I'm looking at an East German local to me. It has the wrong stock and bayonet. Everything else is correct. what are your thoughts on a price? He's asking $2200.
These are the only pictures I currently have.
(https://i.ibb.co/FbfpsgK7/IMG-20250424-163618-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5WzZYB6c)
(https://i.ibb.co/MDZQZKGr/IMG-20250424-163618.jpg) (https://ibb.co/C5mDm4Mg)
Whether $2,200 is a deal depends on what else is 'wrong' with it. Is it functional? All matching numbers? Heavy rust or other damage? Shot out barrel?
Another question to ask yourself might be why is a gun shop selling it and why is it labeled as a Russian SKS on the tag? Do they know what they have? Is it on consignment for a VN widow or something? (I'd not hesitate to pay way below market asking price of a clueless pawn broker or Gun Store flipper but maybe not so much a widow or vet's family.)
If in decent shape, $2,200 is probably the lowest I've seen an EG in 15 years. The missing stock is a real bummer, however.
$2200 :o
Is the missing EG stock and blade bayonet a $8-10K hit? I mean there is a 99.999999% chance you will never find either part. I think it definitely takes a few K off of market price but I wouldn’t hesitate at that price.
A Polish honor guard or Russian stock would be an improvement along with a Russian/Chinese/Romanian blade bayonet. One could reasonably argue that Chinese parts would be the most “theater appropriate“ since it is a Vietnam bring-back.
I'd jump on it. There was a bona fide Karabiner S stock that was apparently taken off of a rifle on eBay approximately 3 to 4 months ago, if I recall correctly. I tried to find it in the sold item listings, but was unsuccessful - I want to say it was listed at around $1000. My philosophy is to get the best one you can when you can for a collection, and trade up to the best example that satisfies your needs.
And sometimes karma works. I went to a local gun show with a couple of work friends some years ago, and we always prepped for shows with "What are you looking for? If I see it I'll let you know". For that show, I said I'd like to find a rare SKS with a riveted/spot welded receiver, described it generally knowing I'd never see one, and one of my friends who was prone to pulling your leg came and found me 15 minutes after we entered the show and said "I found your rifle!" Yeah RIGHT! But he WAS right! That same rifle is the one I posted about a year and a half ago.
Go get it, never hurts to ask for movement on the price, and good luck!
Everything else is matching according to the owner. No rust. The owner bought it from the gunshop who labeled it as a Russian.
My thoughts are when will I see another one. And this is a Trinity rifle.
Once you get it :) take a close look at the stock. The one that's on it looks to have been possibly sanded with some form of finish applied. But it also looks to have rust staining at the recoil lug and reinforcing pins that is sometimes seen on rifles that have lived in a very humid environment. Could the black flecks at the wrist be impacts from shrapnel somewhat obscured by sanding? It would be neat to see all of the stock, including the buttplate to see if similar effects are there. While we'll never know, I think it's in the realm of possibility that the stock could be an in-service replacement. So when you get it, consider all possibilities, and ponder just why there is a replaced stock. And again, good luck!
I'm meeting with the guy tomorrow. If everything is as described I'll be bringing it home. Thanks everyone.
Nothing is matching on the rifle. No import marks anywhere. It looks like everything might have been replaced a long time ago. The whole gun has similar wear. You can also see it looks like it was hit by a bullet or something. I gave him $1800 for it.
(https://i.ibb.co/6Rg5Bg1R/20250426-162510.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XZST8S3Z)
(https://i.ibb.co/cXCq4DMH/20250426-162520.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5xnZbBty)
(https://i.ibb.co/p6BKVbGH/20250426-162536.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hxJdQLhG)
(https://i.ibb.co/fVx4tzJ3/20250426-162541.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7x12Vdh3)
(https://i.ibb.co/hxh3BdqF/20250426-162558.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y4YHcdrB)
(https://i.ibb.co/8kX8pzN/20250426-162602.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XHVJgyj)
(https://i.ibb.co/h1RKLTcB/20250426-162617.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mFCHbP09)
(https://i.ibb.co/Y4N1s9Y2/20250426-162621.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fVXywRBM)
(https://i.ibb.co/XfZ13JtR/20250426-162633.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Fkb207zT)
(https://i.ibb.co/zhCNT0SW/20250426-162638.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HDRXfkrL)
(https://i.ibb.co/93mpGZ8P/20250426-162642.jpg) (https://ibb.co/S7D6JfsS)
(https://i.ibb.co/G4dd7LsW/20250426-162654.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wFddyXJS)
(https://i.ibb.co/JWdZ0ZjJ/20250426-162659.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SDxSWSwC)
(https://i.ibb.co/pr34Vhg1/20250426-163655.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NnLWDTXF)
(https://i.ibb.co/kV6pD75B/20250426-163741.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qLFzgS7j)
(https://i.ibb.co/BVyNfv7W/20250426-164643.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WWktH7d8)
(https://i.ibb.co/dShWRxR/20250426-164651.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LMGk3H3)
That's about as far away as you can get and still be what you're after. For sure a field rebuild true combat vet sample. It is what it is but it's legit. Pretty cool actually, thumb1 clap1 PAX
Well done, Sindone, WELL DONE!! It looks like what I surmised earlier with the stock possibly being a replacement contemporaneous with combat usage. Regarding the authenticity of the stock, I would have to ponder that if someone replaced the original (as returned from Vietnam), why would they choose one that's stained everywhere there's contact with metal? I'm going to go out on a limb and vote for the stock being original to the rifle, as captured. And while the sanding and refinishing of the stock (if indeed it has been subject to that) could be considered a miniscule downer, I think we've all seen many Vietnam bringbacks that have gone through that process, and I'm guessing it was usually done by the vet that captured it.
