Author Topic: Please talk me out of my urge for an SKS, or not. (Read 2740 times)

Bitterroot Bob · « **on:** December 31, 2011, 02:48:01 AM »

Howdy,
Since I went over to the Reds and bought a Mosin Nagant M1944, I am hooked on function over form. I spent a couple hours cleaning cosmoline from the carbine and can truly appreciate a design that does so much with so few parts. My wandering eye has locked onto the Yugoslavian M59/66 SKS as the natural next move. I like wood and don't care much for a bunch of magazines. 7.62x39 is still dirt cheap and the thirty-something bore is easy to clean. A ten-round magazine that isn't hanging down by my knees appeals to me too.
On the othere hand, I read the post: "SKS or Saiga", and the practical side of me is pressuring me to consider supporting a Hoosier importer and going with a more modern, less clunky design. And, who really needs a knife attached to the front end? I could roast hotdogs with my Mosin spike.

Bitterroot Bob

Cleburne · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2011, 02:59:25 AM »

It all boils down to personal peference. I'd opt for the SKS if the bore and gas cylinder are not pitted. The Yugo's don't have chrome lined bores and were used with corrosive ammo. Their supply will eventually dry up whereas the Saiga's will likely continue to be manufactured for awhile.

30-30man · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2011, 03:44:58 AM »

I know many will disagree with me here. I own one very clean Yugo with no rust or pitting. It was packed in cosmoline and wax paper when I bought it. The barrel was pristine and I doubt my Yugo was shot much if not at all. I said all that to say this... I like the gun for plinking, but if you plan to hunt with it....There are much better options. There is just no good way to mount a scope on the Yugo and it's very heavy. I tried to make mine into a hunting rifle but the best I got was 5-6" groups @ 100 yards no matter what ammo I tried. My barrel was almost new and I think this gun was just built to spray bullets. Accuracy was not even considered. The gun printed all over the place and had the worst trigger I've ever tried to pull. People spend way more on these things trying to make them a hunting rifle when you'd be better off with a $300 special at Academy Sporting Goods etc. If you just want to punch paper and hit cans, then the SKS is the better of the two. I don't think the SKS will ever be a $1000 gun or go up very much in value. They just made too many of them.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2011, 04:27:53 AM »

SKS is alright - you can go bang bang bang bang bang bang bang with them, and it won't wear out your shoulder & ears like an M44 will do. I think the Yugo SKS is kind of bulky & heavy, compared to the Chink versions.

mannyrock · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2011, 04:54:54 AM »

SKS- Sights are terrible, and there's a three inch thumb of metal (the front sight) sitting out on the top of the barrel. No decent scope mounts. Rear mounts (Choate) require d/t in the side of the receiver and sit really really high.

Someone has manufactured an adjustable peep sight with knobs, that will screw firmly onto the back of the receiver, but it may cost half as much as the rifle.

The Saiga probably gives you much better options for easily mounting a scope.

Mannyrock

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2011, 06:14:49 AM »

as MannyRock intimated - I think - the SKS is best for what it is, not what you might hope it can be made into, esp if that has anything to do with better practical accuracy.

Its virtues are cheap ammo, mild to shoot, and being semi-auto. That's about it.

rockbilly · « **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2011, 10:21:16 AM »

After a friend and neighbor had a problem with a pack of wild dogs he caught killing sheep, ran out of ammo in his trusty old model 94 while trying to run them off and almost got eat up himself I gave him an old Chinese SKS (Ninrico, Spelling) with two loaded 30 round mags he never had the problem again. Since them I and many others in this part of West Texas have trade in the old lever guns for an SKS. I have two of them and believe it or not both shoot quite well, I couldn’t win a match, but I can get enough bullets on target to take out a varmint, and they work well on a herd of wild pigs too.

I usually keep one under the seat of my old farm truck and an extra 30 round mag in the glove box. Back when I bought mine I paid less than a hundred dollars for them, Not a bad price for a cheap shooter and ammo can be had at a fair price.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2011, 10:38:01 AM »

I got an SKS many years ago...it is such a fun gun to shoot. It's an ole Chinese Norinco with the fold out spike Bayonet. That was back when I could get them for ~$75.00 each...So I eventually wound up with two. They are fairly acurate with the Wolf Ammo that I shoot

Then I shot my brother's AK-47...OMG!!!

Now I have one SKS and two AK's. I even got a 5 round clip for the AK, committed sacralige and took it out deer hunting. Got my deer at about 90 yards with those crappy open sights...actually the SKS and AK both have less than ideal sights.

After the AK's I went out and got a Siaga in .308 Winchester. Its not a light rifle, but with those open sights, it'll put 5 shots into 4 inches at 100 yards.

