Long time SKS owner / tinkerer here.
My first SKS was a "golden era" former Chinese issue SKS bought for $120 at a gun shop in Tucson, AZ in 1991. I had that as a truck gun for years but long gone now.
I was at a gun show in Albuquerque in 2009 looking to replace that rifle and ended up with a complete, original, commercial Norinco SKS and a basket case SKS missing its gas system and magazine. Norinco is a screwed barrel, spike bayonet with a stamped trigger guard/FCG. Basket case is screwed barrel, machined trigger guard/FCG, missing bayonet.
Looking to build the basket case into something interesting.
I also build FAL's, AR's, AK's, 1911's, Mausers,... my only limit is time in CONUS.