- Joined
- Aug 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,942
- Reaction score
- 11,027
The Springfield is a much better gun than the others; better quality, well built, more accurate and far more desirable at sale or trade time, at least to most people.
Thoughts on Norinco SKS?
- Thread starter BabaBlueJay
- Start date
No such thing as an original SKS Paratrooper. They are standard SKSs cut down for the US market. Despite the dislike that many seem to have for the SKS they may be the best milsurp for the money ever offered to American shooters. Tough, durable, chrome bores and accurate enough for home defense and woods Deer hunting.
My DCM M-1 Garand was the best rifle for the money that I ever have seen! Of course, I got mine back in the '80's. It shoots rings around any SKS and the trigger is so far superior that there is really no comparison. The .30-06 round is far superior to the 7.62x39, as well. Nice Garands are expensive, maybe twice that of any SKS, but they are more than twice the rifle!
Comparing an M1 and an SKS is an apples to oranges comparison. For awhile brand new SKSs could be bought at gun shows for $100 or less back in the 90s. My Chinese SKS will shoot 3" groups from a bench rest at 100 yds with Norinco steel cased ammo with it's "inferior" trigger just as it came from the factory. Few untuned M1s will do that. The weakness of the M1 is the barrel. Cleaned from the muzzle usually. Try wearing out a chrome lined SKS barrel, better have lots of ammo. And the endless repetition that a "smooth" trigger means the whole gun is somehow superior 
A 30-06 is more powerful than the 7.62x39, no kidding . For the money brand new SKSs for $100 or less remains the best milsurp deal ever offered to the American shooter. Just because it came from China and is the enemy's gun doesn't somehow make it junk, it is not.
A 30-06 is more powerful than the 7.62x39, no kidding . For the money brand new SKSs for $100 or less remains the best milsurp deal ever offered to the American shooter. Just because it came from China and is the enemy's gun doesn't somehow make it junk, it is not."Every body knew" that the Japanese Arisakas were junk because the finish had lots of tool marks. Until they were tested after the war and found to be super strong and nearly indestructible.
Fishinfool
Member
I was buying them when they were $85 for the Chicom version, and $99 for the Russian guns. Owned 4, but eventually sold all but one - A standard ChiCom model new in the grease. The Russian guns looked nicer, but one was unreliable, the other not so very accurate. 1 case of Chinese, and one case of Russian ammo thru it, with NO failures. Not a tack driver, but more accurate than most AK's I have shot, decent trigger, and good handling.
At today's prices, there are "better" rifles out there. But if you want an SKS, then you want an SKS.... They kind of remind me of a poor mans M1 Carbine. I have no intention of selling mine - It is fun to shoot. I seen somewhere that there is an optics mount that utilizes the rear sight mount. Now that I am thinking about it, and SKS with a red dot would be a fun and practical rifle. Never had one slam fire on me.
Larry
At today's prices, there are "better" rifles out there. But if you want an SKS, then you want an SKS.... They kind of remind me of a poor mans M1 Carbine. I have no intention of selling mine - It is fun to shoot. I seen somewhere that there is an optics mount that utilizes the rear sight mount. Now that I am thinking about it, and SKS with a red dot would be a fun and practical rifle. Never had one slam fire on me.
Larry
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,942
- Reaction score
- 11,027
Very true according to P.O. Ackley's testing, but would you want one? Strength alone doesn't a make for a good or desirable gun.
Pisgah
Member
Ignore naysayers. These are very good rifles. I well remember when they could be had for $89.95 -- but that doesn't make them overpriced today. I bought many great-condition S&W Model 28's for under $200 back then, too... but I ain't saying they're not worth what they're bringing now.
Last edited:
I have four "7.7 Japs" as they were called and dismissed as junk some years ago, and maybe still are. Bought for less than$200 each on GB several years ago. Checked the prices they bring today? The 7.7 cartridge is as easily handloaded as the 30-06 or and other rifle ctg on the same head size. They are very well made rifles and mine aren't for sale.
