Tula SKS advice

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Jimbo80

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I'm helping a friends widow sell his 1953 Tula SKS. I figure it'll sell for $600-725. With the proposed "Russia Ban", I'm wondering if I should hold off on selling it for a bit. Thoughts?
 
SKS rifles have been in titanic demand and have been getting a tremendous amount of collectors attention in the past few years.

With the Russian ammo ban in place, that might well change.

GunBroker still shows Tula SKS in the roughly $1000 range. I’d try and get as much as you possibly can out of that rifle right now as many are still clueless about the ban, and if values drop you can adjust from there.
 
Experts in the field are predicting 7.62x39mm prices to climb to over a dollar per round until the market/manufacturers can shift production to compensate for the gutting of that cartridge. It’s already up to $15 a box in my area at local stores. This is from $6.99 per box since literally 4 days ago.

I, too, think SKS and AK rifles will go down in price since so many owners have been drawn to the low cost of ownership for some time.
 
What experts?

7.62x39 is produced in many countries including the United States. Price is directly related to demand. I would guess that there are millions of rounds stockpiled already in the US. Someone will start cranking it out in volume to meet future demand.
 
My opinion is the Tula SKS market tops around $1K. There was a guy shooting one a couple weeks ago at one of my ranges and he said he'd just got it and that's about what he paid for it and his was an exceptionally nice example. If you can get in that ballpark for yours now, sell it now. I don't see the market inflating nearly as much nearly as fast going forward.
 
I don't think collectible examples are going to decline at all. There's just going to be a fork between beaters and nicer guns, similar to what we see in Lugers for example.
 
Russian ammo will still be imported for two years. It is only the contract applications submitted AFTER September 7th that will be subject to denial.

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/state-department-bans-russian-ammo/

Ammo importers have been aware that the bans were coming and have all their contracts renewed for the two year duration that these types of import contracts are negotiated for. The state department will continue to honor the existing contracts, and won't begin subjecting new contract applications to the "policy of denial" until AFTER September 7th.

Wolf, Tula, Barnaul etc-- these will all still be imported for at least two more years. Also, US and non-russian manufacturers are more than ready to upgrade and expand capacity as the contracts expire.
 
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Once the mis-information on Russian Ammo imports subsides--- which will be soon, hopefully-- put it on gunbroker, take lots quality photos of every inch of the rifle-- especially the serials (stamped and EP) and don't for the get serials on the bolt body and gas tube too.

If it's an all matching, 1953, in good overall condition, you can get more than $725 in the current market every day of the week!
 
I passed on an offer of $600 today and the guy called back offering $675. I'm going to hold out and see who bites. Again I appreciate the helpful advice. I don't know squat about these rifles. I have an extra magazine for it. I see some on Ebay for over $100??? Should I include it or sell it separately?
 
You "have an extra magazine"? Did the rifle come with the original ten-round, fixed (non-removable) magazine? If so, is that still in place? Being all-original will certainly help its resale value.

Have you considered purchasing it yourself? As pointed out, if it is indeed all-original, you could likely recoup your money should you decide you needed it, provided you paid current market value or a bit less.
 
So you literally didn't even bother to read the linked article from pewpewtactical?

Also, you've never heard of capitalism or the law of supply and demand?
 
[QUOTE="MedWheeler, ]You "have an extra magazine"? Did the rifle come with the original ten-round, fixed (non-removable) magazine? If so, is that still in place?[/QUOTE]

The gun is original and complete. The extra mag with a different number (and a spare bayonet blade) came with it. I did think about keeping it because it was made in my birth year but other than that I have no interest in it. I rarely buy guns for flipping purposes only because then I end up keeping them.
 

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Fact: a Russian SKS in today’s market is worth $750-1000.

Fact: 7.62x39 has been, until a few days ago, the cheapest centerfire rifle caliber that money can buy. But there will undoubtedly be a panic run on it as the news of possible impending import restrictions percolates through the shooting world. So short term demand may fall a bit for the guns chambered in this caliber.

Realistically though, nobody is buying a Russian SKS in 2021 to be a cheap blaster anymore. Offer it for 1100 buy it now on gunbroker with make offer function and see what happens. Or hold on to it for a year and reassess.
 
I had it listed locally for $1K with ammo and accessories and didn't get a bite. I re-listed the gun alone for $750 last night and it was gone this morning. Gotta love a good profit and a proud new local owner!
 
If the magazine and blade bayonet are both Soviet as well, they are easily worth $100 each. Possibly more.

Is the bayonet complete-- i.e. two parts: blade and handle? And if so, are the inner locking edges of the handle both cut at 45°angles? Or are they cut at 45° and 90°?

Serial number on the magazine will identify the nation of origin.
 
Heres a shot of the extra bits. No handle on the bayonet. 01460 on the mag. The twist on brake has no markings other than "Made In USA".
 

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The magazine is Chinese. If the follower and spring are in working order-- still worth $75+. The bayonet could be Russian or Chinese-- without the collar probably worth about $50-75.

No idea about the muzzle contraption though.

Do you have any photos of the rifle itself?
 
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Not an sks guy but Atlantic just got a bunch of Chinese ones , selling for 429.
 
. No handle on the bayonet.
There is no handle on an SKS bayonet. The bayonet you show looks to be correct for a Tula. It requires a lug on the barrel and a swivel with a spring to mount. I don't know, maybe they're still mounted and the last owner just took off the bayonet. The Russkies zeroed the rifle with bayonet, as it affects barrel harmonics, so I don't know, it might not shoot worth a darn without it installed unless the last owner boogered the sights to compensate. All in all, with the detached mag and all, I think it's a rifle that needs someone who knows what they're looking at to come up with its real market value.
 
I definitely wouldn't pay $750 for an SKS. Think you did well to sell high on it.

I don't get it at all. I passed on them when they were $750 a case. The only reason I keep my AK is for my non gun friends to play with.

Again I can't say enough how helpful everyone's been. Even though I have been in the industry for quite some time (just retired) there are so many guns out there that nobody can know it all. I'm old and don't have nearly enough room in my memory (or time) to try to remember anything I have no interest in anymore. After this experience helping my friends family out I've been telling everyone to be sure to keep a spreadsheet and let their heirs know what everything is, how much it's worth, and how much was invested. Don't forget magazines too!
 

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