SKS. Difference in Yugo and Romanian?
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MTMilitiaman
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The Yugo is probably the better constructed rifle. The Yugos are probably second only to the original Russians in terms of build quality and functionality. My Yugo can put five rounds of Wolf into two MOA at one-hundred yards and has never missed a beat. They are over built to the point of being nearly indestructible. The only downside of the rifle besides, possibly, its weight, is that it lacks the chrome lined bore of the other SKS variants.
The Yugos are easily distinguishable by the grenade launching apparatus on the muzzle for use launching NATO-spec rifled grenades.
The Yugos are easily distinguishable by the grenade launching apparatus on the muzzle for use launching NATO-spec rifled grenades.
Badger Arms
Member
The chrome lining factor is HUGE! If you get the chance, pay extra for the Ruskie guns. The Yugo is constructed well, yes, but it was designed as a grenade launcher... and used that way. Most of the ones you see in this country are tight and good weapons. Just clean the bore with the same care you give your hunting rifle and you'll be fine.
maskedman504
Member
If you plan on engaging in jungle warfare, absolutely must have.
If you plan on engaging in beach landings, absolutely must have.
If you don't like to clean guns, semi must have.
Since you are probably firing corrosive ammo from your SKS, you should clean it right after shooting.
Otherwise it's just a nice if you have it but not neccesarily gotta have it. It sure doesn't hurt, but the average shooter won't notice any difference. Just my personal opinion.
rklessdriver
Member
This is not even close to true.
The Romanian is a far better rifle.
It dosen't have that stupid gerenad launching apparatus attached to the front of it.
No turn off valve attached to the gas system that instantly turns you semi auto into a single shot.
It has a crome lined bore and chamber.
IMO the Romanian SKS is second in quality only to the Russian SKS. I have a 1950 Tula Russian, a milled 80's Norinco and a 1959 Romanian. They all shoot very good (I won't clain Sub MOA accuracy out of them thou) and are comparable in quality. I have passed on buying a number of Yugo 59/66 in the past years because for me they point like a nose heavy broom stick.
If you plan on launching Rifle Grenades the Yugo is your rifle. As long as your doing something else the Romanian is a far better rifle.
As far as the crome lined chamber and bore being a big deal for the average shooter. It is a big deal to everyone with a 7.62X39 because of all the well priced corrosive Yugo ammo out there.
Will
Corrosive ammo doesn't make any difference so long as you have the sense God gave a rock and clean your rifle after shooting it.
The gas valve is basically a plus. Just leave it on all the time unless you plan on reloading your brass.
The Yugos are heavy and clunky though and that's their real downside IMO. You've basically got a 7.62x39 that's the size and weight of an M1 Garand.
The gas valve is basically a plus. Just leave it on all the time unless you plan on reloading your brass.
The Yugos are heavy and clunky though and that's their real downside IMO. You've basically got a 7.62x39 that's the size and weight of an M1 Garand.
maskedman504
Member
I own a Yugo and an un-issued Russian. Why are we debating the second best?
Russian is the best, the rest are the rest.
Russian is the best, the rest are the rest.
WardenWolf
member
Many of the best Commie guns come from Romania. Not counting the WASR's (which are hybrids chopped up and reassembled here), pretty much everything that came out of Romania was incredibly good quality. Some of Romania's guns are even better than their Russian counterparts (Tokarev pistols, for instance).
Don't discount the enjoyment factor of launching tennis balls into orbit with a Yugo, a grenade adapter and some blanks! You'll instantly become the guy that everyone wants to watch. I've met some good people and got to shoot some pretty cool guns because of my tennis ball exploits.
JR47
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The Romanian guns are the closest to the Russian in quality and parts. The stocks of the latest group aren't in the best condition, but they've been in storage for decades.
Chrome-lined bores are for more than jungle ops, or water landings. They add protection to the bore and chamber that non-lined guns don't enjoy. The fact of the matter is, corrosive ammunition, in a damp environment, can start to produce salts in as little as 30 minutes. Think about that on a day when a passing rain shower interrupts your shooting session, and/or you're shooting several guns. Unlike wishful thinking, the products of corrosion won't go away. They are also cumulative, adding up over time. Many Yugo SKS rifles show that accumulation in the form of cloudy bores and leaking gas piston valves. These rifles were used in the late unpleasantness in the former Yugoslav Republic.
Many of the Russian, Albanian, and Romanian guns never got more than a proof-firing.
