SKS: The Poor Man's EBR

[Davek1977]

that is a decent deal and it's good to know that they are rationing to avoid hoarders buying all of it at once. however
JGsales.com
Luckygunner.com
Ammotogo.com
Grafs.com
Aimsurplus.com
Cabelas.com
Basspro.com
and all of the usual suspects for decently priced ammo are completely sold out of both calibers.

If you notic, I didn't say ANYWHERE in my post that it was widely available or anything of that nature...simply that, with some looking, you can find it far cheaper than a buck a round, and far cheaper than any 5.56 ammo you might be able to locate. As much as you continue to claim otherwise, especially in the current situation, 7.62x39 is far more economical than 5.56.... By my math .28 cents a shot is almost 75% cheaper than a buck a shot. Going by one source...Cheaper then Dirt especially.....isn't the way to gauge the current market for something. 7.62x39 ammo is scarce admittedly, but when found, is tpyically cheaper than 5.56 considerably

 

[David E]

There is still some 22lr and even 7.62 ammo if you just look around locally and be patient. They are hard to find online, but I have found them at small gun shops and even Gander Mountain and local shooting ranges. The gun show still had plenty of x39 and they were not nearly as expensive as 5.56/223 which was selling for about $1/round.

The 4 calibers selling out right now are .223, 9mm, .308 and .22 LR

I never said they're impossible to find, but it'll take some doing.

Bare shelves of 22 surprised me in 2008, but I suppose people buy it so they can still shoot something.

If there is a store selling bulk boxes of Blazer for under $20, I'd buy at least 5 boxes, myself.

Yesterday , Walmart had two boxes each of: .25 ACP .40, .45 ACP and .44 magnum. That was it for handgun calibers. Even the .22 shotshells were out.

 

[Davek1977]

Just ordered 420 rounds from cabelas for $100 with free shipping.....Try to find .223 at those prices anywhere right now!

 

[Pilot]

SKS's are fine battle rifles, especially the Russians which now command a premium over the others. My two Russians bought at ridiculously low prices in the mid 90's are excellent shooters, and great all around rifle. It isn't legal in my state to hunt with a semi-auto, but many in other states do hunt with an SKS.

 

[Davek1977]

I've taken several mule deer with the SKS. It does the job just fine.

 

[Strafer]

Back around 2002, I got a Yugo SKS, in essentially brand new condition, at a gun store for $200. They had crates of them. I believe I also got one for more like $175 after I got my C&R, again, essentially brand new. Very solid, totally reliable rifle. When I evacuated for Katrina, out of all my guns, I took the SKS and an Officers Model 1911, and felt ready for whatever.

 

[Jimfern]

I think I found a new tag line "the pretty ones aren't necessarily always the best ones to know" Thanks bainter1212!

I have found the SKS to be better than I expected as well. I can shoot my Yugo version pretty well with the stock iron sights at 100 yards.

 

[Cee Zee]

Hey I loved my SKS rifles. Too bad about that boat thing. I looked and found quite a bit of ammo available too. It's just more expensive than it was. Anyone who didn't pay attention to what happened after the first Obozo election shouldn't expect to have any ammo bought at a decent price too. I had lots of it until that boat thing.

 

[NoirFan]

Glad you like your SKS. It may be my favorite centerfire rifle and I certainly don't think of it as a "poor man's" anything. I prefer the short-barreled Norincos with bayonet removed as they are very maneueverable and handy with less frontal weight.

I even enjoy the old-school method of loading rounds directly into the gun itself, rather than having to fiddle with detachable mags. It's the same reason I like revolvers, lever-action rifles and tube-mag shotguns. Maybe it's a disadvantage in a fight, but 99.99% of my lifetime shooting will probably be for fun, not fighting. Seems silly to waste time overthinking that last .01%.

 

[poboy6]

With the SKS now fetching higher prices I wonder how long until we see the .303 British Lee Enfields as the "poor mans" BR.

I must say I do like the No4. Mk1. It's accurate and has very nice range (if you can find ammo).

I have long thought the SKS underrated. If you are aware of the limitations (< 200 yds or so) it should serve you very well.

 

[tahunua001]

With the SKS now fetching higher prices I wonder how long until we see the .303 British Lee Enfields as the "poor mans" BR.

I must say I do like the No4. Mk1. It's accurate and has very nice range (if you can find ammo).

I have long thought the SKS underrated. If you are aware of the limitations (< 200 yds or so) it should serve you very well.

well seeing as the Enfield is now breaking $400 the $200 Mosin nagant has had it beat in that regard for a long time now. I personally would take an enfield NO4 over a 91/30 any day of the week but that is kindof getting off topic.

for what it is and the price I got it for it's an alright rifle, there are much better out there IMO but for the price range(PRE scare2013) they are hard to beat in a centerfire semi auto.

