1988 SN only Type 56

[SVT-40]

Beautiful little carbine. Not a mark on the receiver other than the serial number. Small CAI import marks on the barrel.
Riveted on bayonet.
Enjoy!!

[Loose}{Cannon]

Thats a nice one too!

Scrubbed of its previous markings and reserialized, but a nice example none the less!   

You can even tell by the old stake marks on the bayo lug that it used to have a screw.

[Phosphorus32]

Nice! 

No Norinco markings is unusual and a bonus.

[SVT-40]

My records indicate I bought this from Century arms along with four other identical Type 56 carbines in March of 1989. Cost was $120 each. I sold the other four and kept this one.

[carls sks]

SWEET!!!!!!!

[firstchoice]

  Beautiful Type 56, SVT-40! You've kept that in amazing condition. Very nice!

  Interesting that the SN is the same as Beta Arms SKS-30's (formerly referred to as the SKS-D) that were also imported in 1988. I've tracked quite a few of the SKS-30's as well as the ones on the Commercial SN list here on the Files. OP's SN 8803983 is surely a doubled SN for the Beta Arms guns, for which we have SN's 8800042-8806662. I own SN's 8803792 and 8804450, so I'm sure the 8803983 was used on the Beta Arms rifles, as well. (Although it's not on file here, yet.) The OP's SN is also in the same font as the Norinco-marked guns. I suppose they were all Norinco guns, this one just made it through without the Norinco stamp?

  As a side note, the Commercial SN list shows the Norinco-marked SKS-63's (all) and the early SKS-Sporter's used the same 88XXXXX-type serial numbers. Not sure of the importer on those. Power Surge would know that, though.

  So, when did the suffix and prefix letters start getting used? If I remember correctly, they were used for guns entering the States that had identical SN's? Maybe it's examples like these that started the "need"? It would be interesting to have the OP's gun and the matching SN'd Beta Arms SKS-30 together.  No telling if the SKS-63's were ever SN'd in that range, although Power Surge did own the SN 8803550 SKS-63. I guess anything is possible when it comes to the Chinese SKS!?

  firstchoice

[Power Surge]

  Beautiful Type 56, SVT-40! You've kept that in amazing condition. Very nice!

  Interesting that the SN is the same as Beta Arms SKS-30's (formerly referred to as the SKS-D) that were also imported in 1988. I've tracked quite a few of the SKS-30's as well as the ones on the Commercial SN list here on the Files. OP's SN 8803983 is surely a doubled SN for the Beta Arms guns, for which we have SN's 8800042-8806662. I own SN's 8803792 and 8804450, so I'm sure the 8803983 was used on the Beta Arms rifles, as well. (Although it's not on file here, yet.) The OP's SN is also in the same font as the Norinco-marked guns. I suppose they were all Norinco guns, this one just made it through without the Norinco stamp?

  As a side note, the Commercial SN list shows the Norinco-marked SKS-63's (all) and the early SKS-Sporter's used the same 88XXXXX-type serial numbers. Not sure of the importer on those. Power Surge would know that, though.

  So, when did the suffix and prefix letters start getting used? If I remember correctly, they were used for guns entering the States that had identical SN's? Maybe it's examples like these that started the "need"? It would be interesting to have the OP's gun and the matching SN'd Beta Arms SKS-30 together.  No telling if the SKS-63's were ever SN'd in that range, although Power Surge did own the SN 8803550 SKS-63. I guess anything is possible when it comes to the Chinese SKS!?

  firstchoice

Great observation 

The commercial Chinese did start using the year identifier prefix on the serials in 1988. The SKS-30, SKS-63, and first year Sporter all used the 88 XXXXX serial designation. The SKS-63 and the SKS-30, would have definitely had duplicate serial numbers to the OP's serial. It is possible that the first year Sporter might have had one as well, however the highest 88 serial I have is only 88 01942.

One thing many people overlook when discussing this subject, is that the commercial models guns ARE different specific models (you hear that LG??). An SKS-30, SKS-63, and Type 56 are technically different model firearms, and therefore having like serials is really not a big deal. It's a neat thing from a collector standpoint, but aside from that it's really not a big deal.

But, I do believe that different importers had some influence on some of these serials. Case in point....  China Sports.  The Beta Arms SKS-30s used the 88 prefix, but the China Sports SKS-30s only used the main 5 digit serials. Why? Well.... the SKS-63 used the 88 prefix, and guess who the importer was... China Sports. If China Sports had used the 88 prefix on their SKS-30s, then they would have duplicate serials being exported in the same year. Again, two different models, however the basic guns are the same and may have caused some confusion at production time.

I also believe that commercial models were being made at several different arsenals, which also raises the chance of like serials being produced. That may be another reason the China Sports SKS-30s don't use the 88 prefix  - because the Beta Arms produced ones already were.  I have not seen any instance of two commercial rifles of the same MODEL, having the same serial.