Chrome-lined bores are for more than jungle ops, or water landings. They add protection to the bore and chamber that non-lined guns don't enjoy. The fact of the matter is, corrosive ammunition, in a damp environment, can start to produce salts in as little as 30 minutes. Think about that on a day when a passing rain shower interrupts your shooting session, and/or you're shooting several guns. Unlike wishful thinking, the products of corrosion won't go away. They are also cumulative, adding up over time. Many Yugo SKS rifles show that accumulation in the form of cloudy bores and leaking gas piston valves. These rifles were used in the late unpleasantness in the former Yugoslav Republic.
Many of the Russian, Albanian, and Romanian guns never got more than a proof-firing.
MTMilitiaman
Member
Better, perhaps. Far better, probably not.
The Yugo is more overbuilt. I can't speak for the Romanian, but the Yugo is completely milled as opposed to rifles of some other origins that have more stamped parts, esp among the trigger group. The Yugo is heavier and more over built because Yugoslavian ammo was loaded hotter.
I have had a late-model Russian before, and the Yugo is just as accurate. None of the Chinese rifles I've had a chance to shoot have compared.
Comparing my current Yugo to my Russian (unfortunately sold to pay utilities when I was in college), the Yugo is heavier, but just as accurate and reliable. And because corrosive ammo for the 7.62x39 is virtually non-existent, I don't consider the lack of chrome lining a big deal.
My Yugo has been my truck rifle in the past. It has bounced around behind the seat of an old 76 Ford F150, dealt with the condensation, and showed no signs of corrosion, despite experiencing rare maintenance.
I'll admit my experience with Romanian weapons is limited to my Romanian WASR. That rifle has always been reliable, but it is a bottom of the barrel rifle compared to AKs of other origins and I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the Romanian SKS would be of similar overall quality. But to say that the Romanian SKS is far superior to the Yugo, I think is an exaggeration.
I consider the Yugo SKS to be the poor man's M1A. It is more accurate than it has to be, absolutely reliable, and end of the world durable.
And lets face it, plenty of older military rifles experienced plenty of moisture with little maintenance in times of war before chrome lining became common and did fine. It used to bother me, but having put my Yugo through its paces, I have no reason to believe it is even an issue for most normal use. And in fact, as non-chrome lined barrels as a general rule tend to be more accurate than chrome lined barrels, I believe lack of chrome lining is one reason why the Yugos may be so accurate.
Duke of Doubt
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I have a Romanian and a Yugoslavian. The Romanian is worn but very nice; the Yugo is much less worn, also pretty nice. They are quite different in several functional ways, as discussed, and in a few other superficial ones. I would say that the quality of the machining, the fitting and the finishing on the Romanian metal is significantly better than that on the Yugoslavian. Unfortunately the Romanian wood was lacquered, and the lacquer on mine was worn off in places. Some oil finish fixed that up pretty well, but the appearance is not perfect like the ones pictured above. Fine by me -- I like my vintage guns to have some character. The operation of the Romanian SKS is so smoooth it's unbelievable, and its accuracy -- particularly with Golden Tiger, of all things -- is exceptional for an SKS.
I honestly believe the Romanians are a little bit better than the Russians. The Russians would be second (allowing for possible variation), the Yugoslavians third. The Albanians probably next, and the various Chinese makers and factories well below all of these. The East German and Vietnamese SKS rifles are comparatively rare, and I haven't handled or shot either of them. North Korea is said to have made them. Haven't even seen one in person.
I honestly believe the Romanians are a little bit better than the Russians. The Russians would be second (allowing for possible variation), the Yugoslavians third. The Albanians probably next, and the various Chinese makers and factories well below all of these. The East German and Vietnamese SKS rifles are comparatively rare, and I haven't handled or shot either of them. North Korea is said to have made them. Haven't even seen one in person.
sarduy
Member
^ TRUE!
This is not even close to true.
Yes it is!
The Romanian is a far better rifle.
in what way? just the chome lined barrel?
It dosen't have that stupid gerenad launching apparatus attached to the front of it.
That's true...a yugo sks can launch dummy and real grenades, golf balls and other cool stuff
No turn off valve attached to the gas system that instantly turns you semi auto into a single shot.
Ohh the valve...you can use the sks as a semi auto or switch the valve and use it like a Bolt-action (very accurate this way)
It has a crome lined bore and chamber.
just clean your yugo SKS and you'll be fine it's just an option.
i own a yugo and all i can say is I LOVE IT.
Paladin_Hammer
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Yugo's lack the chrome-lined barrel that you MUST HAVE if you want to shoot lots of surplus and low-cost ammo. Anything with a Berdan Primer (Wolf, Brown/Silver/Golden Bear, Privi-Pratzi, etc) will eventually eat away at the rifle.
