The sks rifle. your thoughts

[thump_rrr]

I have a Tula arsenal SKS that I purchased for $200 Canadian in 2010.
I could have bought a crate of 10 for $1595 which in hindsight would have been a great deal.

I load 123gr Hornady .310 soft points and I will call it a 2 MOA rifle.
Reliability has been perfect with no failures of any kind in the 14 years I’ve owned it.

 

[redneck2]

Many years ago I bought an unissued Russian for $129 OTD. It was an adequate tool for doing what it was intended to do. For me it was rather loud and didn’t serve any particular purpose. I don’t see myself in the position of needing to fight off invading hoards any time soon so it went away for 3x what I paid for it.

When guys say “it’s accurate“ my first thought is “what’s your definition of accurate?”. Best example I can think of is any discussion involving .22 rumfires. About every post says “mine is really accurate”. I’ve shot enough .22’s to know not all are “really accurate“, at least by my standards.

When I had mine ammo was very cheap. It excelled at turning money into noise. I see no value in mag dumps but if that’s your thing, have at it.

 

[P5 Guy]

My refurbished Russian SKS has never jammed or failed to fire with S&B 7.62x39, also all ten shots land in a 4-inch Shoot & See target at 50 yards from a bench rest. The only way the range would allow centerfire rifles to be shot.
Some of what used to be available before exports from Russia were cut off did poorly in the reliability and accuracy department. Some blamed the coating to prevent the steel cases from corroding.

 

[Jonah77]

I enjoyed Jerry Miculek’s take on them, here:

SKS complete review and history with Jerry Miculek (4K UHD)

In it's most complete review yet, Jerry takes the classic 7.62x39 SKS and tests its close quarters rapid fire capabilities as well as accuracy up to 400 mete...

m.youtube.com

Get SOME!!!

 

[1948CJ2A]

I had a Norinco back in the late 90s that was fun to plink with but that was about it. It was not very accurate if memory serves. I didn't keep that rifle for very long, maybe a year. A few years after that, I picked up a Yugo back when they were $99. I still have that SKS. The accuracy is about like the Norinco... nothing special but I'm also shooting cheap steel cased ammo when I do shoot it. The Yugo is a really heavy rifle for what it is; much heavier than my AK. The one thing I remember about the first time I shot my Yugo was the gas piston had been removed and not replaced. You could shoot it but you had to cycle the bolt yourself to chamber the next round. I called the store I bought it from in Plano and they shipped me a replacement ( I was living 2 hours away at that time). After that, it worked fine. Imagine that! Other than that single parts-missing hiccup, never had a "reliability" issue.

Summary: As others have mentioned, they're fun to shoot but todays values for us who bought them dirt cheap decades ago seem inflated.

 

[HB]

I have owned 3, one chinese that took AK mags and one yugo. I put a tech sight on them but could never get good enough accuracy.

The Chinese one was cool and handy but it shot larger groups than my AR pistol so I sold it for $750. I paid $179.

The Yugo was much more accurate but still less so than my 30-30. For a 9# rifle that held 10 rounds of 30-30 equivalent, I sent it down the road. I paid $220 for it and sold for $800 with some ammo.

I hope who ever owns them now appreciates their retro design and poor accuracy more than me. They do kill deer though!

 

[Jonah77]

Most easily digested and in-depth SKS info I have found…

Here: https://m.youtube.com/@Triangle26

Does a good job breaking down various models and history involved in the production of the SKS.

There are others of course.

 

[Speedo66]

Couple of thoughts.

Accuracy, it’s a battle rifle, not a bench rest gun. The accuracy is sufficient for its purpose.

Cost, it’s still half the price of a Garand or other, and here’s a key point, “semi auto“ battle rifles. Not much in that category at their price.
People who bought them cheap have done well. $100 in 1990 with inflation would be $233 today. Those guns have far surpassed the inflation rate.

 

[HollowDawg]

The Yugos are great and tank tough and pretty accurate in my experience. Own a Norinco.... Nah. Not impressed. One of these days I'll trade it for something worth having. Ridiculous what the Norincos are going for these days!

 

[King Medallion]

I had one in the early 90's, always shot well as I recall. The thing I do remember is the thing felt really loose, was always afraid the bolt was gonna fly off and smack me in the face. Didn't have it long.

 

[Mercy Me]

I have one of each: Russian, Yugo and Norinco (china)

If I had to pick only two to own, I would get rid of the chinese one

Yugo is beefy but non chrome-lined barrel (just like their AKs). Still, it is a solid rifle and it will last many thousands of rounds if properly maintained.

