Shot the SKS over the weekend

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Obturation said:
Because you can't hang doo dads all over it .
Sks are inexpensive utilitarian rifles that just work but there isn't any single thing that they do best or better than any other gun. I don't personally care for commie guns but I can see the appeal
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What’s not to like about ‘utilitarian that just works’ actually....that’s unamerican. We don’t like utilitarian
 
Several years ago when I first got my C&R, I found a U-Fix-Em deal at Century Arms where one could get three Yugo SKS's for $300, so I did, as I thought they'd make great utility rifles to hang on the fender of the tractor and carry in the truck while in the pasture, feeding the cows, etc. All they had were cracked stocks which were easily repaired.
What I figured out, at least with those particular models, was I had a rifle that weighed nearly as much as my Garand yet fired a significantly less powerful cartridge. I really like the idea of the rifle though. Are any of the other models lighter?

35W
 
daniel craig said:
What’s not to like about ‘utilitarian that just works’ actually....that’s unamerican. We don’t like utilitarian
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Nothing at all wrong with that, I'm sure that's why the sks is still popular. It take one over many many other choices but it wouldn't ever be my first choice. I like a detachable magazine , makes clearing malfunctions easier and reloads. I like the option to add optics and it's important for guns that were made without a lot of attention to detail because often the sights are off and can't be corrected. I can't say that I dislike AKs or SKSs but I prefer something else. I remember when you could pick up an SKS for very little money and regret not getting one then, the past couple years the prices have risen to more than they're worth IMO.
 
35 Whelen said:
Several years ago when I first got my C&R, I found a U-Fix-Em deal at Century Arms where one could get three Yugo SKS's for $300, so I did, as I thought they'd make great utility rifles to hang on the fender of the tractor and carry in the truck while in the pasture, feeding the cows, etc. All they had were cracked stocks which were easily repaired.
What I figured out, at least with those particular models, was I had a rifle that weighed nearly as much as my Garand yet fired a significantly less powerful cartridge. I really like the idea of the rifle though. Are any of the other models lighter?

35W
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The Chicom SKS variants are much lighter than the Yugoslavian. Especially if you remove the bayonet.
 
daniel craig said:
I sort of don’t understand why they aren’t more popular.
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They are popular, according to supply & demand, anyway. I've been shopping around for another (have a Norinco, want a Tula) and haven't been able to find a good one at a decent price. Please don't make them even more popular!!
 
To me, the vast majority of milsurps are priced higher than they are worth...if you want to shoot them.

SKSs have historically been difficult to scope. Those problems may have been solved in more recent times. This, I think, is a key to their not being more popular.
 
They are fairly popular, at least with people that aren't averse to Combloc items. Not the deal they used to be in years past, obviously...

I think affordable bolt guns in the caliber overtook some of the market for these.


I think most any other model will be lighter and balance better than the Yugo with the grenade launcher. Any owner/user needs to be aware of the (low) potential risk for slamfires.
 
earlthegoat2 said:
To me, the vast majority of milsurps are priced higher than they are worth...if you want to shoot them.

SKSs have historically been difficult to scope. Those problems may have been solved in more recent times. This, I think, is a key to their not being more popular.
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After having shot it, for what it is I don’t see the point in scoping it. I might get the thinner front sight post that tech sights sells though.
 
Speedo66 said:
Can't understand that thinking. They initially brought in almost a million Chinese versions alone, sold them all. The price has risen from $69.95 to over $400, how can you possibly say they aren't popular?
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Ok, aren’t MORE popular. The way an AR is.
 
Have a 1956 Romanian version myself. Definitely agree that its a tough, accurate-enough, utility rifle. Mine will reliably set off 1pound tannerite containers at 75 yards. Ive run thousands of rounds through it without a single failure. I love the box mag, but also have a couple 30 round detachable mags too. One of my favorites to shoot.
 
I shot Russian and Chinese SKSs and while I liked them, at around $400, I think AR chambered in 7.62x39 would provide lighter weight, better trigger and scoping option for greater accuracy.
Obturation said:
Sks are inexpensive utilitarian rifles that just work but there isn't any single thing that they do best or better than any other gun.
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I elected to go the way of heavier bullet .223/5.56 and .300 BLK instead.

I think the popularity of SKS was due to the low price, which is not the case anymore and for comparable cost, I assembled 18" .223 Wylde MLok ARs with MOA certified BCA barrels - https://www.22mods4all.com/ar-15-223-5-56-operator-series/

And if you reload, brass .223/5.56 cases are much easier to obtain than reloadable 7.62x39 brass.
 
daniel craig said:
I have absolutely zero problems with the stock trigger on the Chinese type56 model.
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There are few even lighter "paratrooper models" or "cowboy carbines" floating around with 16" barrels. Some were factory made by Norinco (chrome bore), and some converted by Century with Green Mountain barrels (non-chromed). Some have shortened, ground down spike bayonets, some have none at all. Both are handy little guns, accuracy with iron sights didnt really suffer over the longer versions- but recoil IS noticeably more pronounced.
 
LiveLife said:
I shot Russian and Chinese SKSs and while I liked them, at around $400, I think AR chambered in 7.62x39 would provide lighter weight, better trigger and scoping option for greater accuracy.

I elected to go the way of heavier bullet .223/5.56 and .300 BLK instead.

I think the popularity of SKS was due to the low price, which is not the case anymore and for comparable cost, I assembled 18" .223 Wylde MLok ARs with MOA certified BCA barrels - https://www.22mods4all.com/ar-15-223-5-56-operator-series/

And if you reload, brass .223/5.56 cases are much easier to obtain than reloadable 7.62x39 brass.
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Don’t like AR ergos.
 
They used to be extremely popular back when they sold for less than $100 and you could buy a 1200 round case of ammo for about the same amount. I have owned several in the past and have two on hand now. I have never had a single malfunction of any kind in the ones I have owned. If you can follow instructions its easy to do a trigger job on them. But the best mods are to add a rubber butt pad to increase the LOP and maybe add Tech Sights to them.

The 30-30 comparison is good. If you can find them there used to be 150gr loads for them but I have never shot them. Overall they are good guns to have in your battery of arms. I would sell my one AR before I would ever sell one of my SKS rifles.
 
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I like how the Norinco SKSs feel, they're heavy but well balanced.

I was tempted to buy a Yugo SKS once for $300, on maybe the only good used gun deal in Cabela's history, but I couldn't get over the grenade launcher. It adds a pound of muzzle weight while doing exactly nothing for those of us who don't shoot 22mm rifle grenades. Maybe if I shot it off a bench I wouldn't mind the excess weight, but for me, SKSs are offhand guns all the way.
 
Always liked them. I bought two Chinese NIB, with sling oiler, and a really humorous instruction booklet. Then bought six new in crate Yugoslavians. My Son shot his first Whitetail Deer with a "paratrooper" carbine. The grenade launcher on the Yugoslavian's I have used for training as the cut off prevents spraying. Like everything else they, both the Chinese and the Yugoslavian models, have gone up in price a lot. In today's market I expect they will go even higher. SKS-Large.jpg
 
daniel craig said:
Ok, aren’t MORE popular. The way an AR is.
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They're not making any more, so they can never be as "popular" as an AR. Every time a used batch comes in, they quickly sell out.

SKS's increased in price because of this, while AR's prices dropped before the current situation. If China sent another million SKS's, they'd be very "popular" and sell out quickly. But they can't because of import laws.
 
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