SKS 18.6" barrel chop, worth it?

louthepou said:
Here's one I shortened last year. cut the front sight and bayo lug block, reinstalled the front sight. Then threaded the barrel and installed a muzzle brake. That way the overall length stays decent even wth a brake.

Disclaimer! No original, number-matching, non-issued, 1949 SKS was hurt in the process! (buggered-up parts were put together to produce this fine specimen). :D
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I like it, nice job as always lou.
 
louthepou said:
Here's one I shortened last year. cut the front sight and bayo lug block, reinstalled the front sight. Then threaded the barrel and installed a muzzle brake. That way the overall length stays decent even wth a brake.

Disclaimer! No original, number-matching, non-issued, 1949 SKS was hurt in the process! (buggered-up parts were put together to produce this fine specimen). :D
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Did you have to make a new slot for the pin since the position is different?
 
Indeed. Once I've chopped the bayo lug off, you try to put it on the barrel. But the few times I've done this job, I've had to clean the barrel a bit - or a lot in one occasion - with fine sanding paper so that the front sight slides all the way in. (bit by bit... you want the front sight to fit tight, but not so tight that you need a sledge hammer to drive it all the way in). Once I'm happy with where it ends up, I mark the barrel through the front sight pin hole, remove the front sight, file a notch of the same diameter as the pin (carefully, and trying to keep it leveled). Then, slide the front sight again, index it one last time, put the pin in.

This thread reminded me how fun this job was so I've decided to do it again on a bubba's SKS I've kept here, so today the motivation was there. Give me a few more minutes I'll bring pics. :)
 
Sorry I didn't think of taking pictures of the early steps (cutting the barrel, and before threading it). It's 30 degrees in the shop now, time for a beer!!!

Lou

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Murray 3-D said:
Not much to be gained.... People do it more for aesthetics. I chopped the bayo lug off my main SKS, don't regret it. Left the barrel at 20" cus I love the look of the longer barrel. That's just my personal preference.
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I left mine at 20" as well. I took the bayonet off but left the lug. I'm not sure what the bayo weighs, maybe less than a pound, but I could feel the difference.
 
louthepou said:
I don't understand this question. Are you asking how I managed to reinstall the front sight?
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yes, I am asking if you re-installed the original sight OR you bought it (aftermarket)
and if you used the original, which looks like it from photos, what mods/ steps did you follow... do u have any photos?
thanks
 
I did it to my SKS. I no longer own that SKS but it looked awesome with the side folder stock. I cut crowned and threaded for an AK slant break. I was going to modify the stock to be an under folder but didn't make it that far before I got bored of it and sold it.

The only SKS that interests me now is a Yugo M59/66. Id leave it the way it is. How awesome is it to tell people you own a gun that is also a grenade launcher.
 
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PECHENEG said:
yes, I am asking if you re-installed the original sight OR you bought it (aftermarket)
and if you used the original, which looks like it from photos, what mods/ steps did you follow... do u have any photos?
thanks
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ok thanks. Indeed I used the original. Removing the bayo lug / front sight block can be a pain sometimes, it can be really tight. Then cutting the bayo lug is a pretty straight forward thing. Reinstalling the front sight requires a bit of care. The barrel is not always perfectly sized and the front sight may not slide all the way to the back of the tapered section of the barrel. So careful use of sand paper strips to reduce the diameter of the barel by a hair or two can be required. You want the front sight to slide tight, not require ridiculous hammering to pound it all the way, but you definitely don't want it to be loose either. then, file a notch for the retaining pin in the right spot. That's about it. I didn't take pictures of these steps unfortunately, sorry. Maybe next time :)
 
Rebel Rouser said:
c7T0S.jpg


Newly manufactured Molot SKS.
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Jason, where could one get this in Canada? I like it.
 
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