Russian parade sks?

Ransome · September 7, 2018, 08:20 AM

I met a guy at a gun show selling a Russian parade sks. It was beautiful, with not a single scratch or ding on it. He claimed it has never been fired and it also had matching numbers. It was not nickel plated like some Russian parade sks, but blued. He wants $800 for it, is that a fair price?

T. O'Heir · September 7, 2018, 12:04 PM

"...some Russian parade SKS..." Most of those in the U.S. were plated by Bubba. A blued one may not be Russian either. There are pictures here of blued SKS' from Bulgaria.
https://m1-garand-rifle.com/garands-on-parade/sks.php
Boat load of pictures from everywhere. Most of the SKS' are blued too. Appears to be mostly about how much money the local Communists had to play with.
http://www.yooperj.com/SKS-28.htm
Anyway, without some kind of documentation that proves it's a Parade rifle, you really need to assume the guy has made up a marketing story. Buy the rifle, not the story.
Personally, I don't think there's an SKS on the planet that's worth $800USD. $600US will buy you a 1951 Russian SKS in excellent condition on Gunbroker.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/780868701

Scorch · September 7, 2018, 05:05 PM

Man, I remember SKSs selling for $50 in the 1980s, and we wouldn't have them because they were Soviet rifles (guns of the enemy, so to speak). $800? Never. They are one of the most reliable rifles in the world, and they shoot minute of man out to 250-ish yds, but they are one of the crudest made rifles ever in existence.

CLC · September 9, 2018, 10:43 AM

A little off topic but North Korean and East German SKSs go well north of $800. That being said i wouldnt pay that much for a Russian SKS. You should be able to find one for under $600.

arcticap · September 9, 2018, 11:23 AM

Back in the 1990's, some importers of surplus SKS rifles were advertising some of the highest quality SKS's as parade rifles and charging a premium for them.
They reportedly had nicer bluing and stock finishing.
I think that one of these premium guns would be worth paying a premium price.
Since those premium "parade" SkS's may have cost an extra $50 back in the 90's, they should be worth close to the extra $200 today.
At least you know what you're getting.
Some individual guns are simply better & more desirable than others.
Personally I would not buy that one on Gunbroker for $600, especially if there were a mint unfired one available, even if it cost $800.
When I see a gun at a gunshow that I'm on the fence about, I try to get his business card or contact info. so that I can contact him after the show if I decide that I want to try to buy it.
I'm curious if you did the same?
He may accept a close offer for it if you wanted to haggle a little over the price.
Unless you want to watch or attend a lot of gun auctions with hopes of winning a similar USSR SKS for a lower price, you may never see as nice of an SKS for a much lower price than that.

Wag · September 9, 2018, 11:49 AM

My SKS cost me $200 about 20 years ago. I love that rifle but it's not accurate enough for me to think I should ever pay more than about $300 for it. I'm amazed at how high the prices are for SKS and AK-47 rifles nowadays.

--Wag--

arcticap · September 9, 2018, 11:55 AM

I think it's because they're not imported anymore.
And if someone wanted to build the same rifle today it would cost as much as what the unfired Russian ones are being sold for if not more.

Ricklin · September 10, 2018, 07:57 AM

89 bucks each for Russian SKS's and this was mid to late 1990's.....and I only bought 3 of them.
I always remind my minister of finance (wife) of that......because I wanted to buy 10.
Oh well, she is a keeper anyway. As is the one SKS I have left of those three.

mr bolo · September 10, 2018, 11:57 AM

Quote:

89 bucks each for Russian SKS's and this was mid to late 1990's.....and I only bought 3 of them.

I always remind my minister of finance (wife) of that......because I wanted to buy 10.

Oh well, she is a keeper anyway. As is the one SKS I have left of those three.

I remember those were the reconditioned ones for around $99 - $150 with black painted bolt carriers, grey phosphate rear sight, black painted bayonet

the all matching original finish ones were around $200 - $250 retail when they hit the market.

arcticap · September 10, 2018, 01:26 PM

Didn't some of the reconditioned ones have replacement numbers engraved with electro-oencil engraving tools on many of the replacement parts?

While the free-hand penciling may not have appeared to be done very professionally, at least some of them were were reported to be good shooters.

arcticap · September 19, 2018, 02:02 AM

Right now, there's a NIB reconditioned Russian SKS on Gunbroker that's at $640.00 with 42 bids, and it still has 1 day & 17 hours left.
It has a bolt that's painted black, numbers XXX'd off the stock and receiver, and the original box from KBI.

arcticap · September 20, 2018, 01:13 PM

With 6 hours left, the NIB SKS is up to $955.00 with 53 bids.

jag2 · September 22, 2018, 12:07 PM

Not a firearm I've ever followed so I went to GB to get educated. Forget the story, if the gun looked proper to you I would say its a fair price. Also forget that 30 years ago they were dirt cheap. Changing times, my friend. Looks like there are a lot listed on GB and most seem to be receiving bids so I take that as a good sign. Will you double your money in ten years? Probably not. If it is a gun you would like to own, why not. At least you can see it and touch it. We all enjoy finding a "steal" but for the most part my collection is not based on price, its based on what I want to own and enjoy shooting.

