[hoplophile]

I have a question as to opinions on Russian SKS's. I owned a 1953 Tula up until 2 weeks ago, complete with all the goodies the originals come with. It shot OK as far as accuracy but nothing spectacular and no different than all the Romy's, Chikoms and Yugo's I have. (I'm comparing the Yugo 59, without G/L and special sights and gas valve that enable the use of the G/L............basically a Yugo version of the Russian).

It had attributes that are singular to the Russian variant and it was well made. My beef is I just don't see where owners of that model are so insistent upon saying the Russian is so great, when others (at least the 3 types I own) perform just as good, and in the case of the trigger, my Romies make the Russian I had seem like a 2 X 4.

Maybe there's something more to the Russians than I saw in the one I owned, but honestly, all the hubbub about them just sounds like snobbery to me simply because the Russians were the first ones made.

Just askin'.

 

[Old Navy]

Over time time I have owned the Russian, Chinese and Yugo (later model) SKS's. I now own Russian Tula 1950 aresenal refurbished with a laminated stock. My pick is the Russian even though all three functioned well and accurate enough for what it is. I just questioned the quality and durability of the Chinese wood stocks. The Yugo is a close second, but the added weight of the grenade launcher and the added complexity of the gas cut-off (something else to go wrong)knocked it down to second place. By the way, I tend not to modify military surplus weapons and try to keep them as issued. However, I do believe all three make for a reliable utilitarian weapon. In other words, it is a matter of personal preference. I always keep mine ready with a bandolier of clips ready to go.

 

[Popeye 14]

I have a unissued 1969 Yugo, and it has been a very good reliable rifle. I believe it is a little more accrute in the G/L mode than it is in the semi auto mode. It acts more like a bolt action rifle in the G/L mode. Either way though it has proven itself to be a good dependable rifle. Mine has been left in it's stock configuration with the exception of the sights,which were upgraded to Williams fire sights. This made a world of difference in my ability to shoot it more accurately.

 

[40nascar]

It seems to me that the Russians had better fitting and quality control. I can field strip mine without the use of tools. To be sure there are well made chinese ones also. I have a military issue one that is nearly as good as the Russian, screw in barrel, milled trigger group, ect and the chinese has a chrome lined barrel which the Russian does not. Beware though of the commercial chinese models. Poor workmanship, tack welded trigger guards, pinned in barrel, ect.

I don't like the Yugo's, too big and heavy. It weighs about the same as a garand. All the Romanians I have seen have been beat up junk. I guess they saw real use!

I would love to get my hands on an E. german one, but they are very rare in the USA, and expensive.

 

[mercer59]

I love my 1958 type 56 which was made at factory 26,and I also like to keep them OEM,not much on the technicool....

 

[nescosmo]

Seems to me that everybody try to sell junk. Is there any place were can buy a good SKS at a good price.
The last time I saw one was at a gun show and it look like it came from 5 war, and the price!. $800.00
what a price for a 60 year old or more rifle. I am glad that I have a Mini 14.

 

[hoplophile]

there are some SKS's on local online ads that seem to be anywhere from 350 to 600 bucks. Gun shows are generally a joke when it comes to firearms that might have a reasonable demand for them, although I see a few in shows that aren't too bad. I've bought at shows from individuals in private sales at decent prices.

A lot of show tables are rented by dry old farts who act like their merchandise is made of gold and the attitude is "Go ahead, I dare you to buy it" as they sneer at you.

 

[40nascar]

there are some SKS's on local online ads that seem to be anywhere from 350 to 600 bucks. Gun shows are generally a joke when it comes to firearms that might have a reasonable demand for them, although I see a few in shows that aren't too bad. I've bought at shows from individuals in private sales at decent prices.

A lot of show tables are rented by dry old farts who act like their merchandise is made of gold and the attitude is "Go ahead, I dare you to buy it" as they sneer at you.

Sad but true. When I did gun shows there were a couple "regulars" that I saw bringing the same old worn out winchester '94's and 1886's yr after year that were priced at 2x thier market value. Sure, they were nice guys who told good stories, but I would never buy anything from them.

 

[hoplophile]

By the way, I forgot to mention that I tried to sell my Russian SKS online at 2 different sites for the $600.00 value everyone says they bring. Not one bite, even after 2 weeks and lowering the price to $500.00.

I ended up trading it to a guy at the gun show along with a Mac-10 and 6 mags for a brand new blued Rossi Model 92 in .357 Mag with a 24" barrel. He wanted 750 for the Rossi, which is about right for this area, and the fact that they are never available either in stores or by individuals..........nobody will part with theirs. I had about 550 in the two guns and don't miss either of them when compared with what I got.

I also have 2 Romy SKS's which have nice metal finish, about like what my Russian refurb had. One of the stocks was pure trash filled with cracks and nailed repairs when I got it and I replaced it with a teakwood Yugo stock I bought for 10 bucks, so it's a fine blend of two worlds now. The other one came with a decent stock that had no cracks, so it was a rarity, given the Romy's I've seen. I bought both of them for about 130 each about 10 years ago and am very happy with them.

