There's hundreds of people that would say "who pays $1000 for a $35 rifle" about a full wood Lee Enfield too
Back to SKS, check gas tube and piston. That should tell you everything you need to know about the care the rifle received during it's life
Questions when buying an SKS
- Thread starter Gindryden
- Start date
There's hundreds of people that would say "who pays $1000 for a $35 rifle" about a full wood Lee Enfield too
Back to SKS, check gas tube and piston. That should tell you everything you need to know about the care the rifle received during it's life
Some good suggestions here...here are my humble observations from experience, so take it for what its worth...my observations are with the Russian guys so that is the context of my comments here...
1. Absolutely check the gas tube / piston rod. I have bought SKSes that have had the rod completely seized in the tube due to rust. Some sellers have indicated that they weren't aware of that. Well, if that piston doesn't move, the gun is not going to function correctly. If the gun has shot corrosive ammunition, this is perhaps the #1 spot to see indications of this. That said, it can be cleaned, though pitting and such never really goes away completely but can be managed. It is possible that the previous owner did not use the gun, or barely used it. But if there is rust in that gas tube, someone shot corrosive through it at some point. That also may spur additional checks that may be needed.
2. for the early 1950s and later Russians, check the bolt to ensure it rattles. If it doesn't, check to see if the firing pin is protruding. If it is, it is likely seized from cosmo or grime. You'll definitely want to take that firing pin out and clean that channel. I have had firing pins seized so much I had to use pliers to take them out - and that's after the retaining pin is already out! Lots of crud in that channel. Once it is cleaned sufficiently you should be able to shake the bolt and hear a clear rattle sound of the free floating firing pin. Do not use the firearm until you hear this. Earlier versions of the SKS (up to 1950 or so I think) had a firing pin spring. It may very well be that with later versions, the owner installed a third party spring kit in which case the firing pin should still move with pushing down on it.
3. If you are adventurous, take the trigger assembly out and disassemble enough observe that the sear moves freely in that channel. I had one that had a failed trigger reset due to the sear being seized due to crud in that channel.
4. Rust may not be visible when the gun is in the stock, If possible, take the gun off the stock and observe for rust, etc. in the areas you would otherwise not see when the gun is fully assembled.
5. Some SKSes have a faulty rear sight that causes the front sight post to be moved all the way to one side. Even then, it still may not shoot accurately.
6. Just because it is caked in cosmoline does not mean it has never been shot. Some people advertise this, or will be so bold to pronounce it has been unfired. I'd be leery of such ads.
1. Absolutely check the gas tube / piston rod. I have bought SKSes that have had the rod completely seized in the tube due to rust. Some sellers have indicated that they weren't aware of that. Well, if that piston doesn't move, the gun is not going to function correctly. If the gun has shot corrosive ammunition, this is perhaps the #1 spot to see indications of this. That said, it can be cleaned, though pitting and such never really goes away completely but can be managed. It is possible that the previous owner did not use the gun, or barely used it. But if there is rust in that gas tube, someone shot corrosive through it at some point. That also may spur additional checks that may be needed.
2. for the early 1950s and later Russians, check the bolt to ensure it rattles. If it doesn't, check to see if the firing pin is protruding. If it is, it is likely seized from cosmo or grime. You'll definitely want to take that firing pin out and clean that channel. I have had firing pins seized so much I had to use pliers to take them out - and that's after the retaining pin is already out! Lots of crud in that channel. Once it is cleaned sufficiently you should be able to shake the bolt and hear a clear rattle sound of the free floating firing pin. Do not use the firearm until you hear this. Earlier versions of the SKS (up to 1950 or so I think) had a firing pin spring. It may very well be that with later versions, the owner installed a third party spring kit in which case the firing pin should still move with pushing down on it.
3. If you are adventurous, take the trigger assembly out and disassemble enough observe that the sear moves freely in that channel. I had one that had a failed trigger reset due to the sear being seized due to crud in that channel.