LVSteve
Member
Before I really knew what was what with sportered milsurps, I turned my nose up at a Type 38 in 260 Remington in a beautiful Fajen stock complete with a well mounted scope. My error was in not knowing what 260 Remington was and being nervous about a rechambered gun. Later I found out that 260 Remington was really 6.5x51, and the original Type 38 cartridge was 6.5x50. I suspect there is more than enough metal in an Arisaka action to stretch a chamber 1 mm.
100%, the Nagant revolver trigger is something else!!
SKS trigger is okay, fairly typical of older military rifles. I’ve found SKS rifles to be easy shooting, very reliable, and fairly accurate rifles. For a fun shooter/defense gun for a reasonable price, you can’t go wrong. Plus, you won’t hurt it…!
.I was working part-time in a pawn/gunshop and was offered a used paratrooper SKS for $75. It shoots just fine. I need to get it out of the back of the safe and fire it up.
A friend of mine bought a standard SKS and was disgusted that it outshot his new Ruger Mini 14.
A friend of mine bought a standard SKS and was disgusted that it outshot his new Ruger Mini 14.
What won't outshoot a Ruger Mini 14?
I have an old single shot .22 that will make the Ruger look like a tack driver. I'm kinda nervous being behind the thing. If it weren't so inaccurate, I would have given it away a long time ago, but I won't pass it on to anyone. It was literally abandoned in my brother's back seat. When my brother dropped the owner off after going shooting, he got out and told my brother to keep it. Makes sense, he was going to Alaska and it wasn't worth shipping or flying with it.
I think anyone who served in the Pacific Theater had a healthy respect for the Japanese longarms. My dad thought "Little 25 caliber Japanese Carbine" was a very handy rifle. I've seen pictures of Marines going out on patrol and one was carrying a 6.5 carbine.
My father said that the Japanese grenades were very good too. They worked very well when Japanese soldiers used them to commit suicide!
I have an SKS. It's worth every penny of the $69 I paid for it.
GypsmJim
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2009
- Messages
- 4,061
- Reaction score
- 7,082
When the "Assault Rifle Ban" was signed into law but not yet started, I bought an unissued SKS for 69 bucks. I liked it so much within a few years I bought 2 more. I added a scope mount on one of them and it works awesomely well. Better accuracy than ME, and 100%b reliable.
I also have a Garand, an Eddystone and a couple 1903s. Sure the Springfield is a finer gun, but an Enfield and an SKS also have a place in anyone's collection.
I guess I don't understand the "placeholder" term. If the "collection" is ultimately going to be one gun, then go buy what you want in the first place. Springfield 03s are selling readily on Gunbroker for about $1200. They will never be any cheaper.
I also have a Garand, an Eddystone and a couple 1903s. Sure the Springfield is a finer gun, but an Enfield and an SKS also have a place in anyone's collection.
I guess I don't understand the "placeholder" term. If the "collection" is ultimately going to be one gun, then go buy what you want in the first place. Springfield 03s are selling readily on Gunbroker for about $1200. They will never be any cheaper.
OP
In my situation I am limited to one gun per major category. My wife grew up in Communist China and was brainwashed in their anti-gun, anti-freedom culture. She is a fantastic wife and mother, but guns are something she is very cold to, I have tried to take her to the range, but to no avail. She understands that guns are a part of our culture and understands our daughters will be raised with them, but she would never be ok with me having anything remotely resembling a collection. More important than that, I am building a college fund so my girls can go to college with no debt as I did, and I do not have the expendable income for such a collection. All my guns have a purpose, my 686 is my EDC, my Mossberg 500 is my trap/skeet/duck gun, and this rifle would be a range gun to train my girls, or deer rifle.
The reason the SKS appeals to me, is my wife is familiar with it growing up in China and warmer to it than an AR-15 or Type 56 AK, and it is a cool part of my daughters culture that I could share with them when they are older. The other potential options will be listed in a poll later because I do value multiple qualitative/quantitative data points.
One of the guns I foolishly sold that I really miss is my old Norinco SKS Paratrooper. Back in the day they sold a pistol grip you could put on the milled ones. I reworked my stock to make it feel better.
