Read fully before throwing stones please...

[Gloyid]

I just picked up an 8mill SN norinco in a trade that is in like new condition. The thing still had gummed up packing grease with no slide/bolt wear whatsoever. All matching components....EXCEPT it's in a tapco stock and the original stock, bayonet and fixed mag are who knows where. They even put an AK scope mount on her with a Russian POSP and threaded the barrel for AK devices....hold your hate, I WANT HER TO BE HAPPY BRING HERSELF. What do I need to look for since I will probably NEVER find her OE parts and I cant reapply the barrel material they shaved off. I know her generation had blade type bayonets, but what color stock did most of her siblings have and what type of mag did she once have? I'm telling y'all,  I'm amazed by her condition.

[Phosphorus32]

A 1963 Type 56, originally. Based on the pic below from your WTB ad, it was a commercial SKS with a rail and a neutered bayonet lug. Someone mounted a rail for the POSP scope.

I’m a purist, but with this one you may want to clean it up and see how you enjoy shooting it as is before you try to de-Bubba it. I get installing wood for sure and a standard fixed 10-round magazine, but the rest will be challenging.

[Larry D.]

I'm sure you can sell off or trade that scope to help fund and de-bubbafications necessary.

But, I'm also sure you can have a lot of fun just as it is.

[running-man]

I wonder if this started out as a rail to nowhere K-Sports paratrooper Jon?

Gloyid, nobody is going to pooh pooh your rifle here.  You acquired what you acquired and even though you'll maybe never get it back to "factory original", you can get it much closer than it currently is.  There would be no shame in leaving her as is as well, different people have different tastes and everyone here will offer you a different opinion I bet.  See if you can get a photo of what the rail or the old rail holes look like on the rear of the receiver and we can probably figure out if this was truly a paratrooper upon import or not.  I'd be surprised they could thread a paratrooper like that as not much barrel protrudes through the FSB to be able to thread.  Maybe a few photos of what that looks like up front would e helpful too. 

My thoughts:

You're correct in that a blade bayo is correct on an 8 mil /26\.  Stocks were all side swiveled.  They also were generally reddish and many had interesting grain patters not commonly seen in the typical 'chu wood' stocks of the era.  Honestly, any long barrel lug, side swivel stock should fit and would dress her up nicely.  Hand guard would have to be replaced too, when you're looking for the stock try and get a matching set.  (I don't know about you, but I can't stand it when the handguard sticks out like a sore thumb because it is a totally different shade than the stock is)








As for the magazine, std 10 round fixed box mags are not terribly difficult to acquire.  Most collectors would look for a blank one vs putting a mismatched one on, but I personally don't think it matters all that much. 

[Larry D.]

I guess I should have mentioned that my Chicom came to me with a 30 dollar gunshow special top cover/scope combo.

One of the guys here hooked me up with an  un-numbered replacement cover and I'm much happier with it.

I'm looking at that chintzy cove/scope as I type this.
It sits on the table as a spare part.

[B.B. Babington]

 Phosphorus32 has sound advice here. see what you have before monkeying with it.  When people buy a new house, they should wait till midsummer before killing all those weeds, because weeds may be high dollar flowers if you don't wait to see what blooms

[Gloyid]

Y'all are awesome. I haven't taken her back out since cleaning her up. 2/5 rounds stovepiped before I figured something was up. Dont know how crazy I'll go with muzzle device, be it a basic AK slant or something more modern. I'm wondering about the "8mt" on the extractor too.

I'd love a nice stock and ten rd for it. Heck...probably just buy another one that hasn't been messed with. Got lucky with the condition of this one. Hope I can go 2/2. Thanks for the info gents. I'll post more pics tomorrow.

[Bubbazinetti]

If you don't like the threaded muzzle you can screw on a muzzle nut to give it a more stock appearance in place of a slant brake(which also looks good on a sporter/para carbine imho).

