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Posted: 4/1/2022 12:19:26 AM EDT
What can you tell me about it?
From the minimal research I've done, it is a Chinese Type 56--made in Factory 26. No import marks. Matching serials on receiver, dust cover, stock, and bolt. Serial # begins 11. 6-digit 347*** Any idea what year this might have been made? 1 by Eight Ring 2 by Eight Ring 3 by Eight Ring 4 by Eight Ring 5 by Eight Ring 6A by Eight Ring 6B by Eight Ring 7 by Eight Ring 8 by Eight Ring Rusty 1 by Eight Ring Rusty Cleaning Kit by Eight Ring The original trigger group is most likely MIA forever. Where's the best place to find a salty-looking Chinese trigger group? Should I post a WTB ad someplace? |
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Run a brush down the barrel, slap a trigger pack in it, oil the bolt, and head to the range. I bet she's a shooter.
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Honestly I’d keep as is. Clean rust off and a coat of oil. Get a nice wood wall mount. Willing to bet it’s a war trophy, it’s got character. Any chance to find out who the original owner was? Any info would make for a nice engraved plaque.
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Is there any special market demand for a non-import marked bringback? I assume w/o paperwork it is less valuable?
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Quoted: Honestly I’d keep as is. Clean rust off and a coat of oil. Get a nice wood wall mount. Willing to bet it’s a war trophy, it’s got character. Any chance to find out who the original owner was? Any info would make for a nice engraved plaque. View Quote I'm working on it. I started exploring where the rifle might have come from with the fellow. He didn't even realize that it could perhaps possibly have family history. He just thought it was a useless rusty rifle. I told him to ask around to see who in the family had served overseas. One of the interesting aspects is how absolutely beat to shit the rifle is, with tons of crud hidden in the crevices, yet the crown is still sharp. As for keeping it "as is"--absolutely. My rule of thumb for anything with a possible story is about removing signs of obvious neglect. It's strictly about removing loose rust scale gently, and oil it. |
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View Quote Out of stock for the moment, but I'll keep checking back. |
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Quoted: Is there any special market demand for a non-import marked bringback? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes I assume w/o paperwork it is less valuable? Hopefully it can be made functional again. My best friend and I had fun repairing a rusted Chinese SKS from Hurricane Katrina as teenagers. It looked much worse than OP's example. We were surprised to find that, while complete trigger groups, bolts, and carriers are often available, every other functional part can be extremely challenging to source. It took us a while to find the needed parts without spending more than another whole SKS would've cost (at the time). We used Evapo-Rust from Auto Zone and it was great at rust removal. Left a weird slimy film, and gray colored steel, but we cleaned/degreased, and rattle-canned that bad boy (black), and it cycled and shot great afterwards. The hard chrome plating is what saved the bore. It's an incredibly protective finish. We could tell initially because of how good the chromed bayonet blade looked, in comparison to the (formerly) blued steel. It's one of the reasons I won't buy anything without a chrome-lined bore, if I can help it. |
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Quoted: What can you tell me about it? From the minimal research I've done, it is a Chinese Type 56--made in Factory 26. No import marks. Matching serials on receiver, dust cover, stock, and bolt. Serial # begins 11. 6-digit 347*** Any idea what year this might have been made? View Quote Being a Factory 26 produced rifle, and with a serial # starting in 11 that would have been made in 1967. The Factory 26 rifles are the only models with an easily discernable production date due to known production records. 1956 plus the first 2 numbers of the serial and there's your year of production. Hopefully I'm recalling everything correctly! FWIW! |
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Quoted: That particular detail could matter to the right buyer/collector, but the condition is so poor that none of those guys would be potential buyers. Correct. Hopefully it can be made functional again. My best friend and I had fun repairing a rusted Chinese SKS from Hurricane Katrina as teenagers. It looked much worse than OP's example. We were surprised to find that, while complete trigger groups, bolts, and carriers are often available, every other functional part can be extremely challenging to source. It took us a while to find the needed parts without spending more than another whole SKS would've cost (at the time). We used Evapo-Rust from Auto Zone and it was great at rust removal. Left a weird slimy film, and gray colored steel, but we cleaned/degreased, and rattle-canned that bad boy (black), and it cycled and shot great afterwards. The hard chrome plating is what saved the bore. It's an incredibly protective finish. We could tell initially because of how good the chromed bayonet blade looked, in comparison to the (formerly) blued steel. It's one of the reasons I won't buy anything without a chrome-lined bore, if I can help it. View Quote You joined ARFCOM in Jr High? |
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Cool find. I wouldn’t use Evaporust on it as that stuff changes the patina.