4. Rust may not be visible when the gun is in the stock, If possible, take the gun off the stock and observe for rust, etc. in the areas you would otherwise not see when the gun is fully assembled.
5. Some SKSes have a faulty rear sight that causes the front sight post to be moved all the way to one side. Even then, it still may not shoot accurately.
6. Just because it is caked in cosmoline does not mean it has never been shot. Some people advertise this, or will be so bold to pronounce it has been unfired. I'd be leery of such ads.
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Caked in cosmo = from long term storage. Could be an arsenal refurb.
The Soviets made sure the rifles were up to spec before mothballing them.
The pass mark was 4 hits fitting within 15 cm circle at 100 m, fired by the best available shooter, prone, supported, iron sights only.
It is a $99 rifle.
It WAS a $99 rifle. It is now a $600 rifle.
Years go I paid $225 for a Breda Garand. Today they are $2500 +
Such is the way of the world.
Supply and demand.
The SKS is a milled (mostly) semi-auto rifle. When they were plentiful (not now) they sold cheap because they were surplus and the market was flooded.
Very few are now being surplussed globally. So the price has gone up for dealers to buy them on the world market.
Try to estimate what it would cost a company to produce an SKS today with all that machining in steel.
Comparable rifles might be guns like the M&M M10X, over $2K.
Thanks for the info folks. Will keep my eyes open. Will keep my eyes peeled for a decent SKS deal.
Have a few projects and a couple trips this summer, and after spending a wad on guns lat summer I need to focus on the projects for now. My dad has an older .303 British that i may start with to see if i enjoy the genre.
Have a few projects and a couple trips this summer, and after spending a wad on guns lat summer I need to focus on the projects for now. My dad has an older .303 British that i may start with to see if i enjoy the genre.
I hope you reload. 303 ammo is not exactly easy to find and can be extremely expensive.
There is some reasonably? priced ammo supply but it is still not overly common.
Fortunately he has a pile of ammo to go with that .303 so hopefully that will hold me until we see some increase in availability. As i said I will be looking for a decent deal on a well taken care of SKS and that is the reason i asked for what to look for on the thread, but any purchase will have to wait until other projects are funded.
Hopefully now you have enough info to see a good deal when it comes along!
With these you need to jump on the deal immediately otherwise it will be gone right away
If I saw a good condition SKS under $500 id be very tempted to pick it up even though i already have a few...
It always happens that way.
I remember buying a pallet of 303 British, manufactured in Greece from International Firearms. There were 100/800ct, heavy steel cans with buna N seals, painted green and made in the early sixties. Beautiful non corrosive and accurate in rifles with decent bores.
At the time, I thought it was expensive $65/crate but only if you bought a whole pallet.
That was appx 1980???
Most of the Greek surplus went to the US and was sold by Century Arms to other smaller distributers and it was all gobbled up within six months.
Sometimes surplus seems to go on forever, take the Mosin variants as an example. I saw thousands of them in storage back in the mid seventies, along with Mausers and just about every other type of WWII small arms in similar quantities.
Most of it was destroyed, but a lot of it, especially the stuff in better condition, was surplussed to the public. Mostly in North America but almost as much ien Europe and some parts of Africa.
When I saw a warehouse full of Vickers machineguns, chambered for 8mm in Angola, I was sure there was a never ending supply.
But when the supply ran out, within a couple of years or less, prices skyrocketed, especially if the quality was good and the pieces became popular.
My first Garand cost me US$55 and it was fresh out of an FTR.
SKS rifles, Mosin rifles are no longer being imported and because they've become popular, prices are tripling or more.
$15 No4 rifles, new in grease at Hudson's Bay or Eaton's were the norm. FMJ ammo was $2.50/50 in the mid sixties.
Those same $15 rifles, if they were kept unused, dry and properly maintained will fetch up to $1500 now to the right buyer.
