pros and cons on SKS

Bennett · April 14, 2018, 12:40 PM

been thinking about SKS rifles,
what is the good, bad and the ugly relating to them

Pilot · April 14, 2018, 02:23 PM

I have two Russian SKS's I bought in the early 90's when they were coming in cheap. They have remained totally stock, and I just use them at the range now, and then, and they are both excellent shooters.

Pros

Reliable
Can easily add a butt pad to add length of pull (which I've done to both)
Solidly made
Easy to load quickly with stripper clips
Battle rifle accurate (two to three inch groups at 100 yds, bench rested with cheap, steel cased ammo, better accuracy with my brass reloads)

Cons

No detachable mags on stock rifles (not a con to me, but to some)
Not as accurate as some other semi auto rifles like an AR-15
Somewhat heavy

chadio · April 14, 2018, 03:48 PM

Own one just like this, some swear it's called a paratrooper, others swear there is no such thing... it is a 'shortened SKS'. Mine is a Norinco. Whatever you want to call it, I really enjoy this rifle and it's my son's favorite.

pros:

- handy size with the 16" barrel
- ammo is plentiful and reasonably priced
- coolest looking battle rifle of all time
- being a gas gun, recoil is very mild

cons:

- trigger takeup is a mile long
- sight radius is too short (recommend tech sights peep modification)

Hanshi · April 14, 2018, 04:15 PM

I also have a "Paratrooper" but have fired it only a few times. Ultra cheap when I got it, way back. Frankly, the only reason I have it is because the Government doesn't want us to have them; and when the Government doesn't want us to have something, that something must be good for us.

Model12Win · April 14, 2018, 05:27 PM

The SKS is not a battle rifle. Its an intermediate caliber semi-automatic gas-operated carbine.

laytonj1 · April 14, 2018, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Model12Win

The SKS is not a battle rifle.

LOL. Unless you get shot by one.
It's just a fun gun to shoot.

Jim

konstan · April 14, 2018, 05:57 PM

I have one of each: Russian, Yugo and Norinco (china)

If I had to pick only two to own, I would get rid of the chinese one

Yugo is beefy but non chrome-lined barrel (just like their AKs). Still, it is a solid rifle and it will last many thousands of rounds if properly maintained.

The Russans are the best of the bunch (my opinion) and the barrels are chrome lined.

Back when SKS were selling for $120 each, I thought they were a tremendous value. At $300 - $400 each, I think they are still worth owning if you understand precisely why you want to own one... It is a mid range assault rifle. It is not made for 500 or even 300 yard shots...

You could hunt whitetails with it but mainly you would do it just so you can say you got one with an SKS

2damnold4this · April 14, 2018, 06:00 PM

I have had two Chinese made SKS rifles that were good shooters. SKSs are not AK47s and trying to turn them into AKs is a mistake, in my opinion. Some people have had problems with slam firing, so check your SKS carefully. I never had any slam firing with my SKS rifles but it can be a problem.

As for reliability, when shooting ball ammo in stock configuration, it was 100%. Messing around with aftermarket detachable magazines was a mistake. One of the two rifles didn't like soft point ammunition but with the factory fixed magazine and ball ammo, both were 100% for thousands of rounds.

Mobuck · April 14, 2018, 06:39 PM

I have 2 SKS rifles but I don't "like" them. Too heavy, clumsy, and inaccurate for the uses I currently have for a semi-auto centerfire rifle at this time. The trigger is gnarly and the safety seems more dangerous than I care to manage under most conditions.

2damnold4this · April 14, 2018, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Back when SKS were selling for $120 each, I thought they were a tremendous value.

That's a good point. I paid $90 for the first and not much more for the second one. I sold them when the price hit $200. If they are going for $400 now, I'd probably not buy one.

TXAZ · April 14, 2018, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Model12Win

The SKS is not a battle rifle. ...

Ummmm, No Model12Win, that is not correct.

More than 15 million have been made and used in battle by forces in Russia, China, Yugoslavia, Romania, Albania, East Germany, North Viet and North Korea.

It may lack the capacity of an AK, but it's a very solid shooter out past the effective range of the AK.

marine6680 · April 14, 2018, 07:36 PM

I think most people think of a full power semi auto as being a "battle rifle"...

