Norinco SKS Value?

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TheLaxPlayer

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About how much is an unissued, never fired Norinco SKS worth? I bought one today for $200 :uhoh: which from what I've seen would have been a good deal even a few years ago, I can only imagine the prices have gone up since. Basically, I'm wondering if it's worth keeping it to shoot or should I try to resell it for a nice profit?

Thanks
 
I don't think a nice profit is to be seen, as $200 is still the going price for the Norincos. The only ones bringing more than that are Russian and Albanian.
 
Keep it and shoot it. I've got one I've been shooting for close to 20 years without a glitch.
Around here the shops ask $175-$250 for most any brand of SKS.
 
I think it varies a bit with where you are. The price you paid is decent, and you might be able to sell it for a very little bit more (up to maybe $250). But that potential profit margin is iffy and small enough that it's, IMHO, not worth the effort. Shoot and enjoy.
 
Alright, thanks guys. It seems the prices leveled off on those.... if only ammo would do the same!
 
Bought one for $150 at a yard sale thinking I was gonna make a buck or two. I checked the local Pawn shops and the $175 to 200 seemed to be the going rate around here so a buddy of mine that wanted one got it for $150. He was promptly offered 250 for it. so it depends on who you run into or where you are I guess. Oh he kept the darn thing and now can't get the groups he was wanting at the range.
 
About how much is an unissued, never fired Norinco SKS worth? I bought one today for $200
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That's a great deal! I've seen them for $300 used around here and they haven't imported them for a long while..

Of course "unissued" is a misnomer. 99% of the Norinco SKS in country were made for commercial export and not military issue arms.
 
Decided to keep it. Just got back from the range and... I suck. Shooting at 50 yards I could keep most of them on a paper plate, but certainly no groups to brag about :eek: Suppose I need more practice, was only my second time shooting a rifle. (And I have two rifles :rolleyes: )
 
That may be as good as it gets with a SKS, at least if my Yugo is an indication. In fact, I'd be happy if I could get them to all be in a paper plate at 50 yrds.
 
That may be as good as it gets with a SKS
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A good SKS should do a bit better than that. With Tech-Sights, I can get my Norinco Para to do 4" groups at 100 yards. I can do maybe an inch bigger with my Yugo 59/66 and it's original sights. My worst SKS does 6" at 50 yards, buy it's an M59 with a worn out bore.
 
I think I might just go for a cheap 4x scope. It seems they come with a receiver cover which has the rings mounted to it all for about $50. I think it will look better than having the TS200 sight and taking off the stock rear sight.

Any opinions on this?
 
While I haven't done it with the SKS, I do have a receiver cover mounted scope on my AK. It works OK, if you don't mind rezeroing it every time you strip the rifle for cleaning (gets old).
 
That would get old FAST! Also, it looks like I wouldn't be able to use stripper clips if I went this route. Do you know of any rather inexpensive scope options that don't mount to the receiver cover?
 
Do you know of any rather inexpensive scope options that don't mount to the receiver cover?
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Only option that I know of that doesn't mount to the receiver cover is a scout scope mount. For that you have two options that I know of, but I'm sure there are a few more out there since everyone seems to make gadgets for the SKS.

If you want to keep the SKS in mostly factory condition then you can get just the mount. Check out http://www.scoutscopes.com/ Like the Tech-Sights, I do not believe that this route violates 922(r) so you don't have to worry about additional crap on your SKS.

The other option is a complete overhaul of the stock with the new Tapco fusion stocks that have a scout scope mount on the gas tube assembly, forward of the rear sight. The tapco stocks force you into 922(r) compliance though so you'll have to replace a few other parts as well (I think 4 or 5 depending on the SKS original manufacturer), but the most expensive is already taken care of.

Personally speaking I wouldn't mount optics on an SKS unless it was a red dot on a scout scope with a full near bubba job with new stock and such. Tech-sights are really the way to go if you wanna keep it in original look and feel.

The only modified SKS that I have really liked was the one put together here by Rugerdude. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=277038&highlight=SKS+M1A
 
I have both the DC Engineering receiver cover mount and the Choate side receiver mount. I think they're pretty close to the same performance. However the Choate require a drill and tap, which forever alters the rifle.

In my case, I think the Choate altered the rifle because it doesn't shoot as well as it did with the DC mount. I would never do it again simply because of the permanent alteration.

I use the DC mount with a holosight now, on a different SKS, and it performs exceptionally well. The DC is expensive compared to other receiver mounts, but it's worth it.

photo of the mount where you can see how it differs from an ordinary mount.
http://www.northwoodsphoto.net/sks/Scope/index.html
 
I'm thinking about getting the ATI Monte Carlo style stock, one of the scope mounts (DC looks really nice, but I can't find somewhere that sells them), and perhaps swapping out the bayonet for a folding bipod. Not sure if I'm going to or not though. On one hand it's a pristine rifle with all kinds of history behind it, but on the other it is a late manufacture chinese model made for the sole purpose of exporting to the north american consumer market. I think I'll probably go through with it, I'd feel bad changing a battle used rifle, but this was made forty years after the fact.

Opinions?

By the way, thanks for all the help so far guys! :)

EDIT: ok, I found the DC scope mount for sale, but it's $155. At this point I'm not so sure how much sense it would make to take a $200 rifle and spend another $200 for a scope and mount, $50 for a stock, and still be shooting probably around 3 MOA. (I think the bipod would require me to add two compliance parts in addition to the stock and handguard but I'm not sure, anybody know? The language seems to leave a gray area and I've also read nobody has been prosecuted under 922(r) but I don't know how much truth there is to that either)
 
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If you are thinking monte carlo go Butler creek. You may need a few minutes of careful sanding in the barrel channel and trigger group area but you will love the stock.
Both of mine improved my groups. Seek a heavier bullet also in you want to improve your groups. A good bore, good crown the right ammo, trigger smoothing and a well fitted stock can get you 2" with eyballs at 100, standard sights. Use a rest. If you are measuring groups without a rest you'll never really know how much is you or the rifle. Good luck.
 
I think I'm going to drive over to Cabelas sometime soon and see what they have as far as stocks. Will probably pick up 500 or 1000 rounds of the 154gr Wolf SP while I'm there, I've heard they shoot more accurately than the 124gr ones I shot.

The crown looks to be perfect and the bore only has 36 rounds through it. Hopefully the heavier wolf will be alright, I don't really want to spring for $10 a box ammo. The trigger is anything but smooth, going to have to do something about that eventually but I'll probably leave it for now. I'm pretty sure the bad grouping was mostly me and the sights not getting along too well. The first 5 I ever shot through it were on the plate at 50 yards (not too impressive, but I'm new at this and using the cheapest ammo I could find lol) but an hour or so later I was probably closer to hitting somebody else's target than mine, I realized I wasn't focusing well enough on the sights and also that I moved the gun a bit when pulling the trigger.

I'm hoping better ammo, better sights of some sort (not sure if I want better iron sights or a scope still), and practice will lead so shooting groups, rather than patterns.
 
Brownell's has the Wolff spring service pak for the SKS @ $6.00 for members. That's probably the best $6 I've ever spent.

Just search Brownell's for sks spring.
 
What exactly will this spring do for me? I see it's a 22lb spring instead of 34 but what effect does this have?
 
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