Sks
- Thread starter TCW
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$200 SKS... What are you gonna use it for?
All out combat... Save $1200 more for M1A.
Home defense... Save $200 more for a Marlin 1894P
Plinking... Buy a 10/22 and a half dozen bricks of ammo
Personally, I think the crappy sights and trigger make the SKS a poor rifle for anything. Well, if you were a 3rd world marxist state that needed to arm its conscript peasant army, buy several.
All out combat... Save $1200 more for M1A.
Home defense... Save $200 more for a Marlin 1894P
Plinking... Buy a 10/22 and a half dozen bricks of ammo
Personally, I think the crappy sights and trigger make the SKS a poor rifle for anything. Well, if you were a 3rd world marxist state that needed to arm its conscript peasant army, buy several.
SKS
Sir
As was said earlier depends on which one you get. Some of them are pretty accurate up to 200 yards some (like mine) are good up to 75 or 100 yards. It is fun to mess around with, not a serious target rifle or anything, you can buy a lot of accessories for them to make them look cool, ect. The ammo is nice and cheap you can get the "wolf" for 69 dollars for 1000 rounds. To mess around with they are cool. If you want accuracy go for the 10/22. If you want to shoot and spray the burm at the range get an SKS.
The Gooch
Sir
As was said earlier depends on which one you get. Some of them are pretty accurate up to 200 yards some (like mine) are good up to 75 or 100 yards. It is fun to mess around with, not a serious target rifle or anything, you can buy a lot of accessories for them to make them look cool, ect. The ammo is nice and cheap you can get the "wolf" for 69 dollars for 1000 rounds. To mess around with they are cool. If you want accuracy go for the 10/22. If you want to shoot and spray the burm at the range get an SKS.
The GoochI have three SKS rifles. They are cheap, reliable, and fun to shoot. As was mentioned, there are better rifles for many purposes, but I don't think you'll find many other semi-auto centerfire rifles you can get for under $200 (I paid around $160 for a Romanian in very nice condition about a month ago). I don't doubt that the M1A has some advantages over the SKS (accuracy, power, etc.), but at six or eight TIMES the cost, it is hardly comparable. It is also larger, heavier, kicks more, and costs more to shoot. In some combat conditions, the SKS probably has the advantage. As for the Marlin lever action, I fail to see how it would be better for home defense - maybe it's shorter than a full-size SKS? 10/22s are great, but there's something satisfying about shooting a real centerfire rifle. And, truth be told, the military history and that cool folding bayonet add to the appeal for me. For actual use, I prefer the shorter (and harder to find) paratrooper 16" SKS, but the full-sized are cheaper, equally fun to shoot, and have some historical interest.
Doug
Doug
blackdog00
Inactive
I have 3 SKS rifles. The oldest is a paratrooper model i bought in 1988 for $65.00, those were the days. The others are a russian and a romanian. For a $150.00 you can't go wrong. I can consistently hit a coke can at 100yards with all 3. My para has taken 3 deer so far. Is the rifle as cool as a fal or and M1A, no but at 1/10th cost and ammo costing around $69 a thousand at the last show, i don't expect .5 MOA. AS for reliablity, I have yet to have one jam.
Good rifles for the money. Get some stripper clips and you will be set. I think that along with a makarov pistol some people will have a good overall shooting/home defence battery. Ammo for both is CHEAP $100=1000 rounds for either weapon. Are SKS getting scarce or is it just me?----DAROGUE1
FireForged
New member
SKS's are reliable 'combat accurate' rifles. They are cheap, ammo is cheap and they are a blast to shoot. Like any other rifles you need to look them over and work the action. If it seems good then is probably is good. They are very tough rifles, I have 3 and have never had a problem. Most of all they are a piece of history. For $200 you cant really go wrong, can you? Keep us updated on what you purchase.
Russian SKS
best group at 100 yards (4.5")
best group at 50 yards (2")
If you wanna pop tin cans, do it at 50...lol
Russian SKS
best group at 100 yards (4.5")
best group at 50 yards (2")
If you wanna pop tin cans, do it at 50...lol
plateshooter
New member
The SKSs are fine rifles. They work well when used as a top load as designed, rarely jam, and are good for 2-4" groups at 100 yds if you find ammo that your rifle likes. Once you "adjust" your stripper clips, they load as fast as a mag change in other rifles. It's easier to carry several hundred rounds in strippers, than it is in mags. I doubt many of us will be fighting an all out war as civilians on our soil, so the seriously expensive battle rifle would be something you could buy if you have the extra bucks. For the average guy that likes to get out and plink around, bang some plates, or just have fun, it's an inexpensive gun to buy and shoot.