September 7, 2018, 08:20 AM	#1
Ransome Member Join Date: February 1, 2018 Location: Steamboat Springs CO Posts: 39	Russian parade sks? I met a guy at a gun show selling a Russian parade sks. It was beautiful, with not a single scratch or ding on it. He claimed it has never been fired and it also had matching numbers. It was not nickel plated like some Russian parade sks, but blued. He wants $800 for it, is that a fair price?

September 7, 2018, 12:04 PM	#2
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...some Russian parade SKS..." Most of those in the U.S. were plated by Bubba. A blued one may not be Russian either. There are pictures here of blued SKS' from Bulgaria. https://m1-garand-rifle.com/garands-on-parade/sks.php Boat load of pictures from everywhere. Most of the SKS' are blued too. Appears to be mostly about how much money the local Communists had to play with. http://www.yooperj.com/SKS-28.htm Anyway, without some kind of documentation that proves it's a Parade rifle, you really need to assume the guy has made up a marketing story. Buy the rifle, not the story. Personally, I don't think there's an SKS on the planet that's worth $800USD. $600US will buy you a 1951 Russian SKS in excellent condition on Gunbroker. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/780868701 __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

September 7, 2018, 05:05 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Man, I remember SKSs selling for $50 in the 1980s, and we wouldn't have them because they were Soviet rifles (guns of the enemy, so to speak). $800? Never. They are one of the most reliable rifles in the world, and they shoot minute of man out to 250-ish yds, but they are one of the crudest made rifles ever in existence. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

September 9, 2018, 10:43 AM	#4
CLC Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2011 Posts: 603	A little off topic but North Korean and East German SKSs go well north of $800. That being said i wouldnt pay that much for a Russian SKS. You should be able to find one for under $600. __________________ In god we trust, all others must pay cash.

September 9, 2018, 11:23 AM	#5
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Back in the 1990's, some importers of surplus SKS rifles were advertising some of the highest quality SKS's as parade rifles and charging a premium for them. They reportedly had nicer bluing and stock finishing. I think that one of these premium guns would be worth paying a premium price. Since those premium "parade" SkS's may have cost an extra $50 back in the 90's, they should be worth close to the extra $200 today. At least you know what you're getting. Some individual guns are simply better & more desirable than others. Personally I would not buy that one on Gunbroker for $600, especially if there were a mint unfired one available, even if it cost $800. When I see a gun at a gunshow that I'm on the fence about, I try to get his business card or contact info. so that I can contact him after the show if I decide that I want to try to buy it. I'm curious if you did the same? He may accept a close offer for it if you wanted to haggle a little over the price. Unless you want to watch or attend a lot of gun auctions with hopes of winning a similar USSR SKS for a lower price, you may never see as nice of an SKS for a much lower price than that. Last edited by arcticap; September 9, 2018 at 11:50 AM.

September 9, 2018, 11:49 AM	#6
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	My SKS cost me $200 about 20 years ago. I love that rifle but it's not accurate enough for me to think I should ever pay more than about $300 for it. I'm amazed at how high the prices are for SKS and AK-47 rifles nowadays. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

September 9, 2018, 11:55 AM	#7
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	I think it's because they're not imported anymore. And if someone wanted to build the same rifle today it would cost as much as what the unfired Russian ones are being sold for if not more.

September 10, 2018, 07:57 AM	#8
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,011	Glad I have one 89 bucks each for Russian SKS's and this was mid to late 1990's.....and I only bought 3 of them. I always remind my minister of finance (wife) of that......because I wanted to buy 10. Oh well, she is a keeper anyway. As is the one SKS I have left of those three. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

September 10, 2018, 01:26 PM	#10
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Didn't some of the reconditioned ones have replacement numbers engraved with electro-oencil engraving tools on many of the replacement parts? While the free-hand penciling may not have appeared to be done very professionally, at least some of them were were reported to be good shooters.

September 19, 2018, 02:02 AM	#11
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Right now, there's a NIB reconditioned Russian SKS on Gunbroker that's at $640.00 with 42 bids, and it still has 1 day & 17 hours left. It has a bolt that's painted black, numbers XXX'd off the stock and receiver, and the original box from KBI.

September 20, 2018, 01:13 PM	#12
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	With 6 hours left, the NIB SKS is up to $955.00 with 53 bids.

September 22, 2018, 12:07 PM	#13
jag2 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2009 Location: dallas Posts: 773	Not a firearm I've ever followed so I went to GB to get educated. Forget the story, if the gun looked proper to you I would say its a fair price. Also forget that 30 years ago they were dirt cheap. Changing times, my friend. Looks like there are a lot listed on GB and most seem to be receiving bids so I take that as a good sign. Will you double your money in ten years? Probably not. If it is a gun you would like to own, why not. At least you can see it and touch it. We all enjoy finding a "steal" but for the most part my collection is not based on price, its based on what I want to own and enjoy shooting.