I purchased an SKS paratrooper last year from an online seller (shipped to my FFL of course). The receiving FFL dealer noted that it was not marked "Norinco", but did have the importer's info. It has a 636 triangle arsenal stamp followed by the 3 Chinese letters (designating type 56?) followed by the importer's stamp "SKS 7.62X39 BTC SEM CA made in China". It does not say Norinco anywhere on the receiver. However, there is another odd symbol stamped in the receiver just to the left of the triangle; it looks almost like a pair of sissors or maybe an X or a Y but is not a definite/distinct X or Y, or could be construed as two swords crossed close to the handles of the swords. It's kind of difficult to describe without a pic.

I've read that on most SKSs you can count the last 6 digets as the primary serial # with the first number(s) as the year of manufacture beginning with 1956 (which would be 1). Not sure this matches that theory because it has a 1, xxx,xxx serial # with the pinned barrel.

I did read that the BTC was Briklee Trading Company out of South El Monte California.

Just wondering if anyone could shed any light as to it's rarity or not, since it is not a Norinco stamped SKS.

Thanks in advance for any info.

The Chinese military never had a paratrooper version of the SKS.  The paratrooper SKS we see here were made just for the civilian market.  Norinco made factory new ones for export and some of the other exporters probably modified existing SKS's into paratrooper models to export, which would explain why yours is not a Norinco.

Got pics?

Yes, I was aware there was never a real "paratrooper" SKS manufactured for the military, per-se, and was primarily for US export, whether modified at the arsenal in China or perhaps modified at a shop/facility for the importer. But it looks like they did a nice job of cutting and milling the barrel and reinstalling the front sight on the one I have.

Here are a few pics of the odd markings on the far-left of the receiver, just to the left of the triangle.

Norinco is a state owned company that exported a lot of SKS's and other stuff. They didn't export everything, but if they did, they put their name on it. As far as where they were chopped, I've heard both here and their. I would say if it looks like a good clean modification that looks like nothing was done, like you say, than it was done in China.  I've seen that X looking marking before, but I don't know what it means.  I wouldn't worry about trying to figure out if it's some rare marking as paras, IMO, are not collectable.

Hey, thanks for the info; I appreciate it. I'm not in to collectable firearms, as all my firearms are usable commodities, meant to be used. I have given a couple of real collectable firearms to my two grown sons as family heirlooms.

I do, however, like the 16" version of the SKS, whether one choses to call it a paratrooper or whatever. I also have a regular 20" barrel SKS, but like the 16" model better.

I was curious about the odd "X" looking marking on the receiver, but it is no big deal. I paid $425 for the SKS paratrooper from an online dealer last year and am well pleased with it. I did the "bubba-Tapco stock and extended mag-release" modification myself, and like the modifications. I know some folks don't like the tacticalized 922r versions of the SKS, but I do.

And, yes, the modification of the shorter barrel with front sight block is very clean and neat, and as straight as an arrow, and the muzzle crown is very neat and well done.

Thanks

Not sure, but I may have found out what the odd "X" looking suffix may be on my SKS Paratrooper. I was researching info on SKSs and came across this found here: Info on SKS identifier markings...

"D, P, X and other Latin characters appear occasionally as a suffix to a serial number upon an arsenal cartouched, PLA-issue weapon; their meaning is obscure although "X" appears to indicate a thorough arsenal rebuild and "P" may represent "accuracy rifle" cited in one published guide.  Such suffixes do not identify a rifle in this category!  Only prefixes count."

Hence, the odd looking X may indicate the rifle was cut down to the 16" size at the original Chinese arsenal before export. Again, this is just a possibility...