pros and cons on SKS

[JERRYS.]

pros: many

cons: very few

bottom line: buy one and consider it money well spent.

[jersurf101]

My Chinese SKS has not malfunctioned at all through 1000 or so rounds. She is pie plate accurate at 100 yards. What's not to like?

[Ignition Override]

We often see the words "battle rifle". Having never been a soldier or LEO, wouldn't a distance described as "self-defense" be covered by an SKS, provided the shooters' eyes can use the leaf sight, or an add-on Tech Sight aperture?

Many SKS were used over the last few years in the battles of eastern Ukraine. They have a longer sight distance than an AK, helping accuracy a bit.

To avoid slam-fires, keep the (SKS) firing pin channel clean.
Murray's Gunsmithing can install a proper spring, along with their unique firing pin in your bolt, thereby sharply reducing the chance of any slam-fire, even with some residue accumulations.

The original Russian SKS rifles had firing pin springs. It's one of the things you can learn on "SKSboards".

[Model12Win]

The pros are it's a damn tough, reliable, relatively handy and potent carbine firing a cheap and plentiful round that accepts handy strippers clips so no magazines to buy or carry around, has enough firepower for defensive duties and is pretty accurate. Not cutting edge tech but still a cool and highly effective little carbine.

The cons? They are becoming more scarce in original military configuration and are starting to command collectors prices. TONS of them have been Bubba'd over the years.

Also not a fan of the grenade launcher equipped Yugos. The launcher is utterly useless for anyone without a steady supply of 22mm rifle grenades and in my personal experience throws off the balance terribly and makes the gun much longer than needed. Some people seem to like them for some reason, though. I don't get it.

The standard variants sans grenade launcher are all great. One of the first long guns I ever bought was a "french tickler" factory 26 Chinese military SKS that was unfired in cosmoline. Yep, I sold it. Massive regret to this day. That gun was impressive and in hindsight I learned one of the highest quality SKSs made anywhere ever.

Such is life!

[jimbob86]

Also not a fan of the grenade launcher equipped Yugos. The launcher is utterly useless for anyone without a steady supply of 22mm rifle grenades and in my personal experience throws off the balance terribly and makes the gun much longer than needed. Some people seem to like them for some reason, though. I don't get it.

The added weight makes it much more comfortable to shoot. Little kids can shoot it all afternoon. And when you can get the ammo for under 5 bucks a box, you can afford to let them shoot all they want.

I also think it would be a hoot to get some training grenades and some blanks and play a gint game of lawn darts...... someday ....

[johnwilliamson062]

Sold my last SKS, a Norinco sporter that took ak mags, last month. No regrets so far. I kept wantimg to like the sks, but only found myself throwing more money after bad trying to make it something it wasn't. If I want to take kids plinking a 22lr will do the trick.

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[HiBC]

I never had the experience of having some communist backed soldier shooting at me and killing my fellow soldiers with one.
That does influence how some folks feel about the SKS.

There was a time when quality Russian 7.62x39 ammo was $70 a thousand delivered from AIM surplus.
I bought a NIB Norinco SKS carbine for $79 just to have a tool to shoot 7 cent 7.62x39.
I can't say I "bonded" with it. But I did come to appreciate it.

Its a pretty good "Volksrifle". Hardchrome bore and gas system,after initial breakin,it was reliable.(My negligence,it was "only a cheap SKS",so I failed to de-gunk the bolt. I had a few doubles. My fault,not the gun) It exceeded my expectations for accuracy.I was surprised.It certainly lives up to the sights on it.
If you can hit it with a lever 30-30,you can hit it with an SKS. Close enough to most non-free float generic AR's,Mini-14's,etc.



Am I glad I bought it for $79 to shoot thousands of rounds of 7 cent ammo?

You bet!!. Would I pay $250 to $350 for one now,to shoot more expensive ammo? No.

But its still an OK "Volksrifle" as an alternative to being unarmed.

Mine was 10 rounds,non removable mag. That makes it legal some places.
Without saying anything bad about the AK 47,I'm just not an AK-47 guy.I'm OK with an SKS.

It will put venison in the freezer. It would stop a home invasion.If I was a shepherd,I could watch the flock.

And,by golly,I had fun busting caps with mine.

[agtman]

Pros and Cons on SKS?

Pros: defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu (da 'Nam).

Cons: that doesn't say much, since anybody can defeat the French.

Take-away: hillbilly 'survival' weapon at best; better choices are out there.

[Ricklin]

Still kick myself for not buying 10 or more when I could get Russians FOR 89 bucks.
Am down to one in the safe. They are a fun little plinker.

