# SKS Comparison Russian Vs Chinese



## Ross

Well i have read a few comparisons and most seem to favour the Russian output. I'm not so sure after having the chance to shoot both side by side. The Chinese wood stock vs the better Russian Laminated stock, wins on this day at least. Better fit firmer bedding and equal handling comfort. The 
Russian version seems hurried, sloppy? Maybe its just the one I compared to. The Chinese spike is usable as a monopod, which is slightly better than using a cow. Still a mark above the Russian blade. The Chinese version loaded it's mag slick as anything the Russian SKS had some balky "corners" slowing things down. Tried Chinese surplus Russian commercial and Yugo commercial. No differences. Accuracy was very similar and as expected a little random, but hardly unacceptable. I ain't a pro either so it could be me! My Ruger mini14 kicks their collective (no pun intended) butts but it has got better iron sights too. All in all I think the Chinese SKS has been short sold, it's pretty decent even better than the Russian version. Any thoughts?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

how about 1990s production new commercial chinees sks compared to the surplus?

I still kick myself a bit for not getting a case of these when I could get them for 80 dollars each then again at that time minimum wage was 4 dollars and I wasn't making much more 

I did get one a few years later 

they were a hoot to shoot we used to go to a store that broke down spam cans to brown paper sacks 50 rounds for 5 dollars and it seemed we could almost never afford more than 2 bags each a hundred rounds sounded like a lot at the time


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## Ross

The Russian was a Tula from 48 the Chinese is definately late production, just haven't checked that detail. Stamped trigger guard is a giveaway. Has to to be surplus not Norinco as it's matching serial numbers and locally we had NOS surplus poured all over so cheap you'd skip a box of beer to have one! Seriously, $25 if you bought a crate of ammo with it!


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## Cabin Fever

I guess I just don't understand the enthuisiasm with the rifles of our enemies. I'll take a 1903 Springfield or a M1 Garand over an SKS any day of the week.


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## Ross

Cheap ammo cheap rifles. I collect Canadian and Brit rifles. Doesn't mean I won't take advantage of $200 for 1340 rounds of 7.62x39


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

that must have been 1989-92 time period 
I don't think we could get Chinese in the US till Slick Willy signed the china trade agreement in 92 then by 94 the Clinton administration had figured out the Norico flood gates they had opened and started the bans/limits on chinees gun imports 

we saw relatively few of the norinco 1911s before they shut down pistol imports


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## Ross

I'm Canadian we have Chinese surplus and Norinco rolling in no problem. Heard good things about the Norinco 1911.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

actually what took me so long to get an SKS was I had a hard time justifying it , it wasn't really a hunting gun and by the time you bought a scope mount or did much to it you could have a used domestic hunting rifle 

I had my 12ga , 30-06 and 30-30 before I bought the SKS 

the price point was a huge selling point , that and ammo price 


like ross said you could skip a case of beer (I never saw them that cheap and beer is less in the states)and get a rifle instead anything that can get in at that price point is gonna sell , make it quite reliable and half way decent shooting and they are really gonna sell.

don't worry I kick my self much harder for not getting a hole bunch of M1s from the CMP when they were 175 dollars but at that time it seemed a hurdle to gain membership to a CMP affiliated club , later I found that it wasn't so difficult but that was pre information age.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

I have a cousin who got a Norico 1911 seconds hand , seemed decent , his was not original but had gotten a beaver tail , and mains spring housing , better sights , hammer and trigger

he obviously didn't do any of that work , he had owned it 15 years before I showed him how to field strip it , boy was he nerviness till I had it back together I don't get i how can you have owned a gun longer than a few days and not have taken it all apart to learn how it works.


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## Ross

Wow stripping the gun is half the fun. OK not half but thats crazy! I guess he didn't shoot it much either. Cheap $25 SKS's have disappeared for now. Marstar had them. 
I tried a red dot on the SKS. Kind of a waste of time IMO. Same goes for after market stocks to a degree. Take a handy rie make it difficult to clean and delicate. Meh no harm I guess but but if you want to spend money there are far better ries to choose from. The practical uses here is as a coyote ventilator. If the cheqp ammo dries up theres no point to having one.


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## simi-steading

I'll take my early Norinco SKS over a Russian any day... even over an AK... 

Mine is all machined, No stamped parts, other than the pieces to hold the stock on.... 

I also got rid of the stock, and put on a folder. I like it so much more with the folder. Shorter when you fold it, and also a little lighter than than the wood stock.

As far as why have one over a US gun for Cabin Fever... For starters it's a lot higher rate of fire than the 1903 or M1... plus it's lighter than both. Also ammo isn't near as expensive as 30-06 is, even if you reload your own. A 1903 is WAY high on my list, but I'm looking for something in particular, and finding what I want isn't cheap, or the easiest to find locally.

As far as taking it over an AR, it's a lot more reliable. They seldom ever jam, especially when dirty. Also, in my opinion the 7,62x39 is a lot better round than the .223 or 5.56... Better round for closer range. They also don't tumble like a .223 will. I've seen comparisons of the 7.62 and the .223 in jells and phone books and such, and the 7.62 always seems to come out the stronger performing round.

I've also got a Norinco 1911 and love it. Nice guns, that you used to be able to get pretty cheap. Not any more though. Gun smiths love them to build comp guns on the frames. The frames are very hard metal compared to US frames. I've had my 1911 for well over 25 years. I was just shooting it a couple days ago... LOVE it..


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## Roadking

I had several of each some time back and then got a Norinco in 2001 for $100...sold the others for the reasons simi stated above.
Had the Norinco 1911...I did not like it one bit and promptly sold it.
Fun gun, cheap to shoot and accurate enough for it's intended purpose. Love 03s, Garands and M1 carbines, and each serves a purpose...but to me, an SKS is almost a necessity.

