Could you give me some info on my gun?

[Hlaode]

I've had this gun for awhile now and I don't know much about it. It is my first ak and I admit that I've been afraid to shoot it on the off chance it is valuable and I would be better off locking it away. It is back at my mom's house and I am at college several hours away so I don't have any pictures, but it looks exactly like this gun:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=248803562

Except it is in better condition, only used once by the previous owner, and it has some bakelite magazines instead of the metal ones.

Google has been less than helpful, but according to the following website it is a Type 56S-3
http://chicom47.com/Norinco/Norinco.htm

The gunbroker link doesn't have any bids I so have no idea on the guns actual value, and I'd like to know if this model has any interesting history behind it and how it ranks as far as aks available in the US go.

If anyone can help I would appreciate it greatly.

[slamfire51]

:welcome: to Gunsnet.

Our house expert on Chinese AKs, Imanaknut, can most likely help you with your inquiry.
I'm sure he will reply soon.

[videodon]

It is indeed desireable.
IMANAKNUT can elaborate though.
Worth $1,200+ as new / in the box.
I loves me some pre-ban Chicom AKMs!
:)

[El Laton Caliente]

Yea, NIB $1200+... It really depends on how fast you want to sell it and how bad the person wants it.

About the cheapest I've seen one go was a black shooter a while back in good to V. good, no box and one mag, it went for $800 IIRC. The red just seems to sell for more...

[O.S.O.K.]

:welcome: to the board!

[imanaknut]

Welcome to the group !!! :welcome:

The Norinco, which is called the 56S-3 although it is only marked "56" came with that orange stock set in what I call plastic just to be generic about the material. It is a very rare, highly desirable rifle for collectors of Chinese AKs, or just AKs in general.

Believe it or not, the chip in the stock of the rifle in the auction is enough to keep a collector from buying it because the stock parts are nearly impossible to find, and super expensive if found.

It is the type of AKM that you would take out of your safe every now and then to wipe down, give a great big hug, and put it back in a safe corner of the safe.

Value wise, I have seen that auction and if the rifle did not have the damaged stock I personally would have purchased it for my collection. I would agree that one like new with box and accessories, $1200 is a reasonable value. If you insure it, rate it at $1500 because these days finding one is not an every day occurrence.

Congratulations on having one of the nicest and most collectible of the Chinese AK/ALMs.

Little history of the Chinese AK/AKM variants. They were all commercial versions of their hardware. They were trying to crack the USA firearms market at a time when AKs were not in favor. Because of that they tried different style and color stock sets, different name variations, calibers, and styles. For instance the only rifle you will find marked AK-47 is a Chinese commercial rifle. After those didn't sell ((that name was fiction made up by our news media, and actually misquoted by Mr. K. himself at one time. The Soviets just called them Automatic Kalashnikovs (in Russian of course) )) the Chinese changed the markings to reflect their calling them a 56, but added the "S" to differentiate them as semi-auto only to make ATF happy.

The 56S and it's twin 84S (.223/5.56x45) were made in three barrel lengths, three different stock sets (wood, black plastic and orange plastic), three stock types (fixed, side, and underfolder) and three bayonet styles. Unfortunately George Bush the First, in his anger with China and his belief that the way firearms look cause you to become a criminal, banned importation of "evil weapons" based on how they looked. This brought about the MAK-90s and others, until william jefferson clinton just banned them all.