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Thread: Chinese Type 56 SKS (Rust / Identification)

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    Chinese Type 56 SKS (Rust / Identification)

    Hey everyone,

    I picked up a Chinese SKS from Classic Firearms yesterday and I've almost got it all cleaned up (cosmoline) that is. I noticed some rust areas (on the barrel / receiver and magwell). You can tell it's pitted as well in those areas and I'm requesting your expertise in helping me determine the year / any identifiable info on this rifle. There is only a 5 digit serial number along with the "F5639" marking underneath the barrel / receiver.



    Regarding the rust, should I remove it? Should I keep it oiled / greased in those areas? And most importantly, is it safe to shoot?

    Here are some pictures:

    "F5639" (under the barrel / receiver)



    Sights:



    Stock:





    Rust Areas:

    Magwell:



    Barrel / Receiver Left Side:




    Barrel / Receiver Right Side:



    Piston Area:



    As always, thank you SO much for your input.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    Purely cosmetic, Clean it up and oil it .


    Unless it's been run over by 10+ tanks an SKS will be safe to shoot.
    PRAISE KEK
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    IN THY WEBBED HANDS WE PLACE OUR FAITH
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    Quote Originally Posted by Helen Keller View Post
    Purely cosmetic, Clean it up and oil it .


    Unless it's been run over by 10+ tanks an SKS will be safe to shoot.
    Much appreciated reply. Any idea on the marking on the bottom of the barrel? Or how I can date this rifle?

  4. #4
    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Helen Keller View Post
    Purely cosmetic, Clean it up and oil it .


    Unless it's been run over by 10+ tanks an SKS will be safe to shoot.
    Agreed. The pitted areas are unfortunate, but they won't hurt the integrity of the rifle. Probably a lot more than 10 tanks could run over it and not hurt anything!

    @Crucial: Don't try to sand or grind away the pitted areas. It will only make it look worse. Just use a rough oiled flannel cloth and a lot of elbow grease to remove the rust, and maybe a mini plastic "wire" wheel in a Dremel to de-rust the pitted areas. Don't use ANY metal tools, files, wire brushes, etc... only plastic, nylon or cloth.

    Then use some cold blue to cover any bare areas and finally wipe a thin layer of good gun oil over the whole action.

    If you know how, take the action completely apart and clean/oil each part, then reassemble.

    BTW, how is the barrel bore?
    Last edited by Krupski; 05-24-2014 at 04:45 PM. Reason: typo
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    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Crucial View Post
    Much appreciated reply. Any idea on the marking on the bottom of the barrel? Or how I can date this rifle?
    Look at the serial number. The first digit denotes the year. A Chinese serial number will have 7 digits (a 1956 will only have 6). Add "1956" to that digit.

    For example:

    Serial number nnnnnn (only 6 digits, rifle is a 1956) (because "nnnnnn" is equivalent to "0nnnnnn")

    Serial number 3nnnnnn (rifle is 1956 + 3 = 1959)

    My Chinese SKS: 741xxx (only 6 digits, mine is a 1956).

    See?
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Krupski View Post
    Look at the serial number. The first digit denotes the year. A Chinese serial number will have 7 digits (a 1956 will only have 6). Add "1956" to that digit.

    For example:

    Serial number nnnnnn (only 6 digits, rifle is a 1956) (because "nnnnnn" is equivalent to "0nnnnnn")

    Serial number 3nnnnnn (rifle is 1956 + 3 = 1959)

    My Chinese SKS: 741xxx (only 6 digits, mine is a 1956).

    See?
    Awesome, so I looks like mine is a 1956 as it only has 6 digits for the serial and everything matches down to the stock which I found pretty cool as well.


    I appreciate your response and knowledge regarding this rifle. Any idea of the strange "F" letter and numbers under the barrel (F5630)? That does not match anywhere close to the serial if that helps?
    Markings1_zpsbe35585d.jpg

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    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Crucial View Post
    Awesome, so I looks like mine is a 1956 as it only has 6 digits for the serial and everything matches down to the stock which I found pretty cool as well.


    I appreciate your response and knowledge regarding this rifle. Any idea of the strange "F" letter and numbers under the barrel (F5630)? That does not match anywhere close to the serial if that helps?
    Markings1_zpsbe35585d.jpg
    My barrel has nothing stamped on the bottom:

    (click pic for full size)



    Everything else has either the (same) serial number stamped on it, or the last 4 digits (the bolt carrier, for example).

    I dunno what those numbers mean. Maybe a replacement barrel?
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    A lot of people that ordered the same rifle as I did got some Russian Sino-Soviet rifles and their serial numbers started with like a H and on F followed by 4 numbers.

    I'm wondering if my barrel is a Russian barrel with the rest being Chinese parts?

    If this is a miss matched barrel, should I worry about head space? Everything else matches.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    Unless you reload, I would never worry about headspace on a SKS rifle.


    Even with some of the most shitty condition Yugo/romanians I've had , headspace was the last thing I was concerned with.
    PRAISE KEK
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    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Crucial View Post
    A lot of people that ordered the same rifle as I did got some Russian Sino-Soviet rifles and their serial numbers started with like a H and on F followed by 4 numbers.

    I'm wondering if my barrel is a Russian barrel with the rest being Chinese parts?

