Author Topic: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?  (Read 2030 times)

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Offline High Noon

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Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« on: May 22, 2020, 01:50:54 PM »
Got this one earlier this year (at a very good price) and would like any thoughts on what it is.  Serial starts #90, so it's from 1990?  Note the "9" seems a little lower with a slightly different font.

Says....
Made by "CGA"...which was used before Norinco?  Regardless of the name, these were still made in the state arsenals?
Imported by GLNIC, which was a PLA company based on what I have seen.
All numbers matching, even with etching on the gas piston.  No signs of being re-serialed - looks original to me.
Pinned barrel with no notch for dust cover latch.
Came with the cleaning rod, kit and sling.
Shows some signs of use but not much.

Since there is no arsenal mark, I am assuming it was assembled from surplus parts and made for export?  Is that right? 

Many thanks....just looking to better understand what I bought.

« Last Edit: April 11, 2021, 10:56:27 AM by High Noon »

owenj492

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2020, 02:05:50 PM »
I have two of these CGA, both with "91 xxxxx" which is the year imported, I can't remember but CGA was a importer or something, both of mine only have the serial number on bolt and bolt carrier, the stock, magazine, trigger, receiver cover are all blank, no serial numbers, pinned barrel, almost like new, I have them stored with my other prized SKS rifles.

I forgot this: Mine have the bayonet rivet, not the screw.

EDIT: I found the following info with a google search:

CGA seems to be a mark associated with "China Guangdon", one of the hundreds of "U.S." importers owned by Chinese, most of which disappeared after the late 80s early 90s.

Maybe a SKS expert will let us know.

« Last Edit: May 22, 2020, 02:53:00 PM by owenj492 »

Offline High Noon

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2020, 02:51:51 PM »
I have two of these CGA, both with "91 xxxxx" which is the year imported, I can't remember but CGA was a importer or something, both of mine only have the serial number on bolt and bolt carrier, the stock, magazine, trigger, receiver cover are all blank, no serial numbers, pinned barrel, almost like new, I have them stored with my other prized SKS rifles.  I forgot this: Mine have the bayonet rivet, not the screw. 

interesting...thanks for that info.  Wonder if they used up the remaining unmarked parts as they slowly ended production?  This one has all those stamped with the matching serial number.

It has the bayonet rivet as well.  I was thinking they are still military rifles...?
« Last Edit: May 22, 2020, 03:43:00 PM by High Noon »

Online Bubbazinetti

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2020, 03:06:49 PM »
Supposedly the GCA manufactured guns predate the Norincos to around 1986 or so.I think you have a very early import Type 56.
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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2020, 03:53:09 PM »
It's generally assumed that most long lug and short lug threaded barrel guns in the 'commercial' configuration were 100% scrubbed and renumbered prior to refinishing during refurbishment for the US market.  The pressed and pinned guns like this one...that is a different story.  Many appear for all intents and purposes 'new' so it's not out of the realm of possibility for them to have been assembled specifically for the purposes of export out of either NOS hardware or new hardware.   Certain examples have been found with dull metal finishes that have clearly been stripped and reblued, and I've seen Clayco M8s (which we thought were new manufacture) show scrubbed arsenal stamps when held up to the proper light indicating that at the very least, those components were indeed scrubbed and refinished prior to assembly. 

The "China Guandon" info is old internet lore and I have never found a single piece of colloborating evidence that it is valid.  Besides, CGA would be the exporter in this case, GLNIC is the importer.  GLNIC has been tied to "Guangdon(g) Lingnan Industry Corporation" or "Import Co." again based on internet lore so I take it with a grain of salt. 

CGA on the other hand, I've been able to fairly reliably ascertain stands for China "Customs General Administration".  This was an export entity that was fairly active in China with early imported guns prior to Norinco taking the lion's share of PLA exports in ~1989.  thumb1
      

Offline High Noon

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2020, 09:39:07 PM »
It's generally assumed that most long lug and short lug threaded barrel guns in the 'commercial' configuration were 100% scrubbed and renumbered prior to refinishing during refurbishment for the US market.  The pressed and pinned guns like this one...that is a different story.  Many appear for all intents and purposes 'new' so it's not out of the realm of possibility for them to have been assembled specifically for the purposes of export out of either NOS hardware or new hardware.   Certain examples have been found with dull metal finishes that have clearly been stripped and reblued, and I've seen Clayco M8s (which we thought were new manufacture) show scrubbed arsenal stamps when held up to the proper light indicating that at the very least, those components were indeed scrubbed and refinished prior to assembly. 

