Norinco SKS - Should I buy one?

[tedwhite]

Local gun shop has a nice looking one for $250. I'm basically a hand gun guy (ex cop) so don't know much about rifles and am on a budget, therefore AR-15's would put a serious crimp in same.

Is the SKS a good shooter? And what should I be on the look out for in terms of flaws or problems.

[chris in va]

Not a bad way to go really if you're looking for a 7.62x39 shooter. Still allows detachable mags. Not all the extra 'junk' like on the Yugo's. Just understand mounting optics or sights is problematic. Get the firing pin return spring to prevent slam fires.

I sold my Yugo and bought a Saiga, been very happy with it.

[Bogie]

What do you want to do with it?

[rogertc1]

Get it..why not. I sold my Chine SKS way back (only paid 90.) I do have 2 Yugo's which is a much better SKS in my opinion, more accurate with the heavier barrel and not hand crafted one at a time. But then I got my Yugos a few years back when they were in better shape.

[darkgael]

I have had a Norinco for about ten years. I bought it for the same reasons that you mention (ended up buying an AR-15 in any case). It has been a good shooter - reliable, easy to care for. It is "military accurate", not nearly on a par with the accuracy of an Hbar but certainly functional. I use mine only at the range and as an option for HD (in rural PA). No semi-auto rifles or pistols allowed for hunting in PA, so I can't use it for that.
Pete

[rogertc1]

If you get the SKS...a scope is a waste of money with a top cover mount. I know i did it.

[Noonan]

I got it primarily for hog hunting. It's a lot of fun to shoot, ammo is cheap, and it's pretty accurate out to 100 yards. 250 is a fair price IMO.

[tedwhite]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've learned from them.

Bogie: good question. Primarily for HD, the range just for fun, and javelina hunting. Actually, I do have another rifle, but it's a Henry Golden Boy lever action .22 WMR and if you shot a javelina with it, it would just **** the critter off (but works great with rabbits).

I did realize - after looking closely at the SKS - that it wouldn't be suitable for a scope. The Henry isn't either. You don't want to be drilling holes in that beautiful receiver.

Some day I might want to put together a sniper rifle on the cheap. Possibly a Mauser with a scope?

[jsmaye]

Some day I might want to put together a sniper rifle on the cheap. Possibly a Mauser with a scope?

If you're going to go the military surplus route, consider a K-31. Accuracy worthy of a scope.

[johnwilliamson062]

If you ever hear anyone say the following send me a PM so I can put it down in the record books:
"This POS SKS was a waste of my money."
The rifle is cheap, the ammo is cheap, wood stocks are classy, "more accurate than an AK."

Everyone I have let fire my K31 the last few months loved it. The straight pull bolt is wonderful and the recoil is sheepish for a cartridge which ballistically mimics a 30-06. I have not had mine out past 50 yards so I can't attest to accuracy, but the reputation is certainly there. If only I could get a sporter stock so I wouldn't worry about damaging the original. Some come with issue troop tags in the buttstock which increase the value now by about $10. I expect them to be much more collectable in the future.

You could pick up nice specimens of both of these rifles for less than an AR15.

[GPossenti]

I dunno, what you didn't kill with the bullet you can finish off with the bayonet :D

[Te Anau]

Norinco SKS's are a heck of a lot of fun in a small package.I'd get it.

[King Ghidora]

Norinco is probably the best SKS for detachable mags. Best accuracy is probably the Yugo or the Russian. The Chinese stuff isn't horrible but it certainly isn't great.

If you want a great budget gun for range shooting or hunting I'd say buy a used Savage. If you want to reel off round after round get a Norinco. I don't see the point of trying to get a real accurate SKS myself because none of them compare to a Savage. I paid $230 for a 30.06 Savage in VG condition. If I do my part it can shoot sub MOA (one inch at 100 yards) groups. You can see a target I just shot from 40 yards with my Savage here. (http://www.a-framevideo.com/target1.jpg) The one shot to the right was before I made an adjustment to my scope (I had kicked it out of zero the night before). The other hole had 3 bullets go through it.

No way my SKS shoots that accurate. But it isn't terrible or anything and it will certainly throw lots of lead down range. I've had mine about 15 years. I've never had a problem with it and I've fired thousands of rounds through it. In fact you can see a video of me shooting my SKS with a detachable mag here. (http://www.a-framevideo.com/SKS.wmv) Lots of folks say SKS's won't work with detachable mags. This is my proof they do. There are dozens of videos on YouTube that show they will including this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5mzhALy5Ww&feature=related).

