# Talk to me about SKS rifles



## mooman (May 19, 2008)

Going to be getting one to fill the hole in my modest homesteading arsenal (have a .22 bolt action and a 12 guage now). I'm looking for a SKS stock rifle, no frills or aftermarket garbage. I don't care if it's pretty. I want reliability and accuracy.

1. I've heard the Russians are the best. I've also heard the Chinese ones are well made as long as they are not the ones made later for export. How do I know from auction descriptions if this is the case?

Right now I'm looking on GunsAmerica the auction site. The Russians are going for about $150 more than the Chinese ones of the same period (1956). The description for a large lot of Chinese rifles says: "Manufacturer was Jianshe Arsenal in the Peopleâs Republic of China, on Russian milling equipment and under Russian supervision". Are these good guns or are the Russian models worth thier higher price?

2. What is the advantage of having parts with all the same serial numbers? Is this a case of rebuilds not working as good as orginal or is it simply a thing collectors worry about?

3. What spare parts should I look to aquire in case of a SHTF senerio?

4. I'll start looking in local stores after the holidays but if I go with an internet purchase....any tips....any sites to stay away from?

more questions to follow as my research continues.


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

at this point in time its get whatever you can find your 10 days too late or 4+ yr too late depending on your point of view


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Never had a Russian, but most agree it's the cream of the SKS crop.
I own 2 Chinese and a Yugo, and I much prefer the Chinese.
They have chrome lined barrels, I like the wood better and the bayonet isn't quite as bulky.
They shoot well, are easy to maintain and are a handy all around rifle.
I wouldn't mess with aftermarket mags either, never had any luck with them on an SKS
I prefer the 10 round box mag that came with it, although I do have a 5 round mag for hunting.
If you want to carry reloads, use stripper clips.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

A Yugo ain't all bad . . . ..
Every thing I have read indicates that the large capacity after market mags are just problems.
A little practice and the stripper clip 'goes in' pretty quick...


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Corny said,

_Never had a Russian, but most agree it's the cream of the SKS crop.
I own 2 Chinese and a Yugo, and I much prefer the Chinese.
They have chrome lined barrels, I like the wood better and the bayonet isn't quite as bulky.
They shoot well, are easy to maintain and are a handy all around rifle.
I wouldn't mess with aftermarket mags either, never had any luck with them on an SKS
I prefer the 10 round box mag that came with it, although I do have a 5 round mag for hunting.
If you want to carry reloads, use stripper clips. _

I agree with all Corny said.

Yugoslovian made ones don't have a chrome lined barrell. This is important because most of the ammo is Eastern Block millitary surplus with primers that use corrosive chemicals. You should clean any SKS immediatly after fireing or it will start to corrode. The chrome lining slows down the corrosion. 

There are several other downsides to the surplus ammo. The bullets are full metal jacket, as required by the Geneva Convention. They don't expand like hollow points. You will have to get some more expensive ammo to hunt with. 

If you reload, the surplus ammo has steel cases instead of brass and the primers are Berdan system. You can not resize steel cases and it's very hard to re-prime Berdan cartridges. You will have to buy brass cases that use the Boxer style primer to reload and they cost as much as cases in any similar size.

It is not a good time to buy a gun or ammo. BO has caused guns and ammo sales to go way up and the price has risen accordingly. The SKSs were selling for $70 when they first were imported. I bought a Chinese one a year ago for $150. Gun broker is now listing them for $400 to $500. I would look for a private seller or a pawn shop that has not figured out that the price has gone way up. The ammo is in short supply. The ammo was available fairly cheaply, less than 25 cents a round in bulk. It made target practice fairly inexpensive. Most of the sellers are out of stock except for the expensive 20 round packs. I expect that the ammo will become plentiful when the hysteria dies down but there is a possibility that it will be banned.

The diameter of the bullet is 7.62mm. This is similar to the popular 30 caliber so cleaning brushes in 30 caliber will work just fine. SKSs have smaller cases (hold less powder) and won't handle bullets as big as a 30-06. They will work just fine on deer and zombies but not so good on buffalos or moose.


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

You CAN pull bullets out of steel cases-use good powder and bullets and have good hunting rds...I did this with 100s of 7.62x54 until I built up a good supply of brass..When you reload,you can do all kinds of things.Hornady makes a nice .311 123gr SP for hunting or if you cast-the 155gr will work fine in SKS...the man who designed the mold made it for 7.62x39..


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## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

Not an sks expert at all, but a buddy had a certain model that took regular AK-47 magazines. Sees like that would be the way to go. Be persistent (and liberal with your wallet!) and you should still be able to find what you are looking for. In the event this turns out to be a scare you will have spent a few hundred more than you needed to. If the scare to turns out to be true you will have made a good investment. I've spent money on worse things...


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## Halfway (Nov 22, 2010)

Shoot the hell out of it once you finally get one.

Take it apart and reassemble about a hundred times then do it a hundred more.

Then do it in low light conditions.

Load, unload, correct malfunctions.....rinse and repeat a hundred times.

Put 500 rounds through it from 25-150- yards, sitting, standing, prone.


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

I have several. Chinese, Alby, Russian, Yugos. I like the Yugo M59 the best. It also likes all sorts of ammo. 