I have successfully done major rust removal with soaking it in Kroil or LiquidWrench then using Big 45 Frontier scrub pads. They look like steel wool but are thick ribbons of metal and do not scratch or remove bluing or patina under the rust. Pick up that trigger group posted above for a more consistent look. Keep us posted if you find more info about the vet that brought it back and post pictures of her when you have it back together. |
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I think I have a rusty trigger group that would match perfect it's from a similar condition parts gun I have.
I'll check when I get home, it will cost way less than above GB one. Looked must have sold it already. |
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Sorry to burst your bubble but it not a bring back.
It's a mid 90's import. The baynet lug/eyelet has been chopped off. To comply with the 89 ban. I have a similar SKS and the import marks are very faint and small on the underside of the barrel between handguard and baynet lug. Mine is marked "CAI St Albans VT" With the rust it might be gone now |
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Quoted: Sorry to burst your bubble but it not a bring back. It's a mid 90's import. The baynet lug/eyelet has been chopped off. To comply with the 89 ban. I have a similar SKS and the import marks are very faint and small on the underside of the barrel between handguard and baynet lug. Mine is marked "CAI St Albans VT" With the rust it might be gone now View Quote I'll check it out. Was the front sight chopped on the imports as well? Post a pic of the location of your import stamp, if you wouldn't mind. |
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Quoted: I'll check it out. Was the front sight chopped on the imports as well? Post a pic of the location of your import stamp, if you wouldn't mind. View Quote Mine was imported by CAI and the front sight is not chopped. The import stamp is after the manufactures markings on the left side of the receiver. I am attaching a pic. It is a bit blurry but, you should get the idea. Attached File |
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Quoted: Mine was imported by CAI and the front sight is not chopped. The import stamp is after the manufactures markings on the left side of the receiver. I am attaching a pic. It is a bit blurry but, you should get the idea. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/81074/sks_jpg-2362771.JPG View Quote @rookie421 Thank you for the picture. Could you please snap one of the demilled bayonet lug? I was looking at where the bayonet lug was, and it wasn't cut by anything like an angle grinder--it is not flat, and there is no consistency. It almost looks multi-faceted, like it got gnawed off by a mouse (if mice gnawed metal). Any competent American dude with access to electricity would have made both cuts flat and square--or at least filed them flat with a mill bastard file after removing them with a hack saw. |
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Quoted: @rookie421 Thank you for the picture. Could you please snap one of the demilled bayonet lug? I was looking at where the bayonet lug was, and it wasn't cut by anything like an angle grinder--it is not flat, and there is no consistency. It almost looks multi-faceted, like it got gnawed off by a mouse (if mice gnawed metal). Any competent American dude with access to electricity would have made both cuts flat and square--or at least filed them flat with a mill bastard file after removing them with a hack saw. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Mine was imported by CAI and the front sight is not chopped. The import stamp is after the manufactures markings on the left side of the receiver. I am attaching a pic. It is a bit blurry but, you should get the idea. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/81074/sks_jpg-2362771.JPG @rookie421 Thank you for the picture. Could you please snap one of the demilled bayonet lug? I was looking at where the bayonet lug was, and it wasn't cut by anything like an angle grinder--it is not flat, and there is no consistency. It almost looks multi-faceted, like it got gnawed off by a mouse (if mice gnawed metal). Any competent American dude with access to electricity would have made both cuts flat and square--or at least filed them flat with a mill bastard file after removing them with a hack saw. @Eight_Ring not a problem. Here are a few shots of the lug and one of the front sight. I replaced the front sight post with a red plastic one, it shows up well in the pic. As you can see, no mouse marks on my lug. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Quoted: @Eight_Ring not a problem. Here are a few shots of the lug and one of the front sight. I replaced the front sight post with a red plastic one, it shows up well in the pic. As you can see, no mouse marks on my lug. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/81074/bayo_lug_1_jpg-2362938.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/81074/bayo_lug_2_jpg-2362939.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/81074/bayo_lug_3_jpg-2362940.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/81074/front_sight_jpg-2362942.JPG View Quote Interesting. Thanks for the datapoints. That is what I'd expect to see from a repeatable industrial process. The removal of the bayonet mount/stud on this rifle looks like a one-off, with no thought given to cosmetics. |
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Quoted: Interesting. Thanks for the datapoints. That is what I'd expect to see from a repeatable industrial process. The removal of the bayonet mount/stud on this rifle looks like a one-off, with no thought given to cosmetics. View Quote Considering the sight hood was cut, it is possible the rifle got neutered properly to be imported but, someone bought it and bubba'ed the hell out of it. |
