Would you trade a stock Saiga x39, for a 1950 Russian SKS ?

[KILLDOZER]

The deal isn't yet on the table, I thought I'd be wise to look into it before offering, but a guy on our local used market has a 1950 Russian Tula, that comes with the original box, that he says he'd never fired. He says it's been "lightly refurbished", but it doesn't have the blackened bayonet I'm told refurbs normally have (it has the bayo, it just ain't black). The guy has posted many detailed pics, and it looks very good, and I've actually spoken with him a couple times about another possible trade, but I went with a Cowboy's Companion and some cash, over a straight-even trade for his Rusky Tula.
Anyway, his list of trade interests include Saigas, and I have one ( 16" chambered in x39) that's unconverted, that's very low miles and  nearly new condition, with about 4 or 5 of the factory 10-rd mags.
Now, I realize, asking on an SKS forum, I'm walking headlong into a highly biased crowd,LOL, so please try and keep emotion and sentiment reined in as much as possible, and just advise on the practicallity of the trade (did I really just say that?? )
Value-wise, the deal is fairly comparable (he's asking $525), and both aren;t being imported anymore, so that's not an argument for/against either, though with the magazines, I believe the Saiga would be valued a little higher ( absolute cheapest I see them currently is $500 plus shipping and transfer, so $550-ish).
Also, the AK market is firmer than the SKS market,and if anything, that disparity will only increase.
All of the old Russian Tulas I've ever seen have been '52's, is there anything particularly good or bad about the 1950's?  Any solid info is much appreciated.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Hard choice!

A light refurb usually means its a refurb but does not have any bbq painted parts, so its should have bluing, black rear sight leaf, and a shiny (in the white) bolt carrier. A 1950 is an early transitional year and can be more desirable compared to say a 1952 or 53 tula.  The only issue is, with refurbs the receiver cover was more often then not replaced during the refurb process and force matched to the gun. So the gun itself may not be a 1950 even though thats whats on the cover.  You will need to look at all the other features to determine if it's really a 1950.   I would suggets a cooy/paste of the pics here, or show it to one of us via PM.

[Greasemonkey]

No clue where you are, but where I live, typical "lightly" used Saigas sell routinely for 550-700 bucks, even unconverted ones, a decently done converted example sometimes can go for $800-900.  The secondary market usually brings a higher price premium vs. retail, there is no FFL hassles, no shipping, usually no waiting, and what not.

I'd sell the Saiga outright, barter down the Russian to 500, if you sell the Saiga for 600, get the Russian for 500, you gotta hundred bucks for ammo.  In my eyes, just based on the resale value on the secondary market premium, it's not really a fair trade, a WASR, yea to me the deal would be closer, but not the Saiga.  Don't sell yourself short and undervalue what you have to justify it, looking at the lowest prices, ain't no one in the secondary market going to do that, look at what they actually sell for, the high end prices.

If I had the Russian SKS, and you were offering me that Ak, I would be all over it like stink on poo, knowing full well, I could do a little work and flip the Saiga at a later date for so much more money or possibly even double my money at the right time.

[KILLDOZER]

Outstanding replies, guys, very useful info there. After thinking on it during the day, I was already leaning towards hanging on the the Saiga, partially because I remembered shooting the 2 Rusky Tulas an old buddy had (before he passed away a couple years back) , and they had significant trigger slap, which I'd forgotten about. (is that common in the Ruskies?)
Also, LooseCannon's points about it being a re-furb (and presumably very well used), with possible mis-matches are also worth factoring in. And, I'm not knowledgable enough to really know what I'm looking at (but i will PM you some pics, I'm still curious.)
And, I agree with greasemonkey's point that the Saiga will likely have more demand/price down the road, than the SKS will. And, funny greasemonkey should mention trading for a WASR, because the guy wanted to trade me even for one (not at first, but after striking out at the gunshow last weekend, he e-mailed me again, saying he'd trade me,even-up). I ended up trading the WASR for a $160 cash, and the '76 Paratrooper ''Cowboys Companion" (that I've been asking questions about the past few days), plus, I got to keep all the extras I was including (even magazines, the guy said he had hundreds of them that were given to him by a good buddy, David Keng.......yeah, no kidding, THAT David Keng.)
Anyway, thanks again for the solid info!!

[running-man]

I'll be posting the Russian July GB sales reports before too long. It might get you an even better idea of the going rate for a light refurb '50 Tula.

I'll throw out there that there's no guarantee that the Saigas won't ever be imported again and sold at retail, but it's 99 to 1 odds that a Russian SKS never will (in the U.S. anyhow). If it was a better SKS specimen, I'd have told you to jump on it, but realistically when compared today, the Saiga is $100 to $200 more.

[KILLDOZER]

Thanks for the solid reply,RM, but it's a moot point,now. i just checked the guy's ad he has on another classified site, and he's just listed it as sold. No heartbreaker,though. I had a converted Saiga for a while, but it's gone, but I'm kinda fond of this stock rifle. Last I shot it, I was easily getting 1MOA out of it, from a sandbag rest (ok, I was shooting from 90, not 100 yards, but it's mighty close close.) I love the AK platform, with it's simplicity and reliability, but in this lighter, more nimble configuration, it just feels more natural and handier than a regular AK.
And I've long had this theory that maybe keeping it as a carbine with the 10-rd mags, it may slide under a future hi-cap ban a little longer than some others (hey, I can hope.  )