Alright you equipment guys...can anyone tell what type of rifles these members of the Wachregiment are carrying? Also, where these weapons used just for drill and ceremony?
John
John
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It is a Selbstladekarabiner Simonov, otherwise known as SKS. It was developed in the late 1940s and was meant to replace the Mosin Nagant and its derivatives as the main weapon of the Red Army. In the meantime though a certain Kalashnikov had developed a better weapon. -
Photographic evidence of actual usage by the NVA of the SKS in the field is EXTREMELY rare... My guess is that as the NVA were considered front line troops, they were very soon issued with AK47s and later AKMs.
That left the SKS as a purely ceremonial weapon used apparently exclusively by the Wachregiment.
Veterans have indicated that each soldier would have used two rifles: one for drilling and exercises and a laminated stock one for actual parades.Comment
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A better view...
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Original East German produced SKS carbines are extremely rare. If one were to look for an example to go with a Wach Regiment uniform, one could find a Soviet example much cheaper than what the DDR produced example would cost. However, having said that, a few East German SKS stocks were imported into the US, and one may be lucky to scrounge around and come up with the stock.Last edited by Roy Queen; 02-22-2007, 10:17 PM.Comment
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just for reference a sks (not a honour guard one) note the subtle differences ie. buttComment
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Hi Gents,
Thanks for the replies
Best,
JohnComment
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