Help me pick an SKS

[libertysnake]

Been debating something that I throw those "evil features" on, like an SKS since it's fixed magazine I should be able to, afaik, put whatever I want on the damn thing as long as I keep loading it with strips. I already have a bunch of 7.62x39 so that makes sense as a next rifle to try.

However, I have no idea what I'm doing. I see a lot of different opinions on what variants are worth it. Some say Russian only. Some say the chinese or Norinco ones (think there are two types).

I still need to add the semi-auto bullshit onto my license so while I do that I figure now is a good time to ask. Anyone know what to avoid? What's good? What's worth the cost?

 

[Jsmegs77]

I had a Yugoslavian one. Looked great, ran great, ate any ammo I put in it.

 

[Bustedknees]

Stamped and milled receivers to choose from too.

 

[FRANKIE]

Yugo M59/66 or M59/66 A1

Most evil looking one. Checks every box for an SKS except for a chrome lined barrel.
Built like a brick shit house and weighs as much as one.
The latter rifle even had the flip-up tritium or painted phosphorous night sights. (But long since dead)

 

[libertysnake]

Any recommendations as far as things that are overpriced? I've seen them go as high as $2k, but that seems high to me somehow for an SKS. But on the flip side I see these Norinco ones at $400-$500, so my assumption is they might be garbage, but who knows. Could just be a lot of them.

 

[IrishMick]

Can't go wrong with an SKS. As long as you can inspect it in person, some came in as surplus in pretty rough shape but I bet they can be made to run without a lot of effort. I haven't seen one for under $500 in a while, mostly around the $700 mark. I wouldn't pay that much for one if I lived in a free state but here it's a good option. They are well manufactured and designed and super fun to shoot. The problem is the lack of importation that drove the prices so high. The SKS was like the Mosin in the late 80's and early 90's, a sub $100 gun (and semi auto to boot!). Even at a $400 price point they were still a n alright buy because they run damned good and are a rugged surplus rifle. Now when I see them they are kind of high priced for an old military platform which doesn't lend itself well to accessorizing the gun. If you're going to bubba it up with a bunch of aftermarket Tapco shit you'll actually be reducing it's resale value, but it's your gun do what ya want as long as you enjoy it. Get a Chinese or Yugo to do that as the Russian ones will cost too much to hack up. Make sure you disassemble the bolt and clean the firing pin channel of any leftover cosmoline as it's a free floating pin and if it sticks it'll slam fire 'till it's empty. No matter what you do to the gun, I assure you you will enjoy shooting it! I think everyone should have at least one SKS in their collection!

 

[GOYABEAN]

Too bad you still live in land I've have one reasonably priced or open for trades only thing that's not original is rear housing cover and yes SKS are built like tanks they eat everything you feed them but depending on who or what stocks are used makes them heavy bitches you can't go wrong acquiring one

 

[libertysnake]

Too bad you still live in land I've have one reasonably priced or open for trades only thing that's not original is rear housing cover and yes SKS are built like tanks they eat everything you feed them but depending on who or what stocks are used makes them heavy bitches you can't go wrong acquiring one

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Most don't come with a bayonet, but I wonder how bayonets are even classified. I checked knife laws and I didn't see anything specific to them or banning longer blades like that. I'll have to do a deeper check. I'm so used to having AKs with bayonet lug ears ground off and only the accessory part left so it can hold the rod correctly.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Here is my Norinco I got that was in pretty bad shape. I tossed the stock since it was cracked and split down the middle from the trigger housing all the way down, it was being held together by fiber glass.

I chopped the barrel to carbine length and recrowned it using the brass bolt method. Put it in a Tapco stock with a magazine adapter and Magpul stock. I tapped/threaded the body and put a proper optic mount on it. Also put on a paratrooper front sight and threaded the barrel for a VG muzzle brake.

It lives free at my home in PA, I actually shot in two weeks ago when I was up at my place. It's a great shoot and was a nice project gun.





