Recommendation for a 20" 7.62x39

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35 Whelen

35 Whelen

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I have a couple of Yugo SKS's that I'm looking to sell to fund a 20" 7.62x39. The Yugo's are nice and both of mine shoot pretty good (< 3" @ 100 yds.) but they're long and heavy and must be loaded singly or with strippers.
I'm looking to get a 7.62x39 that's a bit more practical and lighter. I don't really care for AK's because of their short, 16" barrels and their "minute of pie plate" accuracy.
I know Saiga now has a model with a 20" barrel, but their magazines are proprietary and expensive. Is there anything else out there? I might be talked into an AK pattern IF there's one available in the longer barrel and there are models that are known to be more accurate than a run of the mills AK.
Budget will be $500-ish.

35W
 
For what you want, on the budget you have, you'd better keep your sks. An AR in 7.62x39 will be the only thing that will improve what you've got, and 500 won't touch one. Ruger Mini 30 comes to mind, but it is shorter than what you want, probably less accurate than your sks, and will run over your budget again.
 
Oops...I should've mentioned...I already have an AR. I tried to like it, but just can't warm up to it. It looks like it's going to be used strictly for High Power competition. I thought pretty seriously about a Mini-30 because I have a Mini-14 and really like it, but there again, expensive mags. The search continues...

35W
 
Why not get the 20" barrel Saiga-762 and add 922r compliance parts to it, so you can use run of the mill 7.62x39mm AK magazines?
That combo (Saiga + conversion parts) should keep you within your $500 budget.
 
Quiet said:
Why not get the 20" barrel Saiga-762 and add 922r compliance parts to it, so you can use run of the mill 7.62x39mm AK magazines?
That combo (Saiga + conversion parts) should keep you within your $500 budget.
Click to expand...
That's sounds interesting, especially the part about being able to use AK mags. I'm not familiar with the conversion process and only vaguely familiar with the 922r BS. Enlighten me.

35W
 
you could always get a 7.62x39 upper and just swap lowers. I did that for a while until I built a dedicated one.

It's really accurate compared to my AK esepcially with my reloads vs junk steel case which it also shoot fine.
 
The Saiga is just another AK variant. The VEPR is another AK variant but is supposed to be more accurate, have a longer barrel, and have a higher quality feel to it. Good luck finding one for $500
 
With a limited budget it would be tough to find what you're after.

What about a modified SKS? There's enough of them out there that using one as the basis for a project gun isn't going to reduce the world population of SKS's enough to matter.

A new stock from an aftermarket company or a custom made wood or wood and metal stock for starters. Remove the bayonet and lugs to lighten the gun. And if you want to go further and have the metal working background to do so perhaps even come up with a way to switch over to accept AK magazines. Along the way play with some options for floating the barrel or doing the equivalent of loading it in one direction such as Mosin owners do with "corking" the front of the stock to enhance accuracy. Also look at having a smith do a truly accurate muzzle crown to the barrel.

Finally try some hunting ammo instead of the surplus. I understand that the surplus has a super wide variation in speed. Better hunting ammo may cause you to be very surprised with how accurate one of these old guns can be.
 
Almost forgot, since you live in the US dropping your SKS action into a bull pup stock is possible. Up where I live the bull pup stock conversions are illegal (don't ask, it's a silly story). Converting to a bull pup stock and stripping the bayonet off the action would give you what you're after other than operating without a magazine. But it looks like there are some magazine conversion kits as well.
 
How about custom vz.58? ;)
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I would also recommend a Norinco SKS, a model d that uses AK mags, or get the Tapco 20 round polymer mags. Mine has a 20" barrel, and I just got four of the Tapco mags and they work very well. I hate the Yugo SKS with the rediculous grenade launcher.
 
Where can I find these conversion kits for the Saigas?
Click to expand...

Dinzagarms.com is one place.
I might be talked into an AK pattern IF there's one available in the longer barrel and there are models that are known to be more accurate than a run of the mills AK.
Budget will be $500-ish.
Click to expand...

Check out the RPK's for $599 at Classic Arms. That's probably the best out of the box solution you are going to find for your price range, unless you want a bolt action.

http://www.classicarms.us/semi-auto rifles.htm
 
rule303 said:
RPK? There are some Norinco NHM 91's out there too.
Click to expand...

Yeah, NHM-91/MAK-91 is exactly what you're looking for. 20" heavy barrel and is reported to be more accurate than a standard AK. Takes standard magazines. Whether you can find one in your price range is a good question. They're not plentiful but neither are they especially sought after.

A 20" Saiga is probably just as good and you can find them in your price range easier.
 
Savage Arms makes their Scout Rifle in 7.62x39. AR pattern 7.62x39 rifles usually have funtioning issues related to the magazine. 7.62x39 rounds are very tapered and do not respond well to the straight portion of the AR's mag well.
 
I believe a good set of tech sights on a Norinco SKS would do wonders for the accuracy your looking for. While still keeping the handiness of the 16in barrel.

Personally I like the SKS "because" it can be loaded with strippers. A lot more ammo can be carried in the same space as bulky magazines.
 
I know Saiga now has a model with a 20" barrel, but their magazines are proprietary and expensive.
Click to expand...

Install a bullet guide (it simply requires drilling and tapping a hole and then screwing the thing in) and grind down the mag latch until your ak mags click in and it will work with AK mags. It will also work with $8 master molder mags with only the latter done. they are not as good as steel military mags though so I would invest in the bullet guide. There is ample information about 922r out there already so I wont take the time to reproduce it here. Google saiga 922r or saiga conversion and you will find what you are looking for.

I believe there are also 20" veprs. However, you will not find one for $500. A saiga with a basic pistol grip conversion should be squarely in that range unless the 20" guns command some sort of premium. I know 16" ones can be had for right around $300.

About 4" more sight radius and a bit more velocity.
Click to expand...

I'd simply go with one of the sighting options that gives you a rear peep then you pick up more than 4" and have a lighter handier rifle. That or use an optic.
 
This worked ok. The balance wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be before I got it.

Velocity was a little higher too. I was getting 2411fps from the RPKlone vs 2253fps from the 16" SLR-107FR.Both with Yugo M67 from the same lot.

452633324_eyNbT-O.jpg

452709956_KowBp-O.jpg
 
AES-10B

I got it from Classicarms. It's the 2nd one they sent, the 1st had wobbly mag disease and a FSB that was canted so bad it gave a friend seasickness. Classicarms sent me the return tag and replaced it with the handpicked rifle that's in the pic.

That rifle got parkerized and has a RPK bipod installed. The PKM bipod CAI ships with is not correct for the RPK as it's the wrong height and the cant limits don't work.

BSW
 
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