File this under: when it rains it pours
I went to the local gun show a week ago Saturday and chatted with my favorite seller (dry hole of a gun show otherwise). He mentioned that he had a Chinese SKS at home in a bag, that it was full of Cosmoline and that he'd send me some pictures. Well, I forgot about it but he called me 8 days later and said he'd send a pic of the receiver rail but he couldn't find the arsenal stamp. He sent it and I saw it was an [0135] in good condition, so I decided I'd probably go for it and we met yesterday.
Anyhow, here it is. It was covered in Cosmoline and I mostly wiped down the outside just to get a good look at the stock and metal finish. The bolt SN matches. No SNs electropenciled on the gas tube or gas piston. The inside remains caked from the rear of the action to the muzzle and it'll probably stay that way. No cleaning kit, sling or accessories, but extra Cosmoline
A Type 56 in very good condition from a relatively scarce arsenal is what sold me. Imported by CJA, China Jing An, if it's the same outfit that imported my ammo.
It has a cast rear sight block, two piece gas tube, no lightening cuts and rough machining on the barrel. The short threaded barrel lug with an extra step-down is new to me. The finish is a very glossy semi-opaque orange.
P.S. the fence is back by popular demand