Edit: I actually need to take it out of the stock and fill in the underside of the front area in with layers of JB weld and fiber glass to close up the groove for the bayonet.

I want to fill it up and have it nice and solid so I can drill/tap holes to support a pic rail for a front grip.

 

[libertysnake]

Here is my Norinco I got that was in pretty bad shape. I tossed the stock since it was cracked and split down the middle from the trigger housing all the way down, it was being held together by fiber glass.

I chopped the barrel to carbine length and recrowned it using the brass bolt method. Put it in a Tapco stock with a magazine adapter and Magpul stock. I tapped/threaded the body and put a proper optic mount on it. Also put on a paratrooper front sight and threaded the barrel for a VG muzzle brake.

It lives free at my home in PA, I actually shot in two weeks ago when I was up at my place. It's a great shoot and was a nice project gun.

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If I keep it fixed mag at first I can basically have everything. I'd rather be able to hold the damn rifle and get good at pressing rounds into it, than not being able to land any shots on target at all in the first 10. I could always convert it to afaik to detachable in a free state if I move. I hate the spur grip with a passion.

 

[GOYABEAN]

If I keep it fixed mag at first I can basically have everything. I'd rather be able to hold the damn rifle and get good at pressing rounds into it, than not being able to land any shots on target at all in the first 10. I could always convert it to afaik to detachable in a free state if I move. I hate the spur grip with a passion.

The options are limitless!

 

[IrishMick]

@RooftopKorean How is it with the mag conversion? I have heard that there can be some reliability issues with that. Does it keep the last round bolt hold open from working? All of my SKS' are stock as Sergei Simonov intended!
@libertysnake You should be able to run the bayonet as the SKS isn't considered an "assault weapon" If you can't find one with the bayonet they usually still have the lugs and you can find one and put it on.

 

[RooftopKorean]

@RooftopKorean How is it with the mag conversion? I have heard that there can be some reliability issues with that. Does it keep the last round bolt hold open from working? All of my SKS' are stock as

I havent had any reliability issues at all. The bolt stays open after the last round with no issue.

The only thing I haven't done yet is to mill down bottom of the bolt. If you don't do this, you can't remove an empty mag or insert a full mag without the bolt being locked back.

There is also a mod, so you can actuate the bolt lock with having to push it up from the mag hole.

 

[FRANKIE]

As you can see in post #9 adding a Tapco intrafuse T6 stock really puts this rifle over the top. Although discontinued, if you look around you can find one.

 

[Vapor]

I had a Yugoslavian one. Looked great, ran great, ate any ammo I put in it.

That was my sks. I owned 3 in total. The Chinese ones are crude. Go with the Yugo like we had

 

[Vapor]

The Chinese ones will be reliable. All of mine were. They will just be crude. Heaviet triggers, sharper corners, etc. of course that can depend on the arsenal and time it was made. Some Norincos just saw a lot of use before they were sent here.

You might be able to find a Romanian still.



Russian will be stupid expensive.


Albanian even more rare and expensive.

 

[FRANKIE]

This covers everything

SKS

The SKS is a Soviet semi-automatic carbine chambered for the 7.62×39mm round, designed in 1943 by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov. Its complete designation, SKS-45, is an initialism for Samozaryadnyj Karabin sistemy Simonova, 1945 (Russian: Самозарядный карабин системы Симонова, 1945; Self-loading...

military-history.fandom.com

 

[Modean]

Any recommendations as far as things that are overpriced? I've seen them go as high as $2k, but that seems high to me somehow for an SKS. But on the flip side I see these Norinco ones at $400-$500, so my assumption is they might be garbage, but who knows. Could just be a lot of them.

The high dollar ones are likely rare collector examples. Romanian, Albanian, East German, North Korean, those can get crazy pricy. Some Russians too. As others have said, find a nice Yugo.