An SKS is a good investment and lots of fun to shoot. Ammo is cheap enough so you can shoot it without breaking the bank and it will certainly hold off a small army of BG's if need be.

[zombie666]

Sure you should get it. Everybody should have an SKS. :D

[MrNiceGuy]

If you get the SKS...a scope is a waste of money with a top cover mount. I know i did it.

then you didnt fit the new mount right.

a new mount will not fit on the rifle, you will have to file it down to fit.
if you over file, it will be sloppy and not hold center.

i've never had a problem with mine. it makes for a great 100yard shooter.

i love my bubba sks.
it's a "chinese security forces" model with a "dragunov" stock, tapco 20rnd mags, a 4x14 scope and a bipod. it's never jammed, and i'd put it's accuracy up against a mini 30 any day of the week

i have 4 other sks's, all original.... but they are for looking at, the bubba is for shooting ;)

[rogertc1]

My Velmet Sporter has a top cover but it is screwed to the reciever. Point.
A SKS was not made to target shoot.

[MrNiceGuy]

A SKS was not made to target shoot.

neither was my ar15, or my 1911, or my bolt action 30-06, or remington model 700, etc etc etc

yet i still take them to the range weekly and have an absolute blast :cool:

technically, i think my ruger MKIII is a target model... that alone would make for a boring range trip though

[armedtotheteeth]

minute of car door . dont expect anything bettern about a 5 inch group at 100 yards. Seriously. I dont care what flak i get or what pictures get posted after mine. 5 inches is about the average SKS. You can get a Saiga for bout that, convert it to AK format for about 200 bucks , and have a nice gun, you built. comply with 922.

[MrNiceGuy]

dont expect anything bettern about a 5 inch group at 100 yards. Seriously. I dont care what flak i get or what pictures get posted after mine. 5 inches is about the average SKS. You can get a Saiga for bout that, convert it to AK format for about 200 bucks , and have a nice gun, you built. comply with 922.

get an ak instead..... and watch that "5 inch" group turn into a 10"+ for only ~$400 more! :rolleyes:
didnt someone say something about minute of car door? well now you're talking about tripple the cost for minute of barn door.

your average shooter with limited scope/range experience can only expect a ~5" group at 100 yards nearly regardless of which rifle he/she is firing.

[armedtotheteeth]

Saigas converted to Aks,at least the few that I have seen have been around 3 inches or so. not bad. Far bettern the SKS i have seen, granted the Saigas are new and the SKS are 44year oldworn out camel shipped via afganistan goatherder taliban russian POSss.

[kymasabe]

Everyone should own an SKS, they are great guns and alot of fun. With that big wooden stock, recoil is minimal. There are lots of aftermarket goodies out there for them too.
Forget about a scope for the SKS, but what every SKS owner should have is a recoil pad that adds aprox 1 inch to the stock to make it a "normal" length and everyone should have a TechSight on their SKS. Nice rear peep sight, longer sight radius, works great.

[King Ghidora]

The sight might be accurate but the SKS isn't. 5 inches at 100 yards is about right if you have the eyes to aim with iron sights at that distance. Compare that to a used Savage for about the same price which will give you a 1 inch pattern if you can shoot it. Accuracy isn't the strong suit of an SKS. They're fine for what they are but don't expect to win any competitions. They're made to be a high output, never jam battle carbine. They do that job very well especially if you put a detachable mag on them. I can fire 30 rounds down range in under 15 seconds easy enough. I could shoot faster but they tend to climb on you if you fire too many rounds too fast. A muzzle brake will help of course. But you just might melt the barrel doing this. They really aren't made to fire that many rounds either but they will do it.

If you find yourself in a firefight with a group of BG's under 100 yards away you can do quite well with an SKS. They aren't sniper rifles and they aren't full autos. They're carbines and they're good carbines.

BTW the AK's you buy are also nothing but carbines unless you rig one to do full auto. Personally I prefer to stay out of jail. An AK isn't as accurate as an SKS. IMO if you buy one you are paying twice as much to get an inferior weapon. Unless you just like collecting weapons there's no reason to get an AK-47 in the US. Or maybe you want to convert it and bury it in the backyard and wait for the zombies to come. That seems like a waste to me. The zombies will probably dig it up before you get to it and they'll use it against you.

[chris in va]

SKS are 44year oldworn out camel shipped via afganistan goatherder taliban russian POSss.

:D

[Ignition Override]

The SKS stock seems pretty short, therefore a recoil pad seems to add enough length to make it feel about right. The pad is not needed on the MN 44 because it is longer and somehow never leaves a bruise after 30 rounds(and I'm skinny).

