Paid for the Gun, not the Story. But...

[martin08]

...the story is quite interesting, too.

1951 Tula refurbished SKS with the telltale patina, extreme wear and handling that you would expect from a Vietnam Bringback. The laminated stock sports a divot, consistent with shrapnel or bullet damage. Very few of the SKS's from SE Asia are from Russian descent, and I feel quite privileged to place it among NVA, NK, DDR and PLA bringbacks.

Numbers are matching. Bolt looks like it cycled just a time or two (thousand). The numbers on the stock are quite faint.

The gun was bought on Gunbroker for around the typical refurb price, $550. I was very surprised that I didn't get more help on the final bid.

1951 Russian Vietnam bring back SKS Viet Nam : Curios & Relics at GunBroker.com


So, the affects that accompanied the gun, which were the artifacts of the respected Veteran's career and Vietnam War service, were essentially no extra cost. Very nice to have with the gun, itself. The hand carved officer's swagger stick with the dragon figure adds a nice touch.

As a note, the Silver Star Award is a photo copy. On the date that is cited for Gallantry In Action (June 16, 1968), it is noted that the 25th infantry captured twenty-one individual and four crew-served weapons. It would be unknown if the Russian SKS was one of these captured weapons.

The second link shows a picture (2nd pic) of LTC W.G. Skelton in the field.

On this date in Vietnam: June 16


July 1, 1968


A few more photos of the gun, folks. And thanks for looking.

 

[MJ1]

It was called a short timers stick and you normally got it when you went under 45 days to DEROS. I still have mine from mid 1968 along with boots and poncho. You would have fainted over the stuff we destroyed from Nov. 1967 to March 1968. Few Russian arms but lots of NEW Chines AK's and RPD's along with cases or individual finds of SKS rifles virtually unfired.

Great score

 

[45collector]

That is an awesome acquisition. Thanks for posting. Love the swagger stick.

 

[martin08]

It was called a short timers stick and you normally got it when you went under 45 days to DEROS. I still have mine from mid 1968 along with boots and poncho. You would have fainted over the stuff we destroyed from Nov. 1967 to March 1968. Few Russian arms but lots of NEW Chines AK's and RPD's along with cases or individual finds of SKS rifles virtually unfired.

Great score

Many thanks for the clarification on the Short Timer's Stick, MJ1.

And only the greatest respect and appreciation for you service to our country, and for preserving my freedom.

Now, if you could only go back (no hostilities, of course) to salvage the tons of destroyed weapons. Who, at the time, would have anticipated the current demand and value? But I'm also sure that their destruction at the time was key to saving American lives.

 

[NinerMaine]

Nice gun... nice story.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

Naw, i think I would have broken the buy the gun not the story rule on this one.... A unique piece and the story to go with it. Very cool. The chunk missing from the stock, bullet damage you think?

 

[shamrockjr]

Amazing find! Thank you for posting.

 

[JuergenG]

You don't cease to amaze, nice find!

 

[Stryker]

Awesome story - with each milsurp I purchase, I wish I knew the history behind it

 

[NewGunGuy]

I wonder what the family member that sold this did with the money, was it some junkie or some anti 2nd Amendment, hippie tree hugger. that is a very nice find, but sad as which all that should have been included into some kind of museum exhibit for everyone to see and remember.


Charles.

 

[martin08]

Naw, i think I would have broken the buy the gun not the story rule on this one.... A unique piece and the story to go with it. Very cool. The chunk missing from the stock, bullet damage you think?

Yes, the patina condition and heavy wear of the gun do give away its pedigree.

And I wish that there was a more defined impact definition, but a laminate will break away in layers and chunks when contacted. If I had to guess, it would likely be shrapnel or other explosive debris, though.

 

[Speedway]

And I wish that there was a more defined impact definition, but a laminate will break away in layers and chunks when contacted. If I had to guess, it would likely be shrapnel or other explosive debris, though.

It must be French. The damage incurred when tossed.

 

[martin08]

It must be French. The damage incurred when tossed.

The French could well have felt the wrath of this SKS, as they were driven out by the NVA about eight years before it was captured by the Americans.

 

[KMS]

NEAT!

 

[NinerMaine]

]I think your guess is right and it is more than likely shrapnel damage. It makes sense any way. But as you said, we will never know for sure.

Here is a pic of a Mummed Arisaka T99 that I picked up at a garage sale a few years ago. It had the aircraft sights and the monopod with it. It was also duffle cut. The old guy I bought if from said his uncle brought it back from the war. If you notice the cuts on the butts, I can only guess what caused them. The guy said they were always there. But who knows. I think they might be bayonet cuts. If a Jap was out of ammo and did not have a bayonet, I am thinking they might have used the gun as a club. Could it be that the cuts are from a bayonet on a Garand when the GI used his gun to deflect the strike? No way to know for sure. But I like the story.

Also pictured is the holster of a Type 14 pistol. Notice the pock marks. Those are shrapnel marks. There are still little pieces of steel in the holster. Grenade? Who knows... but it is great to sit and wonder. Good pic up with the SKS.

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More pictures and a story about this gun can be found here from this old thread Martin started a long time ago. http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...ctors/121672-what-would-your-milsurp-say.html

 

[MJ1]

From mid '67 to mid '68 we beat these guys with air burst 155 and 105's from our ARVN artillery units 24/7 and this was common damage along with 7.62 mini-gun bullets from the old DC3/C47 gunships we found on many arms, equipments and people at Dak To and Kontum in late 1967 and a few other border places I can't spell any longer. The 25th was down South as I recall in III Corps. I never got down there. Never forget these guys had balls of steel and came at us through 400 miles of dog shit and broken glass just to get near to us. The last 200 yards of that trip was as rough as we could make it. The line between fear and respect was not big or far from my mind. That is a classic score as most EM could only bring back bolt guns and officers got the SKS or pistols. I don't recall seeing laminated stocks would have been more of a VC item not NVA so we just had the yellow Chou wood SKS,Chi Com AK both milled receivers plus the RPD which was a nasty little thing to be on the wrong end of close up. The trophy process was a bitch and I didn't want to have anything slow my exit. LOL Sorry for the rant but it's Friday night so there is nothing on the TV. You did well so preserve all the stuff.

..MJ..

 

[50 BMG]

Outstanding once again martin. Thank you for sharing, aren't collecting Milsurps a great hobby, oh sorry addiction.

 

[That Guy]

Nice acquisition - I like the story, too. Great history.

NewGunGuy, I was thinking the same thing - what idiot would sell this sort of thing? But then I realize it actually ended up in the hands of someone who really appreciates it, so all's well that ends well.