I have ARs, and AKs and enjoy shooting them alot, but I still find myself grabbing one of the SKSs to take along.
I have ARs, and AKs and enjoy shooting them alot, but I still find myself grabbing one of the SKSs to take along.
Depends what you want to use it for.
It makes a really cheap deer rifle, or first rifle for the kid.
Chuck Farnham sees it as a good defensive carbine.
In Vietnam, they issued them to both the screw-ups and snipers.
Its not the prettiest gun, but it's about one of the cheapiest & dependable repeaters still available.
It makes a really cheap deer rifle, or first rifle for the kid.
Chuck Farnham sees it as a good defensive carbine.
In Vietnam, they issued them to both the screw-ups and snipers.
Its not the prettiest gun, but it's about one of the cheapiest & dependable repeaters still available.
CKC is best seen as useful within given parameters (as all tools are--screwdrivers make lousy hammers). It's a great weapon to bring to a pistol fight. All weapons have pluses and minuses:
CKC pluses: 1) hardy--even I can work on it (with a rock)
2) cost--fairly inexpensive for most and it shoots
low cost ammo
3) light--weighs less than AK (this is unimportant to gun shop commandos who use their vehicles to hump their gear)
4) reliability--it goes bang when you press trigger and no mag to lose
CKC minuses: 1) inaccurate--I'm not a accuracy nut who demands every group be touching at 500 yards, but you are responsible for every round
2) cruddy trigger--contributes to inaccuracy, remember these weapons were made in the workers' paradise so not much incentive to get it right.
3) weak caliber
4) lack of flash suppressor--shoot it at night (when you will most likely fight) and just find out how your vision will be affected (plus telling everyone else where you are--yoo hoo, over here). However, new American (and Finn) ammo helps this.
The CKC is a great weapon to pick up if you can find them cheaply. Grease them up and bury them along with several hundred rounds of ammo (corrosive).
CKC pluses: 1) hardy--even I can work on it (with a rock)
2) cost--fairly inexpensive for most and it shoots
low cost ammo
3) light--weighs less than AK (this is unimportant to gun shop commandos who use their vehicles to hump their gear)
4) reliability--it goes bang when you press trigger and no mag to lose
CKC minuses: 1) inaccurate--I'm not a accuracy nut who demands every group be touching at 500 yards, but you are responsible for every round
2) cruddy trigger--contributes to inaccuracy, remember these weapons were made in the workers' paradise so not much incentive to get it right.
3) weak caliber
4) lack of flash suppressor--shoot it at night (when you will most likely fight) and just find out how your vision will be affected (plus telling everyone else where you are--yoo hoo, over here). However, new American (and Finn) ammo helps this.
The CKC is a great weapon to pick up if you can find them cheaply. Grease them up and bury them along with several hundred rounds of ammo (corrosive).
My first rifle was an SKS.. one of the few, apparently, that did not have stellar relibilty. I regularly got jams where the rounds were slammed up against the breechface. Sold it last year.
If I were to do it all over again, I'd spend the extra $100 and get an AK variant. AK does everything the SKS does (albeit with mags rather than strippers, which I guess is a personal preferece), has a better mag capacity, and just plain looks meaner.
Someone on one of these boards once said:
"An AK is a bullet hose. An SKS is a bullet hose with a limited water supply"
Always kinda liked how he put it...
-K
hrmm.. maybe it's time to go drool over those SARs again..
If I were to do it all over again, I'd spend the extra $100 and get an AK variant. AK does everything the SKS does (albeit with mags rather than strippers, which I guess is a personal preferece), has a better mag capacity, and just plain looks meaner.
Someone on one of these boards once said:
"An AK is a bullet hose. An SKS is a bullet hose with a limited water supply"
Always kinda liked how he put it...
-K
hrmm.. maybe it's time to go drool over those SARs again..
David Wile
New member
Hey follks,
I have been buying and selling SKS rifles for about ten years or more now. The Norinco rifles came in many different versions: pinned barrels, threaded barrels, stamped trigger groups, machined trigger groups, chromed bolts and carriers, painted bolts and carriers. All had short plain "hard" wood stocks. I always had one Norinco for myself, but I kept trading them off every time I got a better unit. The Norinco I have had for the last five years or so has a threaded barrel, chromed bolt and carrier, machined trigger group, a spike bayonet, and matching serial number on every part. I also have two Russian SKS rifles. One is a hard wood with a redish stain, and the other is a laminated stock. One made in 1954 and the other 1955. Both Russians have blade bayonets, and they also have matching serial numbers on all parts.
