Garand vs SKS

[Mosin77]

Disregarding the cost of ammo, and assuming each gun is equally “historically cool,” which one is actually more fun to take out and shoot?

Classic has SKS’s for $299. Which has reawakened my desire to try one. “Get while the gettin’s good,”’and all that. On the other hand, the Garand is really neat and was formerly top in my “buy next” list. On paper the SKS makes more sense.... affordability of 7.62x39 and cheap Russian commercial plinking fodder, etc. Certainly if I were buying one gun only, it’s hard to argue with the cheap n’ cheerful SKS. But I figure that, as a city boy, these guns see only gonna get exercised a couple times a year anyway, so if the Garand is more expensive to feed, well, it’s not like I have to do it every week.

What say you? Which is more fun to go plinking with?

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

The one that goes PING

 

[badkarmamib]

The one that goes PING

EXACTLY what I came here to say!

 

[Iggy]

Is this a trick question?

 

[kimberkid]

I thought it was "Ting"?
But in 45 years of being able to buy firearms I've never shot one so ....

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I thought it was "Ting"?
But in 45 years of being able to buy firearms I've never shot one so ....

oh it's a PING


ETA: better ping vid

 

[boom boom]

So you are saying better Red than Dead is your preference?

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

I have an SKS, with trench art all over it. Now, I have often considered an M1 Garand, but it doesn't fit my frame very well.

M1 Carbine, now that's fun!!

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I have an SKS, with trench art all over it. Now, I have often considered an M1 Garand, but it doesn't fit my frame very well.

Are you like a 7ft tall monster?

 

[d2wing]

I have had both, SKS's are fun to shoot for close range plinking and hunting. A Garand is heavy but so an SKS. If you actually want to hit anything or have real firepower a Garand is so much better. I don't miss the many AK's or SKS's I had but I really regret selling my Garand. Besides the Garand is of great historical significance. The SKS was used by Third World Communists. Not significate to most people. My buddy has an AK he personally captured, That has value. In fact to me an AR is world's better than an SKS in every way. But then I was in battles against that junk.

 

[Llama Bob]

Garands have great sights and are accurate for positional shooting, but kick pretty good. SKSes tend to be inaccurate but pleasant to shoot

For recreation I'd take an AR over either.

 

[Varminterror]

As un-American as it seems, I find the SKS much more fun than the Garand. The Garand is a magical mix of “too heavy for hauling around ” but still “recoils too much.” Loading en-bloc clips kinda sucks, and topping off or loading partial loads are inhibited.

If I had to buy one, not both, in some ridiculous game of “would you rather,” then I’d rather own a Garand than an SKS and rather have a .30-06 than an x39, but in terms of simple, enjoyable noise-making, the SKS is more fun for me.

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

Are you like a 7ft tall monster?

Big gun, short guy. The SKS and the M1 Carbine has shorter stocks, and fit my shoulder better. Can't tell you why, just is that way for me.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Big gun, short guy. The SKS and the M1 Carbine has shorter stocks, and fit my shoulder better. Can't tell you why, just is that way for me.

Cool cool.

M1 fits my "economy sized" 5'8" 135lb self, very well.

 

[entropy]

Of course, the Garand is more fun to shoot, but you'd shoot the SKS more, unless you are made of money or have the time to devote to loading for it.

 

[1KPerDay]

If you have to ask....

 

[Slamfire]

“Get while the gettin’s good,”’

That is what I would recommend. SKS's will only go up in price, and Garands were never, and will never, be cheap. Get them while the gettings good.

I don't consider a Garand a plinking rifle, I never worried about rapid firing a SKS. An SKS is in an entire different category from that of a Garand.

 

[Charlie98]

My first ever selfie...



That's my choice... I don't/won't own any ComBloc weapons. I fired them when I was in the Army, that's plenty.

I don't consider a Garand a plinking rifle

Actually, with a reasonable handload, it's a lot of fun. It is not '30rd mag dump' kind of fun, if that's your bag, but a little informal plinking with a Garand is good for the soul.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Just get both and be done with it

 

[Jenrick]

The SKS has the advantage of cheaper, lighter, more readily available ammo. Pretty much all 7.62x39 should be safe to fire in it and reasonably accurate (assuming your rifle is). The sights are less than optimal for bullseye shooting, but fine for plinking paper plates or a hanging gong. The Garand requires ammo that is safe to shoot in it (not all .30-06 is safe for the op-rod) or you have to buy an adjusted an adjustable gas plug. The sights are much better for bullseye work, and certainly work just fine plinking and banging a gong.

If the extent of your shooting will be casual target shooting at closer ranges (300 yds and in) the SKS has some the advantages personally. If you're looking for something capable of a bit more precision (rifle dependant) or for longer range (.30-06 can easily reach 1000 yds), the Garand is the obvious winner.

 

[mustanger98]

I have had both, SKS's are fun to shoot for close range plinking and hunting. A Garand is heavy but so an SKS. If you actually want to hit anything or have real firepower a Garand is so much better. I don't miss the many AK's or SKS's I had but I really regret selling my Garand. Besides the Garand is of great historical significance. The SKS was used by Third World Communists. Not significate to most people. My buddy has an AK he personally captured, That has value. In fact to me an AR is world's better than an SKS in every way. But then I was in battles against that junk.

Reminds me that my Grandpa wouldn't have a K98... spoke highly of the M1 Carbine but wouldn't have one either. OTOH, his brother who was also a WW2 vet, kept a K98 ready to go in his truck for a lot of years. This in a time and place where many kept M1 Carbines as truck guns.

And no, I'm not disputing anyone's reason to dislike something.

I know my very limited experience with an SKS didn't give me a good first impression. Had that one had its original 10rd magazine, as opposed to that 30rd add-on junk, and had I seen Jerry Miculek(sp?) run his SKS, I might have had a somewhat different limited experience. But, with the SKS's short LOP, I seriously doubt a better experience with it would've beat a Garand.

Don't those SKS-wielding Third-World Commies give context to the guys with the Garands?

 

[troy fairweather]

Call me weird but I like the sks better.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Call me weird but I like the sks better.

You're weird.

 

[mustanger98]

Garands have great sights and are accurate for positional shooting, but kick pretty good. SKSes tend to be inaccurate but pleasant to shoot

For recreation I'd take an AR over either.

My experience has been that the Garand didn't kick much at all. The LOP and the fact that it weighs 10lbs empty helps. My brief experience with that one SKS was not pleasant. Mileage can, and often will, vary.

 

[Mosin77]

Once again, the varied experiences of those on THR does not disappoint! Clearly, the answer is, “get both.”

What’s a realistic, fun, workout for these guns -how many rounds should I plan to shoot through a Garand or an SKS on a given day? That might be the next question to narrow it down. I have 22s that I could shoot a thousand rounds in a day without trying too hard, and I have bolt guns that, after 10 rounds, my shoulder has had enough.