Accuracy is so so, kept one on my commercial fish boat for years.

Stick with the stock mags. Don't try to make something it is not.

The SKS has a little gun feel to it, very compact. The honkin 30 round mag destroys that. Not as reliable either.

I can usually win a 30 round mag dump vs. an SKS with 30 rounder. The 30 rounder will likely jam at least once, my stock 10 rounder has never jammed.

[JJ45]

PROS maybe not mentioned yet....Chrome lined chamber and bore on military SKS carbines made after 1950.(but not Yugos)
Fairly compact with the bayonet removed. No high cap mags to get hung up or worry about maintenance and what to do with when empty.
Over built for the cartridge

Many don't know that Simonov designed the PTRS41 14.5mm, Anti Tank rifle. The SKS is said to be a miniature of this weapon and the 7.62X39 1943 cartridge is a miniature of the ant-tank round. Supposedly.

The Russians designed their weapons to function in Siberia or Kazahkstan Enough said about the durability

I have a military Russian (1954 Tula) and a Military ChiCOM 1966 (Factory 26)

The only thing that bothers me is the sights although they are durable, but I can make do with them.
Unless you drill and tap the RECEIVER, most after market peeps and optics either won't hold zero or are, in some other way, impractical.

[JJ45]

Also
A BATTLE RIFLE connotes a full-sized weapon, chambered for a full-powered round (30-06, .303 , .308, etc.) which may or may not be select-fire. Fires from a locked breech and may or may not feature a detachable box mag Examples would include any of the bolt rifles as well as the Garand, FN-FAL, M14/M1A, HK G3, Soviet SVT, etc.

ASSAULT WEAPON;
Carbine size
Select-Fire
Fires from a locked breech
Intermediate cartridge (.30 carbine, X39, .223, ETC.)
Large capacity detachable mags

SKS-Self Loading Carbine

[bn12gg]

Not mentioned but important to us old wood oriented guys -- the red hue on the Arctic birch stock on a Russian SKS is impressive. -- mine gets regular complements at the range. Nothing like a pretty rifle that shoots lights out !

.02. David.

[Guggmeister]

It’s a fun gun. You can consistently hit beer cans at 100m so it’s accurate enough. It’s a good looking gun. Cleaning rod and tools always available. Bayonette is handy at wintertime.

cons:
Trigger.


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[highpower3006]

Pros:

Tough rifle that is accurate enough to hunt with under 200 yards

Left in their original condition, they tend to be very reliable.

Blasting ammo is still fairly inexpensive and accuracy can be improved by shooting better ammo or handloads.

They can still be found for around $300 and that is a bargain for an all milled battle rifle that uses inexpensive and easy to get ammo.

The bayonet on them scares retard liberals, SJW's and other snowflakes.

Cons:

AR worshipers don't like the way they handle and don't like much of anything that isn't an AR.

AK fanboys don't like them because, except for a few rare Chinese models, they don't come with a detachable magazine.

Tackicool fanboys don't like them because of the detachable magazine thing and when someone does install an aftermarket detachable mag, they frequently don't work right. Also it is hard to mount red dot sights, lasers, scopes and other high-speed, low-drag operator type accessories.

Even garden variety SKS's have risen dramatically in price and the cheapskates that remember when they were $69.95 think they are over priced.

[chadio]

Last shot bolt holds open...

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by JJ45

PROS maybe not mentioned yet....Chrome lined chamber and bore on military SKS carbines made after 1950.(but not Yugos)
Fairly compact with the bayonet removed. No high cap mags to get hung up or worry about maintenance and what to do with when empty.
Over built for the cartridge

Many don't know that Simonov designed the PTRS41 14.5mm, Anti Tank rifle. The SKS is said to be a miniature of this weapon and the 7.62X39 1943 cartridge is a miniature of the ant-tank round. Supposedly.

The Russians designed their weapons to function in Siberia or Kazahkstan Enough said about the durability

I have a military Russian (1954 Tula) and a Military ChiCOM 1966 (Factory 26)

The only thing that bothers me is the sights although they are durable, but I can make do with them.
Unless you drill and tap the RECEIVER, most after market peeps and optics either won't hold zero or are, in some other way, impractical.

The rifle, sure, but in no way shape or form is the 7.62x39mm a "miniature" version of the mighty 14.5x114mm. Such is fairly true with something like the .30-06 and .50 BMG, but the ratios and dimensions of those two Soviet cartridges are NOTHING alike, even adjusted for scale.

But yes, the SKS shares the same operating mechanism and many of the same design features as the PTRS-41.

