What can you tell me about this SKS

[jimlj]

Asking price $600. I don't know how much it has been shot, but it has been carried and dinged up. The owner tells me he bought it including copius amounts of cosmoline.
It is an older Chinese with a serial number I can't find information on. SN F21XX.
I want one with some personality, this one fits the bill.

[PAX]

What part of the world are you in? Thant's top dollar for a letter gun, everything should match. Who's the importer? PAX

[jimlj]

The importer is I.O. INC Palm Bay Fl. The arsenal mark is a lot smaller triangle that others I've seen. I think it's a /26\. might be a /25\. I can't see any Chinese markings.
All numbers I could see match, stock, trigger, bolt carrier, dust cover, magazine. I didn't pull the dust cover and look at the bolt for a number. Some of the SKS's I have had in the past have mumbers electro penciled on the piston and gas tube. I couldn't see that on this one.
I've had several SKS's over the years and $600 seems steep, but it is now easier to come up with $600 than $90 was in the 80's.
Question on the letter guns. What I've read say they have 6 digit numbers, this one only has 4. Am I missing something?

[PAX]

I've had several letters and have 2 left. I let the rougher ones go. PAX

[Greatguns]

Sounds like a letter gun from the Sino-Albanian imports that came in about 8-12 years ago. Haven't seen many on the retail market except for Black Market Arms on GunBroker. They have them at $573 + Shipping and Tax. One would have to see pics to help place a more accurate value and confirm any other details

[JimmyJamesKY]

My "letter gun" has a letter and four numbers.  The Yugo SKS also uses a lettered system, which has a letter and six numbers.  I can see how there would be conflicting info on the 'net about what constitutes a letter gun.

Mine is a matching triangle 26, and is a good shooter.

[jimlj]

Thanks guys for the input. I have done a whole lot more searching and found more information. Seems I either misunderstood or the information was wrong on my initial findings.
This gun is defiantly Chinese, not Hugo. After searching several other sights, seems a letter and 4 digits are not unheard of. I'm guessing I over paid, but I'll enjoy the rifle more than the dollars hidden away in the top secret sock drawer hiding place that no thief ever looks in. Oh, and as a PS for those like me who hasn't kept track, 7.63X39 ammo is no longer stacked cheap and deep on the shelves at the local gun stores. That 8 cent ammo that I blasted tons of into hill sides is now 50 cents plus and you have to order it in.

[PAX]

....7.63X39 ammo is no longer stacked cheap and deep on the shelves at the local gun stores. That 8 cent ammo that I blasted tons of into hill sides is now 50 cents plus and you have to order it in.

I'm still shooting $2 a box Uly. PAX