Here's a question for all you California SKS owners

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DevLcL

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I live in california and I would like to get an SKS. I'm looking to find a used one in the 100$-175$ range. I can't seem to find any at the local gun shops, and they actually told me they've never gotten any in the past. If I can avoid it I dont want to deal with shipping and legality and whatnot so I would like to find a local seller. Also, idealy, this way I can actually look down its sights and feel the wood in my hands before I make the buy. Any suggestions/tips? What did you guys do to get your rifle? Anyone in northern california have a used SKS they would be willing to part with? (I'm willing to pay a little more then I suggested above if I can find someone local) ;)

-Thanks
Colin
 
I'm not positive on this, but I believe Cali has banned the SKS on the state level as an assault rifle, and as such there is no way to legally transfer them.
 
Turners usually has 'em on sale for $199 once a month or so.

The SKS' we get in Cali need to have the muzzle modified to make the "grenade launcher" inoperable. Doesn't matter that the grenades themselves pretty much don't exist and you would need a Class 3 permit for them anyway, but that's idiotic PRK for you.
 
SKSes are completely legal for us Kalifornians. They just can't have detachable mags or grenade launchers.
 
Oh, those progressive thinking legislators! Their wisdom is profound. It will probably take a hundred years before we can all learn to appreciate it though.

I feel so much safer that grenade launching capable SKS rifles are off the streets. Until they finally passed that law, we were is such fear that one day, someone would figure out that the SKS was the perfect platform for initiating an all out assault with grenades. Whew, now that there is a law on the books, the criminals are helpless. Thank God.


When are they gonna get around to HumVees? Don't they know that it is the perfect platform onto which to base a mobile hand tossed grenade assault? :barf:
 
I'm not positive on this, but I believe Cali has banned the SKS on the state level as an assault rifle, and as such there is no way to legally transfer them.
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Sorry, pet peeve of mine. If you don't live here and you are not sure, why even mention it? I respect your wanting to help, but there are way too many people not in California who have no idea what California is like and they have to pipe in their 2 cents and they are usually wrong. Your post doesn't bug me much, it just brings back bad memories.

There are quite a few dealers who are selling the modified Yugo SKS and you should be able to get one for less than $200. You are supposed to go through a FFL dealer as private party transfers of the SKS are not going to be legal. (someone has told me that you can still do private party transfers on C&R guns over 50 years old and I have been meaning to ask about that, I don't believe it. As far as I know the Yugo SKS is not 50 years old)

I bought my Russian SKS 10 years ago in a straw purchase through my dad (I know kettle, black, legality) when I was 17. I had an extra but I sold it. See if you can find a good dealer and have him order you one. It shouldn't cost you more than $200. Good luck.

Interordnance says they have them as low as $88.95 plus a $20 PRK alteration charge. Once you get it shipped in and transfered to your FFL, you are going to be looking at probably $150 to $200.

SOG has some that don't have a grenade launcher on them, but they say "not for sale in california". Another pet peave. People not wanting to do legitimate business with us because they aren't capable enough to read the laws. I guess I don't blame them, but I also don't shop with them either.
 
Northern CA is pretty darn big. Maybe if you posted a county people might point you toward a specific shop. Saw a yugo that wasn't too beat up for under $200 tonight in Livermore.
 
El Rojo,

Sorry to push your buttons. I just moved here 6 months ago, after living in San Diego for 7 years. I never once saw an SKS for sale there and always assumed they were banned...or I would have bought one myself! :banghead:

Oh well, I got a nice Norinco pretty much as soon as I moved here :)
 
http://www.turners.com/engage/displayads.php

Note: These are Yugo M59, not butchered M59/66s. That's the only reason I bought an SKS from Turners several months ago when they first got the M59s in. I wanted an SKS, but I didn't want to get an M59/66 because they have to butcher the grenade launcher and I didn't want an altered rifle. Not many people in California seem to care about that, but as a collector, I do.
 
Barnaul is generally the most accurate of the inexpensive steel-cased stuff. Truth be told, it often shoots better than the brass-cased 'Murrican stuff....
 
Is there a difference in surplus 7.62x39mm ammo? It all shoots the same for me it seems. I just bought a 1000 Wolf, but haven't shot any of it yet. I don't shoot my SKS for precision anyway. If it hits close to what I am shooting at 300 yards, I am happy.
 
I don't want to shoot steel cased ammo. So I was looking for a cheap, clean, brass alternative.
 
You can stick to brass-cased ammo if you want. If you do, the Yugo surplus stuff is supposed to be the best cheap stuff. But understand that the SKS was *designed* for steel-cased ammo - you'll not hurt your SKS in any way by using it.
 
But understand that the SKS was *designed* for steel-cased ammo - you'll not hurt your SKS in any way by using it.
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That's how I feel too. My general philosophy is that is Russian ammo for Russian guns, and American ammo for American guns.
 
Pro segregation? :uhoh: I hope you don't store your Russian guns with your American guns. ;)

I read Wolf is basically Russian surplus. It still has a corrosive primer. I just thought if I bought an sks, I'd rather feed a 50 year old rifle clean ammo, instead of dirty ammo. Just my logic.
 
It still has a corrosive primer.
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To the best of my knowledge Wolf is not corrosive. As far as it being dirty, yes it is, but its not unmanageable. I have put thousands of rounds of Wolf through my SKS without a single problem. The SKS is one sturdy rifle, I would not worry one bit about putting steel cased Russian ammo through it. Now, I personally would not put Wolf .223 through my SU-16, but that is just my preference.
 
Wolf is not suplus nor corrosive. It is new-manufacture Russian ammo. It may not be the most accurate, but it'll certainly do no harm to a SKS or AK.
 
Yeah, I know steel cased ammo is a BIG no no in the SU!

Sounds good. I've just always been told to stay away from Wolf in all my guns.
 
Really? I've read on Ktrange and KTOG of SU-16 users using Wolf polymer coated with no problems at all.
 
***sks Update***

I went to a few local gun shops recently and asked if they could special order me a california legal SKS.... I got the same response from them all. "You don't need an assault rifle kid". I'm only 18 so I understand why they called me a kid, but I've been shooting for years and its not like I would be using the rifle for any type of assault purpose anyway. There's a gunshow near here on saturday so maybe I'll have better luck there.

Quick question: How does the background check at gunshows work? Is it instant-check (or whatever) like they have in places like montana, or is it still the 10 day waiting period. (remember I live in California)

Thanks again,
-Colin
 
You don't need an assault rifle kid
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From now on your reply will be, "You don't need my business then. And I plan on being a gun enthusiast for a long time. Thank you and have a nice day." Seriously, if anyone else gives you crap, remind them that you are young and impressionable, so they just threw away a possible life long customer. Then walk out. They need you more than you need them. Idiots.

You have to wait ten days regardless of where you get your rifle in this state. A gun show would probably be a good bet for finding one.
 
California Penal Kode

For those interested, here is the penal code in California relating to the 1989 Assault weapons ban act.

http://www.uh.edu/~dbarclay/rm/roberti.htm (sorry, couldn't figure out the linking thing :banghead: --I still have trouble with my record player needles too :D )

Good luck with the search.
 
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wow that pisses me off. It's not an assult rifle. Where did you go? I know of someplaces like that. Friggen jerks!
 
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