J&G Gunsmith Special SKS

Hdonly · June 27, 2017, 09:25 PM

Took my J&G Gunsmith Special $249.00 SKS out to my shooting range again today. Ran about 250 rounds through it. I swear that I like it better than my much newer and prettier Norinco SKS. This thing looks rough. Bluing is about gone. Stock was so beat up that I found another one. But, dang it is a shooter. At about 40 yards I was bouncing paint cans all over the place. Me without my glasses and iron sights. I just love this thing. 1962 Albanian-Chinese. I could squirrel hunt with this rifle if I didn't want to eat them. That would be kinda overkill. I could hit a spray paint can 10 times out of ten rounds. I just checked J&G and they are all gone. I was thinking about ordering another one just to see what I would get.

the possum · June 27, 2017, 10:45 PM

FMJ ammo doesn't tear up squirrels too bad. Best to hit them in the head, but that's true with .22lr as well.

Hdonly · June 28, 2017, 10:22 AM

True that. But my 10-22 is my squirrel gun. It is scoped and I can shoot their eye out with it. I love this SKS though. Not one failure of any kind since I got it. It shoots any ammo I put in it. Even these:

rickyrick · June 28, 2017, 11:18 AM

This is what it's all about, finding a favorite and shooting the tar out it.

mellow_c · June 28, 2017, 10:53 PM

If I had know about this deal I might have picked one up. I'm glad you got such a good shooter!!!

I regrettably sold my one and only SKS many years ago. I picked up a Yugo that was in great condition and still in the cosmoline for $175 I think... And then because I was a little put off by the effort involved to clean it up, I sold I to a friend to fund a dime a dozen handgun purchase.

He ended up cleaning it up and shooting it and he said it was a perfect rifle, accurate and reliable!!! Then he decided to put on a new stock and extended magazine and the rifle started to malfunction from all the junk he put on it... I guess he ended up selling it to another guy and it sounded like it may have ended up being used for parts...

If your out there old SKS of mine, I just want you to know, I'm sorry.

Model12Win · June 28, 2017, 11:00 PM

Looks like a good little blaster rifle. You should put a red dot scout scope on it and run TAPCO extended mags.

FrankenMauser · June 29, 2017, 01:45 AM

Quote:

I love this SKS though. Not one failure of any kind since I got it. It shoots any ammo I put in it. Even these:

Those PPU 123 gr SPs are no joke.
They feed like butter and perform as advertised.

Don't knock 'em just because they look different.

Hdonly · June 29, 2017, 12:25 PM

I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't knocking the soft point rounds. I was praising my gun for shooting them so reliably. It hasn't failed on any rounds I have run through it. Those will be my hunting round for deer and pigs.

Model12Win · June 29, 2017, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hdonly

I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't knocking the soft point rounds. I was praising my gun for shooting them so reliably. It hasn't failed on any rounds I have run through it. Those will be my hunting round for deer and pigs.

Should make a good little stopper for oinkers.

HistoryJunky · June 29, 2017, 05:48 PM

I bought a beater Chinese SKS from a gun shop about 3 months ago and was also amazed at how well it shoots. I'll have to look into those PPU loads.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk

Ricklin · June 29, 2017, 05:57 PM

Made a buddy of mine a bet, you shoot thirty rounds rapid fire, i shoot thirty rounds rapid fire.
You use your 30 round extended magazine, I'll use my box mag and two stripper clips.

I won, because of course his SKS jammed, mine did not.

The SKS is what it is, and that's a good thing. IMHO the only worthwhile upgrade is the sights.

the possum · June 29, 2017, 07:40 PM

I've been using a 30 round duckbill mag on mine since I got it back in the early 90s. It has been just as reliable as the 10 round fixed mag. I didn't have the internet to tell me that was a bad idea back then. I also didn't have anybody to tell me I shoulda bought a couple crates full of 'em when they were still $80 apiece.

Hdonly · June 29, 2017, 09:12 PM

I have a 30 round magazine that I got with my Norinco. It jammed a few times, so I put the original 10 rounder on it and never looked back. I have lots of stripper clips. The 30 rounders get in the way when on a bench or laying prone. The stripper clips are really easy to use. I even found an original Chinese ammo belt that has ten pockets. Holds 100 rounds on stripper clips. It may hold 200 after it stretches out a bit. It's old brand new canvas.

TRX · June 30, 2017, 12:44 AM

I turned my nose up at the SKSs back when they were cheap. Fixed magazine, only held ten rounds, ugly, and back then 7.62x39 was rare and expensive. By the time I realized that the Simonov was quite an interesting design, the prices had jumped sharply.

A couple of years ago I snagged a Chinese SKS action that, as far as I could tell, had never been fired. No marks on the feed ramp or follower, anyway. I thought I might inlet a stock blank for it. Since I was unsure of the inlet shape, I bought a cheap stock off eBay. Looked like kids had used it for sword fighting, but it would do.

