GB listings for March, 2016 - Special

[running-man]

Three special rifles this month including a North Korean. 

I don't know that prices are tempering on these, anything close to $4k for the NK would have been unimaginable two years ago when they were barely breaking $1500.

Item Link   Description   # Bids   Starting Price   Final Price   Model   Arsenal Condition   Current Condition   S/N   RM's Notes

545697948   North Korean SKS Vietnam capture wp battle damage   1   $3,750.00    $3,750.00    North Korean   As-Issued   Poor   ㄹㅊ1798_ㅈ
This gun sold for more than various much better condition NK's did last year.  I think this one is a case where the person selling the gun heavily influenced the price because of his name recognition in the SKS collecting world.  It cycled several times on GB w/o a single big or with bids that were far less than the reserve price.  I guess a collector came around who simply had to have this one at any cost.  I see these things to be critical about:

This is a very rough rifle. 
The G/L and grenade sight are *not* included in the auction. 
Lots of alleged provenience but no proof (i.e. No capture papers but a nice ""the guy I bought it from says the guy he bought it from"" story). 
Rifle may not even be fuctional.

On the plus side, it's an NK, one of only a handful documented.  Of course it came from VN and should fetch a hefty premium.  But this much premium?  I'd rather wait until the next one comes around.  History shows that there will be another that pops up within 6 months..."

548790266   Vietnam captured SKS with 6 documents great cond   1   $1,500.00    $1,500.00    Chinese w/Papers   Refurbished   Good 13019926
13 mil /26\ with all the paperwork.  Same seller as the NK this month.  That the initial bid and final price are the same indicates to me that the price was as high as the market would bear on this one.  The handguard on this one sticks out like a sore thumb.  I'm calling it a replacement, though it could easily be original.

548036318   Chinese SKS with 5 Vietnam capture papers matching   1   $1,200.00    1200   Chinese w/Papers   As-Issued   Fair   10091494
And the third gun from the same seller this month.  Pretty crusty looking piece, but the documents are all in order.  $300 difference from the 13 mil Chinese, but I think this would have been the gun I'd rather have had in my collection.

[Blicero]

mmm documentation 

Intriguing trio there. We've seen the NK before but the other two slipped through the cracks in my daily hunt, not surprising since it only took 15 hours for one of the Chinese to sell.

The guy who bought the NK is a baller-status dealer. I've watched him throw around thousands upon thousands of dollars at SOS. So I'm guessing he has a particular buyer in mind for the gun.