Are stores starting to pull the SKS?

F

ffolkes

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
7   0   0
Location
Victoria BC
I notice that Lever Arms in Vancouver who usually have a large number of refurbished Russian SKS rifles onhand has changed the product listing to "this item cannot be purchased online". Is this going to be a common theme for Russian made anything, even military surplus?
 
They might just have extinguished all their patience when it comes to dealing with complaints from buyers about surplus rifle quality when purchased sight unseen.
 
EL34/6L6 said:
They might just have extinguished all their patience when it comes to dealing with complaints from buyers about surplus rifle quality when purchased sight unseen.
Click to expand...

I would think that might be the issue. I remember a few years back this same vendor had a bunch of Bulgarian contract Star pistols from the Nazi era and I asked if they would show me some pics of 3 of them and I’d pick the one I wanted. They wouldn’t do it and said they’d just pick one random for me. I wouldn’t go for that.

Don’t know if I’m just parinod but I wouldn’t leave it to a shipping clerk to pick one out for me considering the condition of these is all over the map.
 
bush1 said:
I would think that might be the issue. I remember a few years back this same vendor had a bunch of Bulgarian contract Star pistols from the Nazi era and I asked if they would show me some pics of 3 of them and I’d pick the one I wanted. They wouldn’t do it and said they’d just pick one random for me. I wouldn’t go for that.

Don’t know if I’m just parinod but I wouldn’t leave it to a shipping clerk to pick one out for me considering the condition of these is all over the map.
Click to expand...

I doubt they even bother looking at them before packing them up for shipping. I know Tenda used to sell "hand picked grade" SKSs for a bit more than a standard SKS but I don't really think there was any difference between the two. You just paid a premium for them to look at a couple and pick out the cosmetically best one.
 
Last edited:
Anyone assuming without evidence that a rifle made in the USSR decades ago was sourced directly from the modern Russian state is a moron. Many of our SKS, Mosins and surplus ammo was sourced from Ukraine. A lot of it came from the Balakleya storage depot which was spectacularly blown up almost a decade ago.
 
Might be a shipping thing too, the recent changes to oversized packages make shipping an SKS a lot more expensive. Since an SKS trips over the oversized package rules now which adds like $40 to shipping.
 
Swami said:
Kind of like taking Russian liquor off the shelf that has already been paid for? Logic doesn't apply to the thinking behind these pandering moves.
Click to expand...

Exactly ! Like telling Russian NHL hockey players to hang up their skates. Next will be rounding up all the Russians in the country and keeping them in camps. It is a scary path this world is heading down....
 
There are only a couple of places that stores can acquire SKS rifles to sell in their shops.

Usually they are Canadian based distributors that source their rifles from brokers, who source them from importers, such as Century International Arms, which has a subsidiary here in Canada. Their main warehouse is in Florida.

Check out the inventory at the Florida warehouse as well as their catalogue prices and that will pretty much tell you how many SKS rifles they still have access to or in storage.

Looking on their site, they have lots of AK type rifles, parts, kits etc.

SKS rifles not so much.

If large international brokers don't have access to them, likely no one does.

Century Arms USA
 
I was talking to the employees in a couple different stores that told me that they simply aren't available from their distributors anymore, this predates the present war in Europe by quite a bit. So no.
 
bearhunter said:
There are only a couple of places that stores can acquire SKS rifles to sell in their shops.

Usually they are Canadian based distributors that source their rifles from brokers, who source them from importers, such as Century International Arms, which has a subsidiary here in Canada. Their main warehouse is in Florida.

Check out the inventory at the Florida warehouse as well as their catalogue prices and that will pretty much tell you how many SKS rifles they still have access to or in storage.

Looking on their site, they have lots of AK type rifles, parts, kits etc.

SKS rifles not so much.

If large international brokers don't have access to them, likely no one does.

Century Arms USA
Click to expand...

Wow, 749$ for an US make AK.

Makes me miss my vz58.
 
I believe the majority of SKS's in Canada are Chinese manufacture so the Russian origin is not as big of a deal. I laugh at bars and lounges pouring out vodka down the drain where in fact most common brands like Smirnoff are not made in Russia at all. I believe that SKS's in general are in short supply and maybe Lever just doesn't have enough (or any) to sort through. Once again supply and demand are the main driving forces. Phil.
 
chillyrabbit said:
Might be a shipping thing too, the recent changes to oversized packages make shipping an SKS a lot more expensive. Since an SKS trips over the oversized package rules now which adds like $40 to shipping.
Click to expand...
Take the stock off and it should be under the excess shipping price. Mind you if you’re sell or buying you both have to agree to shipping in pieces as there will be several once the stock has been taken off. To make sure you don’t lose parts a vacuum sealer, if you have one, is a great item to keep parts together.
 
AS far as I could tell, the Russian ammo went 'out the door' last Summer, Only Chinese left on line and with shipping and tax will be about $600/case 1500. I watch G-post etc for Russian,n Romania or Czech x39 as it shoots a bit more accurately than Chinese, in my '51 Tula.
Local B-P sold out of Chinese last Fall when it was 'on sale' for $399!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom