Is My New Chicom SKS A Vet Bringback?

Here's some pics.

SKS Bringback pictures by Charlie59_photos - Photobucket

The wood and metal are not as shiny as the flash pics show. The piston was caked solid with carbon fouling, as was the firing pin, and the receiver area. On google I came up with a 1964 mfg. date, and factory 26 as its' build location. There are absolutely no import marks of any sort on the rifle. In hand it is easy to see it has had some use, yet the muzzle is just under one on my CMP guage. And the chromed liner is near perfect. It looks well used, but taken care of, other than the carbon build-up. Hopefully I can shoot it later this week. I know capture papers would help, but I still think it stands an even chance to be an issued Chicom, or NVA or North Korea service rifle. Many thanks to all who looked!

Charlie

It's certainly possible it's a bring back. The first one I encountered (also a factory 26) was around 1982-3. Paid US$300 for it and still have it. Ammo was really hard to find! I think $24 for 20 rounds of Lapua was all I could find. About a year ot two later, it seems, there were a blue million imports available for under $100.

if there is no import stamp then it is possible its a bringback bcos of the year and the factory it was built in.

it was manufactured at factory 26 in 1966 , not 1964 .

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Originally Posted by Charlie59

Here's some pics.

SKS Bringback pictures by Charlie59_photos - Photobucket

The wood and metal are not as shiny as the flash pics show. The piston was caked solid with carbon fouling, as was the firing pin, and the receiver area. On google I came up with a 1964 mfg. date, and factory 26 as its' build location. There are absolutely no import marks of any sort on the rifle. In hand it is easy to see it has had some use, yet the muzzle is just under one on my CMP guage. And the chromed liner is near perfect. It looks well used, but taken care of, other than the carbon build-up. Hopefully I can shoot it later this week. I know capture papers would help, but I still think it stands an even chance to be an issued Chicom, or NVA or North Korea service rifle. Many thanks to all who looked!

Charlie

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Not to rain on your parade, BUT there were a good number of the early imports that did not get marked by the importer. I have a couple that I bought from the early shipments.
SKSs are much like the K98k Mausers imported in the 1950s/60s before importer marks were required, that are not import marked so way to many people want to claim them as umpapered vet bring backs.
The only way that thought will fly is IF you bought it from the old vet who said he brought it back and that is not always a reliable source.
Papers are everything! Without them anyone can claim/think anything they want, but is is at best a WAG!
Sarge

Any of the 1980's and later imports were SUPPOSED to be marked, as per ATF. I've never seen any that weren't and I saw tons of them. Doesn't mean it didn't happen, though. There were rifles that trickled in under the radar as well which may have nothing to do w/ Viet Nam. Grenada, for one. Amazing how much stuff appeared shortly after that little excursion! Quite a bit of it "verboten", apparently, from my conversations w/ store owners around the Columbus, Ga. region.

Well, one thing I know is it made it out of China.

Yes, they were SUPPOSED to be marked, but not all were.
I have perhaps 18 - 20 rifles & pistols that I'm positive are imports, mostly RCs, that are neither importer or RC X marked. A good example is a P.38 in the box from the importer with a ruskie inventory sheet listing 20 P.38s including mine - neither an X or importers mark.
While perhaps NOT common, it is also not a rarity.
I also had a PPK that was importer marked indicating it was brought in long after the import ban on PPKs. Nothing should be a surprise when it comes to imports.
Sarge

I have one that I picked up in Jan. 1974..It cost me a nice winchester 30-30 oct brl..I still have it..