Anybody shoot a SKS?

[HAWKEYE10]

I been thinking about buying a SKS to have some more fun at the range and I like that the ammo is cheap. I want to get one that is in good condition. I see that several countries have made them but which is the best and which is junk? Don

[cmort666]

I had a Chinese one back in the early '90s. It shot well enough for me to win a carbine match in the Cleveland NASA Sportsman's Club.

If I had some place to shoot a rifle these days, I'd think about getting one of the Chinese "paratrooper" guns with the short barrel. They're very handy, and not appreciably less accurate than the standard guns.

[usm1rifle]

The best ones in my opinion are the old Russian ones from the 50's.

The best bang for the buck are the Yugos for a couple bills less than the Russians. I believe the Yugos were made under the old Russian methods and are well machined rather than the cheap Chinese stamped SKS.

[mike from st pete]

I've had five thru the years. I finally settled on a Russian one. The China Sports I had were okay but after finding and shooting my first Russian the Chinese went up for sale. Th first Russian was incomplete, no bayonet. The second had the wrong bayonet. It wouldn't stay folded to the stock.
My current russian is an arsenal rework. The bolt and carrier are blackened.
Ammo ain't as economical as it used to be.

[deadin]

Had a Chinese one years ago. It had what I called a "5 stage" trigger. There were 5 definite steps in the trigger pull before it went off.
Shooting it was about as exciting as shooting a M1 Carbine.

[rockquarry]

Firing pin setup in (at least some of) these guns can be very dangerous. Some may have a tendency to slam fire or go full auto, particularly with the softer primers found in handloads and other non-military-type ammunition. Brownell's did sell a kit that will correct the problem.

The SKS, despite its crudity and horrible trigger, is reasonably accurate, even with cast bullet loads. I've had two and shot them extensively. They aren't sporting guns; there are far better guns for hunting that are well worth the extra cost.

[ohiobuckeye]

They all seem to function fairly reliably and are fun guns to shoot. They are kind of like a poor man's mini 14 and have similar accuracy...4 inches or under at 100 yards is a really accurate one.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by rockquarry

Firing pin setup in (at least some of) these guns can be very dangerous. Some may have a tendency to slam fire or go full auto, particularly with the softer primers found in handloads and other non-military-type ammunition. Brownell's did sell a kit that will correct the problem.

The SKS, despite its crudity and horrible trigger, is reasonably accurate, even with cast bullet loads. I've had two and shot them extensively. They aren't sporting guns; there are far better guns for hunting that are well worth the extra cost.

On the firing pin. If you purchase a gun that is still soaked with cosmoline. No matter how well you clean the bolt there will still be crud in the firing pin hole. Be sure to tap out the pin that holds the firing pin, remove it and flush out the hole with solvent.

[Smithhound]

I own an original import Norinco SKS, IIRC I paid about $79 for it, ammo was dirt cheap, two 1200 round tins for about $125, I have about 3K rounds stuck back for it and the Chicom AK. The SKS is a pretty accurate gun afflicted with a severe case of the 'Uglies'. No matter what you do to it, it is not going to get any better looking. Ballistics are very similar to the .30-30, but most ammo for it is FMJ, soft points can be found. I accually reload for mine when I need soft points which isn't very often.
I'm amazed at the prices being asked now for them, anywhere from $300 to $400 around here depending on the setup.
The new Romanians or Yugo's with all the accesories are pretty interesting looking.
As far as shooting I've never had a problem with slam fires or runaways, accuracy is battle rifle standard 3" to 4" at 100yds, sometimes better, depends on ammo used and how well I'm shooting.
Like an AK there isn't much you can do to hurt them, they were designed to be 'peasant proof' and achieve that mark very well.
RD

[doc540]

Ruskies

[Stevie]

I've only owned the Chinese versions..both older milsurp and new production. I own one of both right now and they work fine..accurate and reliable.

I've always heard the Russian made versions were better...and I've fired and examined the Russian made versions. The Russians are usually all milled parts as far as the trigger mechanism..but I couldn't tell a nickels worth of difference in the shootability between Chinese and Russian SKS rifles.

[Fishslayer]

Originally Posted by Rule3

On the firing pin. If you purchase a gun that is still soaked with cosmoline. No matter how well you clean the bolt there will still be crud in the firing pin hole. Be sure to tap out the pin that holds the firing pin, remove it and flush out the hole with solvent.

There's always this.

