Tula Letter Series

[Red_Light_Army]

It was suggested in the new member forum I post some pics of my newly acquired Tula SKS. I've named her Carina, I name all of my firearms . This is my first SKS and I am super excited about it. Can't wait to get to the range.

She's a K series, all numbers matching or force matched from the re-arsenal (all stamped numbers). I think that makes her a 1955-58. I don't see any glaring import marks, but I'm not familiar with all of the stamps. All marks on the steel are in the pics below. So any info would be welcome.

[Filroy77]

Ok, I’m envious. There’s a Russian SKS in my life someday. shoulda got one when I joined this board in 2015. They just keep going up! 

[Red_Light_Army]

Ok, I’m envious. There’s a Russian SKS in my life someday. shoulda got one when I joined this board in 2015. They just keep going up!

Picked it up for about $830. Came with the original import box too. I might have overpaid a bit, but I'm not worried about spending a little over fair value.

The seller has 2 more 1951's, but is looking for about $1200 a piece. I got mine on a penny auction of his.

[Hodgie]

Beautiful rifle for sure. For the current times and the condition I think you got a great deal.

[Dino412]

Thanks for the gun porn, my favorite kind. Your "K" series can be narrowed down to 1957-58. I am assuming the stock
is the forced match serial# part since the "K's" usually came with a laminated stock, but the hand guard is solid wood, which leads
me to believe your gun originally came with a solid artic birch stock. The blued blade bayonet is most likely not original to the gun
since blued Bayos were early production 1950-51. The most common import mark is on the right side of the receiver, but early imports
had the import mark discreetly placed either under the gas tube on the barrel, or on the front sight base. I won't comment on values
since they are ridiculously ballooned and all over the place. Your SKS was refurbbed as marked on the receiver cover, but it was a very
light one probably just a replacement stock. No BBQ paint or grey rear sight leaf is always a good thing. You will most likely find electro penned serial #'s on the op rod, gas tube. ejector, under the rear sight leaf, and sometimes on the metal butt plate, that will indicate original parts to the gun. Overall a very nice Russian SKS and appropriately named.

[Prince50]

Beautiful rifle!

Darin

[Red_Light_Army]

Thanks for the gun porn, my favorite kind. Your "K" series can be narrowed down to 1957-58. I am assuming the stock
is the forced match serial# part since the "K's" usually came with a laminated stock, but the hand guard is solid wood, which leads
me to believe your gun originally came with a solid artic birch stock. The blued blade bayonet is most likely not original to the gun
since blued Bayos were early production 1950-51. The most common import mark is on the right side of the receiver, but early imports
had the import mark discreetly placed either under the gas tube on the barrel, or on the front sight base. I won't comment on values
since they are ridiculously ballooned and all over the place. Your SKS was refurbbed as marked on the receiver cover, but it was a very
light one probably just a replacement stock. No BBQ paint or grey rear sight leaf is always a good thing. You will most likely find electro penned serial #'s on the op rod, gas tube. ejector, under the rear sight leaf, and sometimes on the metal butt plate, that will indicate original parts to the gun. Overall a very nice Russian SKS and appropriately named.

Definitely a refurb. Is that the same thing as a "re-arsenal"? Not having any BBQ paint was a big deal for me, so I avoided those. The black charging handle was not a look I was wanting. Getting the blued bayonet was a bonus, interesting info about the production years. Stock is a replacement as noted by x's on the original serial number. Electro pen is on the bottom of the gas tube, piston in the tube, and firing pin group/extractor. Nothing under the buttplate. There is a very subtle stamp that I missed under the gas tube which I assume is the import mark as you suggest. 

Cannot wait to shoot her. I'm curious if you have any experience with Yugo surplus ammo that claims to be non-corrosive. Does that even exist? I'm a little wary of shooting that. My closest indoor range only allows brass, otherwise I'm driving across town to shoot outside.

[branflakes]

Cannot wait to shoot her. I'm curious if you have any experience with Yugo surplus ammo that claims to be non-corrosive. Does that even exist? I'm a little wary of shooting that. My closest indoor range only allows brass, otherwise I'm driving across town to shoot outside.

Yugo surplus will for the most part be corrosive.  Basically it depends on how old it is as to which primer was used.  Remember Igman, PPU, Belom are "Yugo" manufactures and are still making ammunition today.  Most use boxer primers now too so you would be able to easily reload their brass.  I have not had issues with ANY Yugo ammunition new or old. 

If the cartridges primers are dome or rounded, assume they are corrosive.   The flat nickel primers are modern and non-corrosive.  Both were sealed from factory.  Also, do a nail test to see how corrosive one might be in your area.  Humid places will make the corrosion act faster being the chemicals after shooting are hydroscopic.

It seems to me like you would disassemble, clean and lube after shooting anyway, so feed your sks!

Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and Macedonia make up what used to be Yugoslavia. 