It is a really fun gun. Wish I had known years ago about them and had been aware of fun places out here to shoot, living then in the city.
You might also want to buy one very soon, along with a chunk of Russian ammo, before Congress loses its focus on the economy next year (don't underestimate the potential of stupidity for people such as Feinstein, Schumer and 'Syrian buddy' Nancy Pelosi) and puts a huge duty tax on imported (or all) ammo.
An SKS/AK/Saiga/Mini etc, even a Ruger bolt-action rifle might be illegal to buy a year from now, or much more expensive, if not just the ammo. I've seen the names of three Congressmen who have a bill pending, with the goal of banning hundreds of guns, including many classic hunting rifles.

[darkgael]

"5 inches at 100 yards is about right if you have the eyes to aim with iron sights at that distance"
+1 on that. A helmet sized group at 200 yds - five inches @ 100 - is kinda spec for a military rifle, though many do much better.
Sad to say, I over filed my scope mount when I got it. I installed it anyway and it shoots about as well as it did with the irons; it's just a little easier to aim.
That K31 idea is a good suggestion - though having an SKS is also. K31s are fine shooters and that straight pull bolt is fast.
Pete

[Tuckahoe]

Norinco SKS are good rifles, I have had over 20 of em at one time or another. Owned everything from the paratrooper to the cowboy companion(my favorite) and standard rifle. Only problem I ever had was when I tried to use a detachable mag. 99% of detachable mags are a waste of money. I have always had good luck with the Norinco's and will never again own another Yugo SKS.

[King Ghidora]

Me and everyone else I know must be mighty lucky because all of the detachable mags I've seen work perfectly. I have 5 of them myself. I guess that means there's 495 bad ones out there for the good ones I have at 99% to 1%.

I don't know where you guys buy mags but I've never seen a bad one and I've seen plenty. Here's a video (http://www.a-framevideo.com/SKS.wmv) of one of my mags working perfectly. I can post links to a lot more that work.

I've been seeing really cheap (for these days) 7.62 X 39 ammo for sale lately. You can buy 1000 rounds of Wolf for $180 here. (http://www.the-armory.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/wolf_ammo_762x39_HP_Case.html) That's the cheapest price I've seen in several years. I paid $125 for 500 rounds last year. It's not like the old days when you could buy 1440 rounds for $115 but it's still pretty good. Those old days aren't coming back IMO especially if Obama gets elected.

[Tuckahoe]

Those old days aren't coming back IMO especially if Obama gets elected.

You sure got that right.

[Te Anau]

Some of you are missing the point about the Norinco being a great,fun gun to shoot.I would have no qualms about using it to defend the homestead.Nobody is claiming that its your best choice for a 1000 yard match.For having a blast in the woods or defending against a marauding horde of bat wielding thugs it may well be.That said, I retain the factory 10 round mag on my SKS's and can reload quickly with stripper clips.

[SR420]

I looked at Chinese SKS rifles, but went with Chinese AKM rifles for additional flexibility.

3.5" groups with Golden Tiger from my AK is easy off hand with an Aimpoint Micro T-1.

Buy the SKS or find a good AK :cool:

[otter7467]

I would get it. I enjoy shooting mine alot more then my ak which I bought basicly because my wife doesn't tell me no, lol. I'm just glad I got mine before they started to go up in price.

[tedwhite]

Well, I bought the SKS today for $250. Dealer threw in a new sling and a used carrying case.

However, before I bought it I borrowed my friend's SKS that he's had for 20 years and took it to our "range" in the desert which mainly involves shooting into a cutbank on the side of a mountain. After a couple of misses, I was able to bounce a tin can up the slope 7 times in a row. This was at about 75 yards. Good enough for me. Plus I really enjoyed the way it shot - not much recoil and ran perfectly.

His is the "cowboy" model with the shorter barrel. Mine has the longer barrel and the sling mount is on the side of the stock. Otherwise the two are identical. He showed me how to disassemble it and clean it.

I'm pleased.

[MrNiceGuy]

His is the "cowboy" model with the shorter barrel. Mine has the longer barrel and the sling mount is on the side of the stock. Otherwise the two are identical. He showed me how to disassemble it and clean it.

His is the paratrooper model

i find it hilarious that he'd think his chicom sks would be dubbed a "cowboy model" lol

[King Ghidora]

I think you'll be pleased for a long time with your Norinco. Congrats on buying a fine rifle.

A guy told me today he could get Norincos for around $110 still. I asked him to find me one at that price. Maybe I'll get real lucky and get another one cheap. I like mine well enough to buy another one if that tells you anything.

