Prices...
Jimbo 86--Surely I did not mean to comment on the Federal Reserve's activity. (I'm no economist.) I meant that the rise of the price of SKS's has, IMHO, pretty much peaked. They are now approaching the $400 mark in my area, at gun shows, getting up to where the much more popular AK is priced, and within shouting distance of the price of a bottom-line AR. Or a well-used but working, autoloading "civilian" rifle for that matter. IMHO, SKS's will stay below that kind of price competition.
SKS's rose from $75-80 bucks up to the present pricing, in something like 15 years. That, I think, is a lot faster than monetary inflation. But again, I'm no economist.
Any further rise in the price of a common SKS--other than because of general monetary inflation--would as I said, seem unlikely. Units which are "special," and in some way attractive to collectors, are of course a whole different question. Like the difference between an Inland (commonest) and a Postal Meter (rare), in M1 Carbines. But I am a shooter, not a collector.
(Why the AK is more popular is a whole nother question. Can't see it myself.)
I sold a Yugo SKS that I wanted to be rid of, a couple of gun shows ago, to a dealer who I like, for $300. The show's attendees wouldn't touch it at that price; I had a couple of inquiries but not serious ones. I paid considerably less than that for it so I made money. He'll price it higher than that, and will eventually sell it, so he'll make money. SKS's at that show were asking (and not getting) about $350-$400.