New guy! Need input on Chinese SKS purchase.

[Hghlndr85]

i have always wanted a sks just never got around to finding one i like. Well i am in law enforcement and stopped by my lgs and he had just bought a nice sks off a guy.  The gun is in great shape. All numbers matching. Wood is in great shape. Gun looks like it was well cared for and stored. No gunk on it. I did a bit of research on the markings before posting. It does appear this is a chinese security forces gun. The mark is either /016\ or /416\ i have read the debates on this as well. To me looks like a 0 but ill let the experts decide.  So question is, is this a good sks to grab and what is a good price? It does not have bayonet on it and does have a old mount for a scope on the top dust cover. I am attaching a pic as well. Thanks!

[Greatguns]

Welcome to the Files and thanks for serving "Blue lives Matter"

On your SKS the one pic looks nice but need much/many more to fully determine how nice it is. (We like pics, lol.) Would be interested to see the full scope mount and what all you have.

As for the arsenal stamp, if you blow up the pic and look close, the vertical line just barely passes the horizontal line. It is a 416 and to my knowledge, it has never been determined that there even is a 016 arsenal.

EDIT: BTW, the mount does look like a Choate mount that was drilled and tapped onto the receiver. It is possible you have a 24M(1979) standard SKS that has been "bubba'd" a little bit by the mount. Looks nicely done though.

[Bubbazinetti]

24 million gun would be 1979 manufacture for Chinese commercial type 56 I believe.The letter N in the serial number is interesting though.

[astronut]

Welcome to the forum!  A lot of guys in the know to help you out with it belong to this forum.

[Greatguns]

24 million gun would be 1979 manufacture for Chinese commercial type 56 I believe.The letter N in the serial number is interesting though.

Yeah, I knew that, more foggy brain crap. Sheeesh!!    I did edit my post accordingly

[Hghlndr85]

Thanks for the replies. I did not buy the gun yet as i wanted to gather more info. Based on what you see is this a worthy buy or should i pass? The /416\ does imply chinese security force correct?  What would be a ok amount to buy?

[Greatguns]

Thanks for the replies. I did not buy the gun yet as i wanted to gather more info. Based on what you see is this a worthy buy or should i pass? The /416\ does imply chinese security force correct?  What would be a ok amount to buy?

No, Security Forces usually only has 2 Chinese Characters instead of the normal 3 that signify Type 56. This rifle has 3. Click on this link and it will show you what I mean. Towards the bottom. http://chinesesks.weebly.com/arsenal-stamps.html

As for price??? SKS are all over the place right now with this COVID/Rioting crap going on so hard telling. What's the asking price on it?

[Phosphorus32]

As others have said, this is an Arsenal 416 made in 1979. Unfortunately, it has been modified by that drill and tap mount. If it were me, I'd pass. However, if you're looking for a shooter, it's in good mechanical condition, and the price is right, then maybe it's right for you. Prices have gone nuts on SKSs so I don't know what to say in that regard. Even and altered one will probably bring more than $350 nowadays.

The Public Security Hanzi characters (two of them) are on the right receiver rail, when present. 1979 is later than the known range of /416\ PS SKSs.

[Hghlndr85]

I got him down to $350 for it.  Now that i find out its a later model and not a security gun idk if it is worth it.  Was hoping it was a little more less common lol. Condition is good but if it is just a run of the mill, idk if it is worth it.

[astronut]

I got him down to $350 for it.  Now that i find out its a later model and not a security gun idk if it is worth it.  Was hoping it was a little more less common lol. Condition is good but if it is just a run of the mill, idk if it is worth it.

I may be wrong but in my opinion it would be worth the $350 for it due to what common run of mill SKS rifles are selling for at the moment.

[Justin Hell]

As others have said, this is an Arsenal 416 made in 1979. Unfortunately, it has been modified by that drill and tap mount. If it were me, I'd pass. However, if you're looking for a shooter, it's in good mechanical condition, and the price is right, then maybe it's right for you. Prices have gone nuts on SKSs so I don't know what to say in that regard. Even and altered one will probably bring more than $350 nowadays.

