Bringback SKS opinions?

[aghauler]

Bought this on Gun Broker, described as "Great Condition" non import marked /26\ SKS. Handguard a replacement and I'm sure the stock is also a replacement but it appears to have been on it along time, supposedly a 1969 era Bringback (no papers) Condition is "less than great", all matching except upper receiver cover. Seller has offered to take it back less shipping, of course.
I'm debating whether to send it back or keep for a cleanup project, I already have the fiberglass handguard. Not quite a C&R yet. Paid $375 for it based on description and the non import status. It has sat somewhere a very long time, was never cleaned after it was shot apparently some years ago.
Photos aren't very good, had to take them quickly in less than ideal conditions,
but should give an idea as to condition.

[Cokebottle]

Should clean up nicely, but how is the barrel? If it was shot and not cleaned corrosive ammo would not have been kind to it.

Is that a glass stock, or wrapping cloth imprint into the cosmo?

[aghauler]

Should clean up nicely, but how is the barrel? If it was shot and not cleaned corrosive ammo would not have been kind to it.

Is that a glass stock, or wrapping cloth imprint into the cosmo?

Bore was dusty but must be chrome lined as there is no pitting and rifling seems sharp.

That pattern is the fiberglass cloth(or whatever it is) used in making the (jungle stock) so it's in the stock material itself.

The non matching upper receiver cover has the same amount of finish wear as the rest of the carbine. So I think it's been on there a long time also.

[Cokebottle]

If the bore is good, then clean it up, find a wood stock (unless glass is correct for that year) and enjoy.

[BrokerB]

If keep it if bore is good. Jungle love... oweee ow wee o

[Enfield47]

Definitely not what I would consider as great condition either. At least you got a decent deal on it and it should clean up pretty well. I would probably keep it and it should make for nice shooter.

[aghauler]

Thanks guys for your thoughts, I think I will keep it and do a cleanup and refurbish. I was surprised by all the surface pitting, and this thing has no traces of any kind of oil or grease on it. I figured it would be a good shooter.
None of my other C&R have this much finish wear so was kinda put off by it. Then I got to thinking I know of a documented Garand from Iwo Jima that shows even more pitting and wood looked like it got caught in tank tracks etc.
It is what it is something that was used in a theater of war so I'm ok with it not being pristine now. Fella I got it from did 2 ground pounder tours in country, he got it from the guy that brought it back, some years ago. He said when he was in country they would find buried caches of weapons that had been "staged" throughout their area of operation in 'Nam. Frequently the wood had been rotted or eaten by bugs to the point of non use. Still researching the plastic stocks not a lot of definite info on them, some say developed to replace the rotted wood, others say late war, or commercial developed. I'd like to find more info on them. I also figured $375 wasn't a bad deal for a shooter.

[Sliik]

Bought this on Gun Broker, described as "Great Condition" non import marked /26\ SKS. Handguard a replacement and I'm sure the stock is also a replacement but it appears to have been on it along time, supposedly a 1969 era Bringback (no papers) Condition is "less than great", all matching except upper receiver cover. Seller has offered to take it back less shipping, of course.
I'm debating whether to send it back or keep for a cleanup project, I already have the fiberglass handguard. Not quite a C&R yet. Paid $375 for it based on description and the non import status. It has sat somewhere a very long time, was never cleaned after it was shot apparently some years ago.
Photos aren't very good, had to take them quickly in less than ideal conditions,
but should give an idea as to condition.

i'll shoot you $400 for it.

[SVT-40]

Based on the condition of the metal compared to the condition of the fiberglass stock, I would say the stock has been replaced here in the US with one of the many replacement Fiberglass stocks which were imported in the 1980's... At that time I would bet the owner here put the metal hand guard on it too....Just because a rifle has no import marks does not make it a "bring back"... There were many thousands of poor condition SKS rifles imported during the time they could be legally imported into the US...

I have a number of un-marked SKS rifles in my collection which are recent imports..

Simply some just got through without being marked..

Additionally many had their markings removed by unscrupulous folks who tried to pawn them off as "Vietnam bring backs"...


BHasically if a Chinese SKS does not come with it's genuine bring back papers, it is not worth any more than any other rifle of similar condition.

It's the old "Buy the gun not the story"...

Over the years I've had more than a few guys try to sell me so called "bring backs" at gun shows.... Most had import markings which the owner had not seen or was just trying to BS...Some you could tell where the markings had been removed, and the area re-rusted to hide the forgery....

