SKS vs featureless AK

[Fightingfish]

Which would you go for, assuming similar cost? I’m itching for a steel-eating combloc semi auto. SKS is just a cool old school piece of machinery, and the stripper clip setup works well for our “laws.” The AK is obviously more modern, but neutered via spur grip (or Thordsen/NYLAK, but likely spur grip) and cap/welded threads is kinda inherently lame.

I do hate that I missed the SKS for under 700 bucks days, but what can you do? It would be a no brainer if I could score one at one year ago prices.

It wouldn’t be for HD or SHTF purposes, just for goofing at the range...unless I needed it, of course.

 

[Darth]

Are SKSs really going over $700 now!? :O

I got mine last year a few weeks before the itis was invented and it was $299.

 

[libertysnake]

If I had to do it again, I'd start with an SKS probably. I don't dislike my AKs, but but SKS seems a good place to start.

 

[meketrefe]

do you like wheel barrels? if so, the SKS is great ...you will need one to carry it.

 

[IrishMick]

If you didn't live in the PRNY I would say AK, but with all the workarounds to make it compliant (None work that great IMHO) I would get an SKS. The SKS is actually an excellently made rifle and runs extremely well. Best thing is it's NY compliant right out of the box so you won't have to find or get someone to make an AK compliant. SKS is also just really fun to shoot!

 

[That_FNG]

I’ve owned both and shot both quite a bit. I would say they are different yet equal. I found myself to be more accurate with the SKS vs an AK. Reloading with stripper clips on the SKS is a breeze and kind of fun to do so. The AK offers more customization in parts options. I will say that as a lefty I found the AK to be more friendly at an indoor range than the SKS. (AK ejects out of the side whereas the SKS ejects out of the top. At an indoor range I found the SKS would eject brass straight up, hit the ceiling and drop right back down onto my head occasionally) for disassembly I prefer the AK as I found reinstalling the bolt on the SKS to be a bit fiddle at times. With the SKS I found that if I shot a bunch of cheap Tula ammo that the free floating firing pin of the SKS could get gummed up when shooting a lot and result in a short full auto burst. If it’s a gun your only going to shoot occasionally and don’t mind the reassembly than the SKS is nice choice. If it’s a gun you plan on shooting a lot and maybe want to customize, then the AK is a nice choice.

 

[Podmonkey]

I'll take something like a Saiga sporter over an SKS any day. SKS stripper clips are are a fumble fuck to use, a 10 round detachable box magazine is much easier to deal with. Then again for strictly range use tge SKS does have that 1940s iron and wood infantry rifle charm.
SKS rifles are rapidly becoming collectors items though, expensive and no longer the disposable beater rifles they once were.
I'd still go with a compliant AK for range giggles. Some of em even look nice:


Or you could go a little off the wall with it:

 

[Vapor]

Hmm....


The only sks I liked out of the 3 I owned was a Yugoslavia that was basically new. It shot well, had an ok trigger, and came with the night sights.

The other two Chinese sks I had were a disappointment. Both had heavy, gritty triggers. At best, maybe pie plate groups.

Both saigas and the vepr I had were under 2". They are easier to mount optics, have better triggers, and have a lot more customization options.


I would say unless it's a yugo, Romanian, or Russian, its a hard no for me on the sks.

 

[Vapor]

Here's some examples. Sadly the vepr photos are on my laptop.

 

[Podmonkey]

Is it just or do AKs look a lot better in compliant guise than ARs do?

 

[Vapor]

Is it just or do AKs look a lot better in compliant guise than ARs do?

No, they do...

 

[Podmonkey]

No, they do...
View attachment 111486

Thar looks really flickin' cool! AND 7.62x39 is half the cost of 5.56x45/223 AND 9mm these days.
OP should definitely go with a sporterized AK, best option for NYers.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Ak >sks

***edit*** the only reason for sks was back when they cost $14 and that's all someone could afford/preppers wanted something they could buy 500 of and bury in their basement incase of zombies

 

[Edwardteach72]

Is it just or do AKs look a lot better in compliant guise than ARs do?

Not to derail the thread butttt this brings up a semi interesting thought..

