Help me decide

[YankeeIronSights]

Hi Everyone,

As a collector, which of these rifles would you prefer to have in your gun collection? Why? None would be used for anything other than plinking and fun at the range. I own other better rifles for hunting and home defense.

Russian SKS with black bayonet (stock in fair condition)

or

Marlin Cowboy Edition with octagonal barrel .44 Magnum (in like new condition). With JM stamp.

Your feedback will be appreciated.


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[Ben Dover]

SKS.

[YankeeIronSights]

I know that the SKS uses cheaper ammo but the Marlin uses a pistol cartridge that can be reloaded for a lower cost. Any other pros and cons?


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[bfoosh006]

My SKS is built like you could fix it with a hammer, Lol

Don't expect it to be very precise, with the groups... but for not very expensive to shoot firearm, that still has some meaningful "power", and distance... I vote SKS.

I have both... A Chinese SKS, and a 16" Winc. 44Mag ... the SKS is more "fun" for most everyone that shoots it. Me included.
The 44Mag .. everyone enjoys.. but typically want to shoot the SKS more. I bought the 44Mag 16" as a companion to the Ruger 44Mag.

Another bonus, is..my SKS can use stripper clips to reload... fast and simple.

The SKS is kind of crudely built... by it just works everytime.

[YankeeIronSights]

Agree. I like the idea of owning a rifle to accompany a same caliber revolver..


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[Targa]

SKS

[jetinteriorguy]

I have three combo's. A Henry BBS in .357mag that accompanies several S&W's in .38sp/.357mag. A Henry BBS in .41mag that accompanies a couple S&W model 57's. And a Just Right Carbine in 9mm that accompanies several pistols and can be configured for either Glock mags for high cap,or M&P mags to match my M&P. So yes, I too am a big fan of rifles and handguns in matching calibers.

[T. O'Heir]

"...uses cheaper ammo..." Do not shoot collector pieces. The SKS might be a collector piece, eventually. A Marlin will not, except maybe to a Marlin collector. They're already arguing about 'em. Pre-Remington Marlin vs not.
https://forums.sassnet.com/index.php...mited-edition/
Kind of doubt a .44 Mag would ever be a collector's piece though.
"...cartridge that can be reloaded..." So can 7.62 x 39.

[JJ45]

Originally Posted by YankeeIronSights

Hi Everyone,

As a collector, which of these rifles would you prefer to have in your gun collection? Why? None would be used for anything other than plinking and fun at the range. I own other better rifles for hunting and home defense.

Russian SKS with black bayonet (stock in fair condition)

or

Marlin Cowboy Edition with octagonal barrel .44 Magnum (in like new condition). With JM stamp.

Your feedback will be appreciated.


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A Russian SKS with a black bayonet?...W/O knowing all the info about this weapon, it could be one of the rarer Russians as most are refurbs and equipped with chrome plated bayonets and laminated stocks.

But there are many variables in SKS carbines, date and where manufactured (Tula or Ishevsk) overall condition, all matching serial#s?, altered?, etc, etc, etc.

The black bayonet could mean an original, unaltered specimen...if it is a black spike- an ultra rare 1949 model....or OTOH, a painted blade or possibly an Albanian spike adapted to this weapon using the appropriate stock cut for the spike, etc. A lot of ifs, buts, and whens

IMO, for plinking, the SKS, whether you reload or not would be more fun and economical...but it really comes down to what YOU enjoy shooting the most!

[CLC]

As a milsurp collector I agree the SKS would be the best choice listed. That being said if you shoot 44. Mag id take a long hard look at the levergun. I do think SKS's are overpriced though. Even the Russian ones. For the price you can find alot of other cool milsurp.

[JJ45]

Hunting and home defense....Jeff Cooper opined that the best choice for a "police rifle" would be a compact lever gun, Win 94, Marlin 336 in 30-30 or .44 magnum.

As a hunting gun, for me there would be no question since in PA. semis are not legal for big game....for HD, it's a toss up

[precision_shooter]

Marlin. Not a Remlin...

[44 AMP]

The MARLIN!!!!

Without a moment's hesitation!!

Not that the SKS isn't a fun gun, but its an obsolete mass produced Combloc military rifle, with a bazillion variations. People got interested in them because after the fall of the Soviet Union, lots and lots of them got sold here, dirt cheap. Some folks are now collecting them, and "rare variations" are worth more, but there are also a lot of fakes.

Since you don't mention the cost/value of the guns being considered, we'll leave that aside.

The big thing for me, in favor of the Marlin is simply that its NOT a semi auto. ALL semi auto rifles are at the top of the gun banners hit list now, and, despite our best efforts, it is entirely possible that in the not too distant future, owning one will be a major hassle, or even completely prohibited.

