Picked up a Norinco SKS today

[nwilliams]

So I picked up this little Nornico SKS today, it was purely an impulse buy for some reason I had to bring it home with me. The price seemed right for its condition at $149, all the parts match, the bore is excellent, the wood is good shape and the buttstock contained the little cleaning kit thingy. The only problem is that whoever owned it before me didn't take very good care of it. There was quite a lot of surface rust all over it which I had to clean up, overall the gun was filthy, I broke it down to all its individual parts and spent several hours cleaning it all up.

When all was said and done the only places where rust remained was around the trigger guard, the magazine and a few specs around the bolt. The bolt should be an easy clean but the rust around the trigger guard and magazine will take a little work, fortunately I think its still salvageable. (see pics)

 

[gunman42782]

Congrats!

 

[Anteater1717]

Unless there are some serious dings I’m not seeing, $149.00 is a great deal.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

That's a good find. I paid $199 2 months ago for a Norinco just like it(sans rust).

 

[esq_stu]

Make sure the firing pin channel is very clean. Mine had residual cosmoline when I got it. I didn't clean it well enough. First time at the range it slam-fired when I released the bolt and double fired a few times. The problem went away when I got all the cosmoline off the bolt, inside and out.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

ditto on cleaning the firing pin. The pin that holds it in can be a bugger to get in and out so have a good brass punch and hammer ready.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

Nice price!

 

[jpwilly]

My first SKS was a Norinco and I wish I hadn't sold it. Good price. I paid $89 for mine "back in the day" (1992 ish).

 

[The King of Pants]

Cool rifle, I'm buying one in similar condition this week (sans the rust) for $170 + tax.

 

[nwilliams]

Thanks, I think it was a good buy which is why I decided to grab it while I could.

I spend a couple hours today cleaning up the bolt and trigger guard and I'm making good progress. The pic below shows looks much better than it did, now I need to work on the magazine. By the time I'm done with this thing it will look like its been babied all its life


Before


after

 

[CWL]

My Chinese SKS rusted on me too, primarily on the HC'd bolt. Mine was bought new in cosmoline for $99.

Strange since this is the only firearm I own that has ever really rusted, and I live in dry Northern CA. I've only test-fired it once and it has been in my safe with all of my non-rusty guns for the past 10 years or so.

 

[Chrome]

What are you using to clean that rust up? Just steel wool and oil?

Later,
Chrome...

 

[ROMAK IV]

Get the physical rust off and then touch up with some of that cheap cold bluing afterwards. The bore should stand up better since it is chromed. I like the Chinese SKS's and have never had other than minor problems with them. It appears to have a screw in barrel with a cast bolt, something I'm not familiar with. Before Clinton banned them from import, the Chinese had perfected a method of using press in barrels and cast bolts for their new manufactured SKS's. They might be not as strong, but I have never seen one fail or wear out due to having a cast bolt or press in barrel. IMNO, Chinese SKS's are some of the most reliable SKS's made. Good price, enjoy your rifle!

 

[nwilliams]

What are you using to clean that rust up? Just steel wool and oil?

I guess I should have mentioned how I did it for those looking to do the same. Romak pretty much suggested the same process I use. I've been using that cheap bluing that you can get a Wally World for years with mixed results, some guns take to it well others not so well. I find that on older surplus rifles it can work wonders. I use Brillo pads and Flitz to remove the rust and some of the old bluing, basically get it down to bare metal. The using another Brillo pad I dowse it with some of that cold bluing liquid and rub it onto the metal areas until it darkens, let it sit for a few minutes, wipe it off and repeat a few times until its uniform. I then finish with a bit of Breakfree and a rag and wipe down the areas that were refinished. There may be a better process than this, I just figured this process out by experimenting and its worked well many times.