Not like there are any set definitions, more general consensus. First step in being a definition though.

The SKS is a rugged rifle, but it isn't perfect. They used to be a great value. Less so now days. If you find one in good enough collector condition, it's good for that.

And they are fun to own and shoot.

It really is down to condition and price... And how much you want one.

konstan · April 14, 2018, 07:36 PM

Lol you guys lets get the definitions straight

Battle rifle = full power autoloading (i.e. 308 FAL)

So, something the SKS is not. Assault rifle (intermediate cartridge, auto loading rifle), yes.

marine6680 · April 14, 2018, 07:38 PM

Well... It's not an assault rifle either...

It's not select fire, it is semi auto only.

It is an intermediate caliber carbine in short configuration... But it's standard configuration is a bit long for a carbine classification.

It's a bit of an odd duck in that regard.

konstan · April 14, 2018, 08:08 PM

Ok how about this: if you like milsurp stuff and can afford to spend 200-300 bucks, then you should consider owning one.

Once it is unpacked and cleaned up, you can get on the googles

and look for all the justification you need (or want) for keeping one.

If you get one for a reasonably decent price and you hate it, getting rid of it won't be difficult.

bn12gg · April 14, 2018, 08:30 PM

I own and shoot quite often a Russian SKS. Ditto on the previous "rugged rifle" comment -- the rifle is built tough, it's reliable and in my case the Arctic birch stock is lovely. I've read that the reddish hue to the Russian stock was accomplished using iodine mixed in with varnish used on these guns. All in all pretty cool military rifles.

.02. David.

riffraff · April 14, 2018, 10:06 PM

To this day I'm still kicking myself for letting mine go - Russian model I bought when I turned 18 in the 90's.

I'm confused about the comment on no detachable mags, maybe referring to something else. We had a few as kids and all of them were off the shelf with "38" round mags.

Anyway - the beauty of the things was this. I never owned a cleaning kit. I may have "oiled" something on it indiscriminately from time to time (get where this is going?

)..

We used them typically in a sand pit that was our playground, in the rain, in the snow, placing them in the dirt, left mine in the trunk amongst filth for weeks, dropped, stepped on, bounced around on ATV's. We bought the cheapest ammo ~1000 rounds at a time, cut down trees with them, pounded rounds into the water because it looked cool - I don't think I ever even made an adjustment to the sight on mine - accurate, probably not but only god knows. Never had a single issue - occasional jam (which I want to say was typically a spent round not making it out and getting smashed holding the bolt open) which you could clear on the spot no problem. Compared to the AR15 it's a much more robust design.

The trouble is now days they are not $200 for surplus or $300 for a "really nice" one anymore - haven't looked into buying one too hard but when I see them in the stores they are always $600+. Where did all those surplus and/or cheap models go from the 90's? - buried in doomsday stashes or what?

Some day I probably will buy another - certainly will if I ever see a cheap one that I know will shoot. In the meantime sooner or later I'm going to pickup a Ruger Mini 14 (thirty or 30 or whatever they call it) that shoots 7.62 X 39. Those are cool too and I'd rather spend $800 on one of those versus an AK/SKS/mach-90 whatever it is they call them now.

jdc1244 · April 14, 2018, 11:02 PM

I have a Chinese SKS – it’s acceptably accurate from a rest, reliable, and recharging the ten round magazine by hand allows for a leisurely, relaxed shooting experience.

kymasabe · April 14, 2018, 11:16 PM

I never had a Yugo because I always thought they were too heavy and I vaguely remember something about adjustable gas valve or some crazy thing going in with them, so I stayed away from them. But, the Russian SKS's that I've had and the Chinese one I had were all great, I wish I still had one. They were 100% reliable, never had a problem with any of them. Friend of mine used to call them "the poor mans Garand". I tried removable magazines and that was a disaster. They work great with the factory fixed mag and are easy to load with stripper clips if you want to load quickly. The rear sight sucks, but Tech Sights makes a really nice SKS rear sight. I found mine to be fairly accurate and ate everything I fed them. I had no complaints, were good guns. Simple to use, easy to clean.

chadio · April 14, 2018, 11:32 PM

The firearm Nazis are alive and well, "The SKS is not a battle rifle"

That's funny.

