SECTION 3: In this section I will try to show the differences between the same
part from different arsenals, years and countries. The only purpose of this page
is to help make the collector aware that differences do occur and about anything
could be possible. These are ALL from my personal observations and not from any
books.
SKS Hand Guard Latches & Barrel to Receiver Attachment
The hand guard latch is used to remove the hand guard which ten exposes the gas
piston and gas port for cleaning. There are 2 styles shown, the early Russian
which you use your thumb or finger to move the latch and the later method which
uses the tip of a bullet or the pic tool in the cleaning kit. These are
inserted into the hole on the latch and used to aid in moving the latch to
remove the hand guard.
The various pictures below show the hand guard latches from various makes and
models of SKS's along with the way the barrel is attached to the receiver. Currently these are the only differences I have noticed. Some
are only cosmetic, some have different stampings, some are shaped slightly
different and some are just plain different.
Hand Guard Latches, Barrel Lug and Wilson
Albania Note the hole in the receiver latch & Large Heavy barrel
lug China Sino Soviet Letter Gun
China Early - note the heavy barrel
lug China Mid - note shorter barrel lug
China Late - note NO barrel lug, this is a pinned
barrel. China Sheet Metal Receiver - note rivet above stock
screw
East
Germany North Korea
North Vietnam
Romania
Russia 1949 - early 1950 notice the tab on the hand guard latch Russia early 1951
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