Newbie-ish questions about SKS vs. AK

F

Futo Inu

New member
SKS ("Simonev" design?) vs. Kalishnikov rifles. Both are reliable battle rifles for the masses, with the AK being slightly younger. Aside from the obvious advantage the AK has with the detachable, higher capacity mags, a few of questions for the gurus here:

1. Which is more reliable? I'm guessing the AK by far, based on my experience with jammed rounds in my SKS with aftermarket mags. Even with the factory 5-round non-detachable, it appears that every round fed from the left side of the mag just BARELY clears the bottom edge of the chamber opening, even with the sharpest of ball ammo.

2. Another advantage to the AK is that it won't slam-fire like the SKS, correct?

3. What is the actual difference in the nature of the action, if any? They are both operated by the gas tube with a piston to operate the bolt. Look the same to me.

So, if you had to get rid of one and keep just one, I would think an AK would be the keeper (assuming basic purposes - home defense, SHTF/Y2K, militia/battle rifle purposes)?
 
Although SKS is a nice rifle, AK, like you
said, is better in regard to mechanical
strength, reliability and ease of maintanence.
AK uses long stroke of gas operated rod
to unlock the bolt and move bolt carrier all the way and SKS uses short stroke only to unlock the bolt and give bolt carrier initial push backwards. Long stroke is generally more reliable technical solution.

In terms of reliabity AK beats not only SKS
but any other self-loading rifle in the world, particularly in battlefield (nasty)
conditions. Accuracy depends a lot upon sights, and original AK sights are not really
good. With scope or steady receiver peep sight long barreled AK will shoot as good as M-16.

Keep AK.
 
I used to own an SKS. I now own a Mak90 and like it much better.

Mak90 has lower recoil, more choice in magazine and is much easier to clean. Practical accuracy is a wash, but SKS may be more accurate on a bench rest.
 
Futo Inu--

If we're talking stock, I'd have to say the SKS might have the very slight edge for reliability. I note that you report that you've had some problems with "jammed rounds in my SKS with aftermarket mags." There's your reliability problem. One of the beauties of the SKS is its completely simple, foolproof integral magazine. The factory internal mag, by the way, is a 10-rounder. By putting in the after-market mags in the conversion, your SKS's edge over the AK has been defeated. Consider: what in the world can one do with 30 rounds that one can't do with 10? The flat bottem of the SKS is easier to shoot from a rest and makes it more compact, as well. Also, in my opinion, it's less fragile.

As for slam-fires being inherently likely in the SKS, I really don't see how... it has a pretty fool-proof firing-pin and hammer setup, and it takes a goodly knock on the back of that firing pin to overcome the long spring that pushes it backward into the bolt assembly.

If you have a legal SKS that was legally converted to take factory mags, I don't blame you for not wanting to convert it back to its original trim; it brings too much money in its current set-up. But if you sold it, you could buy two mil-spec SKSs, or one mil-spec and a whole BUNCH of 7.62 X 39. If you're just looking to get rid of one and keep the other, then sell the converted SKS for all the traffic will bear, and use the money to buy ammo and high quality high-caps for the AK.

L.P.
 
In my experience the AK type rifles are much more reliable than SKS type rifles.

The actions seem to be much different too. The AK has a rotating locking bolt, the SKS, if I remember correctly, has some sort of bolt that is levered up-and-down rather than rotating.

In my experience the problem I've found with cheap SKS is most with the horrendous triggers. I've been pleasantly surprised with most AK triggers I've felt.
 
Oris said: "With scope or steady receiver peep sight long barreled AK will shoot as good as M-16."

Umm, what? Last time I checked AK's were 4 moa weapons.
 
What type of AK, and what kind of groups do you usually get? If you're offering to put your Ak up against my AR, you're on.
 
Just a quick bit of history...In Vietnam, the SKS was used by the vast majority of Viet Cong, not the AK, as portrayed in most movies and stories. It's not a bad piece, but the AK is far superior to the SKS, not only in accuracy, but in general workmanship.
When I was in the Corps, some of my buddies actually preferred carrying AKs in Thailand during the drug patrols.
 
RPM, no, I'm not offering to put up my AK
against your AR. I meant that if we reside
in one and the same area, you could come over
to our local firing range and find out
that modified AK (with better sights) can
shoot much better than standard AK.

I got NHM-91, 20 inch barrel, receiver peep
sight (sighting radius close to 30 inches).
With milsurp ammo, it keeps all shots in
1" group at 50 yards, most of them in 3/4",
and group opens to 2...2 1/2" at 100 yards. I'm an average shooter...
 
Futo Inu,
Did you say slam-fire?I once loaded a 10 round stripper clip into my SKS, let the bolt fly forward and before I knew it, I only had 4 rounds left! Something to do with there not being a spring holding back the firing pin, I'm told.
 
1-Both are 100% reliable. Only one model of the SKS rifle impoted by Navy Arms came with a 5 rd mag and it was not a standard factory mag as all standard factory mags were 10 round ones. It was made for that model rifle only.
2- Inncorrect both rifles were designed without a firing pin spring. If the firing pin in either rifle is not cleaned properly gunk or rust or both can cause slam fires from the pin sticking out of the bolt face.
3- The SKS has a tilting bolt and a two piece gas piston that acts on the bolt carrier. The AK has a one piece gas piston/bolt carrier and the bolt has locking lugs that rotate into battery just like a bolt action rifle.
I would go AK as it is a better/simpler design and uses detachable magazines from 5 to 100 round capisity.
 
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