Matt


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

Ross , I see the SKS selling for 3-400 down here now , it is crazy 

AKs selling for 500 and up 

you can get a AR for 600 and up

I just saw the kit I have been looking at at 429.99 this morning add a 50 dollar lower and have a AR for about 520 with transfer fee 

on the up side the benefit if you can find one of the regulation of importing chinese guns is that it has helped to somewhat standardize people more on the AR15 and make a bunch of manufacturers in the US for parts it has also driven the cost down you can now buy a US made AR for less in 2015 than you could in 1993 despite the money being worth 50% less on almost any other good or service.

I have moved to guns that don't toss my brass all over the place , and I reload for less than I can buy 7.62x39 for , with better sights 

I think it can best be said that the SKS of the 90s was a tool , you could buy it for a days pay even if you weren't working the best job , feed it cheap, it worked reasonably well and you didn't feel bad if it road around behind the seat of the truck they were often used at little more than shotgun distances ,


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## Ross

Today a Russian sks laminated stock prices at $200. Cheapest AR would be a Norinco at $500 I think


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## simi-steading

I was looking at the only AR I'd ever consider at a show a year or so ago.. It was chambered in 7.62x39... I just can't see why all the added complexity and un-reliability of the AR as compared to the SKS.


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## Ross

There are certainly safety issues with the SKS. The floating firing pin is nasty and there was an RCMP bulletin about the sear on some Russian versions (gotta look that up) As a farm gun that could get damaged or dinged the SKS's cheap price makes it acceptable. I do pefer the Mini 14 but its a nice rifle you hate to see a scratch on. AR's were bound to be popular because of its service history. Just reading posts here I can see why building one yourself has so many excellent choices. A personal high quality semi you built your self thats comfortable to shoot and reliable, is terrific! If they weren't restricted here I might consider one.


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## Bearfootfarm

Cabin Fever said:


> I guess I just don't understand the enthuisiasm with the rifles of our enemies. I'll take a 1903 Springfield or a M1 Garand over an SKS any day of the week.


An SKS is basically a semi auto 30-30, and for a long time they were being sold for $50 for a standard model to $100 for the 16" "Paratrooper"

I've never seen a Garand or Springfield at that price that would actually shoot

Ammo was cheap and plentiful and they are just fun to shoot

For anything beyond about 100 yds, your choices are far better but within reasonable range limits they do pretty well


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## Nimrod

Had a Chinese SKS. Bought it for $150 and sold it a year later for $325. I didn't think it was well built. The big reason I got rid of it is because the cheap ammo is berdan primed and steel case so you can't reload. 

There is a vague idea in my mind. Something about the Yugoslavian made ones having a problem because the did not chrome the inside of the barrel so corrosion is a problem.


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## Bearfootfarm

> There is a vague idea in my mind. Something about the Yugoslavian made ones having a problem because the did not chrome the inside of the barrel so corrosion is a problem.


That wouldn't be a problem as long as you clean after shooting,
Most rifles don't have chrome bores


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## Ross

Certainly you have to clean right away if you use berdan primed rounds Not a big deal. I clean all my rifles after use. They are not for everybody, I get that but there are Russian boxer primed brass cased rounds available and they are reloadable. Not surplus cheap but cheap enough. I have that right? Berdan corrosive un-reloadable, Boxer non corrosive generally reloadable? Been enjoying the grandson for a visit so my brain is tired!!


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## Nimrod

Ross said:


> Certainly you have to clean right away if you use berdan primed rounds Not a big deal. I clean all my rifles after use. They are not for everybody, I get that but there are Russian boxer primed brass cased rounds available and they are reloadable. Not surplus cheap but cheap enough. I have that right? Berdan corrosive un-reloadable, Boxer non corrosive generally reloadable? Been enjoying the grandson for a visit so my brain is tired!!



Sorry, I had a senior moment. Boxer good, berdan bad. I fixed it.


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## simi-steading

Being Berdan primed does not make the ammo corrosive.. It's what they use in the primers that makes it corrosive or not. I have a lot of Berdan ammo that isn't corrosive.


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## Cornhusker

I've got a couple Chinese SKSs and a few AKs, and they are all more fun than a barrel of pink monkeys.
The ammo is cheap, they are easy to take apart and easy to put back together.
A failure of any kind is rare, and I can't really remember any failures on any of them except one SKS.
I bought it from my Brother In Law, and he had it bubba'd pretty bad.
Had some kind of ugly tactical stock on it, the original magwell was gone and he was using the Tapco duckbill 30 rounders.
Took me a while, but I finally found a stock mag well and then bought a Monte Carlo type stock in Mossy Oak camo.
Now it looks good and shoots good:clap:
The other is all original, numbers matched, really nice looking rifle.
Don't tell anybody, but I kind of prefer shooting the SKS to the AK.
(not a big fan of pistol grips on rifles)


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## Ross

I like a pistol grip just fine but every aftermarket stock I've seen (for any rifle) just seem to make field stripping that much harder. Even my factory folder mini 14 is a bit fussy.


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## Ross

simi-steading said:


> Being Berdan primed does not make the ammo corrosive.. It's what they use in the primers that makes it corrosive or not. I have a lot of Berdan ammo that isn't corrosive.


My nwe thing learned for the day. Nice to get that outa the way early! :clap:


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

blazer aluminum would be an example of a berdan primed non corrosive as are many of the brown bear , silver bear , tula , wolf and such new production ammos but if it does not say NON-CORROSIVE don't trust that it is 

I am looking at a box of Wolf right now and it says 7.62X39mm 122 GR. FMJ STEEL CASE NON-CORROSIVE BERDAN PRIMED 20 CARTRIDGES


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