What are everybody's thoughts/opinions on SKS rifles?

[Rustlestiltskin]

I've been getting more interested in these rifles recently and wanted to get some imput on them. I'd be using it for target shooting and what not. I'm particularly interested in casper's SKS that he has for sale.

[RyM3rC]

For $75 sure maybe, if I couldn't afford something better. For $300 why not just get an AK?

 

You can tactikewl mall-ninja them up all you want, but it's still an SKS.

[KennyFKINPowerz]

I have owned several of them and I love em.

[copperhead]

For $75 sure maybe, if I couldn't afford something better. For $300 why not just get an AK?

 

You can tactikewl mall-ninja them up all you want, but it's still an SKS.

 

Agreed. They used to be a deal, but at their current price point they don't do any one thing good enough to justify it over an AK.

 

They are reasonably accurate, but require a fair amount of work (drilling and tapping) if you want any kind of a scope.

 

5 round fixed box mag is slow to reload without stripper clips, and those are annoying and easy to lose. Aftermarket detachable mags are unreliable.

 

Huge and heavy rifle for a small and low recoil round.

 

Spend the same amount of money on an AK if you like the 7.62x39 round, and have a more fun gun with a larger following and part supply. There's a good reason why most SKS's never saw any real use - they were very quickly replaced.

[Scotty2Hotty]

Built by peasants, for peasants.

[jjjxlr8]

I own and shoot AKM rifles (Chinese, Romanian, Bulgarian) as well as SKS45 and SKS56 rifles (Russian, Chinese) and like them both.

 

Once you get used to the crappy triggers in the SKS rifles, they seem to shoot slightly smaller groups than AKMs in the 7.62x39 calibers.

 

I think the SKS rifles are more comfortable to shoot as they are heavier and the felt recoil is lower.

 

Right now, you can pick up original Chinese SKS56 rifles for around $225-$250 on Gunbroker. These rifles are a bargain at that price, IMO. Don't believe anyone who tells you that the Chinese SKS56 is junk - they will shoot and function as well as any SKS and often have better quality finish on the metal and wood. The Chinese SKS56 rifles that I have actually shoot better(tighter groups) than my Russian SKS45 rifles!

 

Stick with original, unmolested rifles, BTW. Aftermarket parts on these rifles, are troublesome and don't add much in the way of functionality.

[Mark1647545493]

I agree that aftermarket parts for these guns are usually junk especially the hi capacity magazines. The only aftermarket part I would use on a SKS is the a receiver cover/scope mount like this one and the part still might need 'worked on' to make it fit right on your rifle. http://www.centerfiresystems.com/MNTSKS03.aspx

 

Also remember the 922r regulations about making changes to the sks. Tapco sells 922r compliant parts..... http://www.tapco.com/products/sks/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=36

 

Also check out this site about the 922r laws

http://thegunwiki.com/Gunwiki/LegalFederal922rParts

 

I've owned dozens of sks rifles over the years and have always enjoyed shooting them even more than my AK47's. The weight and length of the SKS fits me much better than the AK47. Usually the triggers on the sks feels like your rubbing two pieces of sand paper together when you're firing it, but that can be fixed. I got lucky on a Romanian made sks that has a buttery smooth trigger from the factory.

Keep it stock, buy some stripper clips and you'll have fun with it.

 

Side note... I bought my first sks for $88 about 17 years ago and I've watched them consistently rise in price ever since and the last couple I bought was last year for $225 for a plane Jane Chinese Norinco and $400 for a Norinco SKS-M (uses ak mags). If I remember right, they aren't being imported anymore so whatever is here in the USA is it. Someone in Canada got a shipment of I believe Romanian sks' last year and they sold out very quickly. Guys in the US was dying to get there hands on them..

[jjjxlr8]

Yugoslavian SKS 59/66 rifles are still being imported, as well as the beat up Romanian examples.

 

Russian and Chinese SKS rifles have not been imported since the early 90's and are permanently banned from import to the US.

[AWW$HEEET]

brothers got one. its alright i guess. kinda heavy.

[Alex L.]

7.62 equivalent of a .22.

[jjjxlr8]

7.62 equivalent of a .22.

 

? what do you mean?

[Scotty2Hotty]

? what do you mean?

 

Probably talking about the abundance of cheap MILSURP 7.62X39mm running around. I think 5.56X45mm is cheap enough for me to shoot, on top of most 7.62X51mm rounds. I can't say I've been a huge fan of COMBLOC rifles, but I have a respect for the simplicity, even if it was technically stolen. Never cracked any rounds off with a Mini-30, but that's about the only rifle I'm interested in that fires the 7.62X39mm (Next to the AR converts to that cartridge.)

[stolen 5.0]

Sks is pretty heavy, id stick with an AK