[rjk2475]

how do you decide? i'd like one that is reliable, accurate, and reasonably priced. comments please.:confused:

[cool45auto]

As far as price goes the SKS would be the best. I have one that I love. Super reliable. I do want to add an AK to my collection later, though.

[rjk2475]

where is the best place to buy?

[Gary H]

I only have SKS and AR's, so can't really answer the question, but both of my SKSs have been reliable and can hit center of mass reliably at 200 yards. They are not nearly as accurate as the AR, but are fun to find, buy, modify and shoot.

Places to buy:

http://www.interordnance.com/

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/

http://www.jgsales.com/index.html

http://www.centuryarms.com/index.html

http://www.empirearms.com/

http://www.gunbroker.com/

http://www.gunsamerica.com/

[MAKOwner]

Having both I would say the AK is superior in virtually every single way. Not that the SKS is not a nice piece, it is a great cheap semi auto plinker. However if you have the itch to buy one of those evil "assault weapons" then the SKS is not really a substitute for the AK... The AKs far and away better magazine setup (assuming you give a crap about detachable high-cap mags, the aftermarket SKS detachables are complete and total crap while the fixed 10rnd mag is nice, but alas fixed...) is one of the biggest points IMO. Plenty of room to customize either rifle, both shoot about as accurately, both are reliable (I would give the nod to the AK here myself, especially if you try the crappy SKS aftermarket mags), etc.

If your budget is really tight there are some low capacity politically correct AKs that can be had for about the price of the SKS (like the Saiga AK from www.cdnninvestments.com). While they give up the wonderful hi-cap AK mags, their 10 rnd detachable mags are still very nice. They can also be converted back to standard AK mags surprisingly easily...

Quick pic of my SKS, SAR1, and my old MAK90: www.inter-scape.com/ray/weaps.gif The SKS has a Choate Dragunov-style stock and AK74-style muzzle comp. Got rid of the MAK90 not to long ago and replaced it with a SAR2 in 5.45x39. Love that little sucker www.inter-scape.com/ray/sars.jpg

[rugerfreak]

For your stated purposes ---the SKS would be the way to go.

A SAR-1 is double the price of an unissued Yugo SKS---you can reload fast with stripper clips----which you can get 100 of them from CDNN for $13. The workmanship on a milled Yugo SKS is superior to the stamped SAR-1.

All that said---I sold my SAR-1 to a buddy--gave him a good deal---and will be picking up my new Arsenal Inc. SA M-7 on monday---since they're closed today for the holiday. Which neither the SKS or the SAR-1 are in the same league with.

For a newbie and for what you want---- get an SKS and don't look back.

[GLOCKT]

I own a Yugo SKS,and a AR from Bushmaster.
I too like the reliability of my SKS and ease in function.
A good friend owns a AK and they shoot nice but as far as accuracy goes,hands down on the SKS.For less than half the price and just as much fun to plink,I'd buy a 2nd SKS before I go after an AK.
I'm currently looking at a Mosin Nagant.
Fresh in the Bag and packed with cosmoline for $120.

[benEzra]

The SKS may be somewhat more accurate (although there are good and bad specimens of both SKS's and AK's), and the sight radius is longer. The AK is definitely much handier (it is significantly shorter), feels lighter, and to me is much more fun to shoot.

If I were going to buy one or the other, I'd probably spend a little more and get an AK. Having said that, my wife has a beautiful Russian SKS that she really enjoys.

[Hot brass]

Years ago I purchased an SKS for the unheard of sum of $84.50, it has mixed part #`s. It shoots like the dickens. I like it so much that I had to have a Russian, found one unissued:neener: . I may have to get a Yougo:confused:

[rjk2475]

do all sks rifles have a fixed magazine? does it matter which country it comes from or from where you buy it?

[standingbear]

no,not all sks's use a fixed mag.there are some made that accept ak47 mags.there is also a mag similiar to the standard 10 round fixed mag but it has a capacity of 20.it looks almost identical to the standard mag but bigger.then theres the zytel and steel mags made for sks's.the steel ones do not fit a russian made gun.the zytel hicaps fit and i have had no problems with the zytel 30 rnder in my russian made sks.the steel ones fit chineese made sks's,kinda hit/miss on function.these are the mags with the "duckbill" in front for attaching in an sks magwell.ive had an russian made sks going on some 20+ years.still no problems..zero.i like the looks of a classic milled ak but im not willing to spend that kind of money now.an all original milled ak semi only is a better gun than a sks but these days,cost about 10xs the price for an all original sks.why pay for a compliant substitute?they both use a rugged gas mechanism(better?).get the sks.:D

[MAKOwner]

If you found one of the SKS-D or -Ms (I believe those were the designations) that take AK mags you'd likely spend as much for one of them now as you would a real AK. That makes no sense to do that...

If you get an SKS I'd recommend you just keep the 10rnd fixed mag and don't monkey with hokey POS aftermarket detachable mags for it. I've had both metal and Zytel mags for mine. I've either sold them all or given them away because they were pure junk. The fixed 10rnd mag is back in my SKS, not to be replaced ever again most likely...

