Stopped in at my LGS today and browsing the consignment section saw a Yugo SKS...that glorious grenade launcher poking up. Well, I check out every SKS I see regardless so pulled it off the rack expecting a typical rode hard, high-priced Yugo that we all see these days. The moment I picked it up my hands were getting a good coating of cosmoline...hmmm.... all matching stock, upper handguard & parts #s... Interordinance of America import marks...zero dings or gouges or cracks in the nice honey-colored wood... cosmoline pack into every nook & cranny (bayonet is stiff to open b/c of the Cosmo in the pivot even)... only one spot on the top of dust cover where something was run across it taking off a line of the park/bluing, besides that metal is flawless... take off the dust cover, pull out the spring & BCG; all covered in cosmoline, zero evidence of having been fired. Piston is absolutely shiny new, gas block has no residue in it, gas tube is shiny clean inside. Run a patch down the bore; comes out all covered in cosmoline goodness, bore looks perfect. Sharp rifling. All screw heads are perfect, unbuggered. Buttpad is somewhat squished from standing in a rack for decades probably. Realized I was holding an almost assuredly an "Unissued" condition 59/66 that someone had bought & never shot or cleaned out the cosmoline. Price: $499. Bought it on the spot. I already have a beautiful 59/66 that I bought 20 years ago in Unissued condition, but put a new finish on the wood & shot it a fair amount - still in great condition. But knowing that Yugos in this condition are going for $800+ in most places... figured this was a smart buy. L code s/n dates it to 1974. Sorry for the meh photos; will take better ones in a bit to post. Question is; do I leave it as is or clean it up and shoot it? I think I'll do the latter....
The ONLY flaw that I've found on the rifle (looks like an easy touch up w/ a cold blue pen):
With my "T" s/n (1983 production) sibling.