The Public Security Hanzi characters (two of them) are on the right receiver rail, when present. 1979 is later than the known range of /416\ PS SKSs.

Wow, I had almost this exact thing all typed out...got interrupted and came back to this. I said $3-400 though.... 

[Greatguns]

I got him down to $350 for it.  Now that i find out its a later model and not a security gun idk if it is worth it.  Was hoping it was a little more less common lol. Condition is good but if it is just a run of the mill, idk if it is worth it.

If you want something collectable then I would pass. If you want a good shooter that you could throw a scope on(those mounts are solid and hold zero) and maybe hunt with then $350 for that is a decent price.

[Phosphorus32]

As others have said, this is an Arsenal 416 made in 1979. Unfortunately, it has been modified by that drill and tap mount. If it were me, I'd pass. However, if you're looking for a shooter, it's in good mechanical condition, and the price is right, then maybe it's right for you. Prices have gone nuts on SKSs so I don't know what to say in that regard. Even and altered one will probably bring more than $350 nowadays.

The Public Security Hanzi characters (two of them) are on the right receiver rail, when present. 1979 is later than the known range of /416\ PS SKSs.

Wow, I had almost this exact thing all typed out...got interrupted and came back to this. I said $3-400 though.... 

great minds think alike   

[Hghlndr85]

Yea it is a tough call. I always wanted one and wasn't really looking. Found this one and was hoping it was somewhat rare to justify it as i would be taking money from another gun purchase to get this one.

[Greatguns]

Yea it is a tough call. I always wanted one and wasn't really looking. Found this one and was hoping it was somewhat rare to justify it as i would be taking money from another gun purchase to get this one.

Another thought, what part of the country are you in. That may have a little bearing on value. Example, if you are in CA then $350 is fairly cheap. Other areas may just be average. I do think, in today's political climate, any SKS under $400 is a good deal.

[Bubbazinetti]

I agree.It's a better value than any of the current imports on the market from the distributors.If it's in good shape you likely won't lose any money on it imho.

[Hghlndr85]

I am in pa. I haven't seen any around in awhile besides the beat ones at gun shows.  My hope was to pick one up that may have some type of rarity or value to it. Shoot it every now and then. I thought the /416\ mark was a good sign. Guess not lol.

[Greatguns]

If I were honest, which I do try to always be(lol), being the tinkerer that I am and not really an SKS "collector" like some of you guys here(although, you are rubbing off on me). I've always liked the Choate scope mount, but was always too lazy to go through the process of doing the D&T on one. I did mount a homemade setup similar to that on an M91/30 once and that was enough for me. Given that, if this SKS was near me I probably, and some of you know me well enough to know this, would have paid the $350+tax already and have been taking it home with me.

[astronut]

If I were honest, which I do try to always be(lol), being the tinkerer that I am and not really an SKS "collector" like some of you guys here(although, you are rubbing off on me). I've always liked the Choate scope mount, but was always too lazy to go through the process of doing the D&T on one. I did mount a homemade setup similar to that on an M91/30 once and that was enough for me. Given that, if this SKS was near me I probably, and some of you know me well enough to know this, would have paid the $350+tax already and have been taking it home with me.

I would have done the same as well and it would now be sitting in my gun cabnet!   

[Greatguns]

If I were honest, which I do try to always be(lol), being the tinkerer that I am and not really an SKS "collector" like some of you guys here(although, you are rubbing off on me). I've always liked the Choate scope mount, but was always too lazy to go through the process of doing the D&T on one. I did mount a homemade setup similar to that on an M91/30 once and that was enough for me. Given that, if this SKS was near me I probably, and some of you know me well enough to know this, would have paid the $350+tax already and have been taking it home with me.

I would have done the same as well and it would now be sitting in my gun cabnet!   

Glad to know I'm not alone in this