SKS Question

[Kalashnikov]

I'm in the market for another rifle (as I'm sure you all are). And I'm looking at an SKS. My local mil-surp store has lots of varieties and I wanted to know which version might be best? Yugo? Russian? Chinese? Bulgarian? Romanian?

 

[1 old 0311]

Sks

I think the Russian version uses a milled reciever. All are good. I had a Chinese stamped and it was a great gun. Milled is supposed to be the hot set up though.

Kevin

 

[Eightball]

Russian is ususally thought of as the best (hey, it's a russian design, go figure ), then Yugo, then whatever else. In all honesty, go for whatever you think looks cool and can afford; I like the looks of the Yugo version (the blade bayonet and grenade launcher stuff is just so cool!), you might like the Chinese paratrooper version. I'd say to look around based on price, I was able to get my Yugo for $100 (all matching numbers, too ). All the good russian ones i've seen run around 300, yugos about 100-150, no idea about the others. If you want a tack driver, you're looking at the wrong gun; but if you're looking for a fun gun, it shouldn't matter which make you get. YMMV.

 

[dfaugh]

I would suggest a Yugo

simply because you can get an unissued one for $150. Doen't get any better than that for a centerfire rifle. I also have a Chinese, and fit and finish is as good or better thannayothers I've seen

 

[Kalashnikov]

Well in all honesty I could afford one of each. But with gas prices so high these days and it being cheaper to pour the gas down the drain then put it in my tank (440 hemi charger that my uncle gave me), one should be enough for the moment. As far as a tack driver goes, thats what my m39 is for.

If the russkie uses a milled reciver I think thats the one I'm going to get, plus the chromium lining is alwasy a bonus.

 

[thebigc]

get a russian one mine is milled but i think they all are its put together real well and its verey reliable

 

[MrTuffPaws]

All non-chinese are milled. The chinese also use a pin on barrel. Stick with Yugo or Russian.

One word of warning though, Yugos are beefer that Russians, but lack the chrome lined barrels. Keep it clean, and you won't have an problem anyway.

 

[Eightball]

Mmmmm.....beefy .

 

[Kalashnikov]

Thanks you guys, I'll make my decision by the end of the week (pay day).

 

[Scoupe]

Any SKSs you typically run across have a milled receiver. Some Chinese barrels are pinned, some are not. There is no proof that pinned is inferior to the screwed on ones.

I own Chinese, Yugo (both M59 and M59/66), Soviet and had a Romanian. All functioned well, and all shoot decent groups for a military carbine. My Chinese is the best shooter with a screwed in barrel and stamped trigger guard assembly. Second is my Yugo M59 (no launcher). MY beautiful Soviet refurb is the worst shooter of the lot, yet all still hit about 4" at 100 yards.

Bottom line for me anyway is: buy the condition of the carbine, not necessarily the country of origin. They are a lot of fun for not too much money.

 

[Euclidean]

Got a pair of Norincos myself.

Eh, what I usually do is go with whatever I find a good deal on to be honest. I love the SKS but come on is there really a huge difference from one to the other that 99% of people are going to notice or care about?

 

[Eightball]

Scoupe and Euclidean are telling you well; go for condition, not country of origin. They are supposed to be cheap and fun--go for a good $$$/condition balance, and you'll have fun, whatever country it comes from. The differences are very minor between countries--except that they come from different countries. Happy hunting.

 

[Kalashnikov]

Thanks you guys, all the rifles are in minimum good condition. I'm probably going to end up with the russian (it has darker wood then the rest and i like that) but like I said we'll see on friday.

 

[Ivy Mike]

But with gas prices so high these days and it being cheaper to pour the gas down the drain then put it in my tank (440 hemi charger that my uncle gave me),

the 440 wasn't a hemi
the "hemis" common in those cars would have probably been a 426. Possibly a 392, but I don't think so.

at any rate, I'd buy the best condition I could afford depending on what I wanted to do with it.
It would probably be a Yugo as they are the cheapest and most widely available.

Who says communism is so bad? Makes for for cheap collecting and shooting.