What about Saiga (compliant AK. Because the others don't look as good and trying to do apples to apples) vs. SCR

 

[Robin]

I would pick a well made SKS over the well made Ak any day. I say well made cuz there is a shit ton of junk out there.

SKS Trumps AK - The Truth About Guns

The AK is the epitome of the sexy/scary “assault rifle” genre. With its sinister angles and scythe-like Magazine, the weapon just oozes danger and coolness. In contrast, the SKS is an ungainly, plain-Jane looking lump. You could even say that the SKS (Samozaryadni Karabin Simonova or Simonov’s...

www.thetruthaboutguns.com

Robin

 

[Podmonkey]

Not to derail the thread butttt this brings up a semi interesting thought..

What about Saiga (compliant AK. Because the others don't look as good and trying to do apples to apples) vs. SCR

Given the current ammo situation...... Saiga. SCR otherwise I suppose. Then again I am really starting to like sporter style AKs. Were I still in NY that's what I'd probably have.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Given the current ammo situation...... Saiga. SCR otherwise I suppose. Then again I am really starting to like sporter style AKs. Were I still in NY that's what I'd probably have.

I wish they were actually easy to come by still and I wish I grabbed the 5.56 one I saw last year

 

[Vapor]

Thar looks really flickin' cool! AND 7.62x39 is half the cost of 5.56x45/223 AND 9mm these days.
OP should definitely go with a sporterized AK, best option for NYers.

That was an MI mount and a real aimpoint. I can't remember the name of the fore end rail. I did that one and the the zukov too. It's someone else's treasure now. I can still visit it if I want haha.


In my experience the sks gas system is violent, the locking system requires a heavy bolt, and the accuracy of most variants is inferior to the ak platform from a quality Russian or Chinese ak. That being said the yugo sks was pretty good. A forum member has that now.


Saiga


Sks

 

[Edwardteach72]

I would pick a well made SKS over the well made Ak any day. I say well made cuz there is a shit ton of junk out there.

SKS Trumps AK - The Truth About Guns

The AK is the epitome of the sexy/scary “assault rifle” genre. With its sinister angles and scythe-like Magazine, the weapon just oozes danger and coolness. In contrast, the SKS is an ungainly, plain-Jane looking lump. You could even say that the SKS (Samozaryadni Karabin Simonova or Simonov’s...

www.thetruthaboutguns.com

Robin

Two paragraphs in and i can tell you this article is garbage

"AKs (even the milled-receiver versions) have a tinny, cheap, stamped upper cover – you know, the part you put your cheek against when you shoot."


The more I tried to read the more it turned into some gun grabbers rambling

 

[Vapor]

Given the current ammo situation...... Saiga. SCR otherwise I suppose. Then again I am really starting to like sporter style AKs. Were I still in NY that's what I'd probably have.

Honestly I prefer the mini-14 to either. I know, you're thinking I'm crazy, but I've owned all of them. The mini in 580 specs is more accurate than an ak or sks and has better looks to me than an scr. Also been 100% reliable.

Never the mini-30 though. If I wanted a x39 deff saiga or vepr.

I wish I had kept one saiga just to have kept 7.62x39 in the rotation.

 

[Robin]

I have to admit my experience with these weapons is limited, other than a modern Norinco AK, junk in my opinion, my experience is with captured weapons and that was a long time ago. The only AK I was ever impressed with was a soviet issued one, it had a forged receiver, fit and finish were excellent for what it was, the rest were all stampings, mostly Chinese and though they all had the capability of shooting in semi-auto, I never saw, or heard one being used as such and have thought many times over the years that though the AK was the one that took me out, I am thankful, if that is the right word, that the bugger had an AK because it is a tough weapon to master, especially on full rock and roll, requiring a lot of range time which none of them had, so the results for me and probably tens of thousand of GI's were better than might have been with a better weapon. The SKS on the other hand is a much more accurate weapon that is easy to use and easy to learn to use efficiently. You can characterize the article as you see fit, I didn't write it, but there is good information for those without issues.
Robin.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Ak47 dust cover


CNN article about AK47s
"AKs (even the milled-receiver versions) have a tinny, cheap, stamped upper cover – you know, the part you put your cheek against when you shoot."

