SKS Info Needed

R

RedBowTies88

New member
So I've been a SKS fan for a while (love all suprlus military stuff actually) but I don't know a whole lot about them. I have the opportinuty to buy a yugo locally p2p for $350 and it was made in 84 and he says is in excellent condition.

I like the finish of the wood on the yugos and the grenade launcher is pretty cool as well but as I understand it it does not have a chrome lined barrel.

So my questions are,

1: Is that a decent deal?
2: how important is the chrome lined barrel? I would like to shoot cheapo surplus possibly corrosive stuff.
3: What order do the different versions of SKSs fall into as far as desirability and reliability?

Thanks,
Beech
 
1: Is that a decent deal?
Looks to be a little on the high side.
2: how important is the chrome lined barrel? I would like to shoot cheapo surplus possibly corrosive stuff.
In your case, not all that important butit is a plus.
3: What order do the different versions of SKSs fall into as far as desirability and reliability?
Of all the variants, I'm not current on the pecking order but I've been told that the Russians from the 50's are some of the best.

BeSafe !!!
 
You're welcome !! ..... Pahoo

What do you think is a reasonable offer for the yugo? $300?
Click to expand...
Condition is going to dictate the price but I'd say; $250.00 to $300.00. .. :confused:
Not to long ago, they were selling for $220.00 aroung here. There are some out there that were NIB for more.




Be Safe !!!
 
First of all, there are two types of Yugo SKS- the M59 and the M59/66. The latter has a distinctive NATO grenade launcher attachment on the muzzle and a ladder-style grenade launcher sight on the barrel. (Re: the NATO attachment, Yugoslavia was well known for playing both sides during the Cold War!) Both rifles use the blade-style bayonet rather than the spike bayonet seen on some Russian and Chinese rifles.

The M59/66 has been imported in larger numbers and relatively more of them seem to have been found in unissued or VG+ condition. Furthermore, some distributors are still selling fresh M59/66's in the $250-$300 range, so there's no good reason to pay more than this for the same gun in a private sale.

M59s go for a little more because there are fewer of them, but the price difference isn't much; perhaps $50ish.

I basically agree with the prior posters; $350 OBO is certainly on the high side. I would NOT pay much more than $350 for ANY Yugo SKS. Unissued condition is no big deal; plenty of these rifles exist in unissued condition.

In terms of market order, the ultra-rare North Korean rifles are at the top, non-import-marked Vietnam bringbacks are next, 1990s-import Russian rifles are below those, and Albanian - Romanian - Polish - Yugo rifles are mixed together in the lower tiers in no particular order. :) Chinese Norincos fall somewhere in the middle but are somewhat of a story unto themselves, because they aren't C&R for the most part, and there are a bunch of commercial-production variants that never existed in military form.

Two related thoughts:
  • Lower-tier SKS rifles were selling for $400+ at the height of the 2009 post-election buying craze, but values are now back down to where they were before the hysteria, and are lower in some cases. If the seller bought the rifle for this amount and is trying to get his/her money back, Too Bad So Sad. This sort of situation is called a market bubble because it burst. :rolleyes:
  • Also, I subscribe to the school of thought that modifications to these rifles decreases their value, particularly irreversible mods such as bolted-in scope mounts or detachable mags. If you want to play gunsmith, but a Norinco. YMMV. ;)
 
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Oh I would definely not modify it, they are cool for what they are. Trying to turn them into something they're not is lame. Why both with all that stock and mag crap when you can just buy an AK ya know?

From most of what ive seen online they go for around $300 (m59/66) and being in the PRNJ (see sig) C&R means nothing to us as we cant order them anyway. Still has to go though standard FFL which means $50ish transfer fee. and sellers know this :(
 
I have a 59 and a 59/66. The 59/66 is a god shooter but I like the 59 better. I believe Samco Global is selling them for $329.00.;)
Just give the gun a good cleaning if you shoot the surplus.
Under the present regime, are they not taboo?:confused:
I escaped from NJ 26 yrs. ago.:D
 
^ Fixed magazines are they're only saving grace. :mad:

The gun laws here are not only strict but they're down rigth stupid.

you know.. no moveable stocks, 15 round mag limit, no flash suppressors, no threaded barrels, no under-barrel grenade launchers (apparently on barrel is ok), No bayonette lugs if the gun has a removeable mag....

And thats just scratching the surface:mad:
 
I'm a fan!

I've had an SKS or two in the safe for over 20 years. I currently have one Chinese and one Russian.

My Russian cost me 89.00 bucks. Could of bought 5 at that price, but only bought 2. :(

I recommend the standard 10 round mag and strippers. A big mag sticking out of the small sleek SKS
ruins it. Strippers are faster, if it''s all about lead downrange.

The SKS is one of the worlds great carbines, I sure enjoy them. They all work.
 
i used to have a 59/66 i really wished i hadn't sold it....bought it from a friend for $170!!! re sold it for $400 with a 30 rnd mag and a Tapco stock. i agree i liked it more in the original configuration. the Tapco and 30 rndr made it just look like crap,and uncomfortable. never had any problems with it. i did take off the grenade launcher and put a flash hider on it. that would be the only thing i would change on em. the grenade launchers are cool to have ....they just look like i painted a pickle black and shoved it on my barrel :D think i still have it and the original stock if anyone wants em
 
I remember in the early '90s how big wooden crates of SKSs were often seen at gunshows, selling for $90-$100 a pop. And 1,000 round cases of surplus FMJ for $100. That's when I stocked up. :D
 
I think 350 is a bit high.

I liked shooting my Russian in the original config, but I bought an aftermarket carpet fiber stock for it, so I would stop dinging up the original when I went out to the woods to scare tin cans.
The ergos on the after work also, so no loss.
SKSs are fun, and if you do shoot corrosive ammo, they are pretty darn easy to clean as well, so "win/win".
 
This won't really help, but it might be worth knowing about, for those who listen to scalper b.s. at gun shows and shops, who want the naiive to believe that they are about to become illegal etc.
It only applied to GB asking prices in March '08, and let's not forget that this was several months Before the pres. election,
which was the scalpers' dream come true.

I was studying Norinco prices, and many starting prices were $270-300.
Back then, the common Yugo with the launcher listed for a bit more, maybe $350. If you've never had an SKS or AK clone, you might find it worthwhile to buy a Tech Sight.

My Norinco was fun before installing the sight, but as a guy who only enjoys aperture sights, this new sight makes the rifle so much better, even from just 30-50 yards. My only regret is that I didn't seriously consider it until recently, as I knew that this "Commie junk" rifle would be with me a long time.

Let's be thankful for the smug contempt which most fans of ARs seem to have for these types.
Why? It reduces the demand and limits price increases. If the SKS were built here now, imagine the high retail price......
 
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