This Yugoslav M59/66 SKS was made by Zastava and is chambered in 7.62×39, imported by Cherry's of Greensboro, NC, whose barrel mark reads "Zastava FRY M5966 7.62×39". Serial H-2520xx appears on the receiver, and all numbers are matching, including the magazine, receiver cover, trigger group and stock. The grenade launcher has been drilled to serve as a muzzle brake. The rifle retains its folding grenade sight, folding blade bayonet and cleaning rod. The bore is a mirror and the rifle is mechanically excellent. The mid-brown wood shows normal handling dings and some chipping along the top edge beside the receiver, and the receiver and cover are worn to grey. It comes with a canvas sling with leather ends, a cleaning kit with oiler in a grey canvas pouch and a reprinted M59/66 instruction manual.
The M59/66 is the Yugoslav development of the Soviet SKS. Zastava first built the M59, a close copy of late Soviet carbines without a chrome-lined barrel, and in 1966 added an integral spigot for 22mm rifle grenades, a folding ladder sight that also shuts off the gas for launching, and a bayonet of its own design to suit the new front sight mount. Production of the M59/66 ran from 1966 until 1970, after which rifles with flip-up night sights were designated M59/66A1, and between 1966 and 1971 Zastava made 132,081 of the two models for the Yugoslav People's Army. This rifle has the standard sights of the M59/66 rather than the later night sights. Like other SKS variants, it is a gas-operated semi-automatic fed from a fixed ten-round magazine, with iron sights graduated from 100 to 1,000 meters.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Zastava
Importer: Cherry's, Greensboro, NC
Country of origin: Yugoslavia
Model: M59/66
Action: Gas-operated semi-automatic
Caliber: 7.62×39
Serial: H-2520xx
Matching: All numbers matching (receiver, receiver cover, magazine, trigger group and stock)
Stock: Mid-brown wood with handling dings and chipping along the top edge by the receiver
Finish: Receiver and cover worn to grey; barrel and gas tube dark
Bore: Mirror bore
Muzzle: Grenade launcher drilled to serve as a muzzle brake
Sights: Hooded front sight with folding grenade sight, tangent rear sight
Features: Folding blade bayonet, cleaning rod
Included: Canvas sling with leather ends, cleaning kit and oiler with grey canvas pouch, reprinted M59/66 instruction manual
Mechanical condition: Mechanically excellent
