Winchester 94 30/30 vs Yugo SKS...

[marshall3]

Well, I'm thinking of getting an inexpensive deer rifle, and I am interested in these two options. The only other rifle I have is a Savage .22 semi-auto.

Which would you recommend to me: the Winchester or the Yugo. I can get either for under $200.

I'm leaning toward the Yugo because the ammo is cheap.

 

[Legionnaire]

Personally, I'd go with the Winchester. It's a classic deer gun and cartridge combination. But that's only my opinion. Either will do the job.

 

[dolanp]

I don't know much about the Winchester, but if you want to mount a scope it will be a little more tricky on the Yugo than most rifles and depending on how you do it, it might not hold zero. Though for iron sight shooting it's good to go.

 

[GTSteve03]

Winchester

Winchester all the way. It's lighter, more accurate, ammo may not be cheaper but its infinitely easier to find 30-30 hunting ammo than 7.62 softpoints. Scoping either one will be tricky but you shouldn't really need a scope for deer hunting under 100yds.

Plus it's not one of those godless Commie rifles.

 

[marshall3]

I'll be limiting my shots to under 100 yards....

I'm not planning on any long distance shooting. Just doing a lot of walking and stalking, and if I don't get a deer, well that's OK. I'm thinking the hunt itself is really the fun part. Shucks, if I get within 100 yards, I MIGHT just pull out a camera and not even shoot the rifle!

Would the Winchester be more accurate than the Yugo?

 

[Legionnaire]

"More accurate?" Hard to say. Both should be "huntin' accurate" out to a hundred yards or so, but both are more likely to be Minute-of-Coke-can accurate than Minute-of-Angle. But I'd still give the edge to the Winchester.

 

[rbernie]

The Winchester will be lighter, shorter (handier in the woods) and shoots a round that is slightly more powerful and which has a greater ammo selection.

I'd suggest the Winnie all the way, unless you can see your way clear to considering an inexpensive (and IMO better choice overall) Marlin levergun instead.

 

[Old Dog]

Another vote for the Winchester. Classic rifle every American should own ... (can't say the same about the SKS). Proven, effective, reliable. In my experience, I'd give the edge in accuracy to the 94 (but then, to be fair, I've shot only a couple of the Yugo SKS rifles, and I've been shooting my Winchester for only thirty-plus years). (As rbernie says, later you can upgrade to a Marlin lever-gun.)

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

1. Marlin
2. Winchester 94
3. SKS

 

[db_tanker]

A 30-30 would be a better bet...I own both...a Chinese SKS is a nice rifle, believe me...but I just feel....more AMERICAN when I shoot my old 94...


Plus, if you get into reloading...you can really unlock some performance for that old cartridge...use a few diffrent powders, play with some cast bullets...its almost like getting another rifle.

D

 

[MechAg94]

I would have to give the edge to the levergun myself for the likely uses I would see.

The SKS can probably put more rounds down range faster so I can see there might be situations where I would rather carry it and a pile of stripper clips. The folding bayonet can be useful as well. The SkS would be useful in more combat-like situations. Since it costs a little over $100 and is cheap to feed, it can substitute for the hunting if needed.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Go with the 94. Then put on the appropriate $35 sight from here (www.oneraggedhole.com) and you will have a rifle that will shoot just about as well as with a scope at 100 yds. And it will be handier at the shorter ranges than a scope.

 

[Rupestris]

Another vote for the Winchester 94.
As mentioned "lighter, shorter, more accurate".

 

[Andrew S]

Add another vote for the 94. Beautiful rifle. Just shot mine for the first time and enjoy it much more than my SKS. I just wish mine was in 30-30 instead of 32 Win Special.

 

[Legionnaire]

Winchester=10, SKS=0. Seeing a pattern here?

 

[rbernie]

Well, let's be fair. If you gave me a Norinco SKS and told me to go hunting deer with it, I'd be perfectly happy to do so. I have several SKSs, and with the addition of a TechSight it's a good platform. My go-to Norinco is as accurate as any 30-30 I own or have owned. But the Yugo variant of the SKS is heavier and longer; it's not got the same handling as a Chinese or Russian SKS. That, to me, is a deal-breaker between these two. Add into this the fact that the SKS has a crappier trigger than the Winnie, and it's a done deal.

But it's not as if the SKS is not (at least in Norinco or Russian form) unsuitable for serious use as a hunting arm.

 

[marshall3]

Well, you guys convinced me but....

Well I was all ginned up to get this Winchester! But, I just got off the phone talking with the seller (he had an ad in the paper), and I'm changing my mind. He says, he has never shot it himself, he believes it comes from the 1950's or 1960's, he says he would judge it to be in "fair/good condition." He "just bought 4 rifles from an old guy, but he doesn't know much about rifles, but he already has one Winchester 94 and doesn't need another one." Hmmm. He wants $200, and I'm feeling some bad vibrations. You guys DID convince me not to get a Yugo, though!

 

[GTSteve03]

Well I was all ginned up to get this Winchester! But, I just got off the phone talking with the seller (he had an ad in the paper), and I'm changing my mind. He says, he has never shot it himself, he believes it comes from the 1950's or 1960's, he says he would judge it to be in "fair/good condition." He "just bought 4 rifles from an old guy, but he doesn't know much about rifles, but he already has one Winchester 94 and doesn't need another one." Hmmm. He wants $200, and I'm feeling some bad vibrations. You guys DID convince me not to get a Yugo, though!

