The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Izhevsk only produced SKSs for two years 1953 and 54. They made a very nice SKS with deep rich bluing and better fit and finish than Tula I feel. In the begining and up till sometime in 1954 Izhevsk used the standard numbering series Letter,Letter,then numbers. For some reason it changed to Letter,numbers,Letter. Izzies with four digits seem to be rare for some reason also. Different factory stamps were also used. Izhevsk is a triangle with an arrow in it. The final acceptance stamp on the right side of the buttstock is differnt too. It looks like a H with an upside down U. Izzies also seem to have nicer wood than the usual Tula.

A common perception amongst Mosin owners is that Tula produced the best rifles. But it is the other way around with SKS's. An Izhevsk has overall better fit and finish. And combine that factor with the lower production numbers, you get a very desirable rifle. Mine is the centerpiece of my import marked SKS collection.

I too feel that the Izhevic production was a finer made rifle. But the differances between an unissued 1954 Tula and Izhevis is difficult to determine. But I also wonder if that preception is because more of these went directly into storage. When these Russiandss were first imported the cleanist came from Bwest importers. They seemed to have the line on the unfired Izhevic rifles.
Then when they started comming in to Canada the same thing happened again. Lots of very clean unused Izhevic production rifles.

I was elated to find a '51 Tula SKS recently. I don't have a Tula anything yet in my small collection. Shortly after finding it, I started reading that they are the most common of the two. So here I am with Izhevsk Mosins and a Tula SKS. Oh well, still love them all...and now I learned something too!

Keep reading and asking those questions Wolfy! You are on the way. Just go slow and learn the most important aspect of collecting SKS.
Patience.

I have a question about the blued bayonets on the Rusians. Are they original or were they blued when refurbed. My local store has a 54 Tula and it has been there for a while and it has a Blued blade bayo. And i am sure you have covered this but i can't remember, So the refurbes have the same rrefurb marks on the stock and metal as the Mosins?

desdem12 wrote:I have a question about the blued bayonets on the Rusians. Are they original or were they blued when refurbed. My local store has a 54 Tula and it has been there for a while and it has a Blued blade bayo. And i am sure you have covered this but i can't remember, So the refurbes have the same rrefurb marks on the stock and metal as the Mosins?

The standard refurb marks on a Russian SKS are either a diamond, or the diver down symbol. Usually found on the top of the receiver cover and right side of stock. However, when Ivan had an extra Vodka for lunch it may only appear one of those two spots. Stock mark seems to always be a divers down mark.
Now, if the left side of a stock has old numbers XXXXX out, its a refurb even if others are not there. If it is BBQ on the metal, it is refurb. The refurbs on an SKS
are like a new rifle. You can shoot and never wear them out. Stalin was very particular about these rifles.

Black Bayonets are generally accepted to be a replacement Bayonet. The black shiny chrome ones that is. Flat black are generally a homemade job to fool you.
A black chrome bayonet in itself is a highly desirable one that many wish to own. There are some good articles posted here by Drago covering a lot about that black Bayonet. Can't remember the thread right at the moment. Old man brain fart.

Can you get any picture of it? Does it have an Arctic Birch stock or laminate for example? Check for all matching stamped serial numbers on receiver, top of bolt carrier, rear of receiver cover, bottom of trigger guard, and bottom of the magazine. Also, what is stamped on the left side of the butt stock.
Honestly, you just never know what one may be.

It is all stamped matching and i don't remember if the stock is xxed but there is no refurb mark on the bolt cover and it does not have BBQ .
EDIT: They are asling $450 for it which i thought was a tad high but not sure.

desdem12 wrote:It is all stamped matching and i don't remember if the stock is xxed but there is no refurb mark on the bolt cover and it does not have BBQ .
EDIT: They are asling $450 for it which i thought was a tad high but not sure.

Here is a 54 Tula. Notice stamps on butt stock and around the front cross bolt. Any thing like this?

You SKS guys are prolific posters so it has taken this long for this old man to get back here. It looks like that for sure but i am not sure of the stock. i went back to look yesterday but they were closing because of the lovely weather we are having. It will have to wait till mon or tue till i can get there. Nice one OO

Who said Tula made better rifles than Izhevsk? Nonsense, they get this idea from seeing the wartime made rifles were Izhevsk was forced to send rifles out without final finishing, Tulas offerings from that time are also less than perfect. Steel city was the USSR's premier small arms manufacturing center, still is . In truth before the war both arsenals made the same arms, and the quality was the same, only the markings were different.

what I have heard on the black bayonets are that these guns were not done at Tula They were done in the Ukraine and the bayonets were simply blued as well as the bolt carriers were. Some of the horrible imports were simply sand blasted and painted with cheap flat black paint . Canada indeed has got some cherry guns shipped to them and many 49 dated guns with the original parts on them. The sad deal is we cannot get them and the Canadians for the most part (except the few real collectors) like to bubba and shoot the hell out of them with cheap euro ammo. West Rifles asked for 49s and got a bunch of beauties.

OLD OUTLAW wrote:

desdem12 wrote:It is all stamped matching and i don't remember if the stock is xxed but there is no refurb mark on the bolt cover and it does not have BBQ .
EDIT: They are asling $450 for it which i thought was a tad high but not sure.

Here is a 54 Tula. Notice stamps on butt stock and around the front cross bolt. Any thing like this?

That is a beauty of an original non rebuilt 54 That is the most common year for these guns 1952 and 1955 are the hardest to find in blued and non rebuilt . as I have said before be real sure on Russian guns they scrubbed allot of stuff and restamped it for a new gun you can find dated top covers on small star Tula 56 guns with different dates and I had a Ishevsk 53 top cover with match stamped serial number on a 56 Tula

I have seen a number of those on GB in the past year. Ya gotta pay attention and always get the seller to send you every pic you request from them. If not, don't buy it. Just had a case where the seller says he doesn't have any more pics and I will have to take his word. No I don't! Said by Charlie, keep your gun.