And the SKS does not have a Kalashnikov action...

I still say if an AK is what you think you want really, then the SKS is not a particularly good substitute...

I would get a $160 Saiga AK before I got another SKS...

[jame]

In all honesty, I feel I can fill 'er up with a stripper clip as fast or faster than using detatchable mags. I keep 10 loaded at all times, and I'm good to go.

[ahadams]

start with the SKS, get comfortable with it, and then look around at AK availability, but DON'T do what I did and trade the SKS - you may not think so at that time, but you'll want it later, trust me on this!

[alcmaeon]

both

[rugerfreak]

Ditto on not trading off your SKS----I liked my first one so much---I went out and bought a second one------as cheap as you can get them, they're easy to collect.

Where else can you get a relatively powerfull centerfire semi-auto for roughly the same price as a 10/22?

[Bostonterrier97]

The best choice would be an SKS sporter (it is an SKS that accepts AK47 Magazines)

Generally I find that the SKS is a little more accurate than the AK due to the longer sight radius, also that the SKS will have a slightly higher muzzle velocity due to the longer barrel (4 inches).

The SKS has a safety that is faster and more quiet when engaging than the AK.

In terms of Reliability the SKS is highly reliable..as it was the principle weapon of the NVA and Viet Cong during the Vietnam war, and it went through some brutal field conditions and still operated.

Also was found to work well, during harsh Russian Winters during WWII (Eastern Front) as well as working well in Korea.

The AK is a great rifle..but I think that the SKS gets overlooked by most American shooters because it doesn't have a detachable magazine (except for the Chinese SKS sporter).

If you do get an SKS, get a synthetic stock for it.

[standingbear]

if youre looking at the sar series ak,they have some known issues.watch for a front sight thats canted(installed little sideways) or a canted gas block.itll still work but ruin your day sighting it in.the gas block issue can create problems later on.id still go with an all original sks.no us compliant stuff in those.

[SUN_TZU]

"Samozaryadnyi Karabin Sistemi Simonova Obrazets 1945", (which means Simonov's self-loading carbine system model 1945) or SKS-45 for short.

-as quoted from simonov.net

[rjk2475]

appreciating the info. who is currently handling(selling)the best sks?

[Chairman Meow]

I looked long and hard for one, and finally I bought my Norinco SKS Sporter for about $200. It has a 16.5" barrel which is about the same as most AK's that I've seen. Consequently, the sight radius is short like most AK's. The rear sight assembly, which is just like the AK, can be removed and replaced with a small weaver rail, though this requires a little home smithing and some time. The rifle can then hold a red dot scope forward of the receiver in the "scout" position, making it a sweet little plinker. Hard to beat for under $300! :D

Fore reference, here is a picture of an SKS Sporter posted by SnowDog:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid58/pb416c1a14b0709d8fc5007fe26eca583/fc609b17.jpg

I do still want to get an AK-47, and the Vepr II is my top choice. It runs about $500 or so, and is really nice. It looks and feels very well made, and its based upon the thicker, heavier RPK receiver, which is the squad machine gun version of the AK-47. Here is a pic:

http://www.robarm.com/images/7.62_VEPR_II_Side.jpg

Both sweet guns, though I think the SKS Sporter for $200 is just about the best value in an assault rifle I've ever seen. They are hard to find, but if you keep your eyes open you will find one eventually.

[Andrew Wyatt]

IMHO, the SKS has a far superior safety.


the only things that matter much to me on a gun are the sights, trigger and safety, and the AK has the second worst safety i have ever seen, right behind the SL7.

[Ari]

I've had 3 SKS's in the past. 2 with Synthetic stocks and all with the "crappy" detachable clips. I guess I got lucky with mine though. I had 5 detachable clips that all worked flawlessly. Me and a buddy used to buy a box of 1k rounds every other week to shoot, and during those two wonderful summers of shooting at the farm, I easily put "at least" 3,000 rounds through those clips with out ANY problems. And as we were shooting out in the field, we would routinely swap the clips out to use on one of several SKS's we had out there with us. As fast as you can pull the trigger. They are not as easy as say slapping in an AK or AR mag. It just takes a couple of times of latching the front on first, then clipping in the back to get used to. NOT that hard at all. Maybe just a little complicated for some. I think that they are alot more accurate than my Mak-90 or my buddies AK. Plus their fun to accessorize as there are tons of stuff to slap on them if your into that type of stuff.

[Andrew Wyatt]

i thought all clips were detachable.

[Destructo6]

I, too, prefer the as-issued, battle-tested 10-rnd magazine for the SKS. The SKS stripper clip system is one of the best I've seen and loads quickly. 200 rounds in a Chinese chest harness is hard to beat and can be store as-is indefinately.

As to which you should buy first, I'd say the AK, but you'll eventually end up with both. I've been really happy with my Yugo SKS.