SKS Owners

This week I took my new-to-me Norinco SKS to the range & put about 50 rounds of Yugo milsurp & steel case Wolf ammo through it. I was surprised at the accuracy. Not a single hiccup either. I'm very pleased.

[rockquarry]

I should have put more information in my first reply regarding the SKS firing pin. While cosmoline buildup may pose an additional hazard, the problem I was referring to was the lack of a firing pin return spring in many of the SKSs. One can probably research this. Of the two I had, one would occasionally slam fire when the bolt was released and/or fire full auto. My gunsmith installed a firing pin return spring kit (from Brownell's), correcting the problem. To be on the safe side, I had him put a kit in the other gun as well. The early post-WWII guns had firing pin springs, but later guns (at least many of them) have no such springs.

[thndrchiken]

You'll spend a little more but hold out for a Russian or Yugo.

[cjw3]

I had three at one time when they were dirt cheap, but now am down to one. It is one of the Chinese models with the barrel threaded into the receiver; supposedly that is better than those with a pinned barrel, but I don't know about that.

The comments about the firing pin are correct. As with most military semi autos, the firing pin is inertial, which means that it is free to move back and forth within the bolt (simpler and more reliable). Military ammunition for these uses primers that are harder than normal to prevent slam fires when the bolt slams shut and the firing pin moves forward from its own weight and lightly bumps the primer. I did have a slam fire once when I chambered a round and had the muzzle pointing downward at the ground, but have never had it happen with it pointed horizontally. There is a kit available commercially that replaces the stock pin with one that has a spring on it to prevent this.

In years past, they were an outstanding value when you considered that you were basically getting a 10 shot semiautomatic rifle in the .30-30 class frequently for under $125 dollars; the last one I bought in the late '80's was $79, but those days are gone. Yugoslavs are running $300 and up now and that doesn't seem like such a good deal to me.

Fit and finish on the Russian models is superior, but all of them are simple and reliable little rifles. Leave them as they are and you can have a lot of fun with them. "Accessorizing" often adversely affects how they handle and perform....been there and done that, and as is usual with almost everything simpler is better.

[Fishslayer]

Rule #2 is definitely important with the SKS & no return spring. Even though I was using .mil & .mil spec ammo I loaded 2 rounds the first couple times with the new rifle.

When I took delivery I also disassembled & checked it. While I suspect it was unfired by the previous owner, it was also cosmo free & well oiled. The firing pin rattled back & forth just like the YouTube videos.

[JWNathan]

I had a Yugo that was my truck rifle for several years. I will say I abused it horribly. Shot 1k outta it in a day, the stock was just dripping cosmoline after it got all heated up. I always cleaned it with break kleen and oiled it with Zep 45. I miss the old girl! Traded it to a friend who treats it the same and it's still going strong. Tho I believe the barrel is about shoot out.

[doc540]

Ultra Bubskie

[Rule3]

Yugo and SKS (removed bayonet from SKS as it is a pointy sucker and will put your eye out)

I like the SKS better in that it does not have the heavy grenade launcher. All numbers on both match.

[Hobie1]

SKS ENHANCED FIRING PIN - Brownells

From Brownell's site. My Norinco will double with civilian ammo. I'm going to get one for my SKS.

Hobie

[gregintenn]

I bought a new Norinco back in the 90's when there were tables full of them at gun shows for $59. I love mine! Wish I'd have bought a truck load of them.

[Gasman1972]

If memory serves me right the Yugo's are the cream of SKS's.

[cal50]

I collect and shoot several SKS rifles. They vary in accuracy greatly and the poor quality ammo does not help. I have a scoped Yugo 59/66 with a Zrak side mount scope. It does an honest 2 1/2" with wolf ammo at 100'.Not bad at all IMHO. I had some Lapua ammo years back and that ammo was incredible for accuracy. If found today its expensive and more collectable than blasting ammo. I have every year Russian along with every nationality manufacture made except the holy grail East German,NVA and North Korean rifles.

SKS rack-




Scoped Yugo

[sps282]

I have a chi-com paratrooper model with the shorter barrel it's a very handy size and I've never had any problems with it. It shoots very well for what it was intended....no it will never be a match rifle, but it's not supposed to be. If the stuff starts hitting the fan I would not feel under armed!

[Fishslayer]

Originally Posted by cal50

I collect and shoot several SKS rifles.

That's a GREAT collection, Komrad!

[HAWKEYE10]

I started not to post about wanting a SKS on this forum because I thought I wouldn't get much information. What a surprise!!! I am getting more information here than any where. Thanks guy's just keep on posting. Don

[cal50]

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

That's a GREAT collection, Komrad!

Thanks.
I always favored the SKS over the 30 carbine (unless its an M2 version).
I got into collecting them late in the game but I am still trying.

[Miami_JBT]

I have a Ex-DDR Soviet SKS and a Chinese Type 56 Carbine SKS. The majority of the Chinese SKS carbines out there were military surplus guns sold in the late 1980s and early 1990s. China did produce some for commercial sales but that was late in the game. The majority of them are good quality rifles.

The things to look for on a Chinese SKS are the following;
Barrel Collar - The original design had the barrels screwed into the receiver. The long barrel collar was made from 1956 to 1967-68. In 67-68 they went to a short barrel collar to speed up production. Nothing wrong at all with them. The Pinned Barrels were done in the late 1970s to early 1980s. You can tell those by a pin going through the barrel and receiver. The screwed in barrels will be more accurate then the pinned barrels. A difference of 2moa to 4moa depending on which one.
Trigger Group - The earlier guns had milled one piece trigger groups. When the changes happened in the late 60s they went with some stamped parts to speed up production. The easiest way to tell is the trigger guard will be one piece if it's milled and the stamped will have a trigger guard that was welded on. No difference in quality of the trigger... just a way to deduce date of production.
Factory Codes - If the gun has a symbol like this on it /26\ (Triangle with the number 26 in it) then you can figure out the year of production. Anything else and you cannot.

Military Surplus Collectors Forums has some great info on the SKS Rifles and Carbines.

Also yooperj.com/SKS.htm is another great source of info.

My two rifles are great.... good shooters, have some interesting historical stories, and are all around good rifles.

[LVSteve]

Russian: Well made, but fewer about. Certain arsenal and year combos are very rare and fetch money.

Chinese: Mostly well made. There are several variations but IIRC all have chrome lined barrels. There is a begrudging acceptance by many in the SKS fraternity that a lot of the Chinese guns shoot BETTER than the Russians. Some shorter variants and some that take AK mags are around, but you will pay more.

Yugo: Two flavours, the straight 59 and the 59/66 with the grenade launcher. DOES NOT have a chrome lined barrel.

East German: I am unsure if they were made there or just so marked.

Albanian: Quite rare and sought after. Has differently shaped magazine.

For more detail, go here. Yooper John This guy REALLY knows the SKS.

[RIDE-RED 350r]

I bought my Norinco thumb-through model back in the mid '90s for $150. It takes AK mags and is shorter than the typical SKS. If i had to guess, Id say it is about 4 inches shorter than the standard SKS. It has been 100% reliable with zero feed/eject issues or slam fires or anything like that. I have been told its a bit less common and worth 4 or 500 bucks, and then Ive been told its nothing special, 2-300 on a good day. Id love to find out for sure one way or the other...

[GatorFarmer]

Wait... The Albanian SKS with the shrapnel hole in the bolt cover that I've been using to hold stuff up in the closet is rare and sought after?

I got it as part of a trade when I felt sorry for a friend and let him trade me out of one my revolvers that he really wanted. I know mine was made in 78, all the numbers don't match and that Tapco says none of their fun stuff will work with one. (Yes, I wanted to Tapco-ize.) I ended up with over a 1000rds of ammo - most of it brass cased Yugo stuff on SKS strippers so ended up keeping it figuring that I could (more or less literally) kick it around. The wood is actually nice and the mirror is bright as a mirror though.

For some reason it always makes me think of the long haired somewhat odd smelling Albanian guy with a unibrow that I went to college with...

[Kelly Green]

There were several manufactures of SKS rifles: Russian, Chinese, Yugoslavian, Albanian, and Romanian. I own a 1960 Romanian. In my opinion the two best are Russian and Romanian. Both have chromed lined barrels. The Yugo does not. If you do decide to get an SKS, I would highly recommend replacing the free-floating firing pin with a new firing pin and firing pin spring. Murray’s Gunsmithing offer the kit for aronun $35. It is not hard to install and will prevent slam-fires.

The older Russian models had spring loaded firing pins but changed to free-floating around 1950. If you remove the bolt and can hear the pin rattle when you shake it then it’s a free-floating pin.

[doc540]

1955 non-refurb Izzy (one of the new ones that used an "on-hand" refurb stock)



1955 Tula


1952 Tula


1954 Tula


'54 Tula bayonet

[m657]

I happened into a "good deal" on a "Chinese sniper version" circa 1990. Bayonet, belt gear, "scope", couple tins of ammo.

