Hello from North Carolina! During some research on SKS rifles, I stumbled across this forum and had to join since I recently jumped head first into the SKS world!
This past year I was reflecting on a time I can remember, probably mid 1980’s, when I was at a small gun show in the town I lived in. One table at the show, a guy was selling Chinese SKS rifles still in cosmoline and some packed in the original crates they were imported in. He was selling them for what is now a stupid low price, maybe $75 each, buy a crate of 3 or 4 and get a further discount off the individual price. I’m sure many on this forum have similar memories, and like me they look back and say “If only I had bought a crate or two!” I also remember at that time I was trying to justify buying some and I think I said to myself…”Heck, I’ll buy some of those one day!”
So, fast forward about 35 years and that one day has finally arrived! Over the past few months I have been researching and watching the market and have put together a nice small collection that should keep me busy for a while. I’ve picked up four SKS rifles so far, three Chinese and one Russian, each is in great condition and has all matching parts. One of the Chinese rifles appears to be a first year production Ghost, that Norinco got ahold of and put through a refurb and turned it into a Paratrooper model…so very cool and I’m thinking very rare. The Russian looks like it just rolled out of the factory and appears to be another rare one, a late model built around 1958. Another Chinese is a pristine 9 million series Arsenal 26, built around 1965. And the last Chinese is a pristine 12 million series Arsenal 26, built around 1968 and with a beautiful laminated stock. The last Chinese I plan to use as a “shooter grade” just because I got it at such a good price and need one I won’t feel too bad about shooting!
Anyway, enjoying the forum and hope interest and participation keeps going strong! Thanks to all those that have come before and contributed a lot of interesting and useful resource material!!!