Cugir 1959

[jmaurer]

From a not too long ago GB auction, a decent 1959 presented for your consideration. I contacted the seller to see if it was matching all the way, and decided to get rid of those saved-up pennies once they confirmed it was. A couple of interesting items:

1. Note the degree/timing numbers. Apparently, being off by one degree wasn't a big deal?
2. Looks like the Romanians had a Quality Control process similar to other SKS producers - I've taken closeups of what I believe to be hardness testing punch marks where I saw them.

The details:

[Shoot The Refurbs]

A nice specimen, numbers matching Romy's are hard to find now
The picture spread 

[jmaurer]

A nice specimen, numbers matching Romy's are hard to find now
The picture spread 

Thanks! With photos, I hope to please. I think I've said it elsewhere on the forum, but I like to present as much as possible for the sake of posterity. I couldn't begin to guess at how many times I've revisited the TexasTradingPost site to look at Yugoslavian snipers, always with the expectation that someday it will all disappear...

[Greatguns]

I think that is one of the nicest Romanian SKSs I've seen, congrats jm.

[jmaurer]

Thanks, Greatguns! I've only seen one first-hand that was nicer. On a weekly visit to the local gun shops years ago, the proprietors in one store were checking in new arrivals for transfer, and they pulled out what had to be the most untouched, unmolested, (apparently) unfired like-new Romanian SKS that I have ever seen. It was like some of those rare mid-war Mosin 91/30s that came in toward the end of the flood: never used, never issued, 100% matching (including bayonet), and absolutely MINT condition. Naturally I left info should the buyer wish to make a hefty profit, but I'm guessing they knew what they had!

But I'm tickled to find this one. The last Romanian I saw is a mostly-matching one gathering dust in a small out-of-the-way shop in rural Alabama a LONG time ago. That one's safely home with the rest now!

[Greasemonkey]

Since it's presented for my consideration.  I'll take it.... and add it to the collection      Romy fetish you know...

Seriously... that is a nice one and matching is even better.. now add the sling and make it even better. 

[Phosphorus32]

Stellar example  Even matching tube and piston, and stock markings. Love it 

[Greatguns]

Liberty Tree Collectors has Romanian slings @ $45 on GunBroker

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1062433973

[echo1]

That's one of the nicest looking Romys I've seen. Great layout, thanks. PAX

[running-man]

I second all the comments above.  Superb example there!  Nicer than any of the Romys I have for certain!

Crazy about the match #'s not matching.  They either torqued the hell out of that barrel to get it to accurately clock or they barely torqued it on at all (or maybe they shimmed it... )

[Boris Badinov]

Absolutely gorgeous.

👍🏼

[jmaurer]

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments!

I thought I had a Romanian SKS sling squirreled away, and I just dug it out. Now, I don't think that's what it is. This one's from the random purchases back in the good old days of Knob Creek when you could find just about anything you wished for in a cardboard box at the back of the semi-outdoor gunshow barn(s) for NO money. A quick web search only brings up vinyl slings for the M69 Romanian .22 trainer sling, which is clearly a different sling. However, given the plastic sling studs on mine, I think it's likely that mine is for a lighter weight rifle. Looks like I'll have to pony up for a few Romanian SKS slings. Anyway, what do you make of this? Is it even Romanian? This may not even be the sling I was thinking of, as I was sure the one I had used buckles for the attachments. Further into storage I go!!

[echo1]

It's good looking. I got a line om a '58 I'm trying to swap a '51 Tula light refurb for. PAX

[jmaurer]

Thanks Pax, and good luck with the trade! Hope it's matching, but even if it isn't I think any Romanian would be a nice acquisition. I never saw many of them when they were imported, and I honestly think the last time I came across one first hand had to be 15 years ago, aside from the mint one I mentioned above.

[echo1]

I have a couple Romys I picked up about 15 years ago, typical condition, rough wood, forced match combat vets. The one I'm after is about as cool as yours but the finish is sloppy/runny, all matching though, the wood is almost blonde. If I can beat him down on the price, I'd rather keep my Tula and spend the ducats. This stuff is getting hard to find, I'll get more money, I hope. PAX

[Cz315]

Beautiful!

[jmaurer]

I didn't think about it when I stripped the rifle down for photographs, but as the past owner of some Romanian semiauto AK variants with canted front sight bases (apparently more common to Romania than other countries), maybe a degree or two off is/was regarded as "good enough"?? Similar conditions are not exclusive to Romania though: my dad commented more than once about the M1 he was issued during Korea; he had to run the rear sight all the way over to the left WITH NO ADJUSTMENT REMAINING to zero the rifle!

I may never get around to evaluating just how the sights are regulated on this rifle, but if I do, I'll post it here!

[Greasemonkey]

Just to throw it out there.. my take on it...  I own 5 Romanian SKSs and 2 Romanian Mosins with a PSL on top, and never noticed any issue with a canted front sight, nor have I ever heard of Romanian SKS or even a Romanian Mosin with a canted front sight. I'd say the difference is just the quality difference of the build eras and actual military production versus commercial production. I believe,  and my memory may be a little fuzzy, but that was the Century builds and the WASR series that largely had canted sights, I've also heard some variants of Yugo Aks suffered this issue as well.. Luckily, I got a WASR 2 that doesn't suffer from it, I'm sure most of the production had straight sights, but no one really hears about them... the negative press usually gets more attention.