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Quoted: Considering the sight hood was cut, it is possible the rifle got neutered properly to be imported but, someone bought it and bubba'ed the hell out of it. View Quote It's possible. For the record, I've been all over the rifle, looking in the places suggested for an import mark with 3X magnification and strong, clean directional lighting, and can't find the faintest traces of one. Oh well. |
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Quoted: It's possible. For the record, I've been all over the rifle, looking in the places suggested for an import mark with 3X magnification and strong, clean directional lighting, and can't find the faintest traces of one. Oh well. View Quote In the pic you posted of the original manufacture markings, there is some kind of rust or something on the receiver and the dust cover near the rear of the rifle, that is roughly were my import markings are. Can that area be cleaned up without ruining the patina you are looking to keep? |
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Quoted: Being a Factory 26 produced rifle, and with a serial # starting in 11 that would have been made in 1967. The Factory 26 rifles are the only models with an easily discernable production date due to known production records. 1956 plus the first 2 numbers of the serial and there's your year of production. Hopefully I'm recalling everything correctly! FWIW! View Quote It’s not about records. China either won’t release the information or there is none. Arsenal 26 at Jianshe used/uses the European (German) type of serial number system. That’s how we can estimate date of manufacture of arms from that arsenal. |
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My personal opinion, which is 100% free, this what I’d do. Since, there’s no trigger assembly, the front sight hood has been cut and the bayonet lug is gone… Sell the stock set. Bead blast it, spray it black, put it in a poly stock and either sell it or keep it as a shooter.
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Quoted: My personal opinion, which is 100% free, this what I’d do. Since, there’s no trigger assembly, the front sight hood has been cut and the bayonet lug is gone… Sell the stock set. Bead blast it, spray it black, put it in a poly stock and either sell it or keep it as a shooter. View Quote With the chopped sight hood and bayo lug I would be thinking about cutting this down to 16”. |
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Quoted: Trigger group in stock View Quote Thanks for the head's up. I've been watching their stuff on EBAY and ordered one in. It matches well, actually. I also figured a Vietnam-era sling would be apropos, and the cleaning rod is secured with a rubber O-ring around the barrel. The cleaning rod actually seems to add to the lines of the rifle, and makes it look less incomplete, somehow. I'll post a range report (with pics of the competed project) as soon as I can find some shooting time. |
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Quoted: Sorry to burst your bubble but it not a bring back. It's a mid 90's import. The baynet lug/eyelet has been chopped off. To comply with the 89 ban. I have a similar SKS and the import marks are very faint and small on the underside of the barrel between handguard and baynet lug. Mine is marked "CAI St Albans VT" With the rust it might be gone now View Quote I don’t believe that the OP’s rifle is an import. I never saw any import with the bayonet hardware so crudely removed. Based upon the photos I believe that this is a Vietnam bringback. Whether the bayonet mount and the front sight were modified in a Viet Cong workshop or the returning vet’s basement I’m not prepared decide without a hands on inspection. |
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Quoted: I don’t believe that the OP’s rifle is an import. I never saw any import with the bayonet hardware so crudely removed. Based upon the photos I believe that this is a Vietnam bringback. Whether the bayonet mount and the front sight were modified in a Viet Cong workshop or the returning vet’s basement I’m not prepared decide without a hands on inspection. View Quote Based on your opinion, would you pay a premium for it? |
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Quoted: Based on your opinion, would you pay a premium for it? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I don’t believe that the OP’s rifle is an import. I never saw any import with the bayonet hardware so crudely removed. Based upon the photos I believe that this is a Vietnam bringback. Whether the bayonet mount and the front sight were modified in a Viet Cong workshop or the returning vet’s basement I’m not prepared decide without a hands on inspection. Based on your opinion, would you pay a premium for it? I'll guess no, because it's in shit shape--a collector could find a MUCH nicer example for his dollar--but "collectors" are who they are (and not for reasons I generally personally admire), but what does that have to do with the truth about this particular rifle? I personally think it's sexy as fuck, and can't wait to shoot it. ETA: and this is coming from a guy who (a couple years ago) was offered a free nice-condition Yugoslavian SKS and laughed at the guy who was offering it, saying they're trash guns and I wouldn't want to own one. |
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I'm dying over here, where's the pictures of it cleaned up and complete ready to go fire!
