Rifle Identification

[Wes Janson]

Okay, this one has me seriously puzzled, and the usual Guns.Ru browsing has turned up zero clues. At the gunshow today one of the private sellers had an underfolding autoloading rifle for sale that was described as a Czechoslovakian SKS. The underfolder looked to be very similar in design to that of a standard AK underfolding stock, while the handguard had a very SKS-esque vented design. There was no mag inserted in the weapon, but there was what appeared to be a 30rd AK mag sitting next to it, that supposedly fit. The rear of the action definitely did not look like a standard SKS dust cover, but rather more like a VZ-52. The bayonet appeared to be of typical SKS design.

I'm completely and totally stumped by this one. I think the seller might have also described it as an AK to someone standing nearby. At the time, my impression was simply "Oh, cool, some sort of uncommon underfolding SKS variant", but further research online makes it clear that it obviously is something else. Was there ever an underfolding Rasheed variant? Or a Chinese Type 63/68 underfolder? Those are the only two that seem even vaguely possible... Condition of the rifle was quite good, with a darker stained wood stock, so my instinct leads me to suspect it's a genuine rifle, and not something that someone pieced together. The seller was asking $750, and by now I really wish I'd bothered to pick it up and look for markings.

If I never figure this one out, it's going to bother me for years to come, I can already tell... Anyone?

 

[woodfiend]

I think what you are describing is the VZ 58. It completely fits the description.

 

[NetJunkie]

Look like this? VZ58

 

[Wes Janson]

I am absolutely, completely and totally certain that it was not a VZ-58 (although I did see some -58 parts kits for sale at a good price). It had an underfolding stock, not a side folder. The handguards were more like an SKS's, and it had a bayonet folded up under the barrel.

 

[Wes Janson]

It looked something more like this (with darker furniture), although my recollection probably isn't perfect.

 

[Hoppy590]

id say type 81, but those dont have a bayonet and are side folders.

 

[Vaarok]

Chinese double-underfolder AK? Really odd sounding, could just be a Hungarian style charging handle throwing you off...

 

[Wes Janson]

I don't want to rule out the possibility of a complete and utter brainfart, but I'm reasonably certain it wasn't an AK. The thing that's sticking out in my mind was the odd shape of the rear of the receiver, which had a distinct "step" to it. I'm wondering if it might have been some sort of professionally bubba-fied Rasheed.

 

[PercyShelley]

This look anything like it?

http://www.sunblest.net/gun/img/Cristo2.jpg

 

[Wes Janson]

No, the receiver definitely wasn't tubular...although some of those others listed on that website look much closer in design.

 

[Hoppy590]

you donno what round it was chambered for?

 

[Wes Janson]

I'm pretty positive 7.62x39, but it could have theoretically been some other similar cartridge of roughly the same dimensions (7.62x45).

 

[HorseSoldier]

At the gunshow today one of the private sellers had an underfolding autoloading rifle for sale that was described as a Czechoslovakian SKS. . . The rear of the action definitely did not look like a standard SKS dust cover, but rather more like a VZ-52. The bayonet appeared to be of typical SKS design.

I wonder if it was someone's aftermarket gunsmithing attempt on a vz.52? I've seen a couple with broken stocks for sale at gun shows as is, so maybe that's a weak point in the design anyway?

 

[Wes Janson]

I wonder if it was someone's aftermarket gunsmithing attempt on a vz.52? I've seen a couple with broken stocks for sale at gun shows as is, so maybe that's a weak point in the design anyway?

That's one possibility I've seriously considered. It would have had to have been quite an extensive project though to change the entire front end of the rifle to an SKS-esque configuration though. I found some VZ 52 30rd and 40rd magazines online, so that might be it...

Still, though, there's something about the Rasheed's receiver design that seems closer, while the -52's rear side grooves seem familiar as well...

 

[HorseSoldier]

Sounds like a weird one. I used to really like hitting gun shows for just those sort of oddities and unusual guns, though it seems like the shows in my area have been pretty poor for anything but common deer guns and ARs/AKs for the last couple years.