Is the Russian SKS the best?

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Is the Russian SKS the best, I hear great things about the Asian SKS rifles but some people say that the Russians make the highest quality and the most accurate SKS rifles. So whats the story, I know that Asian imports are frowned upon in some circles but which do you prefer any why.

Also I want my first semi rifle to be a modern, customized SKS, with a removable mag, synthetic black stock. So if you have something similar please post a picture and describe what you have changed and how much it cost to do so.

Thank you for reading
 
the russians are the best based on thier quality of machinework and fitting. The finish is also nicer. The chinese ones can go either way some are beautiful, some are crap, I wouldn't buy a chinese I couldn't hold in my hand first.

I would suggest a cz858 as your first semi rather than a modded sks.
 
Surlus rifles dot com did an interesting (if small) accuracy comparison with three or four SKS's and found that the Chinese SKS was actually the most accurate. They were testing the classic SKS though, not an SKS-D like you are referring to.
 
I think he be better of with a norc and customize it to be more up to date. Tapco comes to mind :)

Russians should stay stock. or stockish.
 
I like the yugo's. I have owned a norico and it wans't bad but what a differance yugo makes. very accurate for an sks
 
it depends on your budget , if its under $300 then forget yugo and the SKS-D .

that leaves you the norinco and the russian but russian wont arrive till later this year and if you are ordering one now , then fat chance in getting it so norinco/chinese are your only option .

if quality is your concern then buy a early chinese (late 60s and earlier) , quality will match any SKS produced , even the russian . thereafter the norinco which are commercially produced can be very iffy , range from sh*tty to good .
 
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the russian and chinese are the only ones with the chrome lined barrels..the yugo have a bit heavier barrel to compensate but i would still pick a yugo before the chinese one,never saw a chinese one yet that was not sloppy, stamped parts as well not machined. i would still like to to get a rusky
 
the russian and chinese are the only ones with the chrome lined barrels
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Not quite true. The very early Russians were not chromed. My 1950 is not chromed. I believe 1949-1951 is not chromed, not exactly possitive on that but I am sure Curton will correct me :D if I am wrong on the dates.
 
And the earliest chinese SKS were all machined. Mine is from the first import wave and there is absolutely NO stamped parts, except for some trigger parts. The machining is also well produced, with a minimum of tool marks.
The barrel is threaded, not pinned, too. It is a Poly-Technologies, arsenal 26. I paid 96.00 $ brand new from Century Int'l, a while back, complete with the charger belt, sling, cleaning tools and oil bottle.
It has thousands of rounds through the barrel and never failed. At that time the (refurbed) Ruskies were 279.00 $ (the vast majority of Russian SKS are refurbs, not new).
One must be careful when compairing rifles, because changes occured over the years and comparing an early SKS to a late one is not as simple as it looks.
The main dowpoint is the short (very, very short) stock.
 
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heavyBullet said:
Not quite true. The very early Russians were not chromed. My 1950 is not chromed. I believe 1949-1951 is not chromed, not exactly possitive on that but I am sure Curton will correct me :D if I am wrong on the dates.
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thanks G for not being completely correct on the production date , :)

the non-chrome was made from 1949 to part of 1951 so there will be some 51that will also be non-chrome . bare in mind the barrel may also be replace with chrome during refurb .
 
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I have a number of SKS rifls or various origins and vintages. The only one I have moded is my $99 Chinese I bought from Century Arms. I took off the bayonet and ground off the bayo bracket. I have drilled and tapped two holes in the side of the receiver to take the base for a target peep sight. The target sight is worth more than the rifle, so not a reccommended option. I happen to have lots of sights from my shooting days. But I think the flat-sided Williams Fool Proof sight as used on a Winchester 94 would probably work. Used ones are cheap at the gun show.

The first time I used it in a vintage rifle match I won most of the matches and the aggregate by a fair margin. I am 65, so the short sight radius is not that good for my eyes. A scope would be better.

I have the solid steel receiver covers on two other rifles (a Russian and a Yugo). One has a red dot, the other a 4x scope.

For a proper test, I should put a 20X scope on each of them, and bench shoot off sandbags.

I am shooting milsurp, not Russion commercial. It shoots very well. My sense is that the Norinco shoots as well as the other rifles, maybe better.

One of these days I will put a 20X on my AR15 and on an SKS and shoot them for groups. I know the AR shoots under 2" with military and about 1" with match ammo. (HBAR) I doubt the SKS is that good, but it shoots well enough that I have no hesitation in shooting it in a vintage rifle amtch against #4's, etc.

I am 6 foot tall. The Norinco has a stock better suited to my wife. If you are tall, a YUGo is better, or the synthetic stock.

FWIW, my son converted a Norinco to synthetic stock. Functionality went south. he also converted it to a detachable 30 round. That too was a disaster. Put it back to the original stock and mag and its is perfect.

DSCN0343.jpg
 
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