[Wag]

I love mine. Not a great rifle, but it does fine out to about 200 yards.

Also, I bought it when I knew nothing about it for about $120, if I recall correctly. But I was lucky and it has a threaded barrel instead of a pinned barrel and all the part numbers match up.

The best thing is, it's really a ton of fun to shoot.

--Wag--

[Sulaco]

The first gun I ever bought with my own money (I saved up one summer from cutting grass for $10 a yard) was a Norinco SKS complete with everything it imported with, in the box, all the way down to the oiler bottle and sling. It was a sweet, sweet gun. I actually killed Whitetail deer with it, no problem. I wish I still had it. Paid $150. If they were still affordable I'd have one in each vehicle and some around the property for defensive use. Why not? They're basically a low capacity semi-automatic 30-30.

[sarge83]

"The SKS is not a battle rifle."

I have a buddy who was in Vietnam who was shot at by SKS's and he would argue differently.

[sarge83]

I have several norinco's, a nice Russian, a Yugo and a Romanian model which is really nice. I prefer the norincos for the most part. I think the most I paid was $160 for the Romanian several years ago mainly because it was the only one I and the pawn shop had ever seen in our area, most were the norincos.

[Buckeye!]

Pro: eats any 7.62x39 ammo
Pro: Reasonably accurate

Con: ?????

Great little video,, SKS accuracy

https://youtu.be/R-H4ptcHG1w

[ThomasT]

Great video Buckeye.

here was the third thread i ever started when I started posting on forums and asked a question about Chinese SKS rifles and how well they were built.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...an-sks.318230/ Well never mind. My link must be too old. It doesn't work for me even though I just looked it up on THR forum.

I have owned a total of 5 chinese SKS rifles and never had a problem or slamfire with any of them. I only have two left now. A 20" barreled version and the 16 "Paratrooper" model sometimes called the "Cowboy" model. I have only fired 80 rounds from each of these and got them both new.

I like my SKS rifles and have no plans to sell them. They will go to my two sons. The shorter gun will bring a little more money but I really prefer the 20" gun. I like the longer sight radius and the blast being a little further from my face.

I have around 3500 rounds of ammo on hand. All I need for my use. I can't say if they are battle rifles or not. To me they are just a tough, sturdy little rifle that would do for SHTF (I don't like that term) or just a rugged dependable rifle that I can hit a man sized target at 200 yards or with the right ammo use it to kill deer or hogs out to 100 yards or so.

I can't remember if it was here or over on THR that someone posted pictures of hogs they had shot with SKS rifles and 123gr Wolfe brand hollow points but the wounds in the pigs were tremendous. Really nasty holes from those bullets. I have a case of them now.

[ThomasT]

This was the post I was trying to get to in my above faulty link. This should make you feel a little better about Chinese made SKS rifles.

Don't let anyone BS ya bout those pinned barrels they are not simply pressed in then pinned.... the receiver is heated to 800 degrees then the barrel is pressed in even without the pin ya cannot separate them its not possible to press the barrel in otherwise as the barrel journal is almost a full mm oversize, I recently had to put 5 together from original never assembled receivers/parts I destroyed one barrel trying to just press it in with a 30 ton powered press, then consulted our China contact a former Arsenal 26 supervisor he walked me through the proper assembly it was easy when heated properly the receivers are so hard I had a tough time milling the pin hole (these were never assembled Norinco receivers they are "virgin" the pin holes are only marked with a milled "dimple") I tried to remove one barrel after I found a threaded muzzle Type M barrel in the inventory and could not budge it with no pin even drilled yet using the same press that effortlessly presses out AK barrels everyday, I had to reheat the reciever in order to remove the barrel.......

We have 2 barrels mounted on a dealer post sample dual barrel machine gun with a custom receiver I made using SKS bolts single trigger FCG those two barrels have had over 20K rnds full auto fired through em and are just starting to show signs of throat erosion however the original accuracy has went to cr@p because of excessive heat more than bore wear, they are fed by a pair of 100 RND Norinco AK drums which has allowed me to get em literally cherry hot, the next set of barrels are being made now, they are BREN barrels I've turned down to fit the receivers after rechambering to 7.62x39, the gas blocks are milled into each barrel next they will be fluted to help dissipate the heat..... I want to totally burn down the two Norinco barrels first though

[Fjblair]

I have one I bought back in the 90's. I think it's Russian, but not certain.

Pretty sure it's never been shot.

[Kirosha]

Go shoot it, Fjblair. Fun guns to plink with. Decent hunter rifle.