The "China Guandon" info is old internet lore and I have never found a single piece of colloborating evidence that it is valid.  Besides, CGA would be the exporter in this case, GLNIC is the importer.  GLNIC has been tied to "Guangdon(g) Lingnan Industry Corporation" or "Import Co." again based on internet lore so I take it with a grain of salt. 

CGA on the other hand, I've been able to fairly reliably ascertain stands for China "Customs General Administration".  This was an export entity that was fairly active in China with early imported guns prior to Norinco taking the lion's share of PLA exports in ~1989.  thumb1

Thanks for the great info! 

Okay - it's possible excess mil-spec parts were used and stamped with the export markings to make the later ones for export.  I don't see any evidence of this one being re-stamped, so that sounds logical and what I was thinking.   

Where I get fuzzy is why they would stamp all the parts (same as a /26\ military rifle from '67) on a rifle destined for the U.S.?   Guess that's just the production/marking process that was in place and it continued.

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2020, 10:17:13 PM »
It’s interesting. Some snob nosed purist collectors used to call these late commercial imports ‘parts guns’ (as if other guns aren’t built from parts?!?). They use this term pejoratively as to imply that they were just thrown together with whatever crap might be laying around at the time. One only has to hold a nice specimen like yours in their hands to know that these late builds are every bit as functional and aesthetically pleasing as any identical gun built at /416\. 

As for part stamping, I’d say that this is the way the Chinese had always done it, why change the procedure when it had worked well since 1956? 

      

Offline High Noon

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2020, 11:36:49 PM »
It’s interesting. Some snob nosed purist collectors used to call these late commercial imports ‘parts guns’ (as if other guns aren’t built from parts?!?). They use this term pejoratively as to imply that they were just thrown together with whatever crap might be laying around at the time. One only has to hold a nice specimen like yours in their hands to know that these late builds are every bit as functional and aesthetically pleasing as any identical gun built at /416\. 

As for part stamping, I’d say that this is the way the Chinese had always done it, why change the procedure when it had worked well since 1956?

Yep!  It has the same overall "feel" too me as the two /26\ guns.  The parts don't look lower quality either - just slightly different.  Such as the stock doesn't have the dust cover lever cut out.


owenj492

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2020, 12:44:16 PM »
I love my pinned barreled SKS's as much as I do for my all other Chinese, Yugoslavian variants, I've even seen people make the claim that the pinned barrels are more accurate, but I have not verified it myself.

Offline Justin Hell

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2020, 02:04:54 PM »
It’s interesting. Some snob nosed purist collectors used to call these late commercial imports ‘parts guns’ (as if other guns aren’t built from parts?!?). They use this term pejoratively as to imply that they were just thrown together with whatever crap might be laying around at the time. One only has to hold a nice specimen like yours in their hands to know that these late builds are every bit as functional and aesthetically pleasing as any identical gun built at /416\. 

As for part stamping, I’d say that this is the way the Chinese had always done it, why change the procedure when it had worked well since 1956?

Yep!  It has the same overall "feel" too me as the two /26\ guns.  The parts don't look lower quality either - just slightly different.  Such as the stock doesn't have the dust cover lever cut out.

You only get the stock cut out for the inverted take down lever guns....most generally don't have that. 

Offline High Noon

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2020, 11:09:55 PM »
You only get the stock cut out for the inverted take down lever guns....most generally don't have that.

I didn't know that....

Offline High Noon

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2020, 09:21:10 PM »
Recently put 100 rounds through it (after giving it a good cleaning) and had no issues.  It's a nice rifle.

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: Here's another SKS - what do I really have here?
« Reply #12 on: September 24, 2020, 10:12:45 PM »
 shooting1  thumb1  :)