Yugo SKS stock markings

[scallop]

Picked up a Yugo SKS for my sons 12th Birthday and it has some markings carved into the stock. Wonder if anyone can shed some light on them? It also has the date 14-03-1993 (Mar. 14 1933 I assume) with what looks to be god after it near the front on the forend and about center has the initials M.N. Perhaps a coat of arms of some sort? Any signifigance to that date? See pix below of the markings.

 

[M-Cameron]

the carvings look to be the serbian cross

heres a link to a forum with someone with simillar carvings on their rifle

 

[scallop]

Thanks for the links Cameron. After a bit of google-fu we determined the same thing. My son is really getting in to tracing the history of this rifle, which is just what I was hoping for He is the one who picked it out at the LGS, gave him a budget and told him anything he wanted within that price range was his. He passed on newer more expensive firearms and was drawn to this one. Pretty cool I think and a good father/son project and learning experience.

 

[scallop]

Changed the album on Photobucket, here are the pix along with a couple more

 

[animator]

Looks like Serbian trench art carvings. Google "serbian crest" and you'll get a ton of pics of what that carving represents.


Good chance that gun is a conflict gun used during their Civil War. I have a couple Yugos with trench art on them as well.


Another common find among Yugoslavian Civil War guns are Beverly Hills 90210 stickers from the 90s TV show. They were included for whatever reason in care packages the US sent over there during the conflict. The soldiers got those stickers and would put them on their guns. I had some come with some of my parts kits, but the stickers were in rough shape, and fell off.


In addition to the Serbian Crest, I also have the name "Tito" carved on one of my handguards, representing Josip Broz Tito, leader of the former Yugoslavia.



Also, some of those guns have come with very distinct notches carved out of the wood. I'll let the imagination decide what those notches represented...

 

[AethelstanAegen]

The initials above the magazine are Cyrillic for M and P. I guess I'm just assuming they're initials, I suppose the could be abbreviations for something else, but initials seem most likely.

 

[scallop]

There are also two sets of three notches on the top and bottom wrist area of the buttstock. I am leaning towards grip improvements but one never knows.....I love the history involved with old milsurps, if only they could talk....

top wrist area


bottom of stock