I have 2 that have the Kivarri trigger jobs on them and it's worth the money but my Alby has a good trigger.

The Alby and Russian are more finicky on ammo. I think the best ammo though is that M67 stuff Great shooting. 

I think they are fun and have a lot of history behind them. Probably inferior to a 30/30 balistically though. I'd never hunt with one because I have so much better. You could though.

I don't like the ones with all the fantasy crap on them. I like the original design. The only thing needs tweaked on most is the trigger.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Practice on deer sized target out to 300 yds. I'd be comfortable using it as a battle rifle out to 500.


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## mooman (May 19, 2008)

Thanks everyone. I pulled the trigger on a Chinese Type-56 from the first year of production. Stock looks beat to hell but the bore and reciever were decribed as "mechanically excellent" compared to the other guns in that lot. I've been watching them get snapped up fast over the last few days. 

Ended up paying $300 plus shipping. I know its more than what they have gone for in the past, but I'd kick myself 6 months from now if they ended up getting banned.


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## Tubby (Dec 14, 2012)

mooman said:


> 1. I've heard the Russians are the best. I've also heard the Chinese ones are well made as long as they are not the ones made later for export. How do I know from auction descriptions if this is the case?
> There was a surplus rifles forum or website that got into the differences. They would be the authority.
> 2. What is the advantage of having parts with all the same serial numbers? Is this a case of rebuilds not working as good as orginal or is it simply a thing collectors worry about?
> Kind of both. Parts were fitted together at the factory to make a complete weapon. If everything matches, it means Bubba Backyard Gunsmith didn't mess with it. It was kept as is from the factory and is a pretty good indicator you are getting a good weapon.
> ...


Not even an educated man in the ways of the SKS, but I have one, a Yugoslavian SKS. Can't get rid of it though I'm told it's a good rifle. I posted the basics in red font.


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

mooman said:


> Thanks everyone. I pulled the trigger on a Chinese Type-56 from the first year of production. Stock looks beat to hell but the bore and reciever were decribed as "mechanically excellent" compared to the other guns in that lot. I've been watching them get snapped up fast over the last few days.
> 
> Ended up paying $300 plus shipping. I know its more than what they have gone for in the past, but I'd kick myself 6 months from now if they ended up getting banned.


 
Early production? Does it have the blade bayonet? I have an early Chinese and it has the Russian type blade.


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Mine has the spike style bayonet
Here's a pic just for fun


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

mooman said:


> Going to be getting one to fill the hole in my modest homesteading arsenal (have a .22 bolt action and a 12 guage now). I'm looking for a SKS stock rifle, no frills or aftermarket garbage. I don't care if it's pretty. I want reliability and accuracy.
> 
> 1. I've heard the Russians are the best. I've also heard the Chinese ones are well made as long as they are not the ones made later for export. How do I know from auction descriptions if this is the case?
> 
> ...


Had a pair of these. Sold 1, kept the other. You can either keep the bayonet on or take it off. I took mine off to better its handling characteristics. As with all my shakedowns, this one was rigorous. I poured a kettle or two of boiling water down mine, and over the removed bolt, and dried them on the wood stove. Letting them cool I reassembled them, and put them out at -30F in a trashbag for 3 days, leaving a round in the chamber and 1 in the mag. The last day at about -30something, I took it out of the trashbag and pushed off the safe and pulled the trigger and it went off, and on target, and fed the next round which also went off without incident. I feel the engineering is good, the materials including chrome lined bbls and the wood is good. Being short of arm they fit me fine. I outfitted the other I sold with a folder stock and 30 rd mag, and it functioned flawlessly my buyer reported. 
Given the rifles available, that I could not afford, I'd have a Beretta BM-59, or a Garand. Mini-14 might be ok, but pricey as well. Mauser bolts will be expensive, but then you could get a Mosin-Nagant, ugly, and tough as a Mauser a lot cheaper. Given its capabilities, as a one-gun deal, I'd have a SKS and kill moose with the 129 gr (Green Plastic Tip) Nosler Ballistic Tip for lung shots. This ain't no Hollywood movie so we kill the moose the best way. One shot should do it, or a Central Nervous System shot if your good. My rifles were always more accurate than me, so I think this is possible.
A trick to increase Anti-Personnel range is to use a Sabot set up similar to the 30/30 Accelator, should give you an extra 60+ yds with a long range 60-70 grain .224 bullet. A handloaders trick for sure but worth mastering if your only having one rifle.
My kids and wife handled them good and I'd much rather a pair or 3 of SKS than one expensive battle rifle. I do think the SKS can do it all as long as you don't antagonize big bears and think the SKS will get you out of it. It will be sufficient for Black Bear with a stout bullet but I'd rather engage them with a shotgun and slug under the extended prepping scenario.
Conclusion: Good gun, good situation, and ammo supply pretty OK.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Checked with a friend of mine this week...there are a few Chinese floating around, $269 wholesale, don't know what the retail price will be.


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## defenestrate (Aug 23, 2005)

I actually prefer the SKS to the AK-47 semiautos as I like the balance and feel of the full wood stock and find it not to walk so much. There is some good input above about models - I think some of the earlier Yugos were well-built but the quality dropped greatly later in the cold war era.


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