Simply put, if they get to take any of them away, they will take that SKS right away, and ignore the Marlin.

My state passed a law a bit ago that requires an extra fee, a special class, an extended waiting period, and some other things in order to buy ANY "semiautomatic assault rifle".

So, I'd pick the Marlin, its a prettier gun (to me) and its a "cowboy" gun, not a "terrorist weapon". This might not matter much to you, today, but someday, it might.

of course, the true collector's answer isn't one or the other, its "get both!!"

[JJ45]

Originally Posted by CLC

As a milsurp collector I agree the SKS would be the best choice listed. That being said if you shoot 44. Mag id take a long hard look at the levergun. I do think SKS's are overpriced though. Even the Russian ones. For the price you can find alot of other cool milsurp.

Good points. but I have wondered for a long time what it would cost a modern manufacturer to build an SKS from scratch today...take the common laminated wood stock for instance. For what I can see, the SKS is all steel...I'm not sure about this and that's why I ask. But for this reason, I don't think an SKS, in good condition, is over-priced.

I only have one SKS now but have owned others in the past, all Russian or Chinese military.
I used to shoot them quite often given the price of steel case back then and cannot ever remember a malfunction of any kind.

The accuracy wasn't to my liking and in my experience the accuracy is far inferior to the M1 Garand. It is probably combat accurate enough though and I think Simonov, and the powers to be, placed a higher premium on reliability, durability and the ability to function in all kinds of environments. Accuracy being a little farther down on the list of priorities.

[mellow_c]

I’m surprised at how many are voting for the sks.

I’d go for the Marlin.

That’s a beautiful model with the octagon barrel. What a neat rifle!!!

Yes the Russian sks would be real neat too. But I personally think I’d get more enjoyment from just looking at and handling the Marlin. As far as shooting them goes, I’d probably call it a draw.

Of course the sks would be much cheaper to shoot unless you reload.

If reloading is a reality for you, I’d pick the Marlin in a heart beat.

[AgedWarrior]

Absolutely the Marlin, nice lever gun!

[10-96]

I thought about the OP's question for a bit. I wondered about his age, possible usage, background, outdoor, and possible shooting interests... But I still come up with a vote for the Marlin.

[Skans]

As a collector, the authentic Russian made SKS. The other one is just a new lever action rifle. It might be collectible in 100 years.

[Targa]

^^^This. I love lever guns but that Russian SKS is only going to go up in price , the Marlin isn’t going anywhere.

[GaryED50]

SKS For certain

Gary

[44 AMP]

As a collector, the authentic Russian made SKS. The other one is just a new lever action rifle. It might be collectible in 100 years.

^^^This. I love lever guns but that Russian SKS is only going to go up in price , the Marlin isn’t going anywhere.

There are all kinds of "collectors", some don't care much about what you care about, and vice versa. And while the SKS has gone up a lot since the time when $200 would get you the rifle, and enough accessories and ammo to fill a pickup truck, and will go up more, over time, everything goes up, over time, its the way our system works now.

Don't count on that Marlin "not going anywhere", it's an uncommon, deluxe variation and will never be made in anything like the numbers of SKS's even if you limit your count of SKS's just to authentic Russian made ones...

There is one thing that will inflate the price of the SKS that won't affect the Marlin, and that is laws regulating/restricting semi autos. So there is an argument for "get one now, while you still can". Still, for me (and I've had SKS's and AKs) the Marlin is a better carbine, unless you are into combat simulation games,.

[PatientWolf]

personally, I’d go for the Marlin. The fact that you posted in the semi-automatic sub-forum leads me to believe you may have a preference for a semi-automatic, but that may be an unfair conclusion.

I would expect, at minimum, the fact that you have posted in the semi-automatic forum that you would get a much higher number of votes for the SKS.

It would be interesting to see the results if you were to pose the same question in the lever action sub-forum.

[dyl]

Marlin. I already have semi auto rifles (and an SKS), but no lever action. Lever actions give you more you can "fiddle with" and have fun dry firing, and help you get in touch with your inner cowboy.

It may depend on what you have already.

[Fishbed77]

^^^This. I love lever guns but that Russian SKS is only going to go up in price, the Marlin isn’t going anywhere.

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.

.

[kenny53]

I have a Marlin (jm) 357 that I enjoy a lot. Don't have an SKS but do have a couple of AK's. that are mainly used out in the desert mag dumps. Each gun has their place. I think I save for both but get the Marlin first. A lever action with a octagon barrel is just a classic looking gun.