Tell me about the SKS...

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Thanks for all your replies! I'll be heading to a gunshop sometime this week, so I'll probably come back with one :D

I'll post a range report... ;)

Nick
 
Hmm...my unissued Yugo came from Interordnance. All the numbers match. Everything fits nicely.... My only complaint is the amount of cosmoline in the thing - but that's not their fault. I've had it for 4 days and still haven't gotten it clean!
 
Here's a tip for quick and easy de-cosmolining of a Yugo.

Find a baby tub or something similar capable of holding the rifle action.

Boil a lot of water.

Detail-strip the rifle and set the stock aside.

Dump all the metal parts in the tub.

Pour the boiling water over all the metal parts, until they are submerged in hot water.

The cosmoline will melt off and float to the surface, where it will collect on the edges of the tub. Do not use an indispensable container...the tub will be ruined afterwards, as the ring of cosmoline will be hard to remove.

Keep parts submerged for a few minutes. Scrubbing with a nylon bristle brush made for dish cleaning will speed up the cosmo removal.

Remove the parts from the hot water, and let them dry in the sun for an hour or two.

Spray the metal parts down with Powder Blast...it will get all the remaining cosmoline off the rifle in a hurry.

Wipe down the rifle and lightly lubricate all metal surfaces, as the Powder Blast will have taken all the oil and lube out of the metal, and it will rust very quickly if it is not oiled.

I cleaned my Yugo in about three hours that way, and half the time I spent waiting for the metal to dry in the sun after the trip to the hot tub.

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Gotta place another vote in favor :D !

They're a lot of fun, and the ammo price can't be beat.

Klover, I put one of those Dragunov stocks on mine, too, got it cheap at a gun show, and that step up at the front of the stock is a solid piece. Which means, a bandsaw and a Dremel to smooth it all up, and you can pull the action cover off. Makes it easier to swap out the scope mount and plain covers. I also took those ugly "ears" that go up around the gas tube off, makes it look much better.
 
I put off buying an SKS for a number of years until a friend finally convinced me to pick up one of the Yugoslavian versions. I picked up a “good†condition beater (the rifle on the left). The stock was very muddy looking with virtually no grain. I didn’t expect much for the $110 that I paid, but decided to take it to the range before passing judgment. After cleaning all the cosmoline I took it out to the club & put a couple hundred rounds through the rifle & fell in love with it. It is solid & reliable. Virtually no recoil & plenty accurate for my needs. I liked it so much that I went out and got a “like new†condition rifle (the one on the right). I’ve now got 150 rounds through this rifle, again without any malfunctions. This prompted another friend to pick one up & his is also totally reliable. I don’t think you can beat this rifle for the price. It is actually built better than many more expensive rifles. I also like the 7.62x39 round & have picked up a CZ carbine & AK also in this caliber. 1000 rounds for $80 most anywhere. You won’t regret buying your first SKS.
 

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I forgot to mention that on my first "good condition" rifle (on left), I liked it so much after my first range session that I decided to sand the stock & refinish. I'm very pleased with the results. The rifle had very nice grain that lifted out nicely with a coat of stain. I've left the other rifle as it was except for putting a coat of satin Tung oil on the stock for protection.
 
Jeez, I shouldn't ask for gun advice on here - now I need one of these! :p

Seriously though, the more I look at them, the more I like them... Oh yea, I gotta have one of these!

BTW, anything I should look for when buying? Like the cant'ed gas tube / or front sight on the AK's?

Thanks a bunch

Nick
 
It really depends on what you are buying the rifle for....if it's just to shoot, you want to make sure the bore is decent and that's about it really. If you don't get an actual detachable mag model, you're best off sticking with the factory 10 round mag as the after market 30s and even most of the 20s aren't very reliable at all.
All models available here in the states with the exception of the Yugo have a chrome lined bore and chamber so if you're planning on shooting alot and don't want to spend a ton of time cleaning I'd suggest going with a Chicom (Norinco).

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This is about how most SKS rifles tend to group at 100 yards, for me at least. I'm sure if you're a better shot you'll be able to do much better, but the accuracy is definitely good enough to discourage your average bad guy, deer, or steel plate.
 
As a range shooter, I much prefer the SKS to the AKs...longer barrel and sight radius. Mine came with a detachable 20-round mag...an abomination to a bench or prone shooter! REALLY in the way. Have gone back to a ten round detachable mag. Lots of good aftermarket accessories available. Lots of good, cheap scopes and mounts available...but if you use a scope protruding above the action, you must install a case deflector. Mine is accurate enough to ring the 360-yd gong at the range every shot.
 
