Albania, Yugoslavia, ???  I'm just wondering if there are any Bulgarian or Hungarian SKS's on the horizon.

Romania & East Germany .

Yugolsavia (M59 standard SKS & M59/66 with grenade launcher, no chrome bore on either)
Romania (standard SKS)
East Germany (regular SKS but with Mauser style sling fitting, laminated stock)
Albania (non standard stock, buttplate, handguard, bolt carrier, magazine & spike bayonet)  

Poland used the SKS for a while (still does for drill/ceremonial purposes IIRC) but AFAIK never manufactured them.  
Czechoslavakia used the Cz52 & cz52/57 carbines which fill a similar niche but are a totally Czech design
Hungary & Bulgaria went straight from Mosin bolt actions & misc smg use to the AK IIRC.


North Korea & Vietnam also made SKS carbines but I doubt we'll see any of those on the surplus market any time soon.

Don't forget Red China, although they're not properly 'Eastern Bloc'

Far Eastern Bloc, maybe.

Thanks guys.  Great info.

Albania was not Eastern Bloc.  They were non-alligned in that they considered the USSR unfaithful to Marxist/Stalinist doctrine.  For that reason, they partnered up with the Red Chinese who also considered the Soviet Union to be apostate.  The machinery to make the Albanian SKS's was likely supplied by the Chinese who also provided many hand-me-down Russian Mosin-Nagants to the government of Enver Hoxha.

Also, Yugoslavia was not part of the Warsaw Pact, either.  He, too, was non-alligned.  When so much of the region behind the Iron Curtain was off limits, Marshall Tito's Yugoslavia Federation was much more accessible.  In fact, the Israelis sold many of the Soviet tanks they captured from the syrians in the 1973 Yom Kipur War to Yugoslavia.

Back to the topic.  The Albanians did produce an unusual SKS.  Personally, I think it is the best-looking of the lot.  It has a profile reminiscent of the SVT40.  It has a chrome-line barrel.

Tito did not chrome line his SKS barrels.  Whether this was a matter of personal preference, shortage of chrome, or a combination of factors is beyond me.  Others know.

Quoted: Albania was not Eastern Bloc.  They were non-alligned in that they considered the USSR unfaithful to Marxist/Stalinist doctrine.  For that reason, they partnered up with the Red Chinese who also considered the Soviet Union to be apostate.  The machinery to make the Albanian SKS's was likely supplied by the Chinese who also provided many hand-me-down Russian Mosin-Nagants to the government of Enver Hoxha. Also, Yugoslavia was not part of the Warsaw Pact, either.  He, too, was non-alligned.  When so much of the region behind the Iron Curtain was off limits, Marshall Tito's Yugoslavia Federation was much more accessible.  In fact, the Israelis sold many of the Soviet tanks they captured from the syrians in the 1973 Yom Kipur War to Yugoslavia. Back to the topic.  The Albanians did produce an unusual SKS.  Personally, I think it is the best-looking of the lot.  It has a profile reminiscent of the SVT40.  It has a chrome-line barrel. Tito did not chrome line his SKS barrels.  Whether this was a matter of personal preference, shortage of chrome, or a combination of factors is beyond me.  Others know.

Thank you.

Lack of chrome lining on Yugo weapons was due to lack of the required raw materials (ie chromium).

Tito did not chrome line his SKS barrels. Whether this was a matter of personal preference, shortage of chrome, or a combination of factors is beyond me. Others know.

Yugoslavia doesn't have any deposits of chromium.  And because they were not part of the Warsaw Pact the Soviets weren't jumping through any hoops to give them any.  No real friends means no chrome lined barrels

I've got a 1978 Albanian SKS.  It's covered in tool marks.  Looks like it was made by someone with a really bad hangover.  Has some guy's intials carved in the buttstock.  Quite a place.

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: Albania was not Eastern Bloc.  They were non-alligned in that they considered the USSR unfaithful to Marxist/Stalinist doctrine.  For that reason, they partnered up with the Red Chinese who also considered the Soviet Union to be apostate.  The machinery to make the Albanian SKS's was likely supplied by the Chinese who also provided many hand-me-down Russian Mosin-Nagants to the government of Enver Hoxha. Also, Yugoslavia was not part of the Warsaw Pact, either.  He, too, was non-alligned.  When so much of the region behind the Iron Curtain was off limits, Marshall Tito's Yugoslavia Federation was much more accessible.  In fact, the Israelis sold many of the Soviet tanks they captured from the syrians in the 1973 Yom Kipur War to Yugoslavia. Back to the topic.  The Albanians did produce an unusual SKS.  Personally, I think it is the best-looking of the lot.  It has a profile reminiscent of the SVT40.  It has a chrome-line barrel. Tito did not chrome line his SKS barrels.  Whether this was a matter of personal preference, shortage of chrome, or a combination of factors is beyond me.  Others know.

DJ,

I have a late 1960's Albie and it is a really nice rifle.  Very few Albie SKS's were made and many were lost/destroyed in the chaos of the fall of the government and in the neighboring Balkan wars.

I'm glad I had the presence of mind to get one while I could.  

The earlier rifles are nicer.  I have a friend who has an equally junky 1978 Albanian.  I've had it for four years so I suppose that I'm glad that I have it.  It looks like it was made by communists.<G>

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: DJ, I have a late 1960's Albie and it is a really nice rifle.  Very few Albie SKS's were made and many were lost/destroyed in the chaos of the fall of the government and in the neighboring Balkan wars. I'm glad I had the presence of mind to get one while I could.