Chinese SKS Dating Thread

/256\..... 15th year designator rifles.... 1970 crate.
smiley-face-thumb.gif
 
May also wanna read what I put up here. http://chinesesks.weebly.com/1970-15mil.html

Would love to hear the old 'millionths place dating' BS explain that one!

I've read that before, at the time, I think we had corresponded about the crate & rifle photos when Marstar had posted them on FB. I had a large number of these 256 and 306 rifles go through my hands back then, and I had carefully documented the differences between the guns here in photos at the time and was posting those pics on Gunboards before they were widely circulated stateside.

The findings are interesting observational conclusions and are very possibly right, but I would not call it more than a well supported theory. I've never even seen anything I would consider proof that the Factory 26 serial scheme is accurate.

It's likely correct, but I've not heard of the Chinese confirming anything (?)
 
Is there any research to 'the thinking'? Or is it just thinking?

Observational evidence - but nothing considered hard proof. They came in original cosmo, unissued, in 256 marked crates. Draw what conclusions you will.

the 306 guns were distinctly different with respect to manufacturing features, in differently marked crates, with serial fonts identical to those used at factory 26. The 256 guns used much more rounded digits.
 
Hey guys, the Chinese have been using a year designator at the beginning of the serial for a long time and across many platforms and arsenals.... JUST LOOK AT THE 2017 starting the serial on all the T81s you just imported.

This thread isnt here to argue over what China has not released. If you dont bother to read our data and do your research, then how can you even begin to argue against it. Dont believe it? Perhaps this is not the thread for you.
 
I've read that before, at the time, I think we had corresponded about the crate & rifle photos when Marstar had posted them on FB. I had a large number of these 256 and 306 rifles go through my hands back then, and I had carefully documented the differences between the guns here in photos at the time and was posting those pics on Gunboards before they were widely circulated stateside.

The findings are interesting observational conclusions and are very possibly right, but I would not call it more than a well supported theory. I've never even seen anything I would consider proof that the Factory 26 serial scheme is accurate.

It's likely correct, but I've not heard of the Chinese confirming anything (?)


So you personally hand picked these non arsenal marked guns fresh from a crate of /256\ marked guns?
 
So you personally hand picked these non arsenal marked guns fresh from a crate of /256\ marked guns?

No, a person I know who worked at Marstar (but not any longer) told me. I wasn't there personally, but I took his word for it. I had examples of 256 and the un-marked guns side by side on my bench and they were identical except for the missing roll stamps. Same mix of cast and milled parts.

Edit: I should note, this was a very small and specific import of guns procured from a single storage facility in China and all the factory marked guns were only 2 factory codes. On this point, I spoke to the Marstar owner himself (John) as we used to talk regularly. None had ever been issued and were as-new across the board. Nothing looked to have ever been rebuilt.
 
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Hey guys, the Chinese have been using a year designator at the beginning of the serial for a long time and across many platforms and arsenals.... JUST LOOK AT THE 2017 starting the serial on all the T81s you just imported.

This thread isnt here to argue over what China has not released. If you dont bother to read our data and do your research, then how can you even begin to argue against it. Dont believe it? Perhaps this is not the thread for you.

I didn't say I don't believe it, not trying to argue. I believe it like I believe E=mc^2, evolution andthe big bang theory - none of which is definetively proven, but are probably correct.
 
No, a person I know who worked at Marstar (but not any longer) told me. I wasn't there personally, but I took his word for it. I had examples of 256 and the un-marked guns side by side on my bench and they were identical except for the missing roll stamps. Same mix of cast and milled parts.

I see.

So its basically a story? 'If' true, how do we not know the exporter in China did not fill the order by randomly inserting scrubbed guns into the crates?

Never have we seen or heard of guns that 'just happen to miss the arsenal mark'. All guns (minis the Soviet-Sino and ghost guns) observed thus far not having an arsenal mark or t56 markings showed signs of being scrubbed, and these indicators are not easily seen... especially when soaked in cosmo.