[tedwhite]

Yeah, King, it does tell me something. Means you like yours,and why not have a back-up? As for the "cowboy" designation, Mr. Niceguy, I think it's merely a local nickname. Short barrel = saddle carbine sort of thing, I'll tell him what you said.

We're going out to a combat shoot tomorrow, but after that the Douglas (AZ) range will be open and I'll get to shoot my new SKS!

[tedwhite]

Shot the SKS this PM. 1" group at 100 meters from the bench. I suspect the previous owner sighted it in, although at first, second, and third glances it looks new. But it's not. Anyway, with that kind of accuracy it's a keeper.

Got correct term for the short-barreled "cowboy" SKS. Apparently it's the Paratrooper Model.

[rogertc1]

Nothing wrong with the Chine SKS buy it. 1" groups at a 100 yards...you are a better man than me Charley Brown. I do group that with my Kel Tec .380 however...LOL

[MrNiceGuy]

His is the paratrooper model

Got correct term for the short-barreled "cowboy" SKS. Apparently it's the Paratrooper Model.

hope you didnt spend too much time searching lol


congrats on the purchase.
never heard of that kind of accuracy out of an sks though

[TentsOnTrucks]

Norinco is probably the best SKS for detachable mags. Best accuracy is probably the Yugo or the Russian. The Chinese stuff isn't horrible but it certainly isn't great.

I just went out shooting my new Russian Tula SKS today with a 30 rnd detachable mag. I have heard the horror stories on the detachable mags but I did not have any problems. The gun shot like a dream and did not miss fire once. The only thing to note was if you bumped the mag a round or two would fall out. It seems like the rounds are not held to tight in the mag.

All in all once I figured that out I had a wonderful time

[tedwhite]

Robertc1: I meant to say 100 yards, not 100 meters. Anyway, it was bench rest with small sandbags. I'm not a rifle guy and so expected a shoulder whack when I pulled the trigger, but was pleasantly surprised by the mild recoil.

And hey, you're a better man than I am, Charlie Brown, with that Kel Tec .380.
I have one. It's about the size of my hand, and if I could hit an SUV at 100 yards I'd be dancing in the streets... And so would you, I suspect.

[DanTSX]

Fun, cheap gun that is more than accurate enough and as reliable as the sun. They get a terrible reputation because of their price and being held up to the AK standard. I can imagine that you could find a decent hog gun used for a price + or - $100 of the SKS, but at least with the SKS you have a gun that is pretty damn sturdy and would take serious mis-use to screw-up, while you find several mainstream hunting guns in that price range are usually abused or in some cornball caliber that only wierdo self-loaders are into.

The only thing I would warn you of with the chinese SKS, is that the stock is somewhat shorter than other SKSs out there. No offense to anyone, but the chinaman is a bit smaller, and therefore so is their infantry rifle. My buddy has a norc and when I shoulder it, my neck is craned uncomfortably forward. On the other hand, my Yugoslavian model fits very well. Again, not as nice as say a nice ruger or even your wonderful Henry, but nicer than the short Norc. I would say if you are 5'10" or shorter, it may be just right.

My first gun was an SKS and I love the thing. I enjoyed restoring it from the preservative encased goop in which it sat for 50 years and ironing and re finishing the stock. 7.39x45 is pretty much a .308, which I would rekon is good enough for a hog. At the gun store yesterday (buddy was buying a ruger .308 for deer) an older gentleman from eastern europe was looking to buy a gun for wild hog. After looking at bolt rifles, shotguns, etc, the salesman suggested an SKS, but the guy went with a Mosin Nagant of all things! Two things are certain. One, he will have an inexpensive hog gun. And two, hes gonna blow that piggy straight to the bacon bits!:D

[King Ghidora]

The short stock doesn't bother me and I'm 6' 1". I do like the light recoil. It's probably more like a 30.30 than a .308 though.

My Norinco doesn't shoot anywhere near MOA though. I don't think I've ever seen one that did. Maybe it's just my eyes that can't do it. Come to think of it I've shot it at 300 yards and though I didn't hit paper it was very close and I was shooting standing up. It's not too inaccurate. Possibly if I would mount a scope on mine it would shoot MOA.

[tedwhite]

The SKS rifle stock is not, apparently, too short for me. I'm 5'9" and weigh 150#. At the range, and after my rifle guru buddy taught me how to hold the rifle (butt against shoulder, cheek against stock, etc.), he said, "This rifle was made for you!".

Because I'm a lefty, the ONLY thing so far that I don't like about the SKS is the bolt - having to reach around for it. Which is why I initially chose a Henry as my first rifle.