Danoobie · April 15, 2018, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilot

I have two Russian SKS's I bought in the early 90's when they were coming in cheap. They have remained totally stock, and I just use them at the range now, and then, and they are both excellent shooters.

Pros

Reliable
Can easily add a butt pad to add length of pull (which I've done to both)
Solidly made
Easy to load quickly with stripper clips
Battle rifle accurate (two to three inch groups at 100 yds, bench rested with cheap, steel cased ammo, better accuracy with my brass reloads)

Cons

No detachable mags on stock rifles (not a con to me, but to some)
Not as accurate as some other semi auto rifles like an AR-15
Somewhat heavy

Pros:
Milled receiver
Longer sight radius than an AK
You can load the internal mag while you shoot.
Was made by a few countries, most are very good, new.

Cons:
Costs and values are skyrocketing, they're starting to get pricey.
Detachable mags are jammo jammo, jammo.
Clean ones are getting rarer.
Whupped and bubba'ed ones are junk.

kozak6 · April 15, 2018, 06:55 AM

Pro:
Extreme reliability
Low recoil
Cheap ammo
Reloads quickly for a fixed magazine
Similar ballistics to .30-30, suitable for shorter range hunting

Con:
Same price as budget AR15
Cheap foreign (mostly Russian) ammo might be affected by future sanctions
Moderate to poor accuracy
Most SKS's have been molested with a Tapco catalog
10 round fixed magazine (most hi-caps are bad and fixed)
Poor but fixable trigger
Safety only blocks the trigger

If a fixed mag 10 round semiauto 7.62x39 with a wooden stock and open sights is what you are after, the SKS is the best option.

What the SKS is not, is a poor man's AK. If you are going to get one, it's best enjoyed in stock form, and maybe with Tech Sights. Anything else is approaching mistake territory. The SKS wasn't designed with optics mounting in mind, so most mounts shift or involve some other compromise.

If you have visions of foldy bits and banana clips, you are doing it wrong.

In that case, you are better off with a budget AR15. SKS's are $400-500+ these days, which is budget AR territory.

Mobuck · April 15, 2018, 07:20 AM

"You can load the internal mag while you shoot."

That's trick I'd like to see. The ONLY way to load the darned thing is with the bolt locked open and the ONLY time it locks open is when the magazine is EMPTY.

RUT · April 15, 2018, 08:49 AM

>>I never had any slam firing with my SKS rifles but it can be a problem<<

Nor did I, but I still sent my bolt out to Murray's Gunsmith and had the "fix" done on it.

https://murraysguns.com/sks-firing-pins/

Greguw · April 15, 2018, 09:35 AM

Over priced rifles but I have a few I bought back in the day , my Russians are 1954 both matching numbers and never fired bluing looks like brand new .
I can't believe the price on the Sks , I think I may have paid 75 or 100 bucks and a can of 7.62x39 was 60 bucks ... LOL
I also have a few nice Chinese and a few of the Yugos .
The price on these SKS has gone threw the roof , I shoot the Yugo's the others are just dust collectors as the go up in value .

April 14, 2018, 12:40 PM	#1
Bennett Member Join Date: August 29, 2009 Posts: 85	pros and cons on SKS been thinking about SKS rifles, what is the good, bad and the ugly relating to them

April 14, 2018, 02:23 PM	#2
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	I have two Russian SKS's I bought in the early 90's when they were coming in cheap. They have remained totally stock, and I just use them at the range now, and then, and they are both excellent shooters. Pros Reliable Can easily add a butt pad to add length of pull (which I've done to both) Solidly made Easy to load quickly with stripper clips Battle rifle accurate (two to three inch groups at 100 yds, bench rested with cheap, steel cased ammo, better accuracy with my brass reloads) Cons No detachable mags on stock rifles (not a con to me, but to some) Not as accurate as some other semi auto rifles like an AR-15 Somewhat heavy __________________ Pilot

April 14, 2018, 04:15 PM	#4
Hanshi Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2017 Posts: 239	I also have a "Paratrooper" but have fired it only a few times. Ultra cheap when I got it, way back. Frankly, the only reason I have it is because the Government doesn't want us to have them; and when the Government doesn't want us to have something, that something must be good for us. __________________ Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.

