Is the SKS a good Self Defense Rifle?

Me Too

Yeah, Parisite, I too wish I had bought more than one. You could sell them cheap and still make a profit or have several reliable standbys.
 
Sigh...that overpenetration silliness again.

Get some good ammunition and the gun should be just fine as a self-defense rifle.
 
Perfectly fine for SD especially if you have good ammo. If you avoid jacketed rounds and use expanding bullets, you should be fine.

My only hesitations about it are that it's heavy and long so in a small space, it might not be ideal to be lugging it around.

Also, mine is pretty decent out to about 300 yards with open sights. Or I'm just lucky, I suppose! :-)

--Wag--
 
I adore the SKS. It's one of my very favorite rifles. Maybe even my favorite of all. It's darned accurate, and would be a great hunting rifle. And I agree that it can certainly be modified in order to make it a bit more "tactical" for close quarters.

All of that said though, have you considered an AK74, which is 5.45x39mm?

This round is known for massive internal tissue damage once it hits. And 1,000 rounds of HP ammo can be had for $200. Just a thought.
 
The gun was designed for jacketed rounds, I won't use anything else in mine.
If you should, for some unknown reason, try to shoot lead bullets through it you'd quite likely gum up the gas mechanism eventually.
I've never heard of anybody trying it.
Denis
 
Maybe it's just me but I've never found SKS's to be light, handy, quick to handle rifles and don't think they'd be very high up my list in the confines of a home. Fine at the range or in the deer/hog woods but inside a house I'd want something quick. YYMV

LK
 
Probably work pretty much as well as any other semi-auto. The primary issue is competency and familiarity--as well as tactics within the home.
 
Maybe it's just me but I've never found SKS's to be light, handy, quick to handle rifles and don't think they'd be very high up my list in the confines of a home. Fine at the range or in the deer/hog woods but inside a house I'd want something quick. YYMV
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I think it all comes down to training. Besides it is just a tool. Are there better tools for the job? sure there are. Some guys have a basic tool set and make do rather well. Other think they need the entire snap-on line.

Use what you want. But be able to use what you bring.
 
The gun was designed for jacketed rounds, I won't use anything else in mine.
If you should, for some unknown reason, try to shoot lead bullets through it you'd quite likely gum up the gas mechanism eventually.
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I believe that is an internet myth.

I've shot thousands of cast bullets out of gas guns, M1, AR, M1A, M1 Carbine, and FN FAL. Never had any problems or seen signs of cast or lead bullets gumming up the gas system.

I don't see why the SKS would be any different.
 
My SKS is one of the Para models they used to import. 16" barrel. I kept the wood stock but refinished it and it turned out fine. I did put a short 3 slot compensator on it, glass bedded the action, and worked on the trigger. It is short, handy, reasonably accurate. That and a bag of stripper clips make a very good HD combo.
 
I said it was designed around jacketed, I said eventually, and I said I won't use anything but jacketed in mine.

My opinion has not changed. :)
Denis
 
I own 2 Chinese sks's and love them both. Both are heavily modded - but even stock, the sks is a great rifle. If you do decide to go higher capacity?, the Tapco polymer 20 round magazines are top notch. I had lots of feeding issues with the steel high cap mags - not one issue with the Tapco's. I think the sks is just a great all around rifle. I know a couple of guys who deer and hog hunt with them, and they are excellent inside 100 yards. As far as self defense or Zombie Attacks? perfect. Stick with the hollow point for self defense, unless the situation might arise that you would need to penetrate light metal, brick, wood etc., then go with fmj.
 
I have a Yugo I keep cased up as I have a 1911 and a Mossberg pump for house work. If I had to shoot from a distance (can't think of ANY scenario in which this would occur for me) then I would not hesitate to use it. It is incredibly sturdy, even over-built, and works flawlessly. The sights aren't great, but they are manageable and work. I would reach for the bolt gun for anything over 50m, but that's just a personal preference as I'd want the most accurate rifle since I'm, admittedly, not much of a marksman.
 
The SKS has pretty much eclipsed the Winchester as the GO-TO, beater, truck gun.

It's cheap, reliable, accurate enough, and powerful enough. It's cheap to feed. It's not an assault weapon.

Keep it bone stock.

It's awkward and bulky, but shoots well. Don't let the firing pin get rusty...
 
"10 rounds of 154 gr of bullet moving at 2000+fps could be considered a lethal weapon so what was the question again."

Who makes a 154-gr. bullet for the 7.62x39?

Standard factory is, I believe, 123 grains.
 
Wolf does. A 154 grain soft point
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True and when I last shot it in my AK it was giving 3 MOA groups at 100 yards.
And at 100 you start noticing a change in the point of impact compared to the 123 grain loads. (which of course is to be expected) If you want to minimize variation Brown, Silver, Gold Bear and Seller and Bellot make 125 grain softpoint ammo.
 
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