My wife is going to buy a SKS from Frontier Firearms (the one already kitted out) and I am going to pick up one from Cabela's tomorrow. I trust FF isn't going to be sending my wife a rusty beat-up SKS on a after-market stock, but for myself what should I be looking for when I'm checking the rifle over beyond the obvious as I have no experience with SKS at all.
Getting a SKS tomorrow.
- Thread starter Ironers
- Start date
The Canadian Tire in Leduc has had some nice SKS's recently. Also some 91/30's, K31, SVT40, Russian Capture K98s, and suomis. I bought a really nice 1950 Tula there a few weeks ago. Definitely worth a look.
- Location
- The Badlands
It is really a matter of personal preference , but i find the laminate stocks look nice and are more durable ; and the laminates also have the extra cross bolt on the stock . You may also want to watch for the black touch up paint on the bluing........and of course rust and pitting......
While the bluing looks nicer there is nothing wrong with a BBQ painted SKS. I was a finish they used on refurbishment on a percentage of the SKS's. They will still function just as well as a blued one. Don't be discouraged from getting one if that is all that is available. It will still shoot and function like any other SKS.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
...and the bbq paint is WAY more durable and rust resistant. They all function equally well.
The bbq paint idea doesnt sound like too bad of an idea, i think i need to buy another sks as i want to keep my '50 stock.
how much are you spending on the modified one? the aftermarket stocks i was looking at ranged from 115-180 ish, plus the 200 for the rifle.
how much are you spending on the modified one? the aftermarket stocks i was looking at ranged from 115-180 ish, plus the 200 for the rifle.
All things being equal, go with an izhevsk if you can. They are a little nicer machining wise. It has a triangle in a circle on the action cover. The tula version on the other hand has a star with an arrow inside in the same location
I'll have to look but the one my wife is ordering from FF is $400+, she wanted to have it already "blacked" up and not have to worry about modding it herself. I'm just going to keep mine as is.
Here it is:
This is the best photo I can do until I get a better light source. All the numbers match and the stock looks to be untouched, no "handling" marks at all. All the numbers match and it has a triangle with a circle inside stamped on the action. I cannot find a year but the box says 55/56, but boxes can lie.
This is the best photo I can do until I get a better light source. All the numbers match and the stock looks to be untouched, no "handling" marks at all. All the numbers match and it has a triangle with a circle inside stamped on the action. I cannot find a year but the box says 55/56, but boxes can lie.
Here it is:
This is the best photo I can do until I get a better light source. All the numbers match and the stock looks to be untouched, no "handling" marks at all. All the numbers match and it has a triangle with a circle inside stamped on the action. I cannot find a year but the box says 55/56, but boxes can lie.
you got a nice one where did you buy it ?
I got at Cabelas. I'm surprised it wasn't picked up before, the box was open. There is no visible rust at all anywhere, maybe whoever looked at it last didn't like the colour of the stock. The other two I looked were a bit more handled.
It looks to be a late refurb. Please get a picture of the Receiver cover and the receiver side where the serial number is. This will tell us the most. It has a hardwood handguard thus it had a hardwood stock at some point. Nice laminate stock though. She should be a sweet shooter. Clean 'er up and Choot 'em!
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
I am of the opinion that as SKS's become more scarce, and as quality of specimens drop, the nice refurbs will also be much more collectible. Certainly a mild refurb with just a laminate stock replacment will command a premium! Nice one OP, hang on to her!!
You got a late model Cyrillic И ("I" in english) "Letter Gun", made sometime 55/56 or a little later. Those little stamps on the barrel are proofing and inspection stamps. The Russians loved their stamps. Take her apart and you will find them everywhere on all the parts, even tiny little ones. It looks to be a refurb so should shoot and function very well. Enjoy.
