Sino-Soviet SKS worth it?

[fitty-four-rimmed]

So I just popped in to the local gun store, and I saw a beautifully cosmoline smeared folded blade bayonet hiding behind Mauser. I asked: "is that a Russian SKS?"
I learned that it was in fact a sino-soviet, or so says the retailer. It is insanely covered in cosmoline. Almost to the point where it would have to be cleaned to distinguish any markings. I examined the top of the reciever where the tula marking usually is. I could not see any markings. Perhaps i just missed them.The stock is absolutely beat to hell, but of course that doesn't matter in terms of functionality. The sticker price said $399 and I thought it might be a nice semi-auto toy. I was just wondering if you all thought it was worth it from the info that is presented. I see that ~400 is the usual going price for sino-soviets at the moment, but none I've seen are quite as beat up or cosmo'd as the one at the LGS. All replys are much appreciated! Thank you!

Kyle

[Wes C Addle]

did it have a /26\ on the left side of the receiver?


pictures?

[fitty-four-rimmed]

did it have a /26\ on the left side of the receiver?


pictures?

I couldn't see anything as it was as it was smothered with cosmoline. I have 2 days that the shop is closed before I can go see it again. It had a blade though rather than a spike. Also the receiver had no markings.

[Tere_Hanges]

https://www.yooperj.com/SKS-36.htm

There will not be any "Tula" marking on the receiver. Sometimes the topcover is a mismatched replacement that is Russian. The original topcover is long gone.

$399 seems kind of steep. They were going for $270 back in 2013.

[T19gun04]

$400 plus tax... More like $500

There are non /26\ markings for early Sino-Soviet SKS. I would do a search on SN.

[Capybara]

Steep price if the stock is beat to snot. If it were clean and in pristine condition, nice price.

[NOTABIKER]

plenty of them sold threw Turners not long ago. You have to do your home work to be sure it is a sino Soviet. I had two that were 1956 and very low ser # but still not true sino. most are in very used but functional condition.
If you do not have a SKS jump on it.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

If the stock is crack free, matching #, and not pitted up, then $400 is a fair price. These Sinos almost always have nice bores

[Lucky Scott]

Fair price. They had a bunch on the market a couple years back and the price was low, around 299, but now the price is up higher so 399 is fair.
Hard to find any SKS for under $300 bucks nowadays.

[1bulletBarney]

Go back to LGS with a roll of paper towels and a garbage bag, ask for permission to wipe excess cosmo off of steel and stock to inspect rifle. A pair of rubber gloves for handling rifle and the garbage bag to haul out funked up paper towels. If LGS wont let you do this, turn around and walk out...

Very important to make sure stock has no major cracks and a thick/gooed up stock will hide cracks...

No cracks and a matching Sino would be fair at $400.00 these days...

[BucDan]

Help with a linguistic noob with this term, "Sino-Soviet", what does that mean exactly?

I could google it, I know...

[marksmandowntown]

Made in China under Russian supervision.

[fitty-four-rimmed]

Go back to LGS with a roll of paper towels and a garbage bag, ask for permission to wipe excess cosmo off of steel and stock to inspect rifle. A pair of rubber gloves for handling rifle and the garbage bag to haul out funked up paper towels. If LGS wont let you do this, turn around and walk out...

Very important to make sure stock has no major cracks and a thick/gooed up stock will hide cracks...

No cracks and a matching Sino would be fair at $400.00 these days...

I'll definitely be going to the store and asking to wipe some off. Im sure they would be fine with it since i show genuine interest. So it seems that the price ain't great, but isn't too steep either. As for numbers, they are located on the bolt, mag plate, rear of the receiver, and on the stock right? Anything else I should look out for? You find out the date from the serial number if I remember correctly. I appreciate all of the help from you all. It will be closed for a couple days so I'm glad I had time to pick some brains

[Tanner68]

Like said above, the 26 inside a triangle is the mark to look for, to ID a sino soviet. If it has that, all matching and no major downgrades, it sounds good.

If it was made in Arsenal 26, it was made under Russian supervisions, with most manufacturing steps happening under one roof, AFAIK.

[fitty-four-rimmed]

Like said above, the 26 inside a triangle is the mark to look for, to ID a sino soviet. If it has that, all matching and no major downgrades, it sounds good.

If it was made in Arsenal 26, it was made under Russian supervisions, with most manufacturing steps happening under one roof, AFAIK.

I'm not sure, but I think I read somewhere that some sinos can have the /26\ absent or too faint or under woodline to tell. I guess if I can't see it right away I'll just ask where they saw it, or how they determined it was a sino.