You might want to reconsider. If you can get the serial # from the guy, you can check it online and see if it's a 94 from pre-1964. Those were some high-quality guns and they just don't make 'em that way anymore. Plus you don't have some crappy safety put on it to satisfy the blissninnies!

I'd gladly pay $200 for a pre-64 Winnie, myself! Send me his info... j/k

 

[armoredman]

Well, then let me say, I have an unissued Yugo from J&G Sales I bought for my wife. After cleaning the snot out of it, it works perfectly, every time. I can't complain about it, for $161 delivered! I would love to have another one, when I can, and think the SKS is easier to load than a lever, quicker second shot than a lever, more ammo than a lever, and more durable design. I wouldn't turn down a lever gun if someone sold one cheap, but the SKS is simply a more durable, rugged design. Yes, the Yugo ain't light, so if you are a little person, maybe a nice light brush carbine is what you need...
BUT, if you are hunting with it, then you need a 5 round mag, or a tube blocker for your lever rifle, and the ammo issue is moot.
Also, surplus ammo is cheap for the Yugo, but milsurp is NOT hunting ammo. The "hollow point" Wolf/Barnaul ammo is NOT hunting ammo by any means. You can reload it, (I do), or buy good stuff, which will probably run the same as the 30-30, and be a little harder to find.
Confused yet? Hoe about a nice bolt action rifle...like a Mosin Nagant! Or a K-31, if you like to reload good huntin ammo? Both rifles are cheaper than the others....
I think Savage makes a cheap bolt, as well.

 

[Legionnaire]

So other options open up? I like leverguns just fine, but would (and did) choose a Marlin over a Winchester. Both are great guns, but the Marlin is easier to scope if you want to.

 

[Skipper]

If being attacked by a herd of rabid deer,I'd go with my SKS. For one on one with Mr. Deer, I'll take a Marlin or Winchester 30-30 WITH aperture sights. The aperture sights make ALL the difference on these rifles.
My two cents.
SKIP

 

[TacticalSquirrel]

I guess I offer a couple other views. First off, I would jump at the chance to get the 30-30. I started with one, have hunted with one for many years, and am very very comfortable with using one for deer out to 175 yards. Ammunition is slightly more expensive, but it is also very very reloadable, and can generate another very rewarding hobby. There are many many more bullet choices that are excellent for hunting purposes, wheras the 7.62x39 only really has a few types of softpoints for hunting (HP's imported in the caliber perform much like FMJ's and are not reccomended for hunting where you need bullet expansion.). The 30-30 will be very enjoyable for hunting and shooting, but make sure that one is ALWAYS AWARE of the condition of the hammer and make sure it's in the half cock position, and that lowering the hammer is done safely.
Now, on the flip side, I reccommend getting another rifle as well. I'm not a big fan of the SKS, but it could be one of the ones I'd reccommend. I would definitely reccommend as well getting an AK. They are still relatively inexpensive, are easy and simple to operate, and due to the low costs of ammunition means that one will probably shoot, i.e. practice more. This will help you with the 30-30 as well. Should you decide to get into hunting a bit more hardcore, the AK is a rifle that will be accurate enough, rugged enough to handle the elements, and be comfortable enough to carry. I'm not concerned about image, as there are 5 and 10 round magazines to give it the same capcacity as most other rifles. I think that if people would hunt with them more, maybe the "EVIL BAD GUN BAD" image would begin to go away. Either way, both are good rifles to have in the toolbox...

 

[White Horseradish]

If your SKS scope is not holding zero it means you used a cheap dustcover mount. A properly attached siderail or scout rail will hold zero as well as any other solid mount. You wouldn't duct-tape the scope to the levergun, would you?

SKS means cheaper practice ammo and the gun is likely to be cheaper than a levergun. A Yugo SKS will be heavier than a Marlin or a Winchester, though. Chinese and Russian SKS are lighter, but pricewise are about the same as the leverguns.

 

[db_tanker]

Add another vote for the 94. Beautiful rifle. Just shot mine for the first time and enjoy it much more than my SKS. I just wish mine was in 30-30 instead of 32 Win Special.

Andrew...I will trade...

 

[Andrew S]

Well I was all ginned up to get this Winchester! But, I just got off the phone talking with the seller (he had an ad in the paper), and I'm changing my mind. He says, he has never shot it himself, he believes it comes from the 1950's or 1960's, he says he would judge it to be in "fair/good condition." He "just bought 4 rifles from an old guy, but he doesn't know much about rifles, but he already has one Winchester 94 and doesn't need another one." Hmmm. He wants $200, and I'm feeling some bad vibrations. You guys DID convince me not to get a Yugo, though!

Mine is a 1956 and shot like a dream. Do yourself a favor and go check it out before you write it off. With how he described it he might go down in price. Depending on the condition it could be worth at least $300.

Andrew...I will trade...

Not in a million years. This was my father's rifle and its not going anywhere. I will start realoading eventually and the scarce/pricey ammo points will no longer be a problem.