April 14, 2018, 10:06 PM	#17
riffraff Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2016 Posts: 629	To this day I'm still kicking myself for letting mine go - Russian model I bought when I turned 18 in the 90's. I'm confused about the comment on no detachable mags, maybe referring to something else. We had a few as kids and all of them were off the shelf with "38" round mags. Anyway - the beauty of the things was this. I never owned a cleaning kit. I may have "oiled" something on it indiscriminately from time to time (get where this is going? ).. We used them typically in a sand pit that was our playground, in the rain, in the snow, placing them in the dirt, left mine in the trunk amongst filth for weeks, dropped, stepped on, bounced around on ATV's. We bought the cheapest ammo ~1000 rounds at a time, cut down trees with them, pounded rounds into the water because it looked cool - I don't think I ever even made an adjustment to the sight on mine - accurate, probably not but only god knows. Never had a single issue - occasional jam (which I want to say was typically a spent round not making it out and getting smashed holding the bolt open) which you could clear on the spot no problem. Compared to the AR15 it's a much more robust design. The trouble is now days they are not $200 for surplus or $300 for a "really nice" one anymore - haven't looked into buying one too hard but when I see them in the stores they are always $600+. Where did all those surplus and/or cheap models go from the 90's? - buried in doomsday stashes or what? Some day I probably will buy another - certainly will if I ever see a cheap one that I know will shoot. In the meantime sooner or later I'm going to pickup a Ruger Mini 14 (thirty or 30 or whatever they call it) that shoots 7.62 X 39. Those are cool too and I'd rather spend $800 on one of those versus an AK/SKS/mach-90 whatever it is they call them now. Last edited by riffraff; April 14, 2018 at 10:12 PM.

April 14, 2018, 11:16 PM	#19
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	I never had a Yugo because I always thought they were too heavy and I vaguely remember something about adjustable gas valve or some crazy thing going in with them, so I stayed away from them. But, the Russian SKS's that I've had and the Chinese one I had were all great, I wish I still had one. They were 100% reliable, never had a problem with any of them. Friend of mine used to call them "the poor mans Garand". I tried removable magazines and that was a disaster. They work great with the factory fixed mag and are easy to load with stripper clips if you want to load quickly. The rear sight sucks, but Tech Sights makes a really nice SKS rear sight. I found mine to be fairly accurate and ate everything I fed them. I had no complaints, were good guns. Simple to use, easy to clean. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

April 14, 2018, 05:27 PM	#5
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	The SKS is not a battle rifle. Its an intermediate caliber semi-automatic gas-operated carbine.

April 14, 2018, 05:57 PM	#7
konstan Member Join Date: February 28, 2017 Posts: 55	I have one of each: Russian, Yugo and Norinco (china) If I had to pick only two to own, I would get rid of the chinese one Yugo is beefy but non chrome-lined barrel (just like their AKs). Still, it is a solid rifle and it will last many thousands of rounds if properly maintained. The Russans are the best of the bunch (my opinion) and the barrels are chrome lined. Back when SKS were selling for $120 each, I thought they were a tremendous value. At $300 - $400 each, I think they are still worth owning if you understand precisely why you want to own one... It is a mid range assault rifle. It is not made for 500 or even 300 yard shots... You could hunt whitetails with it but mainly you would do it just so you can say you got one with an SKS

April 14, 2018, 06:00 PM	#8
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	I have had two Chinese made SKS rifles that were good shooters. SKSs are not AK47s and trying to turn them into AKs is a mistake, in my opinion. Some people have had problems with slam firing, so check your SKS carefully. I never had any slam firing with my SKS rifles but it can be a problem. As for reliability, when shooting ball ammo in stock configuration, it was 100%. Messing around with aftermarket detachable magazines was a mistake. One of the two rifles didn't like soft point ammunition but with the factory fixed magazine and ball ammo, both were 100% for thousands of rounds.

April 14, 2018, 06:39 PM	#9
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	I have 2 SKS rifles but I don't "like" them. Too heavy, clumsy, and inaccurate for the uses I currently have for a semi-auto centerfire rifle at this time. The trigger is gnarly and the safety seems more dangerous than I care to manage under most conditions.

