Sad day for /08\

[running-man]

I had just completed an entry in the /08\ portion of the Chinese Arsenal Components Configuration board when I stumbled upon this  :

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=511548710

I can understand parting out guns to make a profit, but did you have to part out this one?!  The guy even knows that it's not a common gun!  I'm glad I got to see it in partially complete condition, even though it was a mixmaster of dubious origin and not terribly useful for gaining knowledge on the original configuration of the gun.  Some is better than none though...that matching three digit bolt carrier was a very different configuration than *anything* I'd ever seen before.  Lost to the four winds now, sad to see. 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Whats the big deal in it being an 08?

[running-man]

Oh nothing much really.  Same deal as a Soviet-Sino, 6 mil /26\, or 1.5/1.6 mil /26\ in my book.  S/N markings are interesting & different on the receiver, low production, not many examples known (I've only ever seen two /08\'s, with the highest being 1599), the gun had at least a matching bolt carrier and now it's been dissected and doesn't really exist anymore. 

It's not like a Picasso was lost here, but this wasn't one of a hundred thousand identical /26\, /416\, or even /636\ guns either.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Lol..

In those types of comparisons, all sks minus yugos and albys are the same. Soviet Sinos have a completely dif allure for several  reasons.  There is a dramatic difference between the first 2k guns from beginning of early jianshe production and some late oddball arsenal. Its not just a dif in arsenal marks....Does a late gun from 08 classify as a variant?


How many people a actually looking specifically for an /08\?  Im guessing not many and they all fall through the cracks. Hundreds of eyeballs been looking at guns with soviet sino in the consciousness over atleast 10 years and the last one added to the list I think was carls... Years ago. Your simply going to see less of what almost nobody is looking for.

[Dannyboy53]

Running-man I agree, this is a shame. A very unusual piece, the likes of which I have never seen.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Whats so unusual about it?    Lol

[running-man]

I knew adding the Soviet-Sino into the mix would get a response! 

When you boil it all down they are essentially the same except as we all know they aren't. 

The raw numbers show there are at least 1599 /08\s vs. 1999 Soviet-Sinos.  For sheer rarity, the /08\ is in the lead at the moment.  Tons of other factors go into the desirability of a gun though, and the /08\ loses on pretty much every single other metric (including quality of build, that thing was probably a swamp donkey even before it got mismatched).  That doesn't eliminate the fact that at this point in time, we have S/N proof of there being /08\s than Soviet Sinos. (and who knows, when we find a new gun with a higher S/N the whole thing will need to be reexamined.)   I'm not saying that the /08\ and Soviet-Sino are equally desired, I'm just saying that they are equally 'rare' and there is one less /08\, which I think is a downright shame because there weren't too many to start off with. 

As an aside I don't think there are as many eyeballs scouring gunshows/shops all over the country for Soviet Sinos as you think.  Looking for NVA/EG/NK and Izhevsks (and I'd argue even Tulas) you bet!  I think the Chinese guns along with the Yugos, Romys, and to some extent Albys, really don't have the broad collector interest that the big three plus the Russians have.  Some niche guns like the LB Yugo are catching up as more and more people read about them, and there will always be niches for something like a Commercial SKS.  It's just my opinion of course, but when you look on Gunbroker at the prices people are willing to pay, it's clear what people are generally looking for. 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Wait wait...   Soviet Sinos are well known, people know what they are, and would buy or record when seen.  Nobody gives a damn about an 08 yet alone have it on their radar to pick up.  Huge difference thats likely why we have two recorded.  How long have you been seeking the ultra rare 08 vs how long the SS has been well known by many and recorded? 

Here is an idea.... Proof of apples/oranges based on serial numbers and our lack of recording the ultra 08.  We know for a fact the Soviet Sino went to #1999 and did not exceed #2292 because thats our lowest ghost.  Your 08 has a serial pattern of 02-70-2-01599.  Based off the uber 08 serial pattern, there are a possible 99,999 guns and we only bothered to recently record 2.   

Another note..   You also included the 1.6m in comparisons. We have only ONE recorded and its serial is 1600475.   By the same strange logic applied to the 08,  there is only 475 1.6m guns and FAR exceeds the uber 08?   

I call bs on atleast 3 levels.   

[Dannyboy53]

Whats so unusual about it?    Lol

What is so unusual TO ME is the markings/s-n.

[Loose}{Cannon]

I can buy that and I agree,  there are several arsenal that marked the guns similar to this and it is a bit unusual.

[Loose}{Cannon]

And thanks for finding it and pointing it out RM...  Just because I dont agrre on some aspects dont mean its not worthy of a data find and talking about etc.   

[Loose}{Cannon]

Do these look scrubbed to anyone?

[Dannyboy53]

I can't tell

[Direct Connection]

I read the title and thought something happened to Martin. Don't scare us like that Danny 

[Loose}{Cannon]

I cant tell either, but they could be....  Just an idea