Should I sell my sks?

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rduchateau2954,

Is this rifle completely reliable as far as being functional.
No FTF or other issues?
Would be a good back-up or spare if needed,
Don't be to quick to ditch it.

A good running SKS is second only to a AK47 for reliability.
 
Before you sell it do a little research and find
exactly what you have.Some Chinese are worth
more than others.
 
The rifle has never had a FTF, it is a mass produced chinese sks. It has the serial numbers but no factory stamps.

I'll hang on to it for now and see what the future brings.
 
I went through the same thing with one of my dad's pistol, in the end it just sits in the safe, i won't sell it but other than the sentimental value it is nothing I would choose to own.
 
You'll still have your memories after you sell your rifle. Nothing can take that away. I say sell the rifle and get something you'll better enjoy.
 
I'll just share this.
My Grandpa bought my Dad a .22 single shot for crows in the corn in 1938. Dad gave it to me. I thought "what in the world do I want this old thing?"
Many years in the closet I pulled it out one day (totally forgot about it) and decided to restore it. Refinished the stock without taking any of the initials out that had been carved into it. Reblued it. Replaced springs. Really turned out well.
Brought a tear to my old mans eye. But here is the real purpose of my post.
That .22 had no value to me when Dad gave it to me. I gave it to my Grandson. It is his most cherished possession now. He knows it was Big PaPa's gun when he was little.
Think about it before you sell it for a couple of bucks. Think about your Grandchildren and the value/family history of that gun to later generations. Versus a salt and pepper shaker.
 
I buy all the time and rarely sell any of my firearms. Still if you in time will decide to sell your SKS do keep it until you have enough $$$ on hand to purchase what you want to replace it with. OR save some $$ ahead and then put in a swap and sell ad somewhere (THR swap and sell:D) that you want XXX and will swap described SKS and some $$ for it. You probably will make out better than just selling it then buying XXX. Works as long as you are flush and do not need to sell it ASAP, that always puts you at a loss when you do that.
 
For me, anything that is of sentimental value and selling it is blasphemy. Of course, to each his own. $ 250 nowadays is nothing bec of inflation. In fact the first wild hog i killed was with my Russian SKS at 10 yds while hunting in Fork of the BRazos River , North Texas in 1996. I still have it to this day in original configuration. I tried to put a scope on it before but 11 yrs ago i remove it and got it back as is. I was glad i kept the cleaning rod and the bayonet. If not, the value would have gone down.

Remember anything that relates to your past and means so much to you is worth keeping.
 
Remember anything that relates to your past and means so much to you is worth keeping.
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Makes me think of the tv series "Hoarders". :eek:

On the flip side are those that travel thru life as lightly and unencumbered as possible.

Others establish a balance somewhere between these extremes.

Personally, I'm not a collector. If it doesn't get used, it gets gone.
 
I have a couple guns that once belonged to my father that I have never shot and probably never will. Despite that, I would never consider selling them, even to finance the purchase of a gun I would actually use. I'm not a collector by nature, and everything else I own gets used, but these guns are a special case.

I don't know from your post if your father is still with you, but even if he is he won't always be. My father is gone, and I see the guns I have as a link to him and a remembrance of the good times we spent together that I could not put a price on.

Still, that's a very personal decision and no one can make it for you.
 
I'm glad to see your keeping it. I traded mine off 2+ years ago for some rc cars, even though I made good $$ on the deal, I missed the gun. Just received another one and I won't make the mistake again. Granted its your gun, do what you may, but a gun is a tool. You wouldn't sell a skill saw because you only used once a year would you? A gun is one of those tools that is priceless when you need it. Imho
 
rduchateau2954:

Right now on Gunbroker some SKS appear to have a starting price of $275-300, with most about 350-400 quite common. My other guns are primarily Enfields, Spanish FR8 and a single Garand.

Despite that variety, I enjoy my Norinco SKS just as often, and this week added the Tech Sight (the old rear
leaf sight can be removed). This aperture sight makes it so much easier to hit an object and destroy it.

