SKS - Cowboy's Companion

[gb6491]

Here are a few shots of my SKS; it's a Navy Arms Cowboy's Companion:






Regards,
Greg

 

[armoredman]

Nice, haven't seen one of those in a while.

 

[Mp7]

oh man... is soooo love these SKS´s.
An underfolder on it would be nice, too.

(ugly though)

 

[Glockman17366]

What's the difference between the "Cowboy's Companion" and the Paratrooper?
I've got a Paratrooper...your stock is nicer (by far) then mine...looks identical otherwise.

 

[SaxonPig]

I have one of those that I bought about 20 years ago. I had forgotten the "Cowboy Companion" name they gave it. I think the name was just a marketing gimmick by the importer and it's the same as the so-called "paratroop" model.

Since these were mainly relegated to militia and civil defense use I seriously doubt if any airborne troops ever used these rifles.

I got an SKS when they first showed up in great numbers around 1985 or so. I paid $89 for it and the aluminum spike bayonet was cool for sticking the rifle in the ground between shooting sessions out in the desert where we didn't have racks or tables to set the guns down. I bought 1260 rounds of ammo for $59 (ah... the good old days) and had a ball with it. When I saw the "Cowboy Companion" advertised at $129 in new condition I snagged one. No bayonet and it didn't shoot as well as the longer one. Oh well. Sold the first one to my friend who still has it.

I can't believe sellers are asking $450+ for common SKSs. To me it's a $200 rifle at best.

 

[Norinco982lover]

Nice gun And I wouldn't say it is a $200 gun...I traded a $350 tricked out Hipoint Carbine for a 1959 Romanian SKS with matching numbers yesterday

It's worth what you can sell it for!

 

[railroader]

Here's my version. It's not a Navy Arms but was imported by Briklee out of California. This one has a Millett red dot now. Mark

 

[woad_yurt]

To me it's a $200 rifle at best.

I have one of the little ones. I started with a Yugoslavian, went to a regular Norinco and then found the Paratrooper, which is the one I kept. It's the lightest, handiest most reliable utility rifle I've ever used. I put a $28 Williams peep sight on it and the thing shoots trick-shot level. It cost $200 but I think it's worth much more in terms of function. I'd pay $400 for one if I didn't have mine. IMO, it's the perfect if-you-could-only-have-one rifle. It and the old Glenfield 60 are my two favorite shooters by a wide margin.

gb6491: Nice gun!

I already had a Norinco SKS when I got it but, since it shot the same, I kept the little one after I swapped out the peep sight. They're together below.

 

[scbair]

As I recall, the "Paratrooper" had a shortened bayonet attached; the "Cowboy's Companion" had no bayonet, and the bayonet lug was ground off.

My big regret is in not obtaining a scope mount to fit the siderail of my Cowboy's Companion . . .

 

[woad_yurt]

On mine, I see no evidence of any grinding off of a lug. A few told me that some were made bayo-less. Maybe mine is called a Cowboy's Companion, I don't know. It was sold to me as a Paratrooper.

 

[gb6491]

Thanks all

SaxonPig, railroader, woad_yurt - Those are some fine looking rifles you have posted. I especially like the wood/finish on railroader's.

What's the difference between the "Cowboy's Companion" and the Paratrooper?...

Some excellent replies have already been posted in response:

I think the name was just a marketing gimmick by the importer ...

As I recall, the "Paratrooper" had a shortened bayonet attached; the "Cowboy's Companion" had no bayonet, and the bayonet lug was ground off.

My big regret is in not obtaining a scope mount to fit the siderail of my Cowboy's Companion . . .

Let me add that the side rail/scope mount (in several variants) is found the Cowboy's Companion, the Sharpshooter, and some Paras (maybe the Hunter as well). There is also a Farmer's Friend variant with a slightly different mount that is positioned farther forward than the CC/SS mount. (Reference, Reference)

My rifle has a bayonet lug that was ground down and a spring clip installed to hold the cleaning rod tight:


The stock has the slot for the bayonet plugged as well:


Regards,
Greg

 

[nalioth]

I paid $89 for it and the aluminum spike bayonet was cool for sticking the rifle in the ground between shooting sessions out in the desert where we didn't have racks or tables to set the guns down

The Chinese SKS bayonet is bead blasted chrome plated steel, not aluminum.

 

[easyrider604]

To me it's a $200 rifle at best.

For $200 bucks, an SKS is the cheapest and best $600 rifle a man can buy in the USA. Utterly reliable and adequately accurate, it fires one of, if not the cheapest centerfire rifle caliber ammo available.

They are cheap because they are so plentiful (simple law of supply and demand). As well, all of them were either surplus or Chinese made, that translates to cheap.

Because of these reasons, it remains the most under-rated rifle in the USA.

 

[Rshooter]

I never appreciated the SKS when I was collecting American battle rifles. I wish that I had spent some time looking at those cheap little rifles though. I couldn't see spending $99 dollars for an SKS when a Garand was $250.

I spent $300 on a Paratrooper this year and it was the best $300 I have spent in a long time. The rifle is light, has a good point of aim and is darn fun to shoot. I am considering buying another SKS in the future since I am having so much fun with this one.

Personally I believe this rifle has it all over the AK for my needs.

 

[ccsniper]

arg, I have a paratrooper model, in other words... I have a bayonet on mine. they are great little guns

 

[Deckard]

I bought 1260 rounds of ammo for $59 (ah... the good old days)

On another note: I always considered the SKS to be a pig ugly rifle, but without the bayo it looks pretty good.

 

[elmerfudd]

The thought of cowboy's riding free on the range with SKS rifles in their scabbards sounds like something out of a science fiction or alternative history novel All it needs to be complete would be Shaolin temples and giant sandworms.