Additionally the bolt carrier SN does not match the receiver number .....The gun is not in "great condition"... It's in poor condition.

I would rather have one of the $329 Chinese C&R SKS rifles from J&G sales...As they are all original.....

http://www.jgsales.com/chinese-sks-type-56-semi-auto-rifle,-7.62x39,-military-surplus-issue-with-bayonet,-c-r.-used.-p-58288.html

[aghauler]

Based on the condition of the metal compared to the condition of the fiberglass stock, I would say the stock has been replaced here in the US with one of the many replacement Fiberglass stocks which were imported in the 1980's... At that time I would bet the owner here put the metal hand guard on it too....Just because a rifle has no import marks does not make it a "bring back"... There were many thousands of poor condition SKS rifles imported during the time they could be legally imported into the US...

I have a number of un-marked SKS rifles in my collection which are recent imports..

Simply some just got through without being marked..

Additionally many had their markings removed by unscrupulous folks who tried to pawn them off as "Vietnam bring backs"...


BHasically if a Chinese SKS does not come with it's genuine bring back papers, it is not worth any more than any other rifle of similar condition.

It's the old "Buy the gun not the story"...

Over the years I've had more than a few guys try to sell me so called "bring backs" at gun shows.... Most had import markings which the owner had not seen or was just trying to BS...Some you could tell where the markings had been removed, and the area re-rusted to hide the forgery....

Additionally the bolt carrier SN does not match the receiver number .....The gun is not in "great condition"... It's in poor condition.

I would rather have one of the $329 Chinese C&R SKS rifles from J&G sales...As they are all original.....
http://www.jgsales.com/chinese-sks-t....-p-58288.html

Thanks for the insight, what year were Import markings required to be applied to firearms?

I've had 4 J&G cosmo specials from the first go around, have one left.

[louie]

All guns after 68 had to have the stamping. From the looks of it, could very well be a bringback that was restocked.

[SVT-40]

Thanks for the insight, what year were Import markings required to be applied to firearms?

I've had 4 J&G cosmo specials from the first go around, have one left.

The first requirements were just country of origin. I can't remember when that was mandated I think it was 1968 with the federal GCA. But the later post 1986 imports had the req. for caliber, importer, country of origin marking requirement. Those could be marked into the barrel....I think about 2004 the requirements were changed again to mandate the SN and some other info to be stamped onto the receiver.

Here is an example of the earlier marking...

This P-38 has "made in West Germany" stamped into it's frame.


Importation of surplus military firearms were mostly prohibited by the GCA of 1968...when those bans were lifted in 1986 the flood came, and with it the later import markings... Due to the flood, a good number of guns were unmarked. At one time I bought about 40 Swedish Mauser rifles from a small importer....None were import marked....

I didn't mean to unnecessarily beat up your gun...Sometimes when I try and put forth what I believe to be factual info, it comes across as over critical...

[aghauler]

The first requirements were just country of origin. I can't remember when that was mandated I think it was 1968 with the federal GCA. But the later post 1986 imports had the req. for caliber, importer, country of origin marking requirement. Those could be marked into the barrel....I think about 2004 the requirements were changed again to mandate the SN and some other info to be stamped onto the receiver.

Here is an example of the earlier marking...

This P-38 has "made in West Germany" stamped into it's frame.


Importation of surplus military firearms were mostly prohibited by the GCA of 1968...when those bans were lifted in 1986 the flood came, and with it the later import markings... Due to the flood, a good number of guns were unmarked. At one time I bought about 40 Swedish Mauser rifles from a small importer....None were import marked....

I didn't mean to unnecessarily beat up your gun...Sometimes when I try and put forth what I believe to be factual info, it comes across as over critical...

Hey no offense taken, I appreciated your thoughts!
Always interested in learning fresh info
Had never heard of imports not being marked after it was required.
I figured it was at least restocked, and ventilated handguard shows some rust wasn't original.
Back when I was an 01 FFL (1980s-90s selling the $80 SKS's ) all the foreign made weapons excluding WW2 and Korean War vintage I handled had import markings.
I've got the Bringback papers for my late father-in-laws Walther PP, but not the pistol it "was lost by a family member some 60+ years ago", I got the impression it was stolen though.

[aghauler]

All guns after 68 had to have the stamping. From the looks of it, could very well be a bringback that was restocked.

I'm leaning this way also.

But at least this "undocumented alien" won't cost the taxpayers anything

[SVT-40]

I have a few Chinese SKS rifles which were not import marked... I know they were post 1986 imports, as I bought them directly from the owner of the import company....