why do people bash the 858 without having one? everything i hear is positive, and it has been around 50+ years, if it was so cheap don't you think they would have replaced it a few years after it came out or with the AK when everything went commie? I'm going with the vz58 being "cheap" or what i call light is a goal of mine, if the SHTF you can carry your damn 9lb+ rifle and load 10 rounds at a time. I love the SKS to, but i relegate it to arming my unskilled even poorer than me friends and plan on doing so. ill stick to 30rnd capacity(if shtf you guys can drill the rivet out) . and a folding stock.
858 0r sks?
- Thread starter davecasey
- Start date
If you shot surplus 7.62 x 39 out of a Mini-30 you might change your mind. The firing pin seems to be too light of a tap and you get a huge amount of "duds". I am sure this can be remedied so if you are rich, buy the Mini-30 and spend some more to get it to work properly.
Actually, I already own a stainless Mini-30; have for a long time. I think I'm into it for about $600. The only money I've ever spent on it other than ammo, was something like $9 from Brownells for the higher power hammer spring that fixed the "dud" thing with surplus ammo. Many (many) rounds since that upgrade, and I've had zero jams, zero fail to fires, zero function/reliability problems of any kind. And, it's stainless, so I don't have to panic if I come home from the range, and don't clean for 2 or 3 days.
I also own an SKS, which I also happen to like very well (especially for the price!). But it's nowhere near the 100% reliable that the Mini-30 is, it's nowhere near as easy to clean as the Mini is, etc. It's a $200 gun. As a $200 gun, I love it. But, unlike the Mini, I could EASILY go through more money in "upgrades" than I spent on the gun.
I have never owned an 858. I hope to, someday, just for the experience of it. But generally speaking, I don't see how it could compete with my stainless Mini, given that they're both at approximately the same price point.
I guess a hammer spring isn't too expensive. Nothing wrong with owning all three. You come off as being a little defensive but that's the nature of typing to someone instead of talking face to face. I'm just a poor boy so I would pick the SKS first, then the 858 then the Mini-30. I like the heavy feel of the SKS. The 858 does feel very cheap when you hold it but as many have attested to it functions very well. I have no doubt I will have all three before I am food for worms.
I tried the cz factory folding stock, look great and function well, but this week i returned to the original cz fized stock. I find it more comfortable and more accurate to shoot, but its me.
- Location
- Keswick, Ontario
Depends on what you are looking for.
If money is your only criteria for choosing, then the SKS wins hands down.
If it's quality, then the 858 is the better choice by far. She ain't pretty (to most folks anyway, I love em) but it's a machine.
I have had both the SKS and AR and now have the 858. My reasons for this are:
1 - Reliability - It runs through all sorts of crap, including ice and mud
2 - Cost Effective Ammo - I loved my AR, but feeding it was too expensive and kept me off the range. 7.62x39 has been plentiful and arrives here at a price that lets me train regularly
3 - Caliber - 7.62x39 - Steel core. What else needs to be said
4 - Weight - At 6.8 pounds it's comparable to an AR (5.5-6.6) and is less than an SKS(hair over 8 lbs)
5 - Cost - It's just plain cheap considering it's features.
6 - Maintenance - It's easier to take care of than the AR or SKS platform. It doesn't have small parts to drop when hands are cold and/or tired. Even with corrosive primed ammo it's easier to maintain.
It's not a specialist rifle. It's a generalist rifle with great reliability and modern features.
If money is your only criteria for choosing, then the SKS wins hands down.
If it's quality, then the 858 is the better choice by far. She ain't pretty (to most folks anyway, I love em) but it's a machine.
I have had both the SKS and AR and now have the 858. My reasons for this are:
1 - Reliability - It runs through all sorts of crap, including ice and mud
2 - Cost Effective Ammo - I loved my AR, but feeding it was too expensive and kept me off the range. 7.62x39 has been plentiful and arrives here at a price that lets me train regularly
3 - Caliber - 7.62x39 - Steel core. What else needs to be said
4 - Weight - At 6.8 pounds it's comparable to an AR (5.5-6.6) and is less than an SKS(hair over 8 lbs)
5 - Cost - It's just plain cheap considering it's features.
6 - Maintenance - It's easier to take care of than the AR or SKS platform. It doesn't have small parts to drop when hands are cold and/or tired. Even with corrosive primed ammo it's easier to maintain.
It's not a specialist rifle. It's a generalist rifle with great reliability and modern features.
Last edited:
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Get both.
They are very different rifles from different time frames and you deserve to try both.
For under one grand you can have two very interesting pieces of firearm history and good shooting rifles, too.
PP.
They are very different rifles from different time frames and you deserve to try both.
For under one grand you can have two very interesting pieces of firearm history and good shooting rifles, too.
PP.
SKS deals are all around you.
http://westrifle.com/specialsks.html
http://westrifle.com/specialsks.html
I had a Yugo Ak folder (in the good old days) and picked up a 858 last year and I love it! At the start probably to relive my ak days, but it won me over, if a sks deal came along I'd probably go for it. Ya gotta love that COMBLOC stuff!
J5 Muskeg
