The sks rifle. your thoughts

Lefty38-55 said:

SKS prices for a Russian and Norinco, near Boston as of 08Feb24 - yikes! But that shop is notorious for high prices …


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I'm not surprised! I see run of the mill SKSes for $550 or $600 when I visit family back in Idaho. Throw in a HCOL, less than gun friendly state, and I'd say that $700 for a Norinco is reasonable

Mosin Bubba said:

I'm not surprised! I see run of the mill SKSes for $550 or $600 when I visit family back in Idaho. Throw in a HCOL, less than gun friendly state, and I'd say that $700 for a Norinco is reasonable

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At least they are solid built.

Love my 1954 Tula.

I bought a Yugo 15+ years ago. If I've got you in my Tech Sights at 200 or less, you're toast. Offhand, seated, prone, it doesn't matter.

I have 2 Yugo's, a Russian similar to the one above and a Chinese version. Although the Chinese one is my least favorite to shoot they are all a lot of fun.

Did any of the Russian versions come with Arctic Birch stocks?

There’s something about that mottled light and dark wood on Mosins that just gets me.

They were great when you could buy a SKS and a case of 1,000 rounds for a total of $150. I used one for a couple of years as a deer rifle. That time has passed, since you can buy and shoot a AR for about the same price as a SKS. I'm mostly sad that the ammunition got so expensive for them. I like to practice on steel out to 300 yards with a SKS with iron sights just to keep myself honest.

I bought one in 1991. I had been on the receiving end in Nam, figured I'd try being on the
opposite end for awhile. Carried it in my patrol car as did several other deputies, for several
years until we were issued AR's and mandated to carry only them or a Rem. 870. I went with
the 870. I personally like the SKS a great deal and prefer it to my AK. It's now my tractor
gun. Mine is a numbers matching Norinco and for a farm or ranch gun, you can't beat it.
I gave $39 bucks plus tax and FBI check in 91. It's never given me the first problem in 33
yrs.
Dano

Twisted Chemist said:

Never had one. Many swear by them but I'll stick to my MAADI AKM.

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Get both.

C&Rsenal has a new video out about the development and history of the SKS:



Edited later to add: Viewing the animation in the video reinforces to me just how elegant the SKS design is, once the kinks were worked out. Ergonomically and optically the gun could be improved, but the basic operating system is superb.

I had a Yugo years ago that never did run reliably but came close after replacing the gas valve and messing around with getting it to seal better. I recall really liking the Tapco magazines compared to screwing around with the stripper clips. If the gun had run as dead nuts reliable as its reputation had suggested, I would still have it.

Now I can do anything the SKS could do with my M92 "pistol" and do it with way less weight and it actually have the gun work every time. I even have a little magpul 10 rounder to complete the SKS experience.

When they first arrived and were selling for almost nothing I looked and said no, it fills none of what I want a rifle for. My SIL's father bought one and a bunch of the super cheap ammo to go with it. He died rather early and my SIL got all his guns being the only male in the family. He wanted me to mount a scope on it and sight it in which I did. Off a good bench rest it was dependable at hitting a dinner plate at 100 yards. He still has it but I haven't seen him shoot it in years. Several years ago they were robbed and almost all the guns stolen. The SKS along with a Marlin model 60 were left.

Like all the inexpensive Curio & Relic firearms that flooded the Country in the beginning of the century the SKS and semi-automatic AK's prices have risen steadily. We were kind if in the same situation as post WWII with barrels full of Mausers being sold for $20.00 and Lugers for $25.00. They will keep going up because there just won't be anymore.

Twisted Chemist said:

Never had one. Many swear by them but I'll stick to my MAADI AKM.

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Out of the dozen or so AKs Ive let go over the years, the one I miss the most is my Maadi, with its plywood stock and rattle-can spray paint finish.....

I'd still have it if it hadn't been stolen.

I know it's weird, but I hug mine. It has been good to me for so long. Like a happy marriage. I hope you younger guys get a chance to own a good one.

Purchased 3 under a C&R license for $89 each. Yugo models. Still with me today.

I've had two SKSs, first was bought new in the mid 90's for $99 at a gun show, along with a Norinco 9mm pistol new fir $125.
The SKS was much better made than the pistol.
Let it go and later regretted it til I came across an '89 Norinco in an ATI Monte Carlo stock at a yard sale for $40. That one was a better shooter and still have it. Last owner had a broken Tapco mag and said it had feed issues. A new Tapco fixed that, although I later picked up a good condition fixed mag which I'm glad I snagged back when parts were cheaper.

It's got military history, parts are available and it's a proven design. I'm not expecting it to be as accurate as a WWII era k98 mauser but it's a workhorse that won't let you down.

My thoughts on the SKS.

It’s a Communist military service rifle with notable history, and pretty robust design.

They were a bargain for what they sold for in the 80’s and 90’s, and I’d probably enjoy shooting one if I had one.

But I do not have one, and while I wouldn’t feel under gunned necessarily by having one, there’s other rifles I’d gravitate toward today.

PistoleroWadcutterGANG:

You mentioned a .."happy marriage" and hope that the younger guys have "the chance to own a good one".

I'm no longer young, but yes-- I own a good wife.

And I've owned a very good semi-civilian, commercial "Norinco" SKS. Excellent gun, but the lowest-cost (for the Chinese) choa wood was easily getting numerous cuts and minor scrapes so I sold it.
Yugo, Romanian, Russian SKS have much harder wood, as do the true ex-military Type 56 Chinese SKS; most of these have serious battle scars but harder wood than the yellowish/orange choa in the commercial Chinese rifles.

Sidenote: these Type 56 were legal to import in recent years via the "Third Country" method, and came from Slovenia or Albania, according to info on SKSboards. This link describes the many countries which produced the rifle.
This article is dated 2013.

I have a Yugo SKS, a Polytech AK and a Romanian Draco. Really enjoy shooting all of them and can honestly say I`ve never had a malfunction with either the SKS or AK. I`ve had one malfunction with the Draco but I think it was ammo related.
One notable thing to keep in mind that I haven`t yet seen discussed on this thread is that the SKS doesn`t have as many of the "evil" features that the anti`s love to froth over like, detachable high capacity mags, pistol grips and it actually has a wooden stock as issued so it isn`t a "black rifle". For this reason, I think the Polytech, Draco or any AK would be banned quicker than the SKS due to the number of "evil" features. It does, however, since it` s a Yugo, have a grenade launcher though. On another note, the Draco is pretty much useless unless you have a pistol brace at which time everything changes with it. Of course, I can count 4 times the law has changed concerning the legality of the pistol brace. This week it`s legal.

Liked the SKS way back, when they were dirt cheap and I was dirt poor.

Have an M1 Rifle and 580 Series Mini-14 Carbine now.

'Merica!