Info on Chinese SKS
Saltyphotog--The Chinese are highly secretive about lots of things. Always have been. Some areas would seem to be paranoia; others would seem to be just plain stupid. (To a Westerner.) I guess the basic idea is to never give away any information which might possibly maybe some day give a potential enemy some kind of advantage. Also, to give away information might be regarded as a sign of weakness. Also, why give the info away when you might possibly be able to sell it instead. However (there always is that darn "however!") I'm not Chinese, and have no way of understanding their mental processes.
Anyhow, in the case of SKS manufacture, I understand that records were not even KEPT, of how many SKS's were made when in which factory. There IS a code stamp for which factory made an SKS if you have the rifle in hand. Also, as has been pointed out, the year of manufacture should be stamped on the rifle.
To compound the problem further, when the USSR sold the SKS to China, the machinery and stock of parts were shipped from the USSR to China, so it is not at all surprising to find a "Chinese made" SKS which has some "USSR made" parts, even including the receiver--which will have USSR stampings. But if such a rifle has ANY Chinese parts, it was "made" in China.
So, where it was made, and when it was made, are on the rifle itself, if anywhere, and that's all the info you get. The code stamps for which factory, are available in published books about the SKS. Don't have any on hand I can cite--check the booksellers @ yr next gun sho.