Its not just the arsenal stamp you are presuming was 'missed".... they also do not have the t56 characters. So the thought here is that these guns missed BOTH separate processes? Then where are all the guns that 'missed' one stamp but not the other? These stamps are not applied together in one stamp.
 
So after all this discussion, I just want to know if my SKS (no factory markings) was and is an unissued, unscrubbed SKS type 56 as it was purchased from Marstar. From the comments I take it as a "probable YES".
 
So after all this discussion, I just want to know if my SKS (no factory markings) was and is an unissued, unscrubbed SKS type 56 as it was purchased from Marstar. From the comments I take it as a "probable YES".


I have been completely honest with you regarding your gun with no fluff or buff. I am sorry you do not like what your are hearing, but all evidence and data we have gathered thus far shows your gun used to have a life prior to being scrubbed.
 
here is pics of the whole gun. it has markings on the barrel and really faint electro pencil markings on the bottom of the gas tube. does that mean it is a replacement? also the machining on this gun is really really nice and smooth nothing like the later guns i have.
i know the stock is a replacement but what would an original be like? bottom or side sling?







 
Also, how do we know the distributor did not receive these guns all in one or more crates together? 'Mixed in with' can easily be a crate of scrubbed guns mixed in with crates of 256.
 
JTF

That gun would have had a slightly darker color stock with a side swivel.

You should all take note at the lot/heat number on this barrel lug..... its Russian. Appears to be a long lug russian barrel that was milled back to be a short lug. It has been proposed that China and other nations may have received barrels and possibly receivers for a many years.

IMG_3578.jpg
 
I see.

So its basically a story? 'If' true, how do we not know the exporter in China did not fill the order by randomly inserting scrubbed guns into the crates?

Never have we seen or heard of guns that 'just happen to miss the arsenal mark'. All guns (minis the Soviet-Sino and ghost guns) observed thus far not having an arsenal mark or t56 markings showed signs of being scrubbed, and these indicators are not easily seen... especially when soaked in cosmo.

Its not just the arsenal stamp you are presuming was 'missed".... they also do not have the t56 characters. So the thought here is that these guns missed BOTH separate processes? Then where are all the guns that 'missed' one stamp but not the other? These stamps are not applied together in one stamp.

We don't know for certain, I don't claim it's irrefutable fact - only that they shipped together and share characteristics of manufacture. It's observational evidence. Take it for whatever you like, I really don't care if anyone agrees with my conclusions or not.
 
So after all this discussion, I just want to know if my SKS (no factory markings) was and is an unissued, unscrubbed SKS type 56 as it was purchased from Marstar. From the comments I take it as a "probable YES".

It's a military SKS. Stop worrying. Not all military SKS's have Type56 characters.
 
Also, how do we know the distributor did not receive these guns all in one or more crates together? 'Mixed in with' can easily be a crate of scrubbed guns mixed in with crates of 256.

The crates didn't come to Canada. Marstar had the guns wiped down to remove exterior cosmolene and moved into cardboard sipping boxes in China before they were shipped to Canada, as the labour costs were cheaper than to do that themselves here. Marstar sent an employee to oversee the process (Frank, who no longer works there).

The pics they posted are at the arms depot in China - not at Marstar's facility in Hawkesbury, Ontario.

But what do I know, I only spoke directly to the people involved and helped retail them at a stocking dealer.
 
We don't know for certain, I don't claim it's irrefutable fact - only that they shipped together and share characteristics of manufacture. It's observational evidence. Take it for whatever you like, I really don't care if anyone agrees with my conclusions or not.

Several dozen arsenals can be laid side/side and you will not see any difference other then the markings.

There's alot of them.

http://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=43.0
 
The crates didn't come to Canada. Marstar had the guns wiped down to remove exterior cosmolene and moved into cardboard sipping boxes in China before they were shipped to Canada, as the labour costs were cheaper than to do that themselves here. Marstar sent an employee to oversee the process (Frank, who no longer works there).

The pics they posted are at the arms depot in China - not at Marstar's facility in Hawkesbury, Ontario.

But what do I know, I only spoke directly to the people involved and helped retail them at a stocking dealer.

Good to know.... didn't ship in crates. So a box could have been filled with literally anything.
 
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