My latest in the Commie Line was to get the Mosin Nagant...Dang fine rifle. Not much to look at...but the engineering that went into its design...Dang Fine Rifle.

Join the club and enjoy the experience.

rdmallory · « **Reply #8 on:** January 01, 2012, 12:53:45 PM »

I picked up a "new" one from Cabala's last month when they had them on sale for $199. Got it $20 off with coupon.
Used a gallon of mineral spirits to get all the cosmoline off. I would keep checking they might have them on sale again.

Doug

Swampman · « **Reply #9 on:** January 01, 2012, 01:12:07 PM »

The SKSs are not very accurate.

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #10 on:** January 01, 2012, 04:12:14 PM »

For the money involved get an SKS. They ain't tackdrivers but they get the job done and are fun to shoot. If you want a tackdriver then spend $400-$800 and get a bolt action that you can put a scope on. Just my 2 cents.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2012, 06:53:39 PM »

Buy the Norinco (Chinese) SKS, it's till a great buy and ammo is still inexpensive. While the SKS isn't a tackdriver, it can and will take deer and varmints at a 100 yards. You have to keep in mind that the SKS was designed as a military rifle, where the need for it to function in combat under less than ideal conditions, with little or no maintenance was more important than pin point accuracy. Since you don't have to worry about coddling it, this makes it a perfect truck gun.

I kept the fixed magazine on mine, and keep extra ammo in loaded stripper clips in a magazine pouch.
I did remove the spike bayonet, but I kept it, since you never know when you might want to roast marshmallows.

Mikey · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2012, 01:31:27 AM »

"Please talk me out of my urge for an SKS". No! Absolutely not! Or, OK but get a Saiga or one of the American produced Kalashnikovs (AK); either should have a scope base on the action so it can be scoped and that's about all you need for the AK - that and a whole bunch of additional magazines.

The SKS is OK, but older technology. The AK is better.

I don't know if you can still find them around but Norinco once made the NHM (Norinco Hunting Model) 91, a AK with a SKS barrel (21.?") that was/is a excellent shooter. If you can find one, I would simply dump the furniture and restock it with basic AK furniture and you may find you like it too much not to shoot it a lot. HTH.

mannyrock · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2012, 04:29:47 AM »

The problem is the inconsistency in accuracy from rifle to rifle. Some SKSs will shoot two inch groups, while others will only do 6 inches. And, you just can't tell from rifle to rifle.

Attempts by friends of mine to improve accuracy by glass bedding were pretty bad. Apparently, the rifle heats up in different areas at different times, and the groups actually got alot bigger.

Mannyrock

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 02, 2012, 05:14:43 AM »

My dad has an SKS he brought home with him from Viet Nam (on his lap on a commercial flight at one point, times have changed) that we shoot occasionally. Oddly enough it is pretty decent. He has another given to him when he retired (the plane incident was by then rather well known). That one appears to be a Yugoslav model and I honestly believe you'd be better off extending the bayonet and throwing it as a spear....

Bitterroot Bob · « **Reply #15 on:** January 03, 2012, 01:52:03 PM »

Hey guys,
Thanks for your input. I'll be visiting the Indy 1500 Gun Show later this month and I'll check out what's available.
JG Sales has AK versions of the Saiga 7.62x39 rifle. I may just bypass the SKS if I can't find a real deal on one.

Bitterroot

1911crazy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2012, 12:15:33 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on January 01, 2012, 01:12:07 PM

The SKSs are not very accurate.

Some sks's are miss understood when it comes to accuracy. Its all about buying the correct size bullets in the new loaded ammo. Some ammo manufacturers seem to vary there bullet size but at the sametime the bore diameters can also vary too. Example; If we have a bore size on the high end which is .312" and a bullet size of .308" we have a loose bullet in the bore thus inaccurate.
Most sks's on average wil shoot between 2'' to 4'' groups but some will shoot better and some will shoot worse, again depending on the bore diameter, bores condition/wear and the size of the bullet.
My chinese norinco paratrooper with the 16'' barrel and using norinco yellow box ammo benchrested at 100yds will shoot 1 1/2'' groups if i and my son do our part. These may surprise us when we get the correct diameter bullets for the bore diameter.
Back to the topic of should i or shouldn't I? thats up to you but i feel no gun lover should be without an sks in his or her safe. These are a lot of fun to shoot. Get the yugo and shoot it and then you will look for a russian, a chinese, an albanian and a romanian sks too trust me i know.
I think the sks is the best semi auto we can own in 7,62x39 price wise and accuracy wise too. CZY

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2012, 05:04:02 PM »

Quote from: rdmallory on January 01, 2012, 12:53:45 PM

I picked up a "new" one from Cabala's last month when they had them on sale for $199. Got it $20 off with coupon.
Used a gallon of mineral spirits to get all the cosmoline off. I would keep checking they might have them on sale again.

