SKS's at dealer - Legal??? Good Deals?

[Diggler]

I took my son to a nearby gun store the other day to look at rifles. He wants another .22 or SKS or other fun, cheap to shoot gun to target shoot with.

When we went in, there were 3 SKS's in stock.

1. Norinco SKS, good shape but bore wasn't bright, rust spots on crown, SPIKE BAYONET INSTALLED. $185

2. Norinco SKS, good shape, fiberglass stock, 4x scope, SPIKE BAYONET INSTALLED. ~$225.

3. Romanian SKS, stock wasn't as nice as the Norincos but still good, shiny bore, BLADE BAYONET INSTALLED - $165.

All external serials matched on all rifles.

I asked the guy at the counter if he has any of the paperwork for the SKS's to prove that they are pre-'89 ban status since they have the bayonets installed. He said, "Nope, those are used, we have no other paperwork on them, that's the way they came in."

Now since the ATF goes by the 'guilty until proven innocent' mantra when it comes to stuff like this, wouldn't they have to have the original invoice of the rifle that predates the 1989 importation ban in order to prove that it's legal to have the bayonets actually installed?

BTW, how were the prices? Or should I just get a Yugo?

 

[railroader]

The romanian is C&R and legal with the bayo the chinese aren't. Bayonets come off easy though. As for the scope, if it is a cover mount they can have problems holding zero because they aren't very secure. Mark

 

[DMK]

1. Norinco SKS, good shape but bore wasn't bright, rust spots on crown, SPIKE BAYONET INSTALLED. $185

These are supposed to have a chrome bore. Sure it wasn't just dirty? Just remove the bayo if you are unsure of legality. It can always be put back on later if the proof of pre-ban ever presented itself (ie. the importer was known to have gone belly up in 1988 or something).

2. Norinco SKS, good shape, fiberglass stock, 4x scope, SPIKE BAYONET INSTALLED. ~$225.

I'd pass on this one, because it was bubba'd, but it's not a terrible price. Again, just remove the bayo if you are unsure of legality.

3. Romanian SKS, stock wasn't as nice as the Norincos but still good, shiny bore, BLADE BAYONET INSTALLED - $165.

The bayonette is legal on this one just as it would be for the Russian, Albanian and Yugo varients. The poor stock condition is typical for the Romainians. It sounds like a dcent price too. I have a very beatup Romanian that's one of my best shooters of the SKS collection. I put the original stock away and put a $9 fiberglass "jungle stock" on mine that I got at www.globaltrades.com

If it were me, I'd probably buy #3 or #1. Possibly both.

I like these better than Yugos. They are shorter and lighter. That's especially good for a kid.

 

[Diggler]

The bore on the Norinco very well could have been dirty. It looked like it had never been cleaned. I was concerned that it MAY have had corrosive ammo shot through it because of the rusting at the crown.

 

[DMK]

I was concerned that it MAY have had corrosive ammo shot through it because of the rusting at the crown.

State that to the seller and ask to see the inside of the gas tube (which is not chrome lined). Some light rust in there is normal because nobody ever cleans in there, but if it's completely rusted out, then pass.

 

[Diggler]

Are the Romanians harder to get than the Norincos?

 

[DMK]

Are the Romanians harder to get than the Norincos?

Probably about the same.

Neither are imported anymore, but there's always the possibility that somebody could find a cache of Romanians and import them. Norincos are banned from import.

On the other hand the Romanians are true military surplus and aren't made anymore. Most Norincos are commercial rifles and the Chinese still make them, so if the government decided to lift the trade embargo, it is theoretically posible that brand new Norincos could be imorted again.