Less than a shiny quarter for a jacketed, hollow point round. I saw graphic photos of a grisly, fatal wound in a large feral pig caused by a single jhp.The cheap slip-on 1" recoil pad gives it a decent length of pull. I'm 5' 11".

MuleRyder: The Russians usually have a star inscribed onto the upper front part of the action.
They also have a chrome-lined bore, no gr. launcher and should have a wicked, blade bayonet.
You could try "SKSboards", "Russian" forum.
 
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The Sarge said:
I'll just share this.
That .22 had no value to me when Dad gave it to me. I gave it to my Grandson. It is his most cherished possession now. He knows it was Big PaPa's gun when he was little.
Click to expand...

A wonderful story. I only wish that I had a rifle passed down from my great-grandfather (or even my father) to pass down to my children and future grandchildren.

The Sarge said:
Think about it before you sell it for a couple of bucks. Think about your Grandchildren and the value/family history of that gun to later generations. Versus a salt and pepper shaker.
Click to expand...

Great advice more people need to hear. In a world where almost everything is cheap and disposable, guns are permanent family history to pass down from generation to generation.
 
Ignition Override said:
rduchateau2954:

Right now on Gunbroker some SKS appear to have a starting price of $275-300, with most about 350-400 quite common. My other guns are primarily Enfields, Spanish FR8 and a single Garand.

Despite that variety, I enjoy my Norinco SKS just as often, and this week added the Tech Sight (the old rear
leaf sight can be removed). This aperture sight makes it so much easier to hit an object and destroy it.

Less than a shiny quarter for a jacketed, hollow point round. I saw graphic photos of a grisly, fatal wound in a large feral pig caused by a single jhp.The cheap slip-on 1" recoil pad gives it a decent length of pull. I'm 5' 11".

MuleRyder: The Russians usually have a star inscribed onto the upper front part of the action.
They also have a chrome-lined bore, no gr. launcher and should have a wicked, blade bayonet.
You could try "SKSboards", "Russian" forum.
Click to expand...
Thanks, mine has the star on the action and a nasty bayonet on it. I never thought of it as that great of a weapon, but maybe with a little work it could be.
 
Chinese SKS are going for 300 bucks and up around here. My Chinese sks is the most accurate sks I have. Just because it is Chinese, doesn't mean it is no good.....chris3
 
I completely agree with you guys on family guns. My fathers old mossberg 500 and the mossberg 20ga I got on my 10th birthday will stay in the family. Those shotguns have memories from the best years of my life. While the sks does have some sentimental value, it's not even close. My old man always eyeing the semi '06s and .270s in the gun store. He called the sks "his little jap rifle".

That's why my two scratched and gouged pump shotguns are center row in my cabinet and the sks is in a gun sock in the closet. I doubt I'll ever stick any money into it but there is no way I am not gonna shoot it. Maybe it will grow on me.
 
CJ_74 said:
Think about what you just said here. Do you know how often that can be said of any rifle? You may not like that SKS but it has tremendous value and the very last thing I would do is sell it and buy an AK. That's off the charts wrong. The SKS is a better rifle in almost every way unless you have a full auto AK.
Click to expand...

Who said anything about an AK? It would have been towards a handgun or reloading setup.

As far as a SHTF situation, I would reach for one of my 12ga before anything else.
 
CJ_74 said:
Another poster suggested that you sell it and buy an AK-47. In post #22 you'll find this quote:



My comment was about what he said.
Click to expand...
Ah, I have no ambition for an AK. If I ever did get one it would be full auto. I don't have the funds or the land to get one.
 
although i don't share cj 74's enthusiasm, and take issue with some of his comments about the sks being the "most proven battle carbine on the planet"....it's dern good firearm and will serve you well. when you first posted this, i thought about sending you a pm with an offer to buy it, as i've been keeping an eye out for one lately. but honestly, unless you want the cash to fund something else and have no room for it, you are probably best served by keeping it.
 
I don't doubt that an SKS is a good rifle. But, it just always seemed like a boring AK-47. Sort of like it's nerdy brother or something.
 
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