Thing is, and I can't confirm this with a range report just yet as I'm now lacking a Chinese, Russian, or other non-Yugo rifle to compare with, Yugo's seem amazingly accurate as far as the SKS goes. At 50 yards one gentlemen I met was getting five shots within two inches from a bipod. I never remember seeing that in person before. There was a post on THR awhile back where one gentlemen had a target with 20 some rounds through it, all within six inches, all at 100 yards, with a Yugo. He only shot the 20.
If I could find a reasonably priced SKS in Missouri that isn't a Yugo I could probably find out whether or not there is any truth to Yugo's being better as far as accuracy is concerned. Believe me, when I find a Chinese or a Russian for under $270 dollars, I'll have a report up the following weekend. So far, my buddy Chuck and I are amazed with his Yugo. So long as we use a bipod or a bench, we never miss a 12 inch by 12 inch target, and rarely do five rounds escape 3 inches from what we were aiming at (flyers are the spawn of the devil).
Thing is, and I can't confirm this with a range report just yet as I'm now lacking a Chinese, Russian, or other non-Yugo rifle to compare with, Yugo's seem amazingly accurate as far as the SKS goes. At 50 yards one gentlemen I met was getting five shots within two inches from a bipod. I never remember seeing that in person before. There was a post on THR awhile back where one gentlemen had a target with 20 some rounds through it, all within six inches, all at 100 yards, with a Yugo. He only shot the 20.
If I could find a reasonably priced SKS in Missouri that isn't a Yugo I could probably find out whether or not there is any truth to Yugo's being better as far as accuracy is concerned. Believe me, when I find a Chinese or a Russian for under $270 dollars, I'll have a report up the following weekend. So far, my buddy Chuck and I are amazed with his Yugo. So long as we use a bipod or a bench, we never miss a 12 inch by 12 inch target, and rarely do five rounds escape 3 inches from what we were aiming at (flyers are the spawn of the devil).
maskedman504
Member
I clean my rifle, so I don't worry about corrosive ammo.
Paladin_Hammer
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I wish we were all as disciplined as you. I know I'm guilty of forgetting to clean my rifles after every shoot (but getting a deer is just so damn exciting!
)Real quick maskedman504, have you ever noticed "Bubbles" in your SKS after you use it? I've heard that with some cleaners that soapy bubbles will show up in the barrel after cleaning. Any truth to that? Or just here-say?
maskedman504
Member
I don't know, I consider guns an investment; they are expensive, so I clean them. Also, in order to them to be reliable, they must be clean, so I clean them.
The Yugoslavian's didn't omit the chroming of the barrels because they thought it made them more accurate, or anything like that - they just didn't have significant native sources of that strategic metal and chose not to be dependent upon a foreign source.
MTMilitiaman
Member
True. But their motivations for doing so are irrelevant to current or perspective owners. Regardless of why they did it (and they did do it because they lacked adequate chronium reserves as well as proper relations with Mother Russia to get it from them.) a side effect is probably an increase in accuracy.
JR47
Member
The primary weight difference between a Yugo, and any other SKS, is in the wood used for the stock. Yugoslavian weapons use a native teak wood, which is heavier than even the laminated stocks of the Russians.
The Russian and Romanian guns are also forged and milled.
I own a Model 59, a 59/66 and a 59/66A1. None of them is as smooth operating as my 1951 Russian SKS.
Again, you run a better chance of finding that your Yugo has barrel wear, a step-crown, and corrosion in the gas system, than with any of the others.
The Russian and Romanian guns are also forged and milled.
I own a Model 59, a 59/66 and a 59/66A1. None of them is as smooth operating as my 1951 Russian SKS.
Again, you run a better chance of finding that your Yugo has barrel wear, a step-crown, and corrosion in the gas system, than with any of the others.
WardenWolf
member
No, no, no. There are non-corrosive Berdan primers. Wolf uses non-corrosive primers. I'm fairly certain the Bear ammos also use non-corrosive on new commercial ammo (their earliest offerings WERE corrosive, however). I'm also fairly certain PRVI only uses boxer primers now, too. All the Wolf ammo I've seen that comes from their plant is boxer primed, along with their self-branded ammo.
wally
Member
Correct! But there is still a good bit of Yugo and other surplus 7.62x39 corrosive ammo out there.
I shoot a good bit of corrosive ammo, but only when I know nothing will prevent me from cleaning immediately afterwards.
--wally.
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