The Russans are the best of the bunch (my opinion) and the barrels are chrome lined.

Back when SKS were selling for $120 each, I thought they were a tremendous value. At $300 - $400 each, I think they are still worth owning if you understand precisely why you want to own one... It is a mid range assault rifle. It is not made for 500 or even 300 yard shots.

You could hunt whitetails with it but mainly you would do it just so you can say you got one with an SKS.

 

[Lefty38-55]

It's not an AK-47.
Never meant to be.

True this ... as they are TWICE as accurate!

I've tried them all, with 6 to 8 brands of ammo through each and the best shooters were always Norincos. They'd shoot ~2 MOA with good bulk feed it liked, e.g., Barnual or Golden Tiger, etc., but with good soft-point ammo is where they really shine! They'll never be a 1 MOA or less rifle, but are < 2 MOA and very consistent with PMC SPs! Mine too is my really crappy weather, don't want to take my mint LH Win70 Featherweight out in the rain deer rifle.

I treat -39mm rifles like 22LRs ... don't settle on any one brand ammo until you've tried at least 1/2 a dozen, if not more! Too bad I myself 'Bubba'd my Norinco ... as stock Norincos are now $600 around here! I had paid $95 out the door, with a plastic rifle case and (100) rounds to start. It now resides in a really light Butler Creek (IIRC) stock and that scope mount rail that hinges forward, for easy cleaning, that surprisingly holds it zero. I've even removed the piston a few times and have shot it as a straight-pull bolt action ... just for kicks.

Off-topic, but in an AR platform upper, that 7.62x39mm cartridge really shows its potential! Too bad the mags are the weak point. I call it the '308 Short' and love it more than shootin' 5.56!

 

[Mosin Bubba]

They're the Tonka truck of semi autos.

The gun they actually remind me of the most of is an M44 Mosin... same size, similar weight, same kind of brick outhouse construction. But the SKSes are automatics and shoot a (formerly) very cheap, low recoil caliber. I love them.

Today's prices on them are pretty dumb though. The comparisons ITT to the M1 Carbine are apt. I love the Carbines even more than the SKS, but prices have gone in to la la land.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I picked-up my NIB Norinco just before high school graduation in 1994 for just over $100. I have never experienced a single issue in terms of performance and reliability. Similar to the Mini-14/30, the rifles have a fundamental advantage of compactness over AR and AK platforms. Eventually, I will add an extended recoil pad to bump-up the LOP.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I bought and sold 3 Type 56s back when they were cheap and I wasn't collecting. Last month I bought another (for considerably more $$$) and am keeping this one original.



They were a functional, reliable choice for a lot of countries with demand economies -- I respect the design for that. Production was well over 10 million, which also makes it a significant 20th century military small arm.

As civilian centerfire semi-autos go I'd pick an AR over an SKS in a heartbeat, but that doesn't make the SKS a bad choice.

I've been reading George Layman's Collector's Guide to the SKS, and particularly enjoyed the chapter about the Chinese Type 56. Stalin and Khrushchev really made Mao pay through the nose, in both resources and hard currency, for the technical package, parts and production machinery. So much for socialist fraternal feelings.

 

[d2wing]

I bought one in the 80's I think for my kids to hunt with. I used it myself to hunt and play with. It was a fun shooter but accuracy was really bad. Also it was a little front heavy for my girls. I don't consider them adequate combat weapon for lack of range and accuracy but to each his own. I prefer living. I have to chuckle at 200 yard torso hits being realistic and adequate, but again that's up to you.

 

[LoonWulf]

For what i do the sks is an excellent platform and i really like the one I had (traded my AR for it). Mine was accurate and reliable, even after heavily venting the gas tube it was still slinging brass lol.

Without an optic I was able to keep handloads inside 2" and with the scope, i could keep pretty much all the shots around 1.5"

BUT the receiver is longer than I like and I dont really have a reason to shoot x39, so i traded it for something else i thought id use more.

 

[DesertFox]

The one here is the only 7.62x39 in the fleet. It looks like it went through 4 world wars. Has gone bang every time the trigger has been pulled when loaded. Horrendous to look at but fun to shoot! Can't remember what I paid on C&R license but maybe $99?

 

[silicosys4]

Over the years I've had 2 Norinco sporters that took AK mags, and a few standard Norinco SKS's. I never was impressed with the SKS, even the 16" sporter I had felt clunky compared to any AK or AR, the ergonomics are archaic, and the accuracy is acceptable at best. I only have one 16" sporter now just to have an SKS(ish).
The SKS was a great rifle back when you could get a rifle and a case of ammo for $250. Now you Its about $1200 for the same loadout and it just isn't a good enough rifle or caliber to justify that, IMO.