When I put the stock on the rifle and swung it around... it's lumpy and funny-looking, but it's perfectly proportioned and balanced. Ever try a gun that just felt "right" when you handled it? Like that. It's still ugly, but it points and holds so nice, I decided to just save up and buy a new milsurp stock for it.

Hdonly · June 30, 2017, 11:31 AM

Oh, come on now. Nothing ugly about an SKS. Most have excellent machine work and as reliable as a Timex watch. It is kind of amazing how parts from so many different countries and different manufacturers will fit and function as well as they do when mixed together. I think they are one of the best looking battle rifles ever made. Does my prejudice show at all? Look at this pig:

June 29, 2017, 05:57 PM	#11
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,013	No extended mags Made a buddy of mine a bet, you shoot thirty rounds rapid fire, i shoot thirty rounds rapid fire. You use your 30 round extended magazine, I'll use my box mag and two stripper clips. I won, because of course his SKS jammed, mine did not. The SKS is what it is, and that's a good thing. IMHO the only worthwhile upgrade is the sights. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

June 27, 2017, 10:45 PM	#2
the possum Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2004 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 555	FMJ ammo doesn't tear up squirrels too bad. Best to hit them in the head, but that's true with .22lr as well.

June 28, 2017, 10:22 AM	#3
Hdonly Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Posts: 340	True that. But my 10-22 is my squirrel gun. It is scoped and I can shoot their eye out with it. I love this SKS though. Not one failure of any kind since I got it. It shoots any ammo I put in it. Even these:

June 28, 2017, 11:18 AM	#4
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	This is what it's all about, finding a favorite and shooting the tar out it.

June 28, 2017, 10:53 PM	#5
mellow_c Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,862	If I had know about this deal I might have picked one up. I'm glad you got such a good shooter!!! I regrettably sold my one and only SKS many years ago. I picked up a Yugo that was in great condition and still in the cosmoline for $175 I think... And then because I was a little put off by the effort involved to clean it up, I sold I to a friend to fund a dime a dozen handgun purchase. He ended up cleaning it up and shooting it and he said it was a perfect rifle, accurate and reliable!!! Then he decided to put on a new stock and extended magazine and the rifle started to malfunction from all the junk he put on it... I guess he ended up selling it to another guy and it sounded like it may have ended up being used for parts... If your out there old SKS of mine, I just want you to know, I'm sorry.

June 28, 2017, 11:00 PM	#6
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Looks like a good little blaster rifle. You should put a red dot scout scope on it and run TAPCO extended mags.

June 29, 2017, 12:25 PM	#8
Hdonly Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Posts: 340	I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't knocking the soft point rounds. I was praising my gun for shooting them so reliably. It hasn't failed on any rounds I have run through it. Those will be my hunting round for deer and pigs.

June 29, 2017, 05:48 PM	#10
HistoryJunky Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Location: Freeport, IL Posts: 833	I bought a beater Chinese SKS from a gun shop about 3 months ago and was also amazed at how well it shoots. I'll have to look into those PPU loads. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk

June 29, 2017, 07:40 PM	#12
the possum Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2004 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 555	I've been using a 30 round duckbill mag on mine since I got it back in the early 90s. It has been just as reliable as the 10 round fixed mag. I didn't have the internet to tell me that was a bad idea back then. I also didn't have anybody to tell me I shoulda bought a couple crates full of 'em when they were still $80 apiece.

June 30, 2017, 12:44 AM	#14
TRX Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2008 Location: central Arkansas Posts: 400	I turned my nose up at the SKSs back when they were cheap. Fixed magazine, only held ten rounds, ugly, and back then 7.62x39 was rare and expensive. By the time I realized that the Simonov was quite an interesting design, the prices had jumped sharply. A couple of years ago I snagged a Chinese SKS action that, as far as I could tell, had never been fired. No marks on the feed ramp or follower, anyway. I thought I might inlet a stock blank for it. Since I was unsure of the inlet shape, I bought a cheap stock off eBay. Looked like kids had used it for sword fighting, but it would do. When I put the stock on the rifle and swung it around... it's lumpy and funny-looking, but it's perfectly proportioned and balanced. Ever try a gun that just felt "right" when you handled it? Like that. It's still ugly, but it points and holds so nice, I decided to just save up and buy a new milsurp stock for it.

June 30, 2017, 11:31 AM	#15
Hdonly Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Posts: 340	Oh, come on now. Nothing ugly about an SKS. Most have excellent machine work and as reliable as a Timex watch. It is kind of amazing how parts from so many different countries and different manufacturers will fit and function as well as they do when mixed together. I think they are one of the best looking battle rifles ever made. Does my prejudice show at all? Look at this pig: