SKS Paratrooper 101

[SKSer45]

Ok kiddies figure I make a nice simple thread/tutorial explaining how the legendary Para is.

1. Chinese have not released or made records of ever making Paratroopers for the military/police force.
2. As said by another calguner Paratrooper was nothing more than a Selling gimmick.
3. Its true that both Norinco and Importers created and asked for paratroopers. When an importer wanted them at first they would chop the barrel off to 16.5. Norinco saw how quickly these guys sold and therefore started making "true" paras.
4. Paras names are "cow boys" "cow boy companion" " SKS carbine/version" (which is saying carbine carbine beacause full length SKS are already carbines)
5 Finally all Para's are not Norinco and not all Chinese SKS's are made by Norinco.

Ok now the fun stuff.



These are my kids and are both Paratroopers. The Top one would be more of a "true" para and bottom one is a refurbed "market" para



Notice the end of the barrels. See how one is nicely milled/rounded off and finished? Well second one is chopped in a perfect line.



Gas tubes look same or different?



Top one is clearly marked Factoy /26\ 11XXXXXX serial numbers placing it in 1967 time line. All matching numbers

Bottom one just has a serial number, no factory markings, no solid proof on year or maker.



Ok guys hope this helps out in a away. Much more to go over but making a video for that.

[TheExpertish]

Pretty informative for an sks newb like me. Reply with a link to the vid when it's up.

[PycckN-Comrade]

I apologize for the stupid question, but are the SKS C&R eligible?
How about SVT rifles?

[VegasND]

Thanks for the information.

I need to dig my para out of the safe and see which type I have.

[SVT-40]

I apologize for the stupid question, but are the SKS C&R eligible?
How about SVT rifles?

Chinese SKS rifles are not C&R eligible. All original SVT rifles are C&R eligible.

[SVT-40]

Keep in mind when looking at a Chinese SKS rifles serial number, just because the serial number MAY indicate that the receiver was made in a certain year does not mean the rifle was made that year. The "paras" are a good example of that. No "Paras" were made for Chinese domestic military or police use. They were made (or modified) for export to the US commercial market from existing stocks of rifles and parts.

Another thing to consider is ALL Chinese SKS rifles were made by the Chinese military. Some were modified as in the "paras" as a marketing ploy for US consumers. The Chinese were masters at scrubbing receivers and reusing parts to assemble rifles. I would not believe slight differences such as angles on barrels to indicate anything other than the work was done differently between the two rifles. Many of the shops which were used to make or modify these rifle were very crude so thinking there is a "standard" way to profile a barrel other than "it meets" specifications is dangerous.

Take for example the rifle below. It's a NORINCO marked "para". Norinco which for the most part acted as a importer more than a manufacturer of the Chinese SKS rifles. It was originally a Sino-Soviet made rifle. Meaning a early Chinese factory 26 rifle made under the supervision of the Soviets. (notice the Cyrillic marking on the rear sight).

Later it was modified into a "para" for import into the US.

[SVT-40]

A few pages of a Navy Arms catalog from the early 90's. Navy Arms was a major importer of Chinese SKS type rifles and in all likelihood the primary importer of the various modified rifles such as the "paras".

You can see from their catalog that Navy Arms was heavily involved with the vairous modified Chinese SKS rifles.






Federal Ordinance (fed Ord) later Briklee Trading Co. which was in South El Monte Calif was also heavily involved with the Chinese modified SKS type rifles. Here is a scan of one of their fliers.

[69Mach1]

How hard is it to find the "Para" spiker front sight base?

[SKSer45]

I apologize for the stupid question, but are the SKS C&R eligible?
How about SVT rifles?

Not Chinese due to the difficulty of Dating them.

Russians, Rommy's, Yugos, and pretty much the rest you can and are C&R.

[SKSer45]

Keep in mind when looking at a Chinese SKS rifles serial number, just because the serial number MAY indicate that the receiver was made in a certain year does not mean the rifle was made that year. The "paras" are a good example of that. No "Paras" were made for Chinese domestic military or police use. They were made (or modified) for export to the US commercial market from existing stocks of rifles and parts.

Another thing to consider is ALL Chinese SKS rifles were made by the Chinese military. Some were modified as in the "paras" as a marketing ploy for US consumers. The Chinese were masters at scrubbing receivers and reusing parts to assemble rifles. I would not believe slight differences such as angles on barrels to indicate anything other than the work was done differently between the two rifles. Many of the shops which were used to make or modify these rifle were very crude so thinking there is a "standard" way to profile a barrel other than "it meets" specifications is dangerous.

Take for example the rifle below. It's a NORINCO marked "para". Norinco which for the most part acted as a importer more than a manufacturer of the Chinese SKS rifles. It was originally a Sino-Soviet made rifle. Meaning a early Chinese factory 26 rifle made under the supervision of the Soviets. (notice the Cyrillic marking on the rear sight).

Later it was modified into a "para" for import into the US.

NOOOOO! aww what a shame to chop a Sino-soviet like that :***( but that should fetch some bu ku money later down the road.

Man love those fliers and photos. Yeah Navy arms and Bircklee really pushed the envelope on Para's and Scoped Sks' I had one Para Bircklee hunters edition only problem was that it was non matching so I didn't cry when I sold it. Still got over 450 for selling it as well.

Ok I am just going to stare at the photos. Damn to be 18 in the 80's and 90's

[PycckN-Comrade]

To SVT-40

Thanks for posting the old flyers.
This is better then finding the 20 years old Playboy magazine your attic!

I guess it's the sign of getting old.


Please educate me: Some Big5 stores still have (or recently had)Yugo SKS for ~$500.
Do you think those worth the $$? Any reports on'em?

[SKSer45]

To SVT-40

Thanks for posting the old flyers.
This is better then finding the 20 years old Playboy magazine your attic!

I guess it's the sign of getting old.


Please educate me: Some Big5 stores still have (or recently had)Yugo SKS for ~$500.
Do you think those worth the $$? Any reports on'em?

Hell no! I wouldn't pay any more than 350-400 for a yugo and that thing better be drenched in cosmo and un issued. Remember yugos are mostly stamped steel and have no chrome lined barrels (early versions of them especially).

For that price you can a good Russian or really nice Chinese Para (500 be pushing it though).

[PycckN-Comrade]

O, never mind. Just found another thread with Chinise/Yugo SKS discussion
Will go there to bug someone else there

[PycckN-Comrade]

SKSer45, thanks for info. I thought those were crap. (I don't trust buy guns at Big5 anyway)
Thanks for confirming my suspicions.

[SKSer45]

Lol nah its ok bro. Don't get me wrong Yugo SKS's are fine fine shooters. But when it comes to those little details Yugo's don't have them and they wont last as long as better built chinese and god old Russians.

You could go crazy and buy one from each country..that would fix everything