 

[Hcim101]

The Russians made the best model, and they look better than any other copy in my mind. Wood was better, finish lasts longer, parts are mil grade and they used high quality steel for the most part. Most of the copy's by other country's work just fine, except the Chinese which used some horrid steel and just a sub par workmanship grade. I have a 1954 Russisn SKS that looks the same as it did when made, not even a scratch, and it is one of the more dependable weapons I've ever used. Yugoslav SKS's I've seen look very promising, usually at lower prices to, not so much on the Romys as I've seen a real lemon a few months back and have heard bad things which is sad since they did good work on the AKs they put out. But once you get a Russian SKS, it's the last one you will ever need, they just work, plain and simple.

 

[hoplophile]

Same old grind.....Glocks are the only good handguns........Ford is the only real deal (all others are P.O.S.). Get a redhead if you want a real woman.

Tell you what, all you poor folks who got swindled into buying those worthless P.O.S. Chikom SKS's should get rid of them. I'll pay the shipping to my location so they won't have to be dissed by Russian SKS owners you may encounter who are the all-knowing purveyors of the only truthful information to be had about SKS's.<_<

 

[Tommygunner]

Seems to me that everybody try to sell junk. Is there any place were can buy a good SKS at a good price.
The last time I saw one was at a gun show and it look like it came from 5 war, and the price!. $800.00
what a price for a 60 year old or more rifle. I am glad that I have a Mini 14.

Chinese SKS Rifle - Original Military All Milled 7.62 x 39 - Semi-Auto W/ Chrome Lined Barrels C & R Eligible
Good price for old milled reciever SKS. When they get them in they go pretty fast.

 

[freesw]

I got one of those, and the receiver is Soviet. Parts except cover match, and the cover is a perfect fit anyway. The consensus is that most or all of this batch are Soviet-sino-banian.

Most of the bluing's gone, but everything, including the stock, looks like it's in good shape. Haven't cleaned it up yet though. Never seen more cosmolene on a rifle in my life.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I have an early Chinese made in the Russian factory - milled receiver and threaded bbl. every bit as good as any Russki - and a better trigger. good bluing too.

 

[nescosmo]

Guys I do not know anything about the SKS. It looks great, simple to clean easy ammo to find and the way they look I am in love to have one.
Now all I see is what they are offering in the internet, I haven't touch one or seen one in real life.
How do I know if they have milled receivers or stamped receivers, how do I know if the trigger is milled or stamped, how do I know if the gas tube is well or not. Those are the ??? that a "como sabie" like me want to know. I am afraid that I will be like the butterfly that cannot decide which flower is the one she likes, so there she goes from flower to flower until she land in a pile of sh****.

 

[hoplophile]

I am afraid that I will be like the butterfly that cannot decide which flower is the one she likes, so there she goes from flower to flower until she land in a pile of sh****.

The worst thing that would happen if you should wind up getting a Chinese with pinned barrel and stamped trigger guard (the receivers are all milled, any stamped one ... if they ever existed..... never made it into the US market unless brought home by GI's, but I've never seen any nor heard of anybody else seeing one) is that you will have a dependable, rugged, accurate weapon that will serve you well through many years and thousands of rounds of ammo.

They don't have the market value of all-milled units, mainly because people are told they are inferior by milled owners who just can't accept that the Chinese could adapt their manufacturing procedures to make a perfectly serviceable weapon suited to the US market.

I just bought a nearly new stamped/pinned SKS for 2 bills which I took out and ran 300 rounds through and it was dead-on at 250 yards. Yeah, I would have been happier if it were milled in case I ever sold the unit, but that's all.

I suggest you find someone familiar with the SKS and all its peculiarities who could help you through your purchase. Try to see if he's not been biased by all the "Russians are the only good ones" or "Milled are the only good ones" hype so you'll get an honest assessment.

One advantage to getting a stamped/pinned unit is the chance the owner has been buffaloed into thinking his stamped/pinned SKS is inferior and will sell cheaper. At any rate, get your hands on some before you buy.

 

[ninjademonic]

need help confirming paratroopers and yugos sks

Anyone please gimme links or knowledge how to know to decipher which is which

 

[hoplophile]

Anyone please gimme links or knowledge how to know to decipher which is which

I would think www.sksboards.com might be a good place to start. There's also www.surplusrifle.com. Try a search on wiki under each type. The info they have should be accurate and based in fact.

I learned about the different types of SKS through trial and error, as well as just buying them. There are many boards online for info, but be advised that much of the posts may be founded in opinion rather than fact.

 

[nescosmo]

Well I went to a gun show and I saw a sks that looks great but it was trigger stamp, all original, nunbers match, For 325.00 dollars. ( I look all arround the show and I could not find one to compair); so I went, close my eyes and bought it. took it and clean it real good. The barrel looks very good you can see the stripes, just like my mini 14. The gas tube look very good, no rust, all the blue was there, like new.
I install a ati monter carlo stock and took it to the range and it fire very good but the sight was off, just like my mini. so I am going to buy a tool to see if I can adjusted it and if I can not maybe buy a red dot.
Well is there anything you guys can add up to my mistake or my susses please give your honest opinion, no regrets on what you will said.

 

[hoplophile]

Nescosmo,

Congratulations on your SKS purchase. From your description, it sounds like you bought a Chinese SKS (I'm not aware of anything but a Chinese that would have a stamped trigger group). 325 is about what they go for today.

Personally, I would have left it with the issued stock, but to each his own, as they say. If you need to adjust the front sight, I recommend an original "C" type tool that will allow for both windage and elevation changes.

Enjoy your new carbine!