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Quoted: Based on your opinion, would you pay a premium for it? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I don’t believe that the OP’s rifle is an import. I never saw any import with the bayonet hardware so crudely removed. Based upon the photos I believe that this is a Vietnam bringback. Whether the bayonet mount and the front sight were modified in a Viet Cong workshop or the returning vet’s basement I’m not prepared decide without a hands on inspection. Based on your opinion, would you pay a premium for it? I’m perhaps not the person to ask about the value of this rifle simply because I have been collecting Vietnam bringbacks since the ‘70s and the things I found and the low prices I paid make it difficult for me to relate to today’s market place. The problem with the SKS in question is of course the missing trigger/magazine assembly. That’s a serious flaw and the possibility (in my opinion the likelihood) that this rifle is a Vietnam bringback does little to mitigate the absence of such a major component. That this rifle doesn’t have great dollar value doesn’t mean that it’s not a piece worth preserving. That means no extensive or harsh cleaning and definitely no attempts to refinish or modify the rifle. I suggest that the barn be searched from top to bottom in hopes of finding the trigger group. |
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Quoted: Quoted: +1. Just read this thread and want to see fresh pics of progress. +2 Same here!!! Sorry to keep you guys waiting--I will do a photo shoot tomorrow and post it up tomorrow night. I've been gettign absolutely crushed at work, but the deadline has been met and things have finally levelled off. I need to find some 7.62X39 ammo so I can do a range report as well. 7.62X39 has been curiously unobtainium in the local shops, and not a lot of places will ship ammo to MA. I'll find some somewhere. |
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Quoted:. That this rifle doesn’t have great dollar value doesn’t mean that it’s not a piece worth preserving. That means no extensive or harsh cleaning and definitely no attempts to refinish or modify the rifle. View Quote Oh dear God. One of millions produced, maybe one of thousands brought back from Vietnam, don't refinish it? This isn't some Holland & Holland. |
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That thing cleaned up really nice! Beautiful! Keep that sucker as they aren't making any more, and they aren't ever going to get cheaper.
As far as ammo goes I bet target sports usa will ship to you. You can get a half case of Republic Training which is basically repackaged Barnaul ammo with sealed primer and necks for $174.75 plus tax. https://www.targetsportsusa.com/republic-training-and-range-tm-7-62-39mm-ammo-123-grainfmj-steel-lacquered-case-rtr76239-p-112093.aspx |
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Looks good. Might get an extremely fine wire brush wheel that will buff most of that rust off. Or leave it....it doesn't look too bad now.
And what was the back story with the stick? Yard sale....Uncle Joe's barn....bought it off a little old lady from Pasadena? |
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Quoted: Looks good. Might get an extremely fine wire brush wheel that will buff most of that rust off. Or leave it....it doesn't look too bad now. And what was the back story with the stick? Yard sale....Uncle Joe's barn....bought it off a little old lady from Pasadena? View Quote I'm squaring it away for a friend from Vermont. His brother recently died, and going through the family house they found it. His brother was Vietnam-era, but hadn't served overseas, so I guess it's a bit of a mystery as to where it came from. What gets me is that whoever carried this rifle lived a hard fucken life--but the chrome at the muzzle crown is still service-grade sharp. I suppose it's possible that once upon a time it was a pristine import rifle but some kids tied a rope around it and dragged it behing their bikes on a dirt road and then left it in a flooded cellar--but I kinda doubt it. I got a couple boxes of ammo today, and I'll post up some targets as soon as I can. ETA Inre: the restorations--guys know I like guns and I like working with wood. When I was heading to Virginia for Lobby Day I called up an old friend whose dad used to go over to Lexington Green--asked if his dad's Tricorn hat was handy, I'd like to bring it with. His dad had passed, and he couldn't find the hat--but he found his dad's forgotten old musket in the basement of the Cape house, just a jap repro from the Bicentennial--but the lock was broken off, and the barrel crown had been dinged in but good, and it was all rusted to shit from sitting thirty years un-oiled in the sea air. He brought it round and I worked on it for a couple weeks--even found the go-to musket guy to rebuild the lock, the guy who does the safety inspections and armory repairs on the re-enactors muskets. Bit of spit and polish and gentle persuesion rounding/pounding out the muzzle ding and she was back in action. What can I say--I like a gun with a story. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Looks great - I love rescue guns. Just for SKS info/discussion this is one of my bring backs:
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Quoted: Looks great - I love rescue guns. Just for SKS info/discussion this is one of my bring backs: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/42896/thumbnail__5__jpg-2380591.JPG View Quote Nice. Now is that Russian wood? Did I hear that the Chinese used to use Russian parts for their early production? |
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Quoted: Nice. Now is that Russian wood? Did I hear that the Chinese used to use Russian parts for their early production? View Quote Kinds looks like it but I have no idea. this is my other one with some odds and end stuff. Attached File Attached File |
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