Do not let anyone tell you they are not good. All three of these rifles are very good battle weapons. They shoot a 30 caliber round quite accurately without any special accurizing, and they shoot them quite reliably. I have never had any factory or my own reloaded ammunition fail to function in any of these weapons. The AK may fire more rounds in a shorter time, but, of the several AKs I have owned, none of them could come anywhere close to the SKS in accuracy. And the AKs are not as reliable in functioning at the SKS rifles. Do not misunderstand, I still own two AKs, and I like to shoot them, but, in my opinion, they are not as good a battle weapon as their SKS predecessor.
By the way, I have an excess or stripper clips for the SKS and would like to trade for other stripper clips for Enfield or Swedish Mauser or whatever. If anyone is interested, send me an E-Mail.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile
I have been buying and selling SKS rifles for about ten years or more now. The Norinco rifles came in many different versions: pinned barrels, threaded barrels, stamped trigger groups, machined trigger groups, chromed bolts and carriers, painted bolts and carriers. All had short plain "hard" wood stocks. I always had one Norinco for myself, but I kept trading them off every time I got a better unit. The Norinco I have had for the last five years or so has a threaded barrel, chromed bolt and carrier, machined trigger group, a spike bayonet, and matching serial number on every part. I also have two Russian SKS rifles. One is a hard wood with a redish stain, and the other is a laminated stock. One made in 1954 and the other 1955. Both Russians have blade bayonets, and they also have matching serial numbers on all parts.
Do not let anyone tell you they are not good. All three of these rifles are very good battle weapons. They shoot a 30 caliber round quite accurately without any special accurizing, and they shoot them quite reliably. I have never had any factory or my own reloaded ammunition fail to function in any of these weapons. The AK may fire more rounds in a shorter time, but, of the several AKs I have owned, none of them could come anywhere close to the SKS in accuracy. And the AKs are not as reliable in functioning at the SKS rifles. Do not misunderstand, I still own two AKs, and I like to shoot them, but, in my opinion, they are not as good a battle weapon as their SKS predecessor.
By the way, I have an excess or stripper clips for the SKS and would like to trade for other stripper clips for Enfield or Swedish Mauser or whatever. If anyone is interested, send me an E-Mail.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile
SKS's are a blast to shoot and accurate enough for the limited abilities of the cartridge. Perhaps a bit more range than the typical 30/30 because of the spitzer type bullet, but I group them in the same category in terms of effective range and power.
If I had to pick a battle rifle to issue to conscripts with limited training the SKS would definitely be among the top choices. You can't hurt the thing, it is extremely reliable and it fits the smaller shooter well.
I think the SKS to the rifle world is what the Makarov is to the pistol world. Both are definitely a "Must have" in any collection.
Good SHooting
RED
If I had to pick a battle rifle to issue to conscripts with limited training the SKS would definitely be among the top choices. You can't hurt the thing, it is extremely reliable and it fits the smaller shooter well.
I think the SKS to the rifle world is what the Makarov is to the pistol world. Both are definitely a "Must have" in any collection.
Good SHooting
RED
They are a great rifle to keep behind the seat of your truck or to have out in the barn for varmits. If you lose one you aren't out that much and they are extremely reliable rifles. After all they are a military rifle that has been used by all of the dumb assed pesant armies of the world, who barely know how to use a wheel barrow. They will stand a substantial amount of abuse and keep right on working under condtions that a more expensive rifle would fail to survive. For what they are you can't beat them and I own four that I bought back in the 80s when they were really cheap. I wish that I had bought more of them, when they were well under a hundred bucks.
7th
7th
Inexpensive. Cheap and plentiful ammo. Reliable. Easy to maintain. 4x scope or accudot and you have got yourself a cheap deer rifle. Will you shoot matches with it? No. It is what it is.
Buy and enjoy. I myself bought the paratrooper model. A fun plinker that accepts AK mags. (Pre-Ban Config.)
Buy and enjoy. I myself bought the paratrooper model. A fun plinker that accepts AK mags. (Pre-Ban Config.)
Horizon_Seeker
New member
7th, by "dumb peasant army" you must also include the US military, have you seen it lately?