r/canadaguns • u/cheddarkittyy • Mar 24 '26

Buy recommendations Why are Chinese sks so expensive now?

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I spent $450 in December 2024 for my Chinese sks. My dad just got his pal and I was looking to get one for him and it’s $850 now? What? Why did the price almost double in just over a year?

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u/Patsboy101 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26

One thing I’m jealous of as an American gun-owner is the access Canadians have to surplus Chinese 7.62x39 ammo. That stuff is more expensive than buying 7.62x39 brass here. Best bet down south is to find an old guy who bought a shit ton of Norinco 7.62x39 ammo before the US Norinco Ban. Those Norinco crates go for a lot of money.

Historical Context on the US Norinco Import Ban: Norinco tried to sell guns and ammo to gangbangers in Los Angeles and they got busted by the FBI so Norinco was banned from importing firearms and ammo into the US in the mid 90’s.

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u/davejeep Mar 24 '26

If it makes you feel better the surplus has dried up lately.

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u/Patsboy101 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 25 '26

That sucks. In any case, my Mini-30 prefers to eat boxer-primed brass over berdan-primed steel. Ruger for some reason made the firing pin just a little too short on the Mini-30 to reliably fire a caliber which typically in the past has been loaded with recessed berdan primers.

Down in the States, there is still some surplus ammo being sold, but the best bet generally is GunBroker. I recently bought a crate of 90’s Yugo M67, and let me tell you, that stuff is freaking hot! You can both feel and hear the difference between a typical 7.62x39 loading and the M67.

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u/davejeep Mar 24 '26

I bought mine a couple weeks ago, unfortunately I missed the boat on the super cheap surplus I think. I can get mfs (sp?) for 18 a box, or the Norinco non corrosive for a little less.