Also written in that CNN article

Another factor that favors the SKS for civilian shooters: the magazine. Armies, of course, like to give their soldiers lots of magazines that can be changed out quickly so as to keep them shooting (they call this “firepower.”) Civilian shooters, by contrast, are generally more interested in hitting their targets than they are in putting up a wall of lead to keep the enemy’s head down.

The SKS’s 10-round fixed magazine is more than adequate for most shooters.




Ie: er civilians only need 10 rounds

 

[Podmonkey]

I have to admit my experience with these weapons is limited, other than a modern Norinco AK, junk in my opinion, my experience is with captured weapons and that was a long time ago. The only AK I was ever impressed with was a soviet issued one, it had a forged receiver, fit and finish were excellent for what it was, the rest were all stampings, mostly Chinese and though they all had the capability of shooting in semi-auto, I never saw, or heard one being used as such and have thought many times over the years that though the AK was the one that took me out, I am thankful, if that is the right word, that the bugger had an AK because it is a tough weapon to master, especially on full rock and roll, requiring a lot of range time which none of them had, so the results for me and probably tens of thousand of GI's were better than might have been with a better weapon. The SKS on the other hand is a much more accurate weapon that is easy to use and easy to learn to use efficiently. You can characterize the article as you see fit, I didn't write it, but there is good information for those without issues.
Robin.

The Ace is a really nice AK I'd think you'd find.
Disagree about the SKS being more accurate than an AK though, I'd say they are about the same with modern AKs using modern barrels perhaps being a bit better. The AK74 patterns are however very good shooters in my experience easily bettering its 7.62 cousins.
But I do agree that a 7.62x39 AK is a bit of a handful at full boogie.

 

[Will556]

The AK and the SKS are practically identical internally. One of the differences is the less than ideal ergonomics of the SKS when compared to the AK. The biggest difference being that reloading an AK is much easier and beneficial with the use of magazines that normally hold up to 30rds. But since it’s NY, even taking the more than 10rds out of the equation...changing a magazine is still faster than top loading an SKS. The aftermarket also favors AK’s with there being more parts to be had for the AK over the SKS. It would be like comparing an actual AK vs a NY compliant sporterized Saiga that HAS to be top loaded one round at a time. I’m hands down going AK over an SKS.

 

[Podmonkey]

The AK and the SKS are practically identical internally. One of the differences is the less than ideal ergonomics of the SKS when compared to the AK. The biggest difference being that reloading an AK is much easier and beneficial with the use of magazines that normally hold up to 30rds. But since it’s NY, even taking the more than 10rds out of the equation...changing a magazine is still faster than top loading an SKS. The aftermarket also favors AK’s with there being more parts to be had for the AK over the SKS. It would be like comparing an actual AK vs a NY compliant sporterized Saiga that HAS to be top loaded one round at a time. I’m hands down going AK over an SKS.

They are nothing alike dude, c'mon man!
Different gas system, Different lockup system, Different trigger. Nothing alike. Which naturally goes for the internals as well.

 

[Will556]

They are nothing alike dude, c'mon man!
Different gas system, Different lockup system, Different trigger. Nothing alike. Which naturally goes for the internals as well.

You’re totally right, I misspoke (misstyped?!) They are different, haven’t had to take a look at one of those in a very long time and I stand corrected, lol. I still stand by everything else I stated comparing them though and would still go with an AK.

 

[Podmonkey]

You’re totally right, I misspoke (misstyped?!) They are different, haven’t had to take a look at one of those in a very long time and I stand corrected, lol. I still stand by everything else I stated comparing them though and would still go with an AK.

Nah, that's totally cool, it happens.
This was a request for information thread so I was just helping to have the best info we can here is all.

 

[Will556]

They are nothing alike dude, c'mon man!
Different gas system, Different lockup system, Different trigger. Nothing alike. Which naturally goes for the internals as well.

All I could think when I read your first sentence...

 

[Podmonkey]

All I could think when I read your first sentence... View attachment 111553

That's whom I was was invoking indeed.
It sucks though 'cause "C'mon man!" Is a phrase I use a lot too. Usually when I'm trying not to curse.

 

[Vapor]

My personal experience having owned 3 of each is the Russian aks are more accurate than an sks. The Yugoslavia sks was closer than the two Chinese (one military and one commercial. )

The mak 90 I had a lot of experience with was about the same as the yugo sks.