All SKS rifles except Yugoslavian and 1949 Russian have a chromelined bore.

 

You can usually see the chrome lining extending out onto the crown of the barrel. Google it and you will see pics.

Pretty sure it is very evident on my Chinese SKS and my Romanian WASR 10/63.

 

What about 1950 Tula's, assume they have chrome lined barrel?

Would it be normal for the chrome to be blued over during refurb?

VA-Vet

 

On yooper John's SKS site, 1951 was when the Russians started chrome lined barrels. Some years ago I almost bought a nice 50 Russian but the bore was a sewer pipe.

 

I just sold a 1950 Tula - it did not have a chrome lined bore.
Can't blue chrome.

 

By the same token, one can usually see the chrome lining on the interior of the chamber. Always seems to have a light gray/bluish hue to the chrome, quite different from polished steel. Chrome cannot be blued over.

Muzzle:

 

To be sure that you are getting a chrome bore, don't buy any Yugoslavian models, or pre-1952 Russian. All others are chromed.

 

Unchromed is fine as long as you make sure you scrub with hot water and a few drops of liquid dish detergent after shooting corrosive ammo. Not something the combloc soldiers could be counted on to do.

 

I use hot water and windex dry it up and then oil the barrel

 

No Windex please. The ammonia in it causes electrolytic corrosion and does not dissolve corrosive salts as well as water. A few drops of liquid dish detergent and hot water are all you need.

 

While still a tyro - I got into an argument with Fred Honeycutt because I maintained I had a late "last ditch", Japanese Type-99 with a chrome bore, In actuality, what I had was an unissued T-99, with the crown all shiny and bright, that in my ignorance I "swore" was chromed. Live and learn.

 

Thanks for the info. I knew about yugos, but not the pre-52 Russians.

VA-Vet

 

Ah, but some of the 49-51 Russians have been re-barreled during refurbishment. Some of them have chromed bores.

So, you still have to look!

 

That is correct, my re-furb/re-barreled 1949 has a chromed bore.

 

A chrome bore is no guarantee that you will never have problems with the barrel of your SKS. I have a Vietnam bringback 1967 built, Factory 66 SKS that provides me with all the rust and loose shards of chromium lining you could ever want every time I try to run an oily patch down its bore.

 

I've got a 50 and 51 russian both non chrome, all my later models are chrome. I think the non-chrome are marginally better shooters, but I guess the decision should hinge on whether you want to shoot corrosive ammo or not. With all the sks's I've seen it is very noticeable in the crown.