Q: When was my Chinese Type 56 SKS made?

[Relics]

I have examples of year 23 prefixed /306\ guns but have never seen a 26,XXX,XXX /306\ marked gun.  I'd still love to see photos of it if you'd care to post them up, sounds like it's a nice one! 

Will do.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Chinese T81 variant imported into Canada in 2017.   

[Matchka]

There's a book in here - or at least a PhD thesis.   

[Boris Badinov]

With the 1.5's  (possibly 1.6's) in the Foxtrot imports, it would be helpful to get the OP dated to include both.

It will make it easier for those still unfamiliar with modern the dating theory to make sense of it.

Yes?

[running-man]

Whole thing needs a rewrite.  Been on my to do list for two years.  One of these days.....

[Shultzie58]

Soooooooo...... I might be missing something but there shouldn't be a factory 26 type 56 in the 1.8 million range should there? Because thats what mine is and Im confused... I dont have any pics right now but could get some. Its a Pomona California import, i not sure which importer off the top of my head, has stamped trigger guard, short collar barrel, blade bayonet, bottom sling mount, all the later production features from what I can tell, all matching serial numbers and the 3 Chinese characters between the factory mark and serial number (military property mark?) From what I can tell this serial number shouldnt exist, should it?

[Loose}{Cannon]

Good clear pics would help...  sure its a 26?

[Shultzie58]

Good clear pics would help...  sure its a 26?

Just busted it out to pget ics and I was wrong its a /36\. So now I'm back to square one I guess.

[Loose}{Cannon]

/136\   

[running-man]

LC, as always, is on the ball.

The /135\ and /136\ stamps are very often confused with /26\:

[Shultzie58]

So being a 136 how would i date it?

[Loose}{Cannon]

So being a 136 how would i date it?

The short answer is 1973

[Boris Badinov]

18 prefix = 18th year of Chinese sks production or 1973.

From page 1 of the thread:

(This list is by no means complete; more will be added as they are discovered.)

    1967: Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,200,000’s.
    1968: Oval/Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,300,000’s.
    1969: Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,400,000’s.
    1970: Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,500,000’s.  Note that there is a distinct but small (less than 20k rifles) group of /26\ rifles produced with a 1.5 million prefix.  The Chinese must have known they would be tapering SKS production at /26\ in 1970 and modified the S/N accordingly.
    1971: Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,600,000’s.
    1972: Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,700,000’s.
1973: Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 1,800,000’s.
    1975: Rectangle Arsenals, S/N in the 2,000,000’s.
    1976: Rectangle/Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 2,100,000’s.
    1977: Rectangle Arsenals, S/N in the 2,200,000’s.
    1978: Rectangle/Triangle Arsenals, S/N in the 2,300,000’s.
    1979: Rectangle Arsenals, S/N in the 2,400,000’s.
    1980: Oval Arsenals, S/N in the 2,500,000’s.

[running-man]

It is internet rumor that "only /26\ guns can be dated".  Almost all Chinese type 56s have coded S/N prefixes.  The patterns were readily apparent when the sample size got large enough.

[Marco]

Anybody know what the G4 suffix on my Chinese means?
It triangle production 1611xxx
Thanks
Marco

[Phosphorus32]

Anybody know what the G4 suffix on my Chinese means?
It triangle production 1611xxx
Thanks
Marco

The meaning of the added letters (etc.) typically suffixes, but sometimes prefixes, is not known with 100% certainty. In my opinion, the most likely explanation is to provide a unique serial number for each importer, as required by the ATF.

Since you're reading this thread, you've likely figured out yours is a 16th year Type 56 made in 1971.

[Marco]

I did, but just this morning.
Thank you.

[Marco]

Serial No. A5716
What would this be? I'm not finding it here but I have been known to miss the obvious sometimes.
Thanks

[Phosphorus32]

Serial No. A5716
What would this be? I'm not finding it here but I have been known to miss the obvious sometimes.
Thanks

A5716 would be a letter gun made circa 1959. In this case the letter was applied originally by the Chinese at the time of manufacture. It should have a /26\ marking but not the 五六式  (Type 56) marking. It should also have early features: a blade bayonet, side swivel sling mount (if it's a matching stock), long lug threaded barrel, lightening cuts in the bolt carrier and bayonet lug, etc.

[jjjxlr8]

I didn't see a 1995 dated example in the excellent references so here's one for the record.  This is an SKS 30 model.