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

When I was a kid, my brother in law gave me my first Gun Digest, 1993 Edition. One of the articles was a fantastic write up of, at the time, cheap Chinese imports.
Called the Gang of Four, it went into detail of the four rifles of the article: Pellet rifle, 22. lr rifle, SKS, and the Type 53 Mosin Nagant. I...was...hooked! Started my own research and search for my own.

The Type 53 I finally found many, many years later. Inbetween that time, I had had many SKS's, Mostly Norinco ones, like the Paratrooper, or the Yugo SKS. Sure, I shot them all, some better then others..
but...not what I wanted. I always wanted one with battle scars, wear and tear in due part of rough handling but still in good shape. Then about...oh, 8 years ago J&G Sales had some T56 SKS's in their gunsmith specials
for $250. I jumped on the band wagon, and got one. Would you believe the only broken part was the take down lever? That was it! I'll get around to fixing it...or not. Its not important. What was neat was all the
trench art, true wear and tear, complete with the rare blade bayonet AND cleaning rod! All the SKS's I have ever had was always missing the cleaning rod. Anyways...

I may not be getting my own complete "Gang of Four" but I am very happy for what I got, when I could.

 

[Speedo66]

I bought a new Norinco when they and the Chinese steel core ammo were cheap. Still have some of that ammo left, supposed to be some of the best surplus ammo. Came with the chest rig, cleaning kit, a sling, and an owner’s manual. Major pain to get all the cosmoline off it.

Couldn’t stand the cheesy gloss orange lacquered finish, so stripped it off and applied some walnut stain, added a 2” recoil pad to increase the length of pull. Much better in my opinion, even if it’s no longer completely original. Threw an inexpensive red dot on it, accurate enough for my purposes.

Bought a second one for my son, this one had the blade bayonet. He showed zero interest and I didn’t feel like the cosmoline ordeal again, so down the road it went, leaving a nice profit behind.

By the way, for you Mini-14 owners out there, the chest rig fits Mini-14 mags very nicely.

 

[illinoisburt]

A lot of that Chicom ammo was steel-cored and loaded pretty hot. I still have a couple boxes and it makes modern Russian Wolf fodder look like mouse farts.

the Chinese steel core ammo were cheap. Still have some of that ammo left, supposed to be some of the best surplus ammo

It was cheap and plentiful and extremely corrosive. It has a very distinctive nasty smell which makes you question exactly what was used to source nitrites in their powder production. The steel core is soft -- it is definitely not any kind of AP. If you fire some of it today and it seems to be much more powerful than other manufacturers, I would suspect you are getting powder degrading as they were not noticably faster or harder hitting than any other ammo available at the time. I still have some as well and would definitely take modern production over it every time.

 

[Speedo66]

It was cheap and plentiful and extremely corrosive. It has a very distinctive nasty smell which makes you question exactly what was used to source nitrites in their powder production. The steel core is soft -- it is definitely not any kind of AP. If you fire some of it today and it seems to be much more powerful than other manufacturers, I would suspect you are getting powder degrading as they were not noticably faster or harder hitting than any other ammo available at the time.

But, but, it says non corrosive on the box.

I can’t believe our beloved Chinese comrades would lie.

The nitrates probably come from their chicken farms, also produce some great infectious diseases.

 

[Hokkmike]

As a cheap surplus knock around gun they were fine.

 

[Jonah77]

When I was a kid, my brother in law gave me my first Gun Digest, 1993 Edition. One of the articles was a fantastic write up of, at the time, cheap Chinese imports.
Called the Gang of Four, it went into detail of the four rifles of the article: Pellet rifle, 22. lr rifle, SKS, and the Type 53 Mosin Nagant. I...was...hooked! Started my own research and search for my own.

The Type 53 I finally found many, many years later. Inbetween that time, I had had many SKS's, Mostly Norinco ones, like the Paratrooper, or the Yugo SKS. Sure, I shot them all, some better then others..
but...not what I wanted. I always wanted one with battle scars, wear and tear in due part of rough handling but still in good shape. Then about...oh, 8 years ago J&G Sales had some T56 SKS's in their gunsmith specials
for $250. I jumped on the band wagon, and got one. Would you believe the only broken part was the take down lever? That was it! I'll get around to fixing it...or not. Its not important. What was neat was all the
trench art, true wear and tear, complete with the rare blade bayonet AND cleaning rod! All the SKS's I have ever had was always missing the cleaning rod. Anyways...

I may not be getting my own complete "Gang of Four" but I am very happy for what I got, when I could.

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