Maybe the impact is from a Claymore pellet; I think the impact would be more destructive if it were a 5.56 or 7.62x51 bullet. It also looks like the sight slide/slider was impacted or slightly dented from whatever hit the rear sight base. Does that seem to be the case when the sight is in it's normal position? Whatever the case may be, somebody gave it up the hard way.
Pleased to see that you got it, and CONGRATULATIONS!!
Think about the rifle's composition, built from the heap of combat donor rifles, then itself damaged in a firefight. In my book it's gonna be an actual battle field pick up vs cache score.
Quote from: jmaurer on April 26, 2025, 08:17:39 PM
Well done, Sindone, WELL DONE!! It looks like what I surmised earlier with the stock possibly being a replacement contemporaneous with combat usage. Regarding the authenticity of the stock, I would have to ponder that if someone replaced the original (as returned from Vietnam), why would they choose one that's stained everywhere there's contact with metal? I'm going to go out on a limb and vote for the stock being original to the rifle, as captured. And while the sanding and refinishing of the stock (if indeed it has been subject to that) could be considered a miniscule downer, I think we've all seen many Vietnam bringbacks that have gone through that process, and I'm guessing it was usually done by the vet that captured it.
Maybe the impact is from a Claymore pellet; I think the impact would be more destructive if it were a 5.56 or 7.62x51 bullet. It also looks like the sight slide/slider was impacted or slightly dented from whatever hit the rear sight base. Does that seem to be the case when the sight is in it's normal position? Whatever the case may be, somebody gave it up the hard way.
Pleased to see that you got it, and CONGRATULATIONS!!
Thank you. Yes the sight itself is also damaged. It could be from a claymore we will never know. It might also be why so many other parts were replaced. I was thinking if it was a bullet then maybe it passed through something before striking the rifle.
I basically agree with echo1 and jmaurer thumb1
That mixture of jungle-patina Chinese Type 56 parts and the corrosion-stained stock suggest a VC put-together-whatever-we-have refurbishment strategy. Well worth your outlay plus. I would 100% assume the veteran, or a subsequent owner, did the refinishing job on the stock.
All-in-all, a cool little piece of Vietnam War history 8)
I hadn't realized this carbine was the one being discussed here (https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=1844.msg68525#msg68525) and on SKSboards.com (http://www.SKSboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=151436.0). Sounds like you got it from Uzified1. Looks like he made 3x his money in 4 years. Not a bad return at all to be honest.
Turns out I had the uncropped photos from 2021 that Uzified1 had posted @SKSBoards:
(https://i.ibb.co/sv2p15vB/60-A4568-receiver.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Pv71nGLn/60-A4568-receiver2.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Gv4gzPmy/60-A4568-left-whole.jpg)
Quote from: running-man on April 28, 2025, 12:19:00 PM
I hadn't realized this carbine was the one being discussed here (https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=1844.msg68525#msg68525) and on SKSboards.com (http://www.SKSboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=151436.0). Sounds like you got it from Uzified1. Looks like he made 3x his money in 4 years. Not a bad return at all to be honest.
Turns out I had the uncropped photos from 2021 that Uzified1 had posted @SKSBoards:
(https://i.ibb.co/sv2p15vB/60-A4568-receiver.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Pv71nGLn/60-A4568-receiver2.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Gv4gzPmy/60-A4568-left-whole.jpg)
I'm ok with him making a profit on it. I'm also ok with the price I paid. He lives about an hour from me so I didn't have shipping, ffl or any other fees involved. It amazes me the collection of information some of you guys have.
Quote from: Sindone on April 28, 2025, 05:21:42 PM
I'm ok with him making a profit on it. I'm also ok with the price I paid. He lives about an hour from me so I didn't have shipping, ffl or any other fees involved. It amazes me the collection of information some of you guys have.
I think it was very reasonable on both your parts. If you both walked away from the deal happy, that says quite a bit in my opinion. clap1
Definitely a carbine for you to enjoy pondering in the years to come. Didn't break the bank and it's a very unique one. thumb1