Birth Year SKS

[walnutred]

Not that I was looking for one but... Last weekend wife and I were at a small flea market where a guy was selling off some firearms. First guy in line picked up a nickle 5" N-frame. Was a little irritated while I watched him negotiate the price down to $375. Not sure what it was but it doesn't matter. I was next in line an saw a greasy looking SKS, out of curiosity I asked the price and was told: I've been asking $150 but would take $125. I just handed over the cash. The guy may have stabbed himself in the back with the price but I would not have felt right twisting the knife by negotiating.

After cleaning the gobs of grease out of and off of the rifle I did some research. Made in China, Triangle 26, 1958. So for me a very clean birth year SKS. Looking forward to some range time. I lost interest in the SKS when they hit the $100 price mark, but allowing for inflation $125 ain't bad.

 

[midnighthammer]

The SKS seems to have followed the trend the Mosin Nagant did. Exploded in price over the last few years. Factory 26 is the Chinese one to have. Amazing deal!

I would be happy to find one for 300.

 

[alwslate]

$125 for a functional SKS? The seller was clearly out of touch with the
current market for SKSs. Good find.

 

[Rosco Shooter]

I brought a Chinese SKS home from Viet Nam in 1969 - battlefield pickup, and I'm also curious as to the date of manufacture and current value. I'll stop now so I don't hijack your thread. Thank you for posting.

 

[walnutred]

I brought a Chinese SKS home from Viet Nam in 1969 - battlefield pickup, and I'm also curious as to the date of manufacture and current value. I'll stop now so I don't hijack your thread. Thank you for posting.

This is one of the sites I used to find information on my SKS: Yooper John Please wr

Anytime some says they brought something home I suggest they write out Name, Unit, where they acquired the item and any other interesting information, then leave it with the rifle. Otherwise that information will eventually be lost. I've found that information on slips of paper in odd places such as under hand guards, in cleaning kit compartments, etc. it sometimes adds value but always adds interest to an otherwise inanimate object.

Sometimes I've found a slip of paper with just the name and unit of a foreign soldier hidden away. I often wonder if that was their way of saying: I don't expect to survive this, but I want someone to know I was here.

 

[sheepdawg]

The SKS seems to have followed the trend the Mosin Nagant did. Exploded in price over the last few years. Factory 26 is the Chinese one to have. Amazing deal!

I would be happy to find one for 300.

I don't know why you think a factory 26 is any better than the others but it was by far the biggest maker and the only one you can reliably date.

 

[LVSteve]

Pictures aren't loading....

 

[rwsmith]

I'd have to pinch myself....

...about a week later to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

 

[walnutred]

Pictures aren't loading....

Sorry, didn't think anyone would be interested in pictures of a SKS on a S&W forum. All number match except on the bolt. The 3rd and 4th digit of the serial number is 86, everywhere except for the bolt. On the bolt the 3rd and 4th digits are 68. As the numbers are hand stamped I think that was a manufacturing typo.

 

[JayFramer]

An SKS is an excellent battle weapon.

Stoke it full of soft tips or hollow points and keep it in the corner, just in case.

 

[midnighthammer]

I don't know why you think a factory 26 is any better than the others but it was by far the biggest maker and the only one you can reliably date.

Subjective I guess. Arsenal /26\ was the first and main Arsenal to manufacture SKS's for the People's Chinese Army. Russian machinery was delivered to this factory, as well as some Russian SKSs and parts that had already made in Russia. Hence the term "Sino-Soviet", as some early factory 26s were a mix of Chinese/Russian made parts. As it is common knowledge, it's understood Russian SKSs are the cream of the crop. Russia passed the torch on to the Chinese at factory 26.

 

[wyo-man]

Good score. I bought mine (same model and year as yours) at a local garage sale for $85.00. Mine does have the bayonet. However, it took months and months and months to remove the cosmoline...........

wyo-man

PS. He also sold me a 1943 91/30 Mosin-Nagant for $150.00.