Price check: SKS and M1 Carbine

[Solo]

I was down at my local Big 5 here in Orange County, and noticed that they had a M1 Carbine on sale for $999. The action, magazine, and sights looked alright, but the stock was a mess. Please tell me that's about $500 overpriced, because I would love to be able to afford it.

Also saw an SKS going for $499. I did not handle it, but it appeared to be in decent condition. Is that a fair price? I remember the cost of an SKS being closer to $300 a few years ago.

 

[Sunray]

Milsurp Carbines are selling for a bit less than that retail. Couple hundred or so. The condition, of course, matters. AutoOrdnance wants $775 for their copy, as I recall.
$499 for an SKS is ludicrous. Mind you, if your Orange County is the one in CA, that may explain both prices.

 

[Solo]

There is another Orange County?

 

[Sunray]

"...There is another Orange County..." Beats me. I'm in Canada. Our counties are named after rich and famous people. Not a fruit. snicker.
There's one in NC, FL, NY, VA, TX and likely others.

 

[Sky]

I was looking at SKS's a couple of months ago and someplace had them for $289 (looked unused still in the crate). Think I posted the price in a thread but sorry do not remember when or where. $300 for an SKS seems to be the going price now from places who want to honestly sell them. There are cheaper and certainly more expensive to be had. Do a search on THR about the SKS and you will probably find some decent places selling them. I would try and find it for you but am overseas at an Internet cafe' and is not easy for me to do a search.

 

[Lonerider357]

Nice SKS's here plus alot of other nice guns!
http://www.classicarms.us/

 

[Sky]

Yes Classicarms is the place I saw them for $289. Thanks!

 

[Lakedaemonian]

Yes Classicarms is the place I saw them for $289. Thanks!

YES!!! I want to buy guns from people who mount Scopes backwards!!! Holy Crap!!!!!! Are you kidding me?!

 

[mdThanatos]

If the SKS was a Yugo, being from Big 5 it will come without the grenade launcher and in place of it a crappy muzzle brake. I'd find one somewhere else if it were me, went that route a few years ago and wish in some ways that I didn't. The M1, is it an original or one of the new reproductions? Locally they have been pushing a reproduction model and it seems that the milsurp rifles are far and few between in my ventures to the stores.

 

[Sky]

hahahaha probably came that way and the photographer only knows about cameras

 

[Solo]

The M1, is it an original or one of the new reproductions? Locally they have been pushing a reproduction model and it seems that the milsurp rifles are far and few between in my ventures to the stores.

I couldn't tell, but the stock was wooden and beaten up as hell. It seemed pretty old; I suspect milsurp.

From what I remember, the magazine release had a white "M" on the button and the rear sight was an aperture mounted on a ramp.

 

[mister2]

There is another Orange County?

Just to name a couple, there's an Orange Co. in VA and NY.

Re: prices - Big 5 had milsurp garands and various Mausers and Mosins and some looked they were dragged behind a truck from whatever battlefield they were found. And overpriced at that. I would not be surprised if their M1s followed suit.

I've seen Russian SKSs in the ads between $350 and $400. A little less ($275 - $300) for Yugos and Chinese.

Try SKS forums: http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=88256.0
You may have to have a minimum number of posts to see the ads but prices are as described above.

MR2

 

[Solo]

Thanks everyone.

I'm glad to know I can get a good C&R for more reasonable prices.

I'm actually really interested in getting an M1 Carbine one of these days.

 

[ball3006]

You missed the feeding frenzy at the CMP last year when carbines were going for around 600 bucks. SKSs around here are in the 3-400 price range depending on what country they are from. Russian bring premium prices....Nothing wrong with the Yugos with the grenade launcher. The added weight makes the rifle balance nicely...chris3

 

[RP88]

unless the SKS is a pristine Albanian copy or something else semi-rare, then $500 is $150-200 too much.

 

[ball3006]

I have to agree with RP88.....I paid 100 bucks for my very nice Albanian back then.....chris3

 

[tubeshooter]

In today's market, I have been seeing ~$300 for good ones (usually Yugo) and $450 or so for a very clean Russian.