[OEF_VET]

Ya'll need to quit talking up the SKS, you're going to eventually convince to give them a second chance. I had problems with my Russian version slam-firing and just going full auto on me, so I got rid of it. Now ya'll got me thinking about picking up a Yugo 59/66 one of these days. Stop I say, get your evil little voices out of head!

Frank

[Bruce H]

The only modificatoin I made was a Williams apature rear sight. The factory rear notch was just about useless to me. Three loaded stripper clips can be carried in the same pouch as one mag. Instead of buying customizing add ons I decided to by cases of Wolf instead.

[Med 10]

Chalk up another vote for the SKS. I have a Norinko with scope and muzzle brake and a bone stock pre-ban unfired Russian. I love these little rifles. I use them like a Ruger 10-22 on steroids. They make great go anywhere do anything rifles and you can get a few different ones cause they are cheap!

In a pinch I do not feel undergunned with 10 rnds of 7.62x39.

BTW my Chinese was 125.00 and the Russian 250.00. in Metro Atl. area.

[Jack19]

If money is not an object, at least as far as AKs are concerned, consider the SA M-7, a milled US made high end AK. FAC has them for $540 or so; I picked one up a week or so ago and it will reliably do 2" groups at 100; not your usual AK.

Fit and finish are WAY beyond any of the imports.

Arsenal (http://www.arsenalinc.com/)

[rjk2475]

finally got a new norinco. put a mojo and recoil pad on and what a fun gun. at 50m offhand i shot 2 in groups first outing. :)

[Illuminaughty]

I'm hawking for an RPK-47 right now, as I want a good combination between an AK and an SKS. :D

[DMK]

Having both I would say the AK is superior in virtually every single way. Not that the SKS is not a nice piece, it is a great cheap semi auto plinker. Makowner, I have both also (well, one AK and like 12 SKS) but would say that the SKS (in it's original configuration!!) is superiour in every single way, with the only exception being that the AK has higher magazine capacity.

Of course, my AK is a SAR1 and yours is a MAK90 so that could explain the difference in opinion.


rjk2475, congrats on the Norinco SKS. My Norinco SKS is one of my favorite rifles.

[cracked butt]

Everyone should own a SKS.

[klover]

I never fired an AK.

I did put the Norinco into a dark corner. It multiplied into another Norinco and a Russian!

What a great design :p

[chopinbloc]

reliable? both. accurate? neither are tack drivers but the sks offers more accuracy. reasonable price? i think they're both reasonably priced but the sks is cheaper. if you want to pay a little extra, you can get a remarkably accurate ak from the izmash factory in russia. i suggest that when a person considers buying ak or sks, they usually want the ak but might settle for sks for price or legal issues. i'm of the opinion that the ak is definitely better all around. if you buy a quality ak you can get as much as 4 moa out of some rifles, i've heard. mine gives me about 6 or 8 inch groups at 100yds but i don't usually bench rest the rifle, i just blast away and have great fun. buy the ak, you'll be pleased. otherwise you'll probably end up getting one later on anyway. hell, you'll probably end up buying more than one regardless.

[W Turner]

I have a Norinco that I bought a few weeks ago to use as a truck gun and eventually I intend to make it into a psuedo-scout by adding a Tech-Sights rear sight, and a Millett scout scope mount with a red-dot.


I was reminded of how much I like the SKS platform and will probably end up with a SKS-D or M instead of an AK variant.


W

[Commissar Gribb]

SKS's are great! I would suggest an SKS for anyone who likes firearms. My yugo is fairly accurate, comfortable to shoot, came in good condition for the price (90% or damn near brand new at $160).

All in all, the SKS is a fine battle rifle and I would say even more reliable than my AK (I've never had one stoppage with my SKS after hundreds of rounds through it)

[clange]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y49/clange/sar-sks3.jpg

I love the SAR-1. The SKS is a safe queen. I dont feel like shooting it, but its so nice i cant part with it. If i could only own one, i'd pick the SAR-1. If i was forced to sell one, i'd probably sell the SAR-1 and buy another AK variant later.

I had a chinese sks that i shot for years, and got two deer with. Nice guns, but the AK is what gets me going now.

[lesjones]

The AK is the better of the two guns if price isn't a consideration. Much handier, lighter, and cooler, not to mention having a bigger magazine.

That said, I got an SKS because I wasn't ready to spend the money on a quality AK. My unissued Yugo 59/66 was $125 and I like it so much I'm thinking about buying another one.

The best advice I've gotten was to not spend too much time or money on the SKS and just appreciate it for what it is - a reliable, inexpensive gun. Once you start adding stuff to it you drive up the cost and may drive down the reliability. If you're going to install bigger magazines, different stocks, etc., just go ahead and get the AK.

[Commissar Gribb]

SKS's are a bit more accurate and IMO more reliable in their gas system which uses a staged piston rather than a straight piston like on an AK.

more complicated to clean? yes

cleaner to fire altogether? definately

easy to operate? reliable as heck? cheap ammo? ALL THREE!

[MoeMentum]

SKS, I have 3. Russian, Yugo, and a Norinco.