I think i goofed.. should i return this?

[Fonzie2k]

I recently bought an SKS rifle for about $250 at a gun store. I knew when I got it that it had some modifications, I checked the bore and it looked good but I didn't know enough to check the crown. It wasn't until close observation at home that I noticed my barrel wasn't cut exactly even, it would seem that someone cut the barrel down. I'm not really sure how to tell, but i'm fairly certain that the barrel was not crowned after it was cut.

In a nut shell: I have a working Norinco SKS rifle I bought for $250. It has a Kessler laminated stock, and a receiver cover with see through scope mount. The front sight, rear sight, and bayonet have been removed. It did come with a worthless scope.

I was looking for a project gun, but I'm wondering if i should take this thing back (30 day guarantee). If having the barrel re crowned by a professional would make the rifle better than a used SKS anyway I may decide to keep it.

Any advice?

 

[unwise11]

If you know a good smith a cut/ recrown should not cost too much.. under 100 bucks.
But, it is an SKS....
if you like the rifle as it is, the crown would not be too expensive to fix.

 

[goon]

If you like it get it recrowned. It's not rocket science.

 

[mljdeckard]

Or even get it rebarreled? There might be some mods you want to put on it that require the original thread?

I have a Yugo I got for $100, that I am well into over $200 in mods for. When I have the Kivarri trigger and the ACU Duracoat pattern on it, I will be done. There does come a point where you have to ask yourself if you REALLY like it that much, but having a little bit of work done to get it like you like it is very reasonable.

 

[bang_bang]

I shall never understand why someone would want to take the sights off of an SKS. Some people...:banghead:

If you could find a replacement barrel, I say re-barrel it and shoot with irons. The SKS is known to be unreliable with a scope...and even more gawdy.

Yes, you could re-crown the rifle, but then you're back to square one if your rifle does not hold zero even with a brand new scope.

 

[TheGrimReaper]

yea, touching up the crown is not hard to do. I would give it a try and go from there.

 

[prid93]

I agree with the above. Re-crown it and shoot with irons. I just took a scope mount off the sks because it proved too unreliable. Back to irons.

 

[BrocLuno]

As a test use a small square and check it from three sides. Does it have un-even daylight under the square? If so, as a starting point, you can file it square. Plug the muzzle with cotton and pull that (and the filings) out with the vacuum when it shows square with even light.

This is not a finished crown, but will allow you to shoot a test. If the pattern is even close to normal, you have something to work with. If it's still all over the paper, you should take it back.

 

[Harley Quinn]

If you are unhappy, take it back to the store and talk to them see if they will give you some money back, or say it is a sold item "buyer beware"...

If you keep it, do a clean up on the barrel as mentioned by BrocLuno (if you are handy) not that tough, you could even do a recrown with an good dremel or drill motor or press with right tool/bit/etc in it...

Good luck...

 

[browningguy]

I shall never understand why someone would want to take the sights off of an SKS. Some people...

I'm one of those people.



It's much more accurate with my eyes, and a lot faster on target. What's so hard to understand?

 

[Sunray]

"...take this thing back..." Absolutely. It's damaged.
"...not really sure how to tell..." If the muzzle is not square with the barrel, doesn't have the rounded end like any other rifle, the barrel isn't 20.34" long, it has been cut for who knows why.
"...never understand why someone would want to take the sights off..." Right up there with scoping any carbine. It's a stop gap rifle, designed to be issued to illiterate conscripts, who could be trained to use it in as little time as possible. It's not a sniper's rifle.

 

[Fonzie2k]

Well, I have been wanting an inexpensive rifle that I could put some work in to. It is difficult to tell if the rifle groups well at all because I don't have sights. Looking back I probably shouldn't have bought it, but I think I'll hold on to her. I may take it into a gun smith and see what they think about it.

I am starting to see this as an oportunity. While the gun itself may not be worth much, I am fairly new to guns and I think I would really enjoy fixing this thing up a little. I have no delusions of making an AR-15, I just figure the experience of fixing it up would be great.

Merry Christmas everybody!

 

[Harley Quinn]

Fonzie2k,
Thats the spirit

Hope you had a Merry Christmas...

Regards

 

[[email protected]]

Fonzie2k,

I'd put a half way decent scope on it and use some good ammo and see how it shoots...
is it possible someone did a muzzle break on the end like on Ak's? I know it's not perfect but if the crown is a problem, why could you not just re-cut and re-crown it yourself?

can you post a picture of what the crown looks like?

 

[White Horseradish]

If you keep it, I'd toss the dust cover scope mount. They are not at all stable and must be removed for cleaning, which makes it even worse. I tried it and tossed it in favor of iron sights.

Scout mount like Brownigguy has is a much better solution. If you want to have a scope and backup irons the way to go is a side mount, kinda like AK uses. They have ones specially made for the SKS with rails on top so you can use any scope.