April 14, 2018, 07:36 PM	#12
marine6680 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 4,594	I think most people think of a full power semi auto as being a "battle rifle"... Not like there are any set definitions, more general consensus. First step in being a definition though. The SKS is a rugged rifle, but it isn't perfect. They used to be a great value. Less so now days. If you find one in good enough collector condition, it's good for that. And they are fun to own and shoot. It really is down to condition and price... And how much you want one.

April 14, 2018, 07:38 PM	#14
marine6680 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 4,594	Well... It's not an assault rifle either... It's not select fire, it is semi auto only. It is an intermediate caliber carbine in short configuration... But it's standard configuration is a bit long for a carbine classification. It's a bit of an odd duck in that regard.

April 14, 2018, 08:08 PM	#15
konstan Member Join Date: February 28, 2017 Posts: 55	Ok how about this: if you like milsurp stuff and can afford to spend 200-300 bucks, then you should consider owning one. Once it is unpacked and cleaned up, you can get on the googles and look for all the justification you need (or want) for keeping one. If you get one for a reasonably decent price and you hate it, getting rid of it won't be difficult.

April 14, 2018, 08:30 PM	#16
bn12gg Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2011 Location: Winter Park, Florida Posts: 470	I own and shoot quite often a Russian SKS. Ditto on the previous "rugged rifle" comment -- the rifle is built tough, it's reliable and in my case the Arctic birch stock is lovely. I've read that the reddish hue to the Russian stock was accomplished using iodine mixed in with varnish used on these guns. All in all pretty cool military rifles. .02. David.

April 14, 2018, 11:02 PM	#18
jdc1244 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 532	I have a Chinese SKS – it’s acceptably accurate from a rest, reliable, and recharging the ten round magazine by hand allows for a leisurely, relaxed shooting experience.

April 14, 2018, 11:32 PM	#20
chadio Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2011 Posts: 931	The firearm Nazis are alive and well, "The SKS is not a battle rifle" That's funny. __________________ Ex - Navy, Persian Gulf Veteran. Loved shooting the M14, 1911, M60, M2

April 15, 2018, 06:55 AM	#22
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,113	Pro: Extreme reliability Low recoil Cheap ammo Reloads quickly for a fixed magazine Similar ballistics to .30-30, suitable for shorter range hunting Con: Same price as budget AR15 Cheap foreign (mostly Russian) ammo might be affected by future sanctions Moderate to poor accuracy Most SKS's have been molested with a Tapco catalog 10 round fixed magazine (most hi-caps are bad and fixed) Poor but fixable trigger Safety only blocks the trigger If a fixed mag 10 round semiauto 7.62x39 with a wooden stock and open sights is what you are after, the SKS is the best option. What the SKS is not, is a poor man's AK. If you are going to get one, it's best enjoyed in stock form, and maybe with Tech Sights. Anything else is approaching mistake territory. The SKS wasn't designed with optics mounting in mind, so most mounts shift or involve some other compromise. If you have visions of foldy bits and banana clips, you are doing it wrong. In that case, you are better off with a budget AR15. SKS's are $400-500+ these days, which is budget AR territory.

April 15, 2018, 07:20 AM	#23
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	"You can load the internal mag while you shoot." That's trick I'd like to see. The ONLY way to load the darned thing is with the bolt locked open and the ONLY time it locks open is when the magazine is EMPTY.

April 15, 2018, 08:49 AM	#24
RUT Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2004 Location: NH, USA Posts: 812	>>I never had any slam firing with my SKS rifles but it can be a problem<< Nor did I, but I still sent my bolt out to Murray's Gunsmith and had the "fix" done on it. https://murraysguns.com/sks-firing-pins/ __________________ Liberals don't care what you do... as long as it's mandated.

April 15, 2018, 09:35 AM	#25
Greguw Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2006 Location: Bucks County , Pa Posts: 519	Over priced rifles but I have a few I bought back in the day , my Russians are 1954 both matching numbers and never fired bluing looks like brand new . I can't believe the price on the Sks , I think I may have paid 75 or 100 bucks and a can of 7.62x39 was 60 bucks ... LOL I also have a few nice Chinese and a few of the Yugos . The price on these SKS has gone threw the roof , I shoot the Yugo's the others are just dust collectors as the go up in value .