Need help with SKS identification (56k warning)

[GilesG]

I bought a sks a few months ago from a local store for 150 dollars. I knew I was getting a Chinese. What I am not too sure about is the year of manufacture or the name/location of the factory. I also do not know if it was a Chinese military made sks or a norinco sks.

I have tried to do my own research on this, but my sks doesn't match up with the other examples I have been comparing it against. There are no Chinese symbol markings on it. The rear sight has Cyrillic markings on it. The barrel is threaded (I think). It is fully machined, I cannot find a stamped part (other than the mag and trigger, I think). There is little to no info on the factory stamp. This has been confusing me, so hopefully an expert on this subject can help me.

After I cleaned the cosmoline from it, I discovered it was essentially new. All numbers matched. No wear markings on the takedown pin areas (there are now though), the bore was super bright, bluing was 100%. Note rear sling swivel is in odd place.

The only wear I could find was on the magazine as shown in the above picture, anyone have any idea why its worn like this?

These pictures show the machining of the firearm itself, the pictures of other Chinese sks's with know dates and factories have stamped trigger units among other things.

Cyrillic marking on the rear sight. The picture didn't turn out well, so I outlined the markings to make them clearer.

The threaded? barrel.

Receiver markings. If they are not clear enough they read, left to right,
2 - 140###X SKS 7.62X39 MADE IN CHINA

Note, there are no Chinese symbols at all on this rifle. The picture above shows the only stampings on the entire firearm, other than the serials on all the parts.

This is a close up of the factory stamp. I cannot find out much about it. I was thinking it was a recent norinco manufacture, but this stamp leads me to believe otherwise.

I was also thinking that this firearm could be a "frankengun" composed of whatever parts a factory had lying around, but the matching serials throw me off that idea.

Any hints on any data regarding this rifle would be very appreciated, as I am most interested in learning about its history. Thank you for taking a look.

 

[Curtton]

first off, the code is 0406 ... http://www.simonov.net/codechart.htm

im not fimiliar with this factory .

- early chinese trigger group, its milled not stamp.
- early chinese threaded barrel but with a short lug , earlier has long and no lug for pinned barrel.
- early chinese has rear side swivel.
- early chinese rear sight.
- late , spike bayo.
- late , ruff machining of rear sight block .

need a close up of the right side of carrier but it looks like you got a transition rifle from early to norc . not as good as a early chinese but better than a norinco .

in any case you got one hellava deal for $150. any more left?

 

[eos]

Factory 0406. Second wave Type 56 production. Military contract Export, People's militia or armed police use.

It's a legit military spec Type 56. Not a parts gun.

Not all Type 56s retained for PLA use were marked with "56 Type", not all export marked "M21"

The usual serial number year code does not apply to all factories, but I'm thinking this is a 1970's carbine. The side swivel is usually found on earlier carbines.

"2-" prefix is not known by me.

Take a look for part of the serial electric penciled on the extractor and gas tube. If still visible and matching the rest of the carbine it usually indicates a non refurb. Other indicators are the bright polished carrier and bolt.

 

[GilesG]

Thank you curtton & eos

I should have wrote that the only thing I could find about the marking was it was from factory 0406. I couldn't find where that factory was located or anything else about it.

curtton,

There is no relief cut on the right side of the bolt carrier, I think that means its a later one.

Thing that was confusing me was the mix of early and late parts, but they all had the same serial. I never though of the whole "transitioning" idea before. That explains it.

I bought the last one my store was offering at the moment, but they bring in sks's all the time. They are hot sellers around here. If you have a specific sks you are looking for, shoot me a PM with details and I will keep my eye open.

eos,

Would you think the "SKS 7.62x39 MADE IN CHINA" would be a marking stamped during the importation to Canada?

I checked the gas tube, the matching serial number is there, albeit very crude. I recall the extractor serial to match, I don't feel like tearing the bolt down at this moment. The gas piston was also marked, hard to make out, but I do not think it matched. First non matching part I noticed. The bolt and bolt carrier were never really shiny, more of a dull gray. In the picture its hard to tell because of the graphite on them.



To anyone reading, I believe the Cyrillic character to be a "Pe". In other sks rifles, I usually see the number 3. I have heard that this setting is a "battlefield zero". Does anyone have data on the round trajectory on this setting? It is probably close to a 300m zero.

 

[Curtton]

Thing that was confusing me was the mix of early and late parts, but they all had the same serial. I never though of the whole "transitioning" idea before. That explains it..

yours looks very much like my 1967 , not as good as my 1965 and better than my other two norincos . the changes started in the mid 60s , the blade bayo went first , it was very gradual and not all factories followed the same time table.

 

[eos]

It's difficult to catagorise the parts combinations coming from the second wave plants. It's obvious that the "standard" for parts conformity was fairly broad as far as milled/stamped/old style/new style parts is concerned.

Most likely is was left broad to accomodate the available tooling and type of manufacturing being conducted at a particular plant.

The spike bayonet seems to be the only rigidly standardised component from those plants.

The centralised economy and decentralised military industrial establishment of the 60s-70s PRC meant that factories had "cycles" assigned where both civil and military products were made at various times, hence the large number of second wave factories. Only a few would produce arms during a given cycle.

The original /26\ Jianshe factory went over to production of Yamaha designed motorcycles in the early 80s

 

[eos]

"Would you think the "SKS 7.62x39 MADE IN CHINA" would be a marking stamped during the importation to Canada?"

Definitely placed there for civilian export sales. Not mandated as a compulsory marking (yet) for Canada but required by US law.

 

[DAR 701]

My 0406 SKS is nearly the same as yours. Mine has a heavier wood stock with bottom stock swivel, otherwise it is identical. Mine is a great shooter, even better than the vaunted Factory 26 blade bayonet models...