There is a picture in this thread that has visual of primer difference:

http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=151520.0

[Dino412]

Thanks for the gun porn, my favorite kind. Your "K" series can be narrowed down to 1957-58. I am assuming the stock
is the forced match serial# part since the "K's" usually came with a laminated stock, but the hand guard is solid wood, which leads
me to believe your gun originally came with a solid artic birch stock. The blued blade bayonet is most likely not original to the gun
since blued Bayos were early production 1950-51. The most common import mark is on the right side of the receiver, but early imports
had the import mark discreetly placed either under the gas tube on the barrel, or on the front sight base. I won't comment on values
since they are ridiculously ballooned and all over the place. Your SKS was refurbbed as marked on the receiver cover, but it was a very
light one probably just a replacement stock. No BBQ paint or grey rear sight leaf is always a good thing. You will most likely find electro penned serial #'s on the op rod, gas tube. ejector, under the rear sight leaf, and sometimes on the metal butt plate, that will indicate original parts to the gun. Overall a very nice Russian SKS and appropriately named.

Definitely a refurb. Is that the same thing as a "re-arsenal"? Not having any BBQ paint was a big deal for me, so I avoided those. The black charging handle was not a look I was wanting. Getting the blued bayonet was a bonus, interesting info about the production years. Stock is a replacement as noted by x's on the original serial number. Electro pen is on the bottom of the gas tube, piston in the tube, and firing pin group/extractor. Nothing under the buttplate. There is a very subtle stamp that I missed under the gas tube which I assume is the import mark as you suggest. 

Cannot wait to shoot her. I'm curious if you have any experience with Yugo surplus ammo that claims to be non-corrosive. Does that even exist? I'm a little wary of shooting that. My closest indoor range only allows brass, otherwise I'm driving across town to shoot outside.

Refurbbed=re-arsenal.
Yugo M67 surplus ammo is corrosive, super reliable, cheap(when I got it)and is range friendly. It was and still is some of the best SKS,AK ammo out there. I've heard of using a window cleaner diluted in water to flush out a barrel and bolt, but I use Ballistol diluted in water , in a spray bottle, and i'll flush my gun out immediately after shooting. It leaves a thin rust protective coating on the metal until I get around to a proper cleaning. Ballitsol is safe to use on pretty Russian shellacked gunstocks too.
Forgot to mention that the crown of the barrel should be completely in the white(not blued), but it was usually recrowned and blued
during refurbishment if needed.
 

[Red_Light_Army]

Thanks for the gun porn, my favorite kind. Your "K" series can be narrowed down to 1957-58. I am assuming the stock
is the forced match serial# part since the "K's" usually came with a laminated stock, but the hand guard is solid wood, which leads
me to believe your gun originally came with a solid artic birch stock. The blued blade bayonet is most likely not original to the gun
since blued Bayos were early production 1950-51. The most common import mark is on the right side of the receiver, but early imports
had the import mark discreetly placed either under the gas tube on the barrel, or on the front sight base. I won't comment on values
since they are ridiculously ballooned and all over the place. Your SKS was refurbbed as marked on the receiver cover, but it was a very
light one probably just a replacement stock. No BBQ paint or grey rear sight leaf is always a good thing. You will most likely find electro penned serial #'s on the op rod, gas tube. ejector, under the rear sight leaf, and sometimes on the metal butt plate, that will indicate original parts to the gun. Overall a very nice Russian SKS and appropriately named.

Definitely a refurb. Is that the same thing as a "re-arsenal"? Not having any BBQ paint was a big deal for me, so I avoided those. The black charging handle was not a look I was wanting. Getting the blued bayonet was a bonus, interesting info about the production years. Stock is a replacement as noted by x's on the original serial number. Electro pen is on the bottom of the gas tube, piston in the tube, and firing pin group/extractor. Nothing under the buttplate. There is a very subtle stamp that I missed under the gas tube which I assume is the import mark as you suggest. 

Cannot wait to shoot her. I'm curious if you have any experience with Yugo surplus ammo that claims to be non-corrosive. Does that even exist? I'm a little wary of shooting that. My closest indoor range only allows brass, otherwise I'm driving across town to shoot outside.

Refurbbed=re-arsenal.
Yugo M67 surplus ammo is corrosive, super reliable, cheap(when I got it)and is range friendly. It was and still is some of the best SKS,AK ammo out there. I've heard of using a window cleaner diluted in water to flush out a barrel and bolt, but I use Ballistol diluted in water , in a spray bottle, and i'll flush my gun out immediately after shooting. It leaves a thin rust protective coating on the metal until I get around to a proper cleaning. Ballitsol is safe to use on pretty Russian shellacked gunstocks too.
Forgot to mention that the crown of the barrel should be completely in the white(not blued), but it was usually recrowned and blued
during refurbishment if needed.

Thanks for the tips on the cleaning. I'll definitely need to figure that out. I found some Norma brass ammo that is actually cheaper than the surplus, would be interested if there is any opinions on those too. From general research they seem like quality.

Crown of the barrel is in the white. I'm curious, how could you tell my stock was solid wood. It wasn't something I was paying close attention to when purchasing. But upon further inspection I'm thinking it's laminate. The lines are incredibly uniform, and the underside of the hand guard doesn't look "solid". Here are some closer pictures.

[Dino412]

My bad. Looked solid at first. So it was most likely originally fitted in a laminate stock.
Norma ammo cheaper than surplus? Jump on that and send me some please.