SKS a great buy

[RWMC]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to disassemble and clean my friends' G43 rifle. His Dad brought it back from WW2. It is all matching and the bluing is at least 98%. While I was cleaning it, and thinking about how much I would have to pay to buy one as nice, I began in my mind to compare it to my Yugo SKS. I came to the conclusion that the SKS is one Heck of a buy for the money! I know that the SKS dosen't have the alluring history that the G43 has, but they are built like a tank, very reliable, and very affordable. GUN TEST MAGAZINE once called the SKS, "The Poor Mans Mini-Thirty". I believe they are right-on with their title. So if the SKS is your one and only weapon, don't for one second think you are inferiorly armed. Go out and shoot it, and be thankful we still live in a country where we have the freedom to allow us to do so.

 

[Waywatcher]

I totally agree.

I love my SKS, and for the money its hard to beat. My personal theory as to why they are so cheap is because they filled a very short military(5-10 year) gap between bolt actions/smg's and the tremendously popular AK-47.

I also think of my SKS as sort of a poor mans Garand.

 

[MechAg94]

I agree completely.

The SKS is the best value on the market right now for a capable and tough semi-auto rifle. You can buy and SKS and a quantity of ammunition with stripper clips for $200. With a little cleaning and prepartion, you are ready to provide sustained fire for as long as your ammo holds out. A few sight upgrades and you can make it decently accurate as well.

 

[dfaugh]

Another + vote. Where else can you get:

I like new/unissued rifle for under $200, that shoots a relatively cheap round, has (at least) a 10 capacity*, is reasonably accurate (w/ good ammo) AND is virtually indestructable.

*Besides an un-issued (although maybe re-arsenalled) Yugo, I have an SKS-M, which takes AK mags---best of both worlds as its hi-cap, but more accurate than an AK. BUT, you can, with practice load from strippers almost as fast as I can change magazines.

 

[jagdpanzer347]

Perhaps the Ruger Mini-Thirty is the rich man's SKS?

-jagd

 

[MCgunner]

I've got about 20 long guns. Most are sporting arms other than a couple of milsurps. The two SKSs are great fun, though, and can do the job in a deer stand out to 150 yards or so. They're a HUGE best buy in the gun world, no doubt about it. As affordable as they are, everyone needs one even if he thinks he doesn't. If nothing else, it's a fun plinker and as cheap as a .22 LR at Wallyworld.

I got a 20" unissued Norinco for $75 and a new production 16" paratrooper for $115 back around 89. They've gone up since then. You couldn't bet a Marlin M60 new for less than $100 then! Nothing against the Marlin, but what other decent centerfire rifle is in the same price range? I shoulda stocked up on 'em, but they were coming in the country by the shipload from China back then. Who knew?

 

[TooTaxed]

They are a lot of fun. At our previous range, I used to hit the 360-yd steel target with every shot. It likes Wolf hollow-point the best...

I have an inexpensive 3 x 9 scope mounted, but if you have a scope projecting above the action, you must have a brass deflecor also. And, a detachable magazine is necessary for reloading rapidly, as stripper clips can't be used. I've found the long magazines to just get in the way for bench or prone firing, and as I normally load ten rounds or less anyway, I primarily use detachable ten round mags.

 

[MCgunner]

I have a 20 round fixed on my carbine and a 5 round fixed, scope, and case deflector on the rifle. I don't care how slow it is to reload, it's the sporterized hunting rifle. If I'm playing with stripper clips, I'll use the carbine.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

I agree.

This makes me want to make an 870 thread .

 

[cortez kid]

I just love the way a lot of "shooters" talk about how guns are tools, then talk of how they can't shoot x,y or z. The SKS is probably one of the best "tools" for what it was designed for. Some low tech soldier to fight a battle of Titans and come up with half a chance in winning. All I know is that when I become familiar with whatever weapon I'm working with, my "tool" is just fine. If it shoots a little left, shoot a little right. There's nothing wrong with Kentucky windage. Just a matter of mastering the "tool".
kid

 

[MErl]

a SKS is well made for it's job, accurate enough to hit a man. excellent rifle, probably not. but for the price a Yugo SKS cannot be beat right now

 

[Frog48]

the SKS is one Heck of a buy for the money!

Yes it is, I totally agree.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

Get a cheap sight adj tool and zero those suckers! Nothing beats the original 10rd fixed mag, unfortunately. I've found the gray Chinese strippers smoother to get rounds in the rifle than the blue-black Russian ones, unk if its the difference in finish or fewer rough edges or what. I like a good peep sight, so my next change will be one of those that pin onto the rear of the action cover.

 

[Simonovfan]

I use a Tech-sights 200 rear aperture sight and it improved my groupings to 3" at 100yds. , and i've been known to be a bad shot. I think that the Yugos' are a diamond in the rough right now in the gun world. A bit underpriced for what they are. Buy them while you can. I plan on getting a couple more before Hillary takes over.