    If this is a miss matched barrel, should I worry about head space? Everything else matches.
    Don't worry about headspace.

    There is only ONE thing you need to do before you shoot it:

    Be sure the firing pin is free in the bolt. Shake the bolt. The firing pin should freely rattle. If it doesn't, soak it in gasoline, kerosene, Hoppes #9, any decent solvent and soak / drain / soak / drain until the inside of the bolt is clean.

    A few people have been killed by their "brand new" SKS rifles, packed full of cosmoline. The firing pin, being jammed forward and locked in place by 50+ year old dried out cosmoline, made the rifle act like an open bolt machine gun.

    The rifle fired all 10 rounds. The shooter, not expecting this, lost his grip on the rifle and it rotated up and around until the muzzle was pointed at his face. One of the last few rounds blew his head off.
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

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    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Helen Keller View Post
    Unless you reload, I would never worry about headspace on a SKS rifle.


    Even with some of the most shitty condition Yugo/romanians I've had , headspace was the last thing I was concerned with.
    Yup. They just work. If the rifle stops firing, it's because it's empty.
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    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    Cosmo in the Yugo M59 bolts was hard as a rock. Nothing like nearly 1600RPM unexpectedly.
    PRAISE KEK
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    Yeah, I soaked the bolt over night to loosen as much as I could up.

    Took a lot of force to break free the Pin holding the firing pin and ejector. And of course it was caked and it's now been soaking for about 2 hours in Hoppe's 9.

    I heard about the slam fire / auto issue and definitely wanted to be safe.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Krupski View Post

    BTW, how is the barrel bore?
    The bore is squeaky clean (will post a photo once I get it all finished).

    Is taking apart the action required? I've done some research and it looks like it can be a huge pain in the ass.

  15. #15
    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    other than field stripping.

    dont mess with the FCG, unless a parts breaks.
    PRAISE KEK
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    IN THY WEBBED HANDS WE PLACE OUR FAITH
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    Quote Originally Posted by Helen Keller View Post
    other than field stripping.

    dont mess with the FCG, unless a parts breaks.
    Cool, it was packed with cosmoline, I got most of it (what I could reach) out and oiled up.

    Which brings me to my next concern / question. My firing Pin appears to either be dented / chipped at the tip, is this normal or should I get it replaced; picture below.

    Also, sorry for so many questions, I just want to be safe.







    Also attached is my bore picture I promised.




  17. #17
    Senior Member Helen Keller's Avatar

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    Firing pin is fine, it's just seen some obvious use/abuse.
    PRAISE KEK
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    SHADILAY, SHADILAY!

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    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Crucial View Post
    The bore is squeaky clean (will post a photo once I get it all finished).

    Is taking apart the action required? I've done some research and it looks like it can be a huge pain in the ass.
    Your firing pin is a bit dinged up, but nothing to worry about. Buy a new one if it bothers you.

    As far as the action, taking it apart is easy if you know how. If not, you don't really need to take it apart.

    Just take the trigger / hammer assembly (the part that pops off from the bottom) and soak the whole thing in a solvent until it's squeaky clean. Then dry it.

    Then place a drop or two of good gun oil everywhere one part touches another part. Hold the hammer back and pull the sear forward (you may need someone else to help you here) and put a little grease (moly disulfide if you have any) on the hammer / sear engagement points. Carefully hold the hammer from dropping, pull the trigger and slightly press on the disconnector lever (it takes practice!) and release / recock the hammer a few times to work the moly grease onto the sear surfaces. Be sure you control the hammer with your fingers - don't let it slam down or you might damage the whole assembly.

    Be sure you leave the hammer cocked when you're done (else the trigger / hammer assembly won't go back in!)

    Put a little moly grease on the top of the hammer (where the bolt slides over it) and put a drop of oil on each bolt carrier rail. Also put a drop or two of oil on the mating surfaces of the bolt and bolt carrier (or better, a thin film of moly grease on the shiny wear points - you'll see those clearly).

    Swab out the bore to be sure it's clean (Hoppes #9, a nylon brush and a clean patch, repeat until the black and green shit stops coming out). Then wipe the bore down with a clean, sloppy wet patch soaked in Hoppes #9 or good gun oil.

    Use a .38 cal or 9mm bore brush to clean out the gas piston tube, and use a wire wheel to clean the carbon soot off the piston head. The piston should slide freely in the tube. Don't oil that part (or if you do just WIPE is with an oily cloth - don't leave any wet oil) because it will burn the first time you fire the rifle and gum up the piston / tube assembly.

    Lastly, the first time you take it out, load only one round and be sure it works, Then load three and make sure it doesn't "take off" (stuck firing pin or misadjusted disconnector).

    Once you're happy with it, then load all 10 rounds. Stay away from those aftermarket 20 and 30 round SKS mags... none of them work properly.
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    Senior Member Silentkilla01's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Helen Keller View Post
    Firing pin is fine, it's just seen some obvious use/abuse.
    Your right on that someone abused the shit out of it.
    What's up my nigga's

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    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

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    Here's my Type 56:


    (click pic for full size)




    (1956, no rust)


    (edit to add): Paid $125 for it - FTF transaction. No tax, no FFL... just $125.
    Last edited by Krupski; 05-24-2014 at 05:26 PM.
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

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