suggest a saved search on eBay and/or GunBroker for: "Russian SKS hand guard" in case someone mis-labels a Russian laminate, and "Polish SKS hand guard".

[High Noon]

Very nice rifle sir!  That looks great. 

I really like the stepped look of the laminated stock here - cool to see all of the layers.  They give it a unique personality.



The stagecoach always got held up just outside of Lordsburg!  I'm sure the pony express had the same trouble.   

[Greatguns]

Someone on GunBroker has butt plates to match that stock as they are sans the cleaning kit hole. Have them labeled as East German/DDR but nevertheless, they will work.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/934705544

[Phosphorus32]

Very nice rifle sir!  That looks great. 

I really like the look of the laminated stock here - cool to see all of the layers.  They give it a unique personality.



The stagecoach always got held up just outside of Lordsburg!  I'm sure the pony express had the same trouble.   

Thanks HN!

Yup, Pony Express still hasn’t arrived at GM’s place in Appalachia. I’m starting to think they took a wrong turn and passed through South Chicago, never to be seen again.

[lowell66dart]

I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to own something that nice. Good job.