Vietnam bringback SKS.

My uncle (mom's brother-in-law) was a sniper in 'Nam. The story goes, he and his spotter were going back to the base camp after a mission and 4 VC or NVA (don't remember which) were crossing a rice paddy and he spotted a rifle he wanted. Supposedly the 3rd guy in line was carrying it. Gene (my uncle) told his spotter he wanted the rifle. His spotter asked him how he expected to get it and Gene say's "Like this" and opened fire. They went into the paddy and took the rifle. It's a pretty nice gun. I don't know much about SKS's but this one does use AK mags. I don't even think he's ever shot it since he's been home... I do know for a fact that he'd never part with it.

Probably more info than anybody cares about but I think it's a pretty cool story... :neutral:

it is a cool story.


is the crazy genetic in your family? :grin:

I bought a North Korean SKS from a fellow that brought it back from Vietnam. It has the DD 603 and the rest of the paperwork with it - even had the original sling on it still.

Just_Parker said:

is the crazy genetic in your family? :grin:

Click to expand...

A lot of people would say so :twisted:

I have one My dad brought back in 68. Firebase Frenzell Jones during tet. They were attacked by a huge NVA force and A large VC force on top of that. He said when it was all done, weapons were laying all over the place along with sun blackened meat. When he came back to the states they confiscated two AKs but let him keep the SKS and the chicom pistol. Not much value price wise. Just great value to the men that brought them home.. if they were luckey to come home at all.

I actually had one but processed out of RVn so quickly I didn't think I had the time to process the paperwork so I gave it to a friend. every time I see one I smack my forehead hard. at the time all I wanted was to get on that big bird home.

Got a chinese type 53 mosin-nagant that was a bringback from Vietnam. Complete with the capture papers and Vietnamese export license on rice paper. Some VC/NVA made a stock for it too. The guy I got it from wrote the details of capture down on the envelope he kept the capture papers in.

Tx Dogblaster said:

My uncle (mom's brother-in-law) was a sniper in 'Nam. The story goes, he and his spotter were going back to the base camp after a mission and 4 VC or NVA (don't remember which) were crossing a rice paddy and he spotted a rifle he wanted. Supposedly the 3rd guy in line was carrying it. Gene (my uncle) told his spotter he wanted the rifle. His spotter asked him how he expected to get it and Gene say's "Like this" and opened fire. They went into the paddy and took the rifle. It's a pretty nice gun. I don't know much about SKS's but this one does use AK mags. I don't even think he's ever shot it since he's been home... I do know for a fact that he'd never part with it.

Probably more info than anybody cares about but I think it's a pretty cool story... :neutral:

Click to expand...

Its prolly a Chinese "Type 63"it is shaped like a SKS but have a bolt system similier to SVD's(kept the SKS short stroke gas system while adopted the AK style 2 lug rotating bolt and according bolt carrier), and yes it use normal AK mags.Back in the vietnam war era they are just beginning to be fielded in Chinese Army, but A very small number made its way to Vietnam, less bought back by the GIs, your uncle's got a pretty rare rifle in the U.S!

I have one that is most likeley a bringback, no import stamp, sorta rough around the edges, water stained stock, 1968 model. Wish I had some paperwork with it.

WhiteRabbit said:

How much would one bring if it was in good condition and had capture papers?

Click to expand...

If you look at the current prices of SKS rifles, I would think $400-$600 depending on condition, and where the rifle was produced.
I would not mess around with gun auction sites, or gunshows. Bringback papers can be faked, and we all know there are people out there who do things like this.
Any Vet bringback from any War you want to buy has to prove itself to you. Look around the net, talk to fellow collectors, and above all, do your homework.

The paperwork issue is very troubling.

The majority of weapons I've seen advertised as "bring backs" were missing the paper. Understandable, since it was only useful to get the rifle on a plane back to the US. I don't imagine that many GI's would have thought that they needed to preserve it to prove anything later.

I've got a ChiCom Type 53 carbine with no paper that I bought from an Army buddy in 1983. He had been in the 173rd ABN Bde. in VN. I know it is a genuine bringback, but I could never prove it.

As mentioned earlier, it is possible to fake the paperwork, too, not only for VN, but for WWII also. There was a man on another gun forum recently selling original, blank Army registration forms from WWII for war trophies. He wanted buyers to email him directly instead of posting in the thread (for anonymity?). I doubt there are many blank form collectors out there, and it's easy to presume that someone has other plans for their use(?)

Unless you get it from the vet or even family of the vet, consider many of them suspect. Way too easy to fake and there's a lot of people out there doing a brisk business faking them. Just like those idiot counterfeiters from Europe that do a good business selling "authentic, recently discovered" WWII German helmets. They found a niche in the collecting world for them and have become quite enterprising. And unfortunately many of the counterfeiters out there in the militaria realm are becoming extremely good at what they're doing since theyve discovered a lucrative market in it.

Like Richard W. stated, the forms are accessible and can be "aged" to whatever suits you.

I'm recalling an incident that happened a long time ago when two bothers I know bought a few Yugo SKS's that didn't have an import stamp. The seller told them that they where Vietnam bringbacks because of the missing stamp. He didn't rip them off but they got upset with me because I told them they where not bringbacks.

The country of origin has a lot more to do with the value of an SKS than whether it's a bring back or not. Generally bring backs with out papers are worth just the same as an import in equal condition, of the same origin. A Chinese Viet Nam era SKS is about a $300 to $400 gun w/papers about $100 more. WARNING: there were a BUNCH of used Chinese SKS's that came in in the 1980's, they sold for about $80-$100 ea. they were poorly marked by the importer. I got burned one one for $250, the guy swore HE brought it back and had misplaced the papers. It looked rite, rough condition, no marks etc. found the importers mark on the bottom of the barrel under the wood, you need a magnifying glass to read it. Know what you're buying.

I bought a Chinese SKS, still in the cosmoline, with black vinyl bag and DD 603 from the Asst. Division Cdr, 101st Airborne (1 star). He said that everyone got one from a large storage facility on the Cambodian border.
Like a fool, I traded it for a Winchester shotgun. Worst trade of my life, but, seemed like a good idea at the time.
He also had 2 makarovs with papers.
If anyone has this rifle that I traded in Nashville 20 years ago, let me know! :smile: