'Twas the SKS that killed the classic .30-30 lever action deer rifle, not the AR.

It was mostly a matter of price. For quite some years you could get an SKS for at or below 100 dollars. The ammo was cheaper than .30-30 too but worked just as well on deer at the same ranges as the .30-30.

For blue collar hunters, that was good enough, and many less affluent folks took to the SKS platform as a simple tool to put meat on the table. (A role my old Krag sporter probably once served back when it could be had cheaper than a commercial product.)

The folding bayonet was/is handy for some guys, since they just poke the rifle in the ground using it to keep it handy.

Shrug. Still wood and steel, at least as issued.