By the way...better pick up one while you can.

Feinstein @ Co has sponsored a new bill to extend the assault weapons ban, and another to extend the list of affected weapons...has pulled strings to bypass committee and put it directly on the Senate agenda...will be up for discussion within a few days. Check out the High Road Political Discussion section...note your senator's voting record on this, and call or write them...EMails don't get counted. Note also that President Bush has stated that he supports extension of the ban.:fire:
 
Feinstein @ Co has sponsored a new bill to extend the assault weapons ban, and another to extend the list of affected weapons...

I'm guessing that includes the SKS? What else is on that list? Can I find the list on the net?

Thanks
Nick
 
AIM has Yogo SKSs in stock again starting at $90. Get one. Outstanding bargain. I got a shooter grade that came with the log book. Only 200 test fired rounds through it.

http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/SKS_Yugo__Yugoslavian_M59_66_SKS_7_62x39_Rifle.html
 
Original Serial Number: 84084
Caliber: 7.62 x 39
Model: SKS
Price: $129
Spending an afternoon cleaning 50 year old cosmoline off an old military rifle... Priceless

:neener:

I do love shooting this gun... It's much more fun then I had thought it would be, and ammo costs are trivial. Anyway, I probably could have found one cheaper, but I saw this one in the gun shop, and it was already partially de-cosmoline'd, and it just said "Buy Me!" (don'cha hate that :p )

If is fun to shoot... Anyone know how I can find out the approx. date of production? And the grenade launcher thingy is cool... Can dummy grenades be had for it?

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Thanks,
Nick
 

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Congrats on a very nice rifle! It won't be long before you'll want another.
 
Nick-That is a GREAT photo that you took with your Sony DSC-P52 camera at about 5:39 this afternoon. :D
 
Nick-That is a GREAT photo that you took with your Sony DSC-P52 camera at about 5:39 this afternoon.

Why thanks! I didn't think that the exposure of 1\60 was fast enough, but the camera did :p

So by what I've dug up, my rifle was made in 1968... not in that bad of shape for being 36 years old....... woah... My rifle is literally twice as old as I am!
:what:

Nick
 
Oh great, now I really, really want one. I only own a Ruger 10/22 as far as rifles go, and I think it's about time to start my collection. Judging by the price, quality, and overall great deal of these things, they seem like the perfect choice, and who knows, they might not be around much longer at these prices.

On a related note, how are the gunshows in Brevard county, Florida? :D
 
sks rifles are a bargain...I have 2...a minty russian made sks and a minty yugo.the yugo has the scary lookin grenade launcher and some still have working flip up nite sights.neither the chamber or bore is chromed if that makes any difference.the yugo is the only one without the chroming in the barrel and chamber but seems to make no dif as mine works just as well as as my russian made sks with the chrome.
Get one..I remember when I got the russian made gun..cheap as in 70 bucks...all matching numbers and coated in grease like the yugos avail now...that russian is worth more these days from a collector standpoint and I ve been offered 425 for it but wont sell it.the chineese are just as good..some may have a pinned in barrel vs the screwed in barrel and they use more stamped parts vs the milled versions available elsewhere.they still work jus fine.whatever version you get will provide years of hard use and they are easy to maintain.from a collector standpoint, ya cant go wrong either.
 
Picked up my Cosmoline-drenched M59/66 Yugo today. Log book shows the few hundred rounds it was fired, with the date and ammo used.

I picked up a 5 gallon bucket at Home Depot along with a gallon of the purple power degreaser concentrate. Put some gloves on and made a 3:1 ratio of the purple stuff and hot water, enough to cover all parts.... grabbed an old tooth brush and the stuff just melted away.

Rised with HOT water and set to dry.

Rubbed off most of the cosmo from the stock and then tried lemon oil (didn't work in removing the cosmoline) and then a rag lightly soaked with Hoppes. That did the trick, though the stock still feels 'waxy'.

Pictures and range report soon!

PS: I'm sweating the cosmo out by hand, near my wove stove... hey, it's something to do while the bolt soaks.... ;) ;)
 
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just that you should really get one if your thinking about getting a good utility rifle in a 30 caliber chambering for alot less than what some models sell for.I have a russian and a yugo model and am pleased with both.

I had an idea once about making a stock that looked similiar to a soviet draganov design out of wood..the longer bottom half and keep the gas tube shape.kinda like a miniturized version using an sks.

the sks is alot of fun and for its cost,a good shooting rifle.
 
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