How high do you think SKS prices will go?

Canadiankeeper

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I often forget about my Russian SKS. It sits in my safe, shot once to sight in then well cleaned and oiled. Taken out yearly to inspect for any rust or issues and given a quick wipe down.

I got it for about $240 a few years ago. As most of us do, we look at guns always in the market to buy a new toy. I was browsing multiple vendors and happen to notice they are now selling for over $500! In about 3 years prices have doubled!

What do you think they will max out at?
How long do you think it will take for it to cap?
Do you think it will ever come back down?
 
I would hesitate to make any predictions but what the hell. IF, they are not banned, then they will follow every other milsurp. I bought my first Lee Enfield for about ten bucks in 1969. There were barrels full of them All makes and marks same price. A sporter would cost you a couple of bucks more. Now, A full wood Enfield will run over $800. There you go
 
if not banned in the future it might also depend a lot on the inflation.
If you need 25 buck to buy a loaf of bread you can imagine how much that sks would fetch (if people still have money left to buy guns and ammo by then...)
 
i kinda noticed prices are softening a bit in the last several months. i bought a russian for $400 and the last few sold on ee were asking $425 - 450.
 
Prices should increase. Limited numbers of sks were made. I mean, if you think about it, there’s only enough supply for each person in Canada to own what, 20 each? Maybe 30 each? That kind of rarity should drive prices up.
 
Shooter condition: 80% of a comparable new (NR) semi in the same caliber

So a WK-180 is $1,200 that would put it at $960
 
it is really depending on the market demands and of course what people want or not ... i ve seen some gone for $800 (nothing special on them for that price) then others not selling for $500 ...
 
Prices should increase. Limited numbers of sks were made. I mean, if you think about it, there’s only enough supply for each person in Canada to own what, 20 each? Maybe 30 each? That kind of rarity should drive prices up.

Canada isn't the only place in the world where SKS rifles were shipped to. Most have been used up in the bush wars of the Asias and Africa.

Mind you, the Chinese were still producing variants up to 20 years ago.
 
Ok, I like the SKS. More than most milsurp in fact. That doesn’t change the fact that it should be the cheapest rifle in Canada. It was cheaply made. Doesn’t mean that it’s bad, but it’s a cheaply made rifle. There are STILL huge numbers available. Importers still buy them dirt cheap. If people want to spend $800 on Uber hand selected gold limited refurbished that’s up to them. Go nuts. I don’t have to agree that $800 is a good price.
 
Ok, I like the SKS. More than most milsurp in fact. That doesn’t change the fact that it should be the cheapest rifle in Canada. It was cheaply made. Doesn’t mean that it’s bad, but it’s a cheaply made rifle. There are STILL huge numbers available. Importers still buy them dirt cheap. If people want to spend $800 on Uber hand selected gold limited refurbished that’s up to them. Go nuts. I don’t have to agree that $800 is a good price.

I've yet to see a stamped SKS, other than the magwell.

Just about everything on it is machined or hammer forged. It would not be a cheap rifle to manufacture today.

At this point in time, $800 for an SKS is unusually high. But with the rapidly devaluing dollar that will change.

In the US, if you had one to sell, $800 would be easily doable.

Mind you they got most of the M39 Finns and they go for about half of what they sell for up here.

SVT40s in the US are extremely expensive.
 
They have access to a limited number in the US and they aren’t getting any more. A new AK clone in the US could go for well under a grand. How much does a not even AK valmet go for here? We still have an unlimited supply of sks’s. The US want what they can’t have. It’s not a valid argument here IMO. It’s like saying “a fishing rod in Cuba goes for 2 months salary so we should sell fishing rods that used to cost $100 for $8k in Canada now”.
 
There's certainly nothing cheaply made about an SKS. The market will always dictate value. The reality is that millions were made and most found/find their way into Canada. How many more? It's hard to say of course, but I think we're seeing the end of mass imports and that has been reflected in retail prices. They are still by far and away the lowest cost option for the centerfire and milsurp game. I think they will reach $800 for nicer condition specimens and those rarer finds that collectors want, and $500-600 for average specimens with mismatched mags. So, basically we're almost there.
 
They have access to a limited number in the US and they aren’t getting any more. A new AK clone in the US could go for well under a grand. How much does a not even AK valmet go for here? We still have an unlimited supply of sks’s. The US want what they can’t have. It’s not a valid argument here IMO. It’s like saying “a fishing rod in Cuba goes for 2 months salary so we should sell fishing rods that used to cost $100 for $8k in Canada now”.

Not hardly. Prices are driven by supply and demand. There isn't and never has been an unlimited supply of SKS rifles in Canada.

It just seems that way to people when they see a crate or a half dozen on the wall of their LGS.

Supplies are drying up. The nations that released them onto the surplus markets are keeping them for second line defense and I don't see them letting those rifles go out of country anytime soon.

The cheap ammo will also dry up. The only supplier will be China and I can see the dew is quickly coming off that Lilly.

The price of SKS rifles is where it is, simply because the supply is declining and demand is growing.
 
The way I see it is that many surplus guns have gone up to prices we never expected to see. Garands over $3000. SVT’s over $1000. Lee Enfield over $1000. Rashid $2000. French Lebel 93 $2000. I bought stuff like these to shoot and enjoy the history behind them. I never thought they would reach the prices they have when I bought them. SKS prices will go up but how far I have no idea they will go. They will likely stay at the lower end of surplus prices, compared to others mentioned but I think demand is there for all surplus to go up in price.
 
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