The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

I own a few SKS's and one thing I have always wondered, why the Albanian SKS has 6 gas ports, kinda like an AK on the gas tube, every other SKS I've ever seen has 2 ports. Is it a durability issue, did they have ammo issues or did some designer say, hey lets drill 6 ports in the tube. I understand the Chinese involvement with Albania, which makes me wonder why they didn't stay with the standard Chinese design, why put the extra time, wood, labor in to changes?

It was just one of those goofy questions thats always been rolling around in the back of my head, and in all the reading I've never seen an explanation for.

My only guess is because of the much longer gas tube they appear to have. I don't have one, but they sure do look much more massive to me.

OO, the gas tube length is the same on all models, the wood handguard is different, makes it look bigger and longer.

Here is an Albanian(center) with a Russian and Romanian handguard

I'll be darned. Is the tube a larger ID on the right end of the pics?

Ah, but are they gas ports?

Hint. The piston moves less than 1/2"

OLD OUTLAW wrote:I'll be darned. Is the tube a larger ID on the right end of the pics?

No, the tubes are roughly the same external dimensions, actually the Albanian is about .005 +/- .002 smaller. Internally, the same dimension at the piston end, pistons are completely interchangeable.

martin08 wrote:Ah, but are they gas ports?

Hint. The piston moves less than 1/2"

All 6 are drilled completely thru the tube, I figured they were just gas ports, it's also what I've always heard them called too. The very rear port on the Albanian lines up with the standard 2 port design. Is just to let air behind the piston out as it goes rearward, not port off gas, the six port would just do it quicker?

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Correct, they are ports to allow displaced air to escape - or rain, or swamp water.

Sounds like a Moose problem. Spending to much time in the swamp are we?

Couldn't help myself.

Ah, gotcha, lets the duckweed and tadpoles out when fired. So, basically it is a durability type upgrade, simple enough. Thanks Martin08

The Albanian SKS has many different design features than most other SKS carbines you find The Chinese and Early Russian designs may have been copied They built the guns to arm the Police it is said so who knows why or who had input on how the gun was made. We collectors are lucky as can be to get them here. I think all that came in are what was stored out of the sight of rebels in the mountain caves. The rest the UN destroyed as they were captured or surrenderd. I understand that the importer got all that were available and they were shown to the importer where they were stored in the caves. Some experimental ones were also brought in and a fellow collector got two of them they are in a unidentified caliber (he is going to have to do a chamber cast to find out what they are) I bought three first year last year and one undated. They are a great collectors piece but not really as well made as the other examples you see. The Albanian ammuniton is really poorly made in both 7.62x39 and 7.62x54r I uploaded some pic from my files these are posted file pics not guns from my collection

Those guys look like they'd kill ya first, then they would hurt you!

Thanks for the info Howie, those are some interesting photos. Mine is a '78, the most common of this uncommon rifle. I know what you are speaking of with the quality, This rifle came with 2 stocks, one mounted, unnumbered, and fitted the other is basically a unfitted blank, it still has some pencil marks on it from machining. Neither stock really fits well, on both, the receiver is loose up and down, granted some may be due to wood shrinkage. The metal work in areas is very rough, like they missed or skipped the final machining.

I have never shot this one due to the ill-fitting stocks, the gastube is still full of the nasty blackish/brown storage grease, same thing with the bolt and inside the magazine. It came to me like that, after finding the stock issue I just left the grease on the internal parts. But due to the rarity and odds of finding another, I'll hang on to it, maybe one day I'll find another. And, I will also agree with the quality of x54r ammo, I bought a bunch of it a few years back, if the x39 is as bad as this stuff, I really have a better understanding of the gas tube design.

Here is my '78 with a few others, and a tin of the quality x54r ammo

I am of the thought process that I have fired many SKS carbines and do not need to fire all of mine . The Albanian is a collectors piece and not really common enough to be an everyday shooter I collect com bloc ammo and the Albanian 7.62x54r is awful The 7.62x39 is not as bad but is as rare as the guns are. I also collect the Military spam cans when I can get them I usually cut them open from the bottom and save the front in tact. I do not have the spam can for Albania .

I have two out of four that I have shot, and they both operate well. Aesthetics quality is yet another subject.

'69, '70, '71, and '78

Howie, if you want the next Albanian spam can I pop open, it's yours if your interested. I'll open it from the bottom.

Nice collection Martin The second one down from the top, is the stock a different wood/finish compared to the others?

Just a lot of flaking shellac on the funky looking stock.

thanks so much I would love to have it and much appreciate the offer!!!

Greasemonkey wrote:Howie, if you want the next Albanian spam can I pop open, it's yours if your interested. I'll open it from the bottom.

Nice collection Martin The second one down from the top, is the stock a different wood/finish compared to the others?