SKS collectors please advise!

[54rndball]

J&G Sales has Chinese type 56 SKS carbines and Widener's has the Yugo type 59 carbines. Please advise on the technical differences of these two types. Is the 56 an original military version? Thank you.

 

[Machodoc]

I"ll reply to the first part of this and let someone else address the Yugos.

The Chinese type 56 is indeed an original military version, and most of the recent lot are very early Chinese. Many of them were true Sino-Soviets. If you are looking for a pretty stock, the Chinese rifles currently being sold are NOT what you want to get. But if you are looking for one of the best-made* and collectible, battle-worn SKSs, these are an excellent choice. These were among the earliest SKS rifles built in China. They were apparently declared surplus by the Chinese a few years later, and were sold to fellow communist Albania. There the rifles were heavily used for years, then stored. It is because these were in Albania long enough to be declared Albanian by the BATFE, rather than Chinese, that we are able to get the complete and (usually) original Chinese military rifles brought into the country.

[* All machined, rather than stamped, parts; heavy chrome-lined barrels; made with Russia's Tula arsenal machinery in China's Jianshe arsenal ... some under Russian supervision, or even by the Russian techs who were teaching the Chinese.]

I haven't been in Big Dog Outfitters (King George,VA) in a few days, but the last I was in there, they had a few of the Chinese SKSs in their racks. It would be worth it to me to drive a couple of hours to see if there is something you'd like to take home with you, v. taking pot luck on ordering online. That's not to say that there's anything wrong with ordering online, but in a shop you can decide if you want it, or not. They are an IP here, so you can find their contact info in the Industry Partners area.

BDO probably won't quote you a rice over the phone, but they will tell you if they have any in stock, how many, etc.

 

[yellowsled]

Ill handle the second..

Widener's and their Yugo "type 59" carbines:
Stay the F Away from them! Those are not "M59's" those are bastardized M59/66's that were torn down, original marking scrubbed and reblued with new serial numbers. There is ZERO collector value to them. I truly feel bad for anyone that buys one of them as they were falsely advertised by Wideners... my .02

Disclaimer: They are C&R eligibile and will prolly shoot fine, but they are a put together parts gun. I personally value them as a shooter at under $200. I would get any chinese, ESP the early ones over those new "type 59's"

 

[Machodoc]

I was hoping that Sled would address the Yugos. You got some good info there!

This is pretty typical of what the latest batch of Chinese SKSs look like, still packed in cosmoline. When J&G sales says not to expect a cleaning rod, that makes me wonder if perhaps they got the culled-out ones at a lower price from the wholesaler. If BDO has any left, it would be worth it to look at some before you buy.

 

[yellowsled]

Gotta tell it like it is....

I consider the Maryland C&R section a family and I would like to look out for others on here. Widener's is doing someting shady with those rifles.

 

[Boom Boom]

I've got Russian and early Chinese. They are rugged as hell. I'll take either of those ten ways to Sunday compared to any Yugo variant, even if the Chinese ones aren't pretty. Buy an early Chinese from Classic Firearms. They are the real deal and Classic Firearms will not eff you over.

 

[BrewDoc_MD]

the main physical difference in my mind was the chrome-lined barrels of the Chinese SKS vs no chrome in the Yugos. while I do clean my guns after use, I'd rather have that additional piece of mind knowing the chrome-lined barrel has a better chance against pitting and rust from using corrosive ammo. some say chrome hurts your accuracy, but any gun is going to shoot better than I can deliver at this point.

 

[F-Stop]

I got two Chinese from classic. One is a shooter. Here are my first 5 aimed shots at 37-40 yds off my elbow. I always run some ammo through to check things out before putting my face near it.

With very little adjustment I was hitting clays at 55 or so yds. Shoots much better than I can for a battle worn rifle.