It combined a forgivable complaint--"Ugly"...with some fatal flaws that rendered it little more than a tomato stake:

While there are 'good ones' I've heard, On any given day I could count on only 2 things; it would be either
1) unreliable
2) inaccurate
It was unpredictable as to which feature might be worse.

I finally traded it off. Finally got a bit of premium back on the other stuff and the ammo. Somebody wanted the sealed tin and wooden crates as bad as somebody else wanted the belt stuff.
In reality, the "sniper scope" was of such inferior optical quality the iron sight was more useful.

And no one else seems to have had issue with fail to feed, fail to fire, fail to eject, with as much regularity as this one was.

I did like the folding bayonet, as I figured I could rip open a gas tank and set the stock on fire if I ever needed a bon fire.

Strangely enough, I've never been interested in them ever since.

[Dragonfly]

My Dad was selling this 1954 Tula that I thought I'd pick up--I always thought they were kind of ugly but once I had a chance to shoot it I was hooked--it was fun to shoot and surprisingly accurate, given the open sights. I'm not embarrassed to admit I like them!

[roundgunner]

I have a couple of ParaTrooper versions. They shoot good but the mag changes are just not a reliable as the AR or Beretta Storm

[CajunBass]

I bought one, and several hundred rounds of ammo, a few years ago when I was going through a "Red Dawn" phase. It didn't take me long to figure out that (1) I've got a handicapped wife. She can run, and I'm not going to leave her behind, (2) There aren't many hills around here to "take to", and (3) I'm an old man and those hills that are around here, are a lot farther away than they used to be. I've never fired the rifle.

But I've still got the gun...and the ammo...when the time comes I'll pass it on to the one of the young bucks and scream "WOLVERINES!" He of course will have no idea what I'm babbling about but he'll smile and thank me for the rifle. Crazy old coot might be dangerous.

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Originally Posted by roundgunner

I have a couple of ParaTrooper versions. They shoot good but the mag changes are just not a reliable as the AR or Beretta Storm

My SKS is just like your paratrooper, only mine has the thumb-through stock.

[bmcgilvray]

Here I am shooting my Russki SKS at some rocks at 300-something yards down a remote canyon in deep southwest Texas. This wasn't a howling success. My SKS is only good for about 4-inch groups at 100 yards from a bench rest, chrome-lined barrel and all. My son has a Yugo with the grenade launching baggage hanging off the muzzle that cuts my 4-inch groups in half... and does it without a chrome-lined barrel.

Chrome-lined barrels might be overrated.

[reddogge]

I've owned three of them, a 1950 Russian, a 70s all matching Albanian, and a model 59 Yugoslavian. I sold off the Yugo but it had some really neat graffitti carved into the stock like the Bosnian crest. That one had seen the elephant for sure. I find them to be well functioning, reasonably accurate semi-automatic rifles. Easy to break down and clean too.

The Albanian

The Russian

[dmar]

Originally Posted by bmcgilvray

Here I am shooting my Russki SKS at some rocks at 300-something yards down a remote canyon in deep southwest Texas. This wasn't a howling success. My SKS is only good for about 4-inch groups at 100 yards from a bench rest, chrome-lined barrel and all. My son has a Yugo with the grenade launching baggage hanging off the muzzle that cuts my 4-inch groups in half... and does it without a chrome-lined barrel.

Chrome-lined barrels might be overrated.

Cool picture!

My understanding is that chrome-lined barrels do not help accuracy, but they increase the longevity/durability of the barrel... I believe chrome lined barrels can actually be slightly less accurate than non chrome lined barrels.

Also, Bmcgilvray, you either need a hat, or some sunscreen up top...!

[Cyrano]

M 14 barrels were chrome plated. I think it resisted erosion a little better. National Match M 14 barrels weren't plated; they couldn't hold the internal dimensions to the required level of accuracy. Warsaw Pact barrels were chrome plated, because corrosive primers were the standard.

[armsmaster270]

I've had one for years ot is a fun shooting rifle.

[mtgianni]

I have a Yugo. I like the fact that I can turn the gas switch off and work the bolt as a single shot when I am shooting cast reloads in it.

[Rule 303]

I've been shot with one, plenty accurate enough for one of Ho Chi Minh's Finest.

I've got a couple of Russian Tula Arsenal Guns. They are ok and l like having them. Beats throwing rocks.

Rule 303