[Gloyid]

I just typed a really detailed response but it had logged me out....ugh. short version:
Muzzle device is either going to be a lantac drakon or tapco slant...unsure still. I traded a heavy PWS piston AR (their very first model) for this gun and a like new winchester 12 ga. 7.62x39 beats 5.56 in most cases in damage to target (unless 556 bounces around or takes a turn). I do "crop protection" for farmer buddies and I hate hogs, so I decided to make the switch to 7.62. I witnessed and treated a 9-12 yr old Afghan who was hit by 5.56 in the side of his chest. He didnt cry until he saw what we had to do when his lung collapsed....big needle. He survived without complications. Saw grown men hit by 7.62x39/54....much different ballgame there. Killed hogs in FL as a younger lad that had bullets lodged in their ribs (probably 30/30). Very tough animals, so need to set this SKS up for that I guess and go purist with the next one...priorities.

[Bubbazinetti]

Very cool.Boar hunting is cool.I've taken a few with rifle and handgun.A real thrill.Steven Lee hunts them in Australia with an SKS w/ 30 rnd mag on motorcycles for pest control.

[Gloyid]

Some pics of threaded barrel and length

[Phosphorus32]

Oh, they cut the barrel and threaded it (with a dull and dry die) then cut the sleeve with the bayonet lug off of the front sight base and ground of the cleaning rod retention tabs from the remainder of the front sight base. Even if you had enough barrel length (not sure) to install a new bayonet lug/front sight base unit, a standard blade bayonet wouldn’t fit in a replacement wood stock due to the shortened barrel.

[Gloyid]

That makes me very sad....

[running-man]

Looks like a home done bubba job. They certainly did a number on that front sight block. I guess that’s they only way they could get it on, lined up, and still have the muzzle threads at the same time.

I would leave it as-is (or at least modify it as you see fit w/o worrying about getting anything ‘correct’).  Getting it back to what it was imported as would cost twice what you already have in it.  It will be Cheaper and less frustrating to just get another SKS I’m afraid. Sometimes they are just too far gone.

[echo1]

It does look like it could be a Kengs with the way the FSB was cleanly done. A home grown job likely wouldn't go through the effort to turn down the barrel to the FSB diameter. Look under the mount and on the right side of the receiver. It'll say KSI Sporter if it is one. PAX

[Phosphorus32]

It’s a KSI, K-Sports Imports, but good point on all of the machining for the altered fsb echo1. It could be a “Paratrooper” that looks messy just because of the backyard threading job.

[Gloyid]

There is no sporter stamped anywhere. What do you mean they did a number on the front sight? Its smooth as can be and looks unaltered. Only obvious signs of retro jobs is the threading. That's why I am confused about the bayonet. It's got the v notch from the earlier models....but that's the only thing that suggests a bayonet was once there. Maybe it was made without one for some reason.

[Phosphorus32]

There is no sporter stamped anywhere. What do you mean they did a number on the front sight? Its smooth as can be and looks unaltered. Only obvious signs of retro jobs is the threading. That's why I am confused about the bayonet. It's got the v notch from the earlier models....but that's the only thing that suggests a bayonet was once there. Maybe it was made without one for some reason.

Cutting off the back part (bayonet lug) of the front sight base bayonet lug unit (it’s all one long piece originally) and trimming off the cleaning rod tabs does look like it was done professionally. The barreled-action is from an 8 million Type 56 originally made with a 520mm (20.5”) barrel in 1963, so the barrel length and fsb was modified from the original. The threading was a backyard job. As long as they didn’t mess up the crown it’s fine.

[Bubbazinetti]

The barrel configuration and front sight base set up don't look anything like my Norinco factory 16.25" Labanu Sporter with cleaning rod.

[Gloyid]

Thanks for the explanation. Was confused cause I thought someone was saying it looked butchered. Guess this one will just have to be what it is and I'll look for a more original gun later. No use trying to bring it back to original if it would cost the same as buying a different one. Thinking about an AK build anyways. I've got very helpful friends still serving who told me if cave dwellers can keep them firing, I obviously could build one. HAHAHAHA Thanks for all your help guys.
Recap:
It's a 63 manufacture date that got a chop and thread job and they confiscated her clothing and blade. At least it's in good shape otherwise...get what ya get and dont pitch a fit.