 

[why2kmax]

Id go with the Type 56 at Classic. Nothing against J&G but classic has been good to me with everything Ive ordered so far and Im very very happy with the two sino-albanian SKSs I bought from them. Id take either of them over my next to new 1980 Norinco. Going to BDO might be the best bet though, you get to handle what you are buying and do your own "hand select"

 

[Sirex]

I would say, if you are just looking for a cheap shooter, get a Chinese/Sino Soviet. If you don't like the stock, just take it off, wrap it in paper, store it, clean up the action and drop it in a cleaner wood or synthetic stock off Ebay. As long as you don't toss the original stock, I don't see a problem stock swapping just for plinking. Save the war torn original from more damage at the range or back of a truck. I would go with the chrome lined bore, even though my Yugo has had no problems. But, I also shoot non corrosive only now.

 

[Machodoc]

I'll grudgingly not argue with Sirex about stock swapping on an early Chinese SKS. He does make a good point about a drop-in stock not hurting anything, so long as you preserve the original. I just couldn't bring myself to do it ... or be seen with it.

After cleaning up my battle-worn stocks, and sealing them with a couple of light coats of rubbed-in BLO, I think they have character and prefer taking them with me to the range. Plus, it's fun to take a crusty old veteran SKS with only iron sights to the 200 yard range, sit next to a guy with a modern rifle, scope, and elaborate bench rest rig, and ring a steel target with every shot ... while he's missing it.

 

[yellowsled]

I'll grudgingly not argue with Sirex about stock swapping on an early Chinese SKS. He does make a good point about a drop-in stock not hurting anything, so long as you preserve the original. I just couldn't bring myself to do it ... or be seen with it.

After cleaning up my battle-worn stocks, and sealing them with a couple of light coats of rubbed-in BLO, I think they have character and prefer taking them with me to the range. Plus, it's fun to take a crusty old veteran SKS with only iron sights to the 200 yard range, sit next to a guy with a modern rifle, scope, and elaborate bench rest rig, and ring a steel target with every shot ... while he's missing it.

Did you mean "crusty old veteran with an SKS" or "crusty old veteran SKS"

 

[aquaman]

Buy an AK. OCT 1 is coming fast why are you even looking at an SKS? they are untouched by sb 281

 

[KevinB]

BDO probably won't quote you a rice over the phone, but they will tell you if they have any in stock, how many, etc.

Just a Freudian slip talking Chinese rifles and mentioning rice?

 

[Machodoc]

Did you mean "crusty old veteran with an SKS" or "crusty old veteran SKS"

Both, actually.

Just a Freudian slip talking Chinese rifles and mentioning rice?

Oooops! Just a typo ... I hope!

 

[dementlr]

I recently purchased a Chinese ones from Classic. It came heavily coated in cosmoline, a lot of the bluing is worn away, and there is quite a bit of stock graffiti, but it functions just fine. I chose to clean/degrease the stock but left all of the dings, nicks, and carvings in place. BTW, shipping from Classic was very fast.

 

[Boom Boom]

I recently purchased a Chinese ones from Classic. It came heavily coated in cosmoline, a lot of the bluing is worn away, and there is quite a bit of stock graffiti, but it functions just fine. I chose to clean/degrease the stock but left all of the dings, nicks, and carvings in place. BTW, shipping from Classic was very fast.

Good. The stock should not be modified in any way. The value of your rifle is determined by the stock's originality, with all its warts. Depending on the trench art, it can significantly increase the rifle's desirability (and therefore value).

 

[sbmike]

How about a Yugo purchased from SOG? I paid $225 for a Yugo SKS from SOG a while back and I could not be happier with it. It's a blast to shoot and very accurate at 100 yds, even for me. I also didn't buy it as an investment, but rather as the fun shooter it turned out to be. I guess it all boils down to what you want out of it.

 

[LargemouthAss]

I spent a few hours this weekend de-cosmoing my Sino-Soviet SKS I bought from Classic. Definitely a battle worn piece but had matching numbers and a good clean bore. Hopefully the cosmo will be totally out of the stock by tonight and I can put her back together.