Russian SKS

[Garys]

I'm looking at what appears to be an unissued Russian SKS with all matching serial numbers, including the stock. The only negative is the cheap shellac job on the furniture. This weapon is really appears pristine and I'm trying to get an idea of what the value of this is. Anyone have any idea? I seem to remember that Russian rifles are worth more than the copies made in other countries, but don't remember why.

Thanks,

Gary

 

[SKS Ray]

They usually all have cheap looking shellac jobs on the stocks, often covering some of the rifle's metal parts. My guess is that Ivan was putting in some long hours at the arsenal and hitting the vodka at the same time while slinging the shellac.

One way to tell if its been rearsenaled is by checking the bolt. An all black finish including the bolt usually means its been redone. Another way is the square stamp with the line in it as seen here.

I got this rifle from Carl at Four Seasons. It was on consignment and marked down to $200 or $250, can't remember but I know it was cheap. Oddly enough I met the original seller while standing in line one day waiting for a gun show to open.
The Russian ones are more money because they are rarer and Russian. Mine is probably the least accurate of my SKS rifles with my Yugos and Norincos out shooting it, although not by much. If its not been re-arsenalled and is trully mint, i'd say it'd go for around $350 to $400, maybe higher. But if its been redone and is in great shape, it should still be worth at least $250 to $300.
Its the Albanian ones out there that fetch top dollar, sometimes $500 depending on condition. Those are hard to come by, then theres the elusive East German SKS. I don't even think a picture of one exists let alone anyone owning one.

If you want an accurate shooter rather than a collector's peice, i'd go with a Yugo. You can still get brand new unissued ones for under $200. The one i'm selling Jay can print 10 shots in a 5 inch circle at 100 yards with open sites. That was my best outing with that rifle and very good for a cheap semi auto milsurp.

 

[Garys]

I'll have to look at it again to see if it has the squarre. For reasons I won't bore you with, I'm going to buy this particular rifle. The price being asked is below the low end of what mentioned for a rearsenaled rifle. Nothing appears to have been force matched as far as serial numbers, so it looks to be all original. I'm pretty sure that the owner has never fired it. He also has an 7.62 US ammo can full of ammunition he's including. Even more intriguing, he has a Mini 30 with pre-ban mags for sale. I'm really, really, tempted to make a package offer. I just have to figure out what the Mini 30 is worth.

Gary

 

[SKS Ray]

I'd do it. Mini 30s are probably getting around $400 with standard mags. Maybe you can get both rifles and the ammo for $600 which would be an excelent deal. Ammo alone is hard to find right now.
Feel free to bore me with reasons for buying the rifle once you get it. I'm always interested in hearing people's motivation for wanting a certain gun be it a movie/tv show, or wanting a liteweight tactical weapon in the event of a SHTF scenario. One thing about milsurp collectors, almost every rifle we buy has a story behind it about how and why it wound up in the safe.

 

[Garys]

I'll PM you. I'm not being secretive, just discrete! <G>

Gary

 

[BigBill]

A while back there were russian sks's at the BIG E gun show still NIB refurbs for around $250. I did find one that was a little higher still NIB unshot.