Breaking News... Sold out of Chinese SKS's

[DisguisedRope]

Got mine yesterday. Haven't cleaned them yet, really caked in cosmo. The one on the top seems complete minus the cleaning rod, but the bottom one is missing the crossbolt in the stock. Speaking of stocks, both seem to be cut for spike bayonets. Will update when I clean them up.
ETA: and yes, both safeties seem to work.

 

[yellowsled]

For those that care, Rumor has it that the last of the Chinese SKS's at century that were graded PI (poor-incomplete) are now sold out too.

It was fun while it lasted...

 

[Machodoc]

Wish that I had gotten more, but I'll have to muddle through with the three that I thought to pick up.

 

[kazan182]

Just as an FYI...Allan's Armory has some with broken stocks. I bought one of them and repaired the stock and it looks nice. Some under $300, most if not all are all matching, including stamped numbers on some stocks. Got another 'broken stock' 56 from another company and it has three large wood screws in it to hold the stock together at the grip. Going to do a light refinish (cosmo removal, oil) to the stock but leave the screws in. As people have mentioned e-sarco, clearwater, etc. have replacement stocks. The one I got from Clearwater is a simple drop in replacement. The sarco unit, which included the handguard, is must newer and very pretty would require some fitting.

http://www.allans-armory.com/aaresult.php?PageId=48

Allan was very nice to work with. All rifles come in a hard case and are test fired.

 

[yellowsled]

Just as an FYI...Allan's Armory has some with broken stocks. I bought one of them and repaired the stock and it looks nice. Some under $300, most if not all are all matching, including stamped numbers on some stocks. Got another 'broken stock' 56 from another company and it has three large wood screws in it to hold the stock together at the grip. Going to do a light refinish (cosmo removal, oil) to the stock but leave the screws in. As people have mentioned e-sarco, clearwater, etc. have replacement stocks. The one I got from Clearwater is a simple drop in replacement. The sarco unit, which included the handguard, is must newer and very pretty would require some fitting.

http://www.allans-armory.com/aaresult.php?PageId=48

Allan was very nice to work with. All rifles come in a hard case and are test fired.

I agree with this. If you are on the fence if you should get one, now is the time. Future sales will only be secondary sales only, and will be significantly more. my .02

 

[DarthZed]

I dunno. I'd rather pay $100 or so more and get a nice one. You can find them on GB all the time if you look. Rough is one thing, but $300 for a beat to hell rifle with a busted stock seems insane.
Still. I'll defer to Yellowsled in this regard. He has more knowledge on SKS's than I.

 

[Chaunsey]

I dunno. I'd rather pay $100 or so more and get a nice one. You can find them on GB all the time if you look. Rough is one thing, but $300 for a beat to hell rifle with a busted stock seems insane.
Still. I'll defer to Yellowsled in this regard. He has more knowledge on SKS's than I.

stocks are cheap, much less than that $100, and most of those rifles, despite finish wear and the broken stock, will have mirror chrome lined bores.

plus allens is a good well established dealer, no worrying about who you're buying from on GB.

 

[yellowsled]

Replacement stocks are $22 through a online vendor. Thats a easy fix to be honest.

 

[kazan182]

It's my understanding there is a good chance these were used in Vietnam. That to me alone justify's adding it to my collection.

 

[yellowsled]

nope, i would bet good money they did not. They were given/sold to Albania in late 50's to early 60's and remained there since. Trench art dates it there well into the 90's.

 

[kazan182]

nope, i would bet good money they did not. They were given/sold to Albania in late 50's to early 60's and remained there since. Trench art dates it there well into the 90's.

I guess I am wrong but I thought I remember reading they were used by the North supplied by China in large numbers. Perhaps I am thinking about the Type 53 carbine. Stand corrected...

 

[yellowsled]

The recent t53's are a unknown. No readable trench art that I can say I have seen, so they may have came from a Asian nation

 

[Machodoc]

WRT the early Chinese/Albanian SKS rifles ...

While positive relations between China and Albania have their beginnings in the late 1950s, the period in which they were close enough allies for things like arms and resource exchanges to occur seems to have been from 1961-1971. The Soviets (who were increasingly drawing the ire of Albania and China) increasingly withdrew aid from Albania throughout 1961, and China filled in the void.

Just based upon the period of time in which China was supplying many of Albania's needs, the rifles were probably shipped to them sometime between early 1962 and 1964. Those were the initial "honeymoon years" between the two countries, and after 1964 Albania's leader (Hoxha) was intent upon having China help him to build his own arms manufacturing facilities.

Based on that same timeline, the Chinese SKS rifles that were provided to North Vietnam had already been supplied, or were still being supplied to the north. Viet Nam ("Vietnam" is American) started making their own copies of the SKS by the mid 1960s.

So, while it's possible that some of the Albanian rifles were returned to China by the north and then shipped to Albania, that doesn't seem very probable.

Another interesting tidbit is that the Albanians stockpiled arms in large numbers, and as the better AKs were brought in, and later produced in-country, the lesser arms (which, I think, would have included the Chinese SKS rifles) were often stored in schools, where children as young as their early teens were trained to use them as part of the home guard. That might explain why so much of the "trench art" on these rifles is almost childlike scribbling of initials, etc.

 

[2112rws]

Chinese SKS Bore Question

I just received my Chinese SKS from S.O.G. today. They were down to the “crack in stock” ones when I ordered it but I figured that would give me something to work on and no one else had them for the $315 that I paid. I know they have chrome lined bores and this one is all matching with a nice bright bore except for an area near the muzzle. I noticed that when I was cleaning out the bore the patch went “loose” for a bit up near the muzzle end. On further examination I can see a ring around the full circumference of the inside of the barrel. It almost looks like that area is corroded but it’s hard to tell. The ring area is 2 ¾” in from the muzzle and maybe 1/8” measured along the barrel. If this is a defect I presume that the carbine would not be safe to shoot and would not have any degree of normal accuracy? Any information would be greatly appreciated as I would like to be able to contact S.O.G. as soon as possible about the problem.

 

[smdub]

Hard to tell from your pic. Is the rifling machined back? (completely missing the lands and grooves for some distance.) Could be the barrel has been counterbored. Take a pic with light shining in from the muzzle instead of the breech.

 

[2112rws]

The bore is not counterbored. The rifling goes all the way to the muzzle. The only bad area is the 1/8"+/-, 2 3/4" in from the muzzle. It looks like it lines up about with the pin in the bayonet lug seen from the outside. I tried to take more photos but could only get the "lighting" to work from the breach end.

 

[smdub]

Ohh, now I think I understand what you're talking about. Weird. Can't imagine how that happens. How is the muzzle wear? Stick a bullet in the end of it.

 

[kazan182]

nope, i would bet good money they did not. They were given/sold to Albania in late 50's to early 60's and remained there since. Trench art dates it there well into the 90's.

I knew I remember reading that somewhere...from Wideners site...

"OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY. The Chinese type 56 was used in Viet Nam extensively by enemy forces. Read about the history of the type 56, buy one, refinish it and wear it out."

They have these up again for $279. (along with a bunch of other stuff I posted). Not worth buying any broken stock rifles for this price.

 

[yellowsled]

$280 for a broken stock one, still a great value!

 

[2112rws]

Talked S.O.G. into a return and ordered one from Wideners. Hopefully the bore will be better.
Thank you all for the help and comments!