Doug

Cosmoline can just drive you nuts...I have an old Enfield that I have literally taken completely a part and cleaned twice since I bought it, trying to gt rid of the cosmoline...On a hot day it still leaks Cosmiline when I'm at the range.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2012, 05:19:02 PM »

Quote from: mannyrock on January 02, 2012, 04:29:47 AM

The problem is the inconsistency in accuracy from rifle to rifle. Some SKSs will shoot two inch groups, while others will only do 6 inches. And, you just can't tell from rifle to rifle.

Exactly what I saw...I had two SKS's and one was very accurate while the other was only fairly accurate at best. Now I have only one very accurate SKS.

Bitterroot Bob · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2012, 02:56:49 AM »

Hey guys,
I think MC Sports made the decision for me. I couldn't resist another Mosin Nagant when they offered it to me for $85. I ended up with a 1939 Izhevsk 91/30 with all the gear. Going semi-auto may be put off for a while. If I do, though, I think that a new AK might be a better gamble, not being able to try out SKS's first. But, I'll keep my eyes open for one anyway.
Gotta be a cheap one!

Bitterroot

1911crazy · « **Reply #20 on:** January 09, 2012, 11:38:37 AM »

Nothing wrong with a mosin. I heard the'll be drying up soon.
A good sks like a norinco (example no flames) will serve you well for a semi auto in 7,62x39.
For an "AK" style semi auto rifle i would go for the brand new russian saiga in 223 rem or in 308win heck i got both. Just inspect the new saiga for a canted front sight. Its very rare to get one but inspect it anyway. Just lube these with a gun grease or a moly and have fun.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 10, 2012, 03:18:49 AM »

Mosins are fun. I carried my M91/30 while scouting for pigs the other day... it is looooong. I think it's more comfortable to shoot than the carbines, which singe the eye brows.

1911crazy · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2012, 03:18:19 PM »

There's a guy with a mosin on you tube who shot a pig at 300yds ++ with std sights.
There's another guy there with a 1911 chasing a pig its silly he missed it so many times. And sad he finally got it. If the pig had a 1911 he would of won its that bad to watch.

Victor3 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 13, 2012, 10:15:05 PM »

I was fortunate enough to get one of the NOS Russian SKS's when they were $175. It's a pretty accurate and very reliable high-power plinker. Don't think I'd pay much more for any SKS than what the Norinco's go for now though. All the others seem a bit high to me, for what you get (a plinker).

shot1 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 14, 2012, 03:09:06 AM »

"Please talk me out of my urge for an SKS".

OK. I am going to send a huge blue gummed gorilla over to your house to STOMP A MUD HOLE IN YOU if you get and SKS. Now did that curb your urge to get one?

I have 2 of the Yugo SKS rifles that were like new. If you find the right ammo they shoot pretty good. Mine will shoot around 1" at 50 yards and around 3" at 100 with open sights with one brand of ammo "Tiger". All Wolf ammo is not accurate in my rifles. I bought a set of loading dies a while back and some Hornady bullets but have not had time to do any load work. I am sure I can improve the accuracy with handloads.

Bitterroot Bob · « **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2012, 03:24:40 AM »

Oh yeah!
Shot1: I'll be lookin' out the door! Frankly, I think I have my hands full with removing copper fouling from both of my Mosins. I spent a whole day just running copper solvent patches through every twenty minutes or so. The patches were coming out looking like they'd been dipped in ink, but they're closer to sky-blue now. I hope the BARRELS aren't made of copper!
I like the idea of firearms that just work, and that means that there should be some accuracy built into the mix. Why did Winchester continue building the 1873 long after the Model 92 was to replace it? It WORKS.
I also like affordability, and the SKS of today seems to have risen in price past its actual value. I remember when a hundred bucks would buy one. Now the Montenegran Police model is $339. Maybe I waited too long.
Sure like these Mosins, though. Copper and all.

Bitterroot

1911crazy · « **Reply #26 on:** January 17, 2012, 02:06:43 PM »

Stay looking / keep an eye out for the sks. A chinese norinco sks in excellent condition can still pop up for $175 to $250 lately too. I wouldn't wait too long as the yugo sks's are drying up the others will go higher in price across the board too.
For a semi auto in 7,62x39 the sks is unmatched for price and quality.
For a semi auto in 223 or in 308win the brand new russian saiga's is the way to go (ak/akm's)

budman46 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 03, 2012, 06:24:03 AM »

bitterroot,

this is how it starts...you get sucked in by the cost and then you realize how undervalued these things are and you'll study c&r things of communist origin, ending up with multiples of czech mausers, polish/bulgarian/e.german 9x18 makarov caliber handguns and worse.

russian mentality seems to be "form over function"... we could do worse.

budman

ignorance is fixable...