The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Art of the Rifle: Semi-automatics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old November 5, 2019, 04:09 AM   #26
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Russian SKS.

A few of you know about Tech Sights for SKS, AKs, Marlin 60s etc?
This can make a decent SKS’ accuracy much better than some aperture sight AR guys might want to see happen.
Ignition Override is offline  
Old November 5, 2019, 06:10 AM   #27
jetinteriorguy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2013
Posts: 3,150
I remember the first time I saw an SKS. It was in a Coast to Coast store and was priced at around $70.00, or three for $185.00 if I recall somewhat correctly. I thought, wow what a deal. Then I picked one up and thought, what a piece of junk and put it back. Of course, that was a bad decision. Now I hear how people just love these things, so I get tempted. Then I pick one up, but I put them back and at current prices just can't justify buying one. Probably another bad decision but that's how I see it. I have two nice Henry lever actions and no SKS's in my safe and that's the way it will stay. Love the lever's.
jetinteriorguy is offline  
Old November 5, 2019, 04:39 PM   #28
Fishbed77
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2010
Posts: 4,862
Quote:
A few of you know about Tech Sights for SKS, AKs, Marlin 60s etc?
This can make a decent SKS’ accuracy much better than some aperture sight AR guys might want to see happen.
Yes - the Tech Sights are good, but when considering a Russian SKS as a collectible rifle (and it is that at this point), it makes more sense to me to enjoy it in its original military-issued form.

And while Tech Sights may make it easier to shoot accurately for some folks, they will never make it as ultimately accurate as a quality AR-15. There are just too many other mechanical factors at play, not to mention the limitations of the 7.62x39mm cartridge.

But that's OK. Let the SKS be what it is and it enjoy it as the piece of history it is. If you want an accurate self-loading rifle, go get an AR-15 and save some money (who ever thought we'd be saying that!).
Fishbed77 is offline  
Old November 5, 2019, 06:05 PM   #29
Siggy-06
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 2, 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,148
I would go with the JM Marlin for sure. .44 mag in a lever action makes a nice hunting cartridge.
__________________
Flicks just like a lighter, just a different kind of fire.
Siggy-06 is offline  
Old November 5, 2019, 09:53 PM   #30
CLC
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 8, 2011
Posts: 603
44 AMP
How do you figure there are lots of fakes?

Going back to the original question i guess it comes down to what you really want. You want a milsurp collectable or a civi collectable? Milsurp the SKS is easily the answer hands down. I still cant get used to the price though id much rather have a 100 yr old mosin nagant if eastern block weapons are your thing. Im on a N.E.W./Remington m/n91 kick myself. That being said lever gun SA revolvers are really fun combos. If youll shoot the levergun more id go with that. Currently all i have is a mis matched chinese SKS. Its surprisinlgy accurat.
__________________
In god we trust, all others must pay cash.
CLC is offline  
Old November 6, 2019, 01:20 AM   #31
44 AMP
Staff
 
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,675
Perhaps "a lot" of fakes was overstating it a bit, but anytime there's money to be made, some people will cheat to get it.

What makes a rare variant valuable is its scarcity, and if the distinguishing feature of the variant is a certain marking, some one will create a forgery if possible.

Though not the SKS, some guns become more valuable because they are matching numbers, so "Force matches" become profitable and a forgery if claimed to be original.

Think there isn't some genoowine original Rusky SKS being sold with a Soviet receiver and Hungarian or even Egyptian parts?

IF you're collecting and even if expert the rule is "buy the gun, not the story".
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.
44 AMP is offline  
Old November 8, 2019, 10:11 PM   #32
doofus47
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 9, 2010
Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent
Posts: 2,483
I had a Russian SKS once. Loved that gun.
__________________
I'm right about the metric system 3/4 of the time.
doofus47 is offline  
Old November 14, 2019, 01:38 PM   #33
modelgunshop
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 13, 2019
Location: United States
Posts: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishbed77 View Post
I have to agree. While Russian SKS rifles were made in far greater numbers than the Marlin Cowboy Edition, they have an intrinsic historical value for many that a commercial Marlin just doesn't have, and history has shown that there has been a pretty significant increase in value since imports of these surplus rifles have dried up.

I don't see it being unreasonable to think that newer generations may have less interest/nostalgia for old lever-actions than older generations did (though the Red Dead Redemption & Battlefield 1 factors is a real, if temporary factors to take into account that can affect the value of firearms from certain historical eras - just as Western movies & TV drove interest in cowboy-style firearms). That said, the real cowboy era is long gone, but most of us here were alive during the Cold War, and that is continuing to drive interest in military firearms of that era. And unlike most AKs, ARs, and other self-loading military rifle designs since WW2, a Russian SKS is a real as-issued weapon of war, as opposed to a clone or parts-kit build.

That said, get what you want, or save up and get both. As 44AMP said, they both have value to someone. JM-marked rifles are nicely made and fun to own.

.
Also agree with this. The history would do it for me ... SKS all the way.
__________________
Model Gun Shop
High quality miniature replica rifle kits. Collectible, non-firing toy models for gun enthusiasts and #2A supporters.
modelgunshop is offline  
Old November 15, 2019, 12:07 AM   #34
bobn
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 30, 2006
Location: midwest
Posts: 1,098
must be weird. I have had several sks guns. would not care to have any of them back again regardless of origin.
...any version of a marlin, wether a cowboy, waffle top, 39, etc would be preferable. it would take a mint 30 cal carbine before I would roll over. jmho.

Last edited by bobn; November 15, 2019 at 12:33 AM.
bobn is offline  
Old November 15, 2019, 01:47 AM   #35
bamaranger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,273
Marlin

No question at all. I'm not a fan of the SKS in any way shape or form. I like the 7.62x39 cartridge a great deal, but the SKS is not the launcher for me.
bamaranger is offline  
Old December 1, 2019, 06:16 PM   #36
Average Joe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 29, 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,323
Russian SKS , hands down.
Average Joe is offline  
Old December 4, 2019, 12:16 AM   #37
Pathfinder45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 7, 2008
Posts: 3,224
Marlin.
Pathfinder45 is offline  
Old December 4, 2019, 12:30 AM   #38
Ignition Override
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 18, 2008
Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy
Posts: 2,884
Fishbed77: That's good advice, but I'm not interested in the most accurate self-loading rifles, and have never owned a scope or red dot etc.

That's why my semi-auto rifles now consist of a brand-new Czech CSA VZ-58 (milled, "striker"-fired) along with the four imported AK clones. Character, ruggedness & simplicity.

A Russian SKS would be nice, along with the very attractive reddish-brown birch wood.
Ignition Override is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:31 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06752 seconds with 8 queries