Loading 7.62x39 Russian

[venomballistics]

All Chinese and Russian SKSs came with a bayonet originally. Chinese may be spike or blade, Russians were all blades. Because of varying restrictions when there was a flood of cheap new SKSs from China coming in the guns were sold with lugs but no bayonets. I suppose the bayonets could be bought separately but I'm not sure. But regulations change and recent imports of well used Chinese SKSs from Vietnam have bayonets. The spike bayonets can be found on GB or ebay for cheap but blade bayonets are more pricey.

At the time I met the SKS, virtually all specimens I saw came with the folding spike bayonet.

 

[alwslate]

At the time I met the SKS, virtually all specimens I saw came with the folding spike bayonet.

Same here. My first SKS was a new old stock Chinese and all had spike bayonets. Later imports like the Russians, Romanians and Yugoslavians had blade bayonets. The most recent SKS imports are heavily used Chinese that were used in Vietnam and I think most have blade bayonets. When the crates of newly manufactured Chinese were at the gun shows they were made for spike bayonets I think but were sold without them attached.

 

[desi2358]

Same here. My first SKS was a new old stock Chinese and all had spike bayonets. Later imports like the Russians, Romanians and Yugoslavians had blade bayonets. The most recent SKS imports are heavily used Chinese that were used in Vietnam and I think most have blade bayonets. When the crates of newly manufactured Chinese were at the gun shows they were made for spike bayonets I think but were sold without them attached.

Hadn't heard of any out of Vietnam being imported but just a few years ago a large number came out of Albania. They were old enough to qualify as C&R and that, along with being in another country for years, allowed them to be imported. The Clinton era ban on most Chinese weapons is still in effect but does allow for some exceptions.

As to the bayonets the Chinese originally used the blade style but later decided to switch to a spike. Older ones still had the blades unless they had been through an overhaul and updated to the new style. When the first large imports came out of China there were many new or upgraded older models with the spike. Demand was so high that they were soon producing brand new models for the US importers.

When the anti-gun activists started trying to restrict the imports certain "military" features were deemed unacceptable for import including the bayonets. Many importers simply removed the bayonets but left them with the guns. Later the mounting point for the bayonet was ground off and eventually all Chinese firearm imports were cut off. Except for shotguns which were somehow considered to be okay.

 

[BC38]

Hadn't heard of any out of Vietnam being imported but just a few years ago a large number came out of Albania. They were old enough to qualify as C&R and that, along with being in another country for years, allowed them to be imported. The Clinton era ban on most Chinese weapons is still in effect but does allow for some exceptions.

As to the bayonets the Chinese originally used the blade style but later decided to switch to a spike. Older ones still had the blades unless they had been through an overhaul and updated to the new style. When the first large imports came out of China there were many new or upgraded older models with the spike. Demand was so high that they were soon producing brand new models for the US importers.

When the anti-gun activists started trying to restrict the imports certain "military" features were deemed unacceptable for import including the bayonets. Many importers simply removed the bayonets but left them with the guns. Later the mounting point for the bayonet was ground off and eventually all Chinese firearm imports were cut off. Except for shotguns which were somehow considered to be okay.

Yeah, the Washington AWB says no bayonet lugs.

If the bayonet lug is a "standard feature" then that is probably why the SKS isn't one of the LONG list of specific rifles we Washington residents can't buy anymore. Maybe they figured that since the bayonet lug is one of the banned features that would be enough to disqualify us from buying them.

But if I can find one that has had the lug removed, maybe I can still sneak one into the safe under their radar.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[rockquarry]

The firing pin is a known issue and can be dealt with. And we know the nature of Soviet era weapons and their foibles. The Mosin Nagant is a CRUDE rifle but it's also rugged and reliable. I have one and enjoy shooting it. The SKS and Mosin are also historically interesting. Many historically interesting guns have faults.

It's likely not a known issue to many owners.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Ya know.........My Mini-30 is about 35 years old.......I use to go to gun shows and buy those wood crates of 1000 rds Either German/Russian/other for about $80 a crate....Shot many crates of that stuff through the MINI without hitch or bobble. Cleaned it well after each shoot cuz lots of that stuff was corrosive. My hunting rd back the was PMC factory loads. Old MINI will still serve if called upon.
Also back then they SKS's in a barrel for $88.00 each and AK's for $125.00.......Didn't want one then....Don't want one now.
But I really like the 7.62x39 cartridge....My Bear Creek rifle wears a Wrath digital day/night vision scope with infrared illuminator....Out on the snout it wears a Griifin Aremament Suppressor... My PSA wears a 3x10x50 Leupold Var-X III.......My MINI wears and old Leupold mdl 8 in 6X......I'm considering building anothe( or maybe just an upper) and putting a thermal scope on it.
One thin g I like about the BEAR CREEK upper is that it's a SIDE CHARGER(like a semi auto shotgun). Deleting the upper 2 finger charging handle all together.

 

[BC38]

Y...One thin g I like about the BEAR CREEK upper is that it's a SIDE CHARGER(like a semi auto shotgun). Deleting the upper 2 finger charging handle all together.

Yeah, that's definitely a nice feature.
FWIW, I have a PSA 5.56 upper that is a side charger too.

 

[alwslate]

A quick story about the Ruger Mini-30. Thought maybe I wanted one until I read an article about a test between a Mini-30 and a cheap Chinese SKS many years ago in Shooting Times magazine. I think the author was Layne Simpson but I'm not sure after all these years. He shot groups with both from benchrest with a variety of commercial ammo and handloads. The SKS accuracy was typical, 3-3.5" groups. The Mini-30 groups all were 7" or larger. Yep, twice the size as an $88 SKS. Never wanted a Mini-30 after that, still don't.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

A quick story about the Ruger Mini-30. Thought maybe I wanted one until I read an article about a test between a Mini-30 and a cheap Chinese SKS many years ago in Shooting Times magazine. I think the author was Layne Simpson but I'm not sure after all these years. He shot groups with both from benchrest with a variety of commercial ammo and handloads. The SKS accuracy was typical, 3-3.5" groups. The Mini-30 groups all were 7" or larger. Yep, twice the size as an $88 SKS. Never wanted a Mini-30 after that, still don't.

Never judge all of anything by just one.........

 

[rockquarry]

Never judge all of anything by just one.........

Very true, but many do. I've done it myself.

 

[alwslate]

Never judge all of anything by just one.........

Actually I didn't. I had seen other articles on handloading for the Mini-30 that didn't include another gun for a comparison. The most extensive one I think was in a Gun Digest article if I recall correctly and included some hunting data. If you own or just like the Mini-30, fine. But the reality is the Mini-30 is not an accurate rifle by any means.