 

[Podmonkey]

Yugo SKSs are still the cheapest but are rising in price due to a lack of imports.
The SKS was long the bargain basement value option for semi auto rifles but now are as expensive as any other self loading rifle. $700 I'd about a median price across all types for a good but not great condition specimen. Yugos are floating around still for $400-500. Russian examples have skyrocketed in value often fetching 1k for a good one. Chinese SKS are even more since they haven't been imported for decades, any of the rarer boutique makes are probably so expensive that they'd only be worth it for collectors. Watch out for any that have been bubba'd, though that may be a way to get one for a cheaper price.

 

[Bustedknees]

Anything north of $500 and I'd be dropping the sks idea and search for a Mini 30.

 

[RooftopKorean]

A simple reason for me on the SKS is you can use steel cased ammo without fear of the case getting stuck. My friend fucked up the barrel on his 6.5 Grendel upper shooting steel cased.

I remember when a SKS could be had for $99, sold in a barrel.

 

[Podmonkey]

Anything north of $500 and I'd be dropping the sks idea and search for a Mini 30.

Those are around $1,200 now!
And do they make 10 round magazines for the Mini 30 or just 5 rounders?

 

[libertysnake]

Anything north of $500 and I'd be dropping the sks idea and search for a Mini 30.

The point of the SKS was it is fixed mag, and I have a bunch of ammo for it already. The combo of the two lets me put virtually anything I want on it since the entire neutering requirement depends on it being detachable mag how the law is worded. Assuming I don't keep the wood. (I will probably keep the wood.)

 

[FRANKIE]

A simple reason for me on the SKS is you can use steel cased ammo without fear of the case getting stuck. My friend fucked up the barrel on his 6.5 Grendel upper shooting steel cased.

I remember when a SKS could be had for $99, sold in a barrel.

Same went for M1 carbines back in the day, by the barrel right here in West Hurley.

 

[Vapor]

If you get an SKS, might want to consider putting on some tech sights.

 

[Vapor]

SKS Products - Tech Sights

www.tech-sights.com

 

[Bustedknees]

The point of the SKS was it is fixed mag, and I have a bunch of ammo for it already. The combo of the two lets me put virtually anything I want on it since the entire neutering requirement depends on it being detachable mag how the law is worded. Assuming I don't keep the wood. (I will probably keep the wood.)

I understand that, but I just dont see their value above what I said, probably because I landed mine for $89 long ago. I kept the wood on both of mine also, but they are made for midgets. I'd love to build an AR in the same caliber but not till I can get add one's you want too. Admittedly Rooftop's sks is sexy as Hell and they're fun to build but I'd rather go without the evil features and take a mini thirty for the same money. I saw one last week, new old stock, unused at $900ish
Though I guess in the end everyone should have an sks in their collection.

 

[Podmonkey]

The point of the SKS was it is fixed mag, and I have a bunch of ammo for it already. The combo of the two lets me put virtually anything I want on it since the entire neutering requirement depends on it being detachable mag how the law is worded. Assuming I don't keep the wood. (I will probably keep the wood.)

Mini-30 is NY compliant also. The Ruger is the better gun too but very expensive now as I stated above. I checked on the magazine situation too. 10 round Ruger factory magazines are available and prices ranged between $30 to $40 online so that's all perfectly fine.
If you can stomach the high cost you would probably be better served by the Mini-30.

 

[IrishMick]

Just popped into my head. If you can find one with an aftermarket stock, busted up stock, or, half assed bubba project gun, you might be able to get one around one $500 or less. All you really want is the barreled a action, you plan to throw the shitty stock away anyway. I usually come across a few of these at gun shows all the time.

 

[RooftopKorean]

Just popped into my head. If you can find one with an aftermarket stock, busted up stock, or, half assed bubba project gun, you might be able to get one around one $500 or less. All you really want is the barreled a action, you plan to throw the shitty stock away anyway. I usually come across a few of these at gun shows all the time.

That's exactly how I got mine.