WTB: a Russian SKS, but have questions??

H

hivoltagefx4

New member
Hello all!

I am really interested in buying a Russian SKS, but do not know much about them? I have look around a couple of gun shows in my area and have not been able to find one. Seems like my best bet is Gunbroker. My main question is? What is a fair price that I should be looking to pay for one of these? Also, beside the obvious which is hoping to find one with all matching numbers, how can I tell if its a refurb or an original if I have to rely on buying it online?

Am I better off buying a Chinese one? Are the the same? Is there a better option, etc...

Again, any information regarding this rifle sure would be appreciated. I'd hate my first milsurp purchase to be a bad one! Thanks and looking forward to some responses and help!
 
A Russian sks will run you about $300-400 on average. The refurbished ones have blued bolts and bayonets. The only real differnce between the Russian and Chinese sks's is the bayonets and stock material Chinese sks are of about the same qulity but some what cheaper in price.
 
Does a laminated stock affect the value any?? Also, if possible, what is about the most someone should pay for one of these (Russian version) Thanks again!
 
I prefer the laminated stocks, but they don't really bring much of a premium in prices.

I agree with surplus shooter's other info,
 
I bought a Yugo SKS for $280 recently. Mine is in very good condition, I looked at a few and picked the cleanest. It is really fun at the range.

Sent via Tapatalk ~Android~
 
Yugos are great choices they run $200-350 on average and they are built like tanks. They Yugoslavians built them to last they stocks are thicker and they are some what more hevy. They are good choices and worth the price. They barels are not chrome lined so if shooting corrosive ammo clean accordingly with in 4-6 hours of shooting.
 
I had a Yugo but traded it for a chinese after having some issues with it. I think the problems I had was with the gas shut off valve. Some of the Russians I see are beautiful and wouldn't turn down a nice matching Romanian or Albanian.
 
I'd really like to go for a Russian, but from what I am seeing, they are about $400 to $500. I may have to look into a Chinese one instead. Any other things that I should be aware of? How will this compare to my AK-47??
 
I love my sks and WASR 10 but I shoot better with the sks. The AK is a bit ligher, more compact and obviously simple to operate. The sks is heavier, slightly more complicated and uses 10 rd stripper clips, but I think more accurate and has collector value. You can't have one without the other though :D
 
Save your pennies for a Russian Tula SKS, excellent action and nice a stock. As for an AK-47 I cant give you a comparison (don't own one) My SKS is in my saddle every time I ride and have taken a deer with it every year since I purchased it.
 
Last edited:
OK all, I need some opinions here to see if this is a good deal or not? I have someone offering me a Chinese SKS all matching numbers with a 30 round magazine in exchange for 500 rounds of 7.62x39 plus $200. Does that sound fair or not? From what I can tell, the rifle appears to be in good shape by the pictures. So, as Howie would say: "Deal or No Deal?" :D:D
 
Is it the AK mag or the weird duck bill one? Is it a norinco? I think that sounds like a decent deal without seeing it and if it was me I would revert it back to the 10 box magazine.
 
It comes with the original 10 round mag installed. He is just tossing in a 30 round mag as well. Looking to see if its a Norinco.
 
I have a Russian and love it.
I paid 250, but that was before the presidential freak out; you will probably pay more.

Just to muddy the waters,
My friend has a Chinese "paratrooper" SKS that he loves so much that he sold me the Russian b/c he didn't shoot it any longer.

Sorry to make things complicated.
 
The importer and manufacturer are two different things. With very few exceptions, the country it was imported from will be stamped or electropenciled into the barrel or receiver.

Original configuration Chinese SKSs in very good condition are are worth around $250. If it has aftermarket parts that come with it the parts are worth about 1/2 what they cost new added to the gun, as long as the original parts are included with the gun. If the aftermarket parts are installed with no original parts to restore it, the value is very subjective, but generally considerably lower to any collector or mature shooter.

For example:
$250 Chinese SKS in VG original condition
+$55 Tapco stock (cost $110)
+$20 scope and mount (cost $40)
+$10 30 rd mag (cost $20)
value=$335......cost=$415

$335 Same gun but missing some parts:
-$40 no original stock
-$20 no original receiver cover
-$40 no original magazine
$235

That rifle is actually worth less than if bubba had just left it alone despite all the money he spent on ninja accessories.

Much of the value of a Russian SKS has to do with it's collectibility. Losing original parts greatly reduces that. Prices range around $350 with the same discounted addition to value for aftermarket parts. Since Russian SKSs are more about collectibility, missing original parts and/or non matching numbers hurt the value more than a Chinese rifle.

If you spend $350 on a yugo you got screwed. They are the least reliable SKS variety.

Albanians are the worst finished, but the most valuable of any of the commonly available varieties due to the extremely low numbers produced. They're worth around $500.
 
Last edited:
Maybe my area is different but I never see SKS's go for cheaper than $350 and Russians a bit more. I paid around $350 for my mismatched chinese.
 
I've had a Norinco since spring '08.

Some people claim that the Russian has a very tight trigger, but are they tighter than the typical Norinco?

Although I'm not shopping for a second SKS, the advantages of the Russian's chrome-lined bore, blade bayonet and often smoky red/brown wood puts themat the top of my list for visual appeal.

One other small benefit-the Russian wood is a bit harder than the Chinese choa wood.

SAMCO in Miami still has some Yugos which were built Without grenade launchers.

chack: Can a potential customer look at the front of a Yugo and determine that there is no corrosion around the gas selector?
 
Out of all of the SKS rifles out there, the Russian is hard to beat. They are most expensive, but mine is well built and reliable as hell.

Mine is a 1954 Tula re-arsenaled and I paid $89 for it several years ago. Is it worth $400 or so now? I don't know, but out of all the SKS rifles I've seen since buying mine, I've never found one I like better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top