 

[Cee Zee]

FWIW the MN has been the poor man's EBR for quite a while now. It's just not a modern carbine. You can get a carbine of course but you sure shouldn't unless you're one of those guys that like pain. Give me semi-auto, medium caliber and super reliable every time. The SKS is a rifle you can count on if you treat it right. Or you can burn it up just for fun because they were most likely cheap when you bought them. But they aren't MN cheap. Not even close now. At one time they were. Those were the good old days IMO when it came to a battle carbine.

Uncle Obama might think I don't need one but I remember things like Katrina, the LA riots and that whole American Revolution thingy. I really think that idiot is going to try to take guns away from Americans. How stupid does it get? I hate to hijack this thread so I won't but this will end badly. That's all I'm saying.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Love my SKSs and I'm enjoying the thread but, what's an EBR?

 

[Skribs]

Enhanced Battle Rifle. I think the EBR means it has to at least be semi-auto and include modern rifle features. An SKS with a cheap ATI stock would fit the bill, though.

I don't think a mosin nagant qualifies as an EBR. Maybe a battle rifle, but not an EBR.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Thanks SKRIBS.

So an SKS with fixin's.

 

[Skribs]

I'm assuming, anyway. EBR could have multiple acronyms. My familiarity with the term is with the M-14 EBR, which is an M-14 fitted with a pistol grip and RIS. It's the modern-day M-14.

 

[roadliner]

Most of my SKS carbines were MN cheap, purchased in the early '90s @ around $90-95 each. Started buying MN's around 2001 for $89-100 each. My sole SMLE MK4 ran $125 in 2007. Hell, my first AK, a CHICOM, was only $165. I'm amazed at the prices now, even before the recent run up.

 

[MAKster]

I thought EBR = Evil Black Rifle. It's a joke making fun of the people that think ARs are scary because they are black colored.

 

[d2wing]

I am thinking $300+ for an SkS I'd think of $550 for a Garand or $400 for a used BAR or 7400. Glad I have a Saiga. They are double what I paid.

 

[1 old 0311-1]

I could sell my AK's and not look back BUT these are with me FOREVER.

 

[tahunua001]

the only definition I've heard of EBR is Evil Black Rifle, not Enhanced Battle Rifle. that's not to say that it's not a different acronym in different circles but the most widely used is Evil Black Rifle.

 

[Chris-bob]

Might have to get me some Tech-Sights for my Norinco. Bought it 12 years ago for $90. Love to shoot it and is fairly accurate with the stock sights.

 

[Ignition Override]

Even with 1,200 rds. of M2 Ball, my SKS goes to "the place" as often as my Rom. M-69 .22 Trainer, and more than the M-1 and Enfields etc.

poboy6: In the last several days Gunbroker's SKS selection has doubled from four to eight pages.
And many list or bid prices are within $75 of prices for nice SKS rifles in March 2008, when my search began.

At least at GB, it is a Selling frenzy, and maybe to find cash to buy ARs when the AR/VZ price bubble starts to collapse, or just ammo.
People are starting to realize that certain politicians will be very vulnerable during mid-terms in the House and Senate, and usually want to be re-elected.

 

[TennJed]

Before November I had never owned any rifles but bolt action hunting and a Ruger 10/22. This was of course pre-panic. I wanted a "black rifle" but wanted something cheap and rugged and in 7.62x39 (walmart boxes less than $5.00 was the main reason. I found a guy that had a Chinese SKS with a tapco poly stock, (2) tapco 20 rd mags, (2) metal 30 rd mags, drilled and tapped with a Centerpoint 4-16x40 scope, and 400 rounds of ammo. He wanted $425 for it. After researching I felt like it was a little on the expensve side, but it was in really good condition, scope, ammo and was already "tatical & blacked out" so I went ahead and got it.

By todays standards that was a pretty good deal after all. Fast forward to 12/19/2012 and we are post Sandy Hook. Late that night I see Bud's has SKSs for $319 (they had been out of stock for several days before then). I figured everything was so hard to find and I had already fallen in love with my other one, I went ahead and put it on layaway. The next morning they were reserved for Bud's VIP members only. By they afternoon they were gone and have been out of stock since then. I timed it just right.

I feel like I got 2 pretty good deals. I took the wood stock that came with the first one and refinished it. I am going to use it on the one I get from Bud's. Keep one in wood and one tacticool.

Here is a couple of pics of the one with the Tapco stock and a couple of the refinished stock that will go on the new one

 

[Skribs]

As I look at it, both definitions of EBR in this thread apply to a rifle with a synthetic stock, pistol grip, and possibly a rail system...so both are correct!