Information on my SKS

[NC-SKS26]

I bought a SKS rifle in 1992 from a deparment store. I cleaned off the cosmoline and put it in storage. To this day it still has not been fired. I have exhausted myself searching infomation about dates and general information. I recently had it appraised for $400-$500. It is from Arsenal 26, has the three Chinese characters, then a serial number of 111478xxx. The right sid of the receiver has Norinco Poly USA Atl GA SKS 7.62x39. On the top of the bolt is stamped 37. Now what I have read, you add the first two numbers of the serial to 1956. This means mine should be a 1967, however it seems there are too many numbers in my serial number. All numbers match and the stock is a light to medium tan wood. I tried to put as many pictures, but somehow was limited. Can you please help me find more information?Attachment 40382Attachment 40383Attachment 40384Attachment 40385Attachment 40386

Information

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[jjjxlr8]

Your rifle was made much later. You cannot use the 'dating' technique with rilfes that have more than 6 digits in the serial number.

[fn111557]

It looks like the last digit is an “I” not a number. That would give you a 6 digit serial number followed by a letter. That being the case you are correct in your estimation of a 1967 manufacture date. This relies on that actually being a “Triangle 26” factory code (pic is kind of blurry).
Nice looking rifle, you should take it out and see how well it shoots. Just a small warning; They ARE like potato chips, you can’t stop at one!

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

Your rifle is indeed 20-plus years old. The US Govt closed the border to Chinese imports in the mid 90's, so there is a finite supply. For a seller that is good. The import markings were a requirement, and only add to the storyboard of this gun. The fact it is unfired and untouched does hold up the value.

There are guys collecting one each of the known Chinese makers. The time to do that kind of "gathering" is now, when people are showing them off and prices seem reasonable. For example, I met a fellow who carried a paper in his wallet with the high and low serial numbers, per model, per arsenal of every Japanese Arisaka he owned. If he found a higher or lower number, the middle one got sold.

Getting to the appraisal, there are gun auction sites that will tell you what the trend is for selling prices. I have recently seen a price of $400 for a Russian SKS. As a Canadian that is overpriced - to an American that is what the market will bear.

You can keep it or sell it. Whatever you paid into the rifle is long since forgotten, so it seems like pure profit today. Will the import laws be relaxed? Not likely. Will the value of a Chinese small cartridge rifle go up? Probably. How much? If I knew, I